138 THE DERBY COMPANY OF MERCERS. 



Company shall, in his year, give a treat of a piece of beef as 

 formerly." Neither is there any mention of religion, except what 

 may be implied in the statement, that they were to attend in their 

 gowns at solemnities. 



Although the Wardens could enter into shops to test weights 

 and measures, and also goods, we have no record of their having 

 carried out these powers. The greater part of their effort seems 

 to have been directed in taking care that no damage was done to 

 the various trades, by people opening a shop without having 

 served an apprenticeship in the Borough, or being free of, or 

 having the license of the Company. 



Their powers for this purpose were fully exercised, as numerous 

 orders in the minute book of the Company show. 



On Feb. 3, 1676, Thomas Brookes, feltmaker, on payment 

 of eight pounds, was " admitted a Member & Freeman of the 

 said Company." 



On April 6, 1676, the Company "received satisfacon from 

 Anne Bloodworth widdow, & doe allow her, ye said Anne, to 

 keep A shop & sell Grocery Wares, without any molestacon or 

 disturbance from ye said Company, shee, ye Ann, paying two 

 shillings every Easter Tuesday, towards makeing A stock for ye 

 said Compay, & such assess's as shee ought, for such freedome, 

 & not to take any apprentice* to ye Damage of ye s"* Company, 

 & for default of not observeing this order this Contract to be 

 void." 



On Jan. 29, 1680, was "accepted A Composition from 

 Elisabeth Alsop, for the sum of five pounds, that shee shall 

 not be disturbed by any of the said Company, for exerciseing 

 The Milliners Trade, she not Taking any Aprentices to make 

 them or any Aprentice to make him or them free of this Burrow, 

 or of the said Company." 



On Jan. 29, 1680, it was agreed, "that Mrs Anne Wathall 

 shall pay to the said Company Twenty nobles for her Composi- 

 tion ; " and on Feb. 12, Mrs. Dorothy Wathall paid the sum 



• In the company of weavers at Alnwick, founded in 1619 ; " Agreed 

 brothers" were not allowed to take apprentices. — Tale's ''History of Aln- 

 wick. " 



