144 THE DERBY COMPANV OF MERCERS. 



30th, 1732, when the Company empowered any member to 

 proceed against Hawkers and Pedlers. It was "ordered that 

 whereas severall persons (as Hawkers & Pedlers) & others, have 

 of late, & do Frequently, expose Goods to sail, to the prejudice 

 of the s"* Comp^ ; who ever of the said Comp" shall be at any 

 expence in prosecuting any such person or persons so offending, 

 shall be indemnifid by the said Company."* 



The ordinary sources of income were the annual subscription of 

 two shiUings paid by each member, and fines for not coming to 

 the annual meeting or when summoned to appear. These 

 amounted to a very small sum, as there were not many members 

 in the Company. The ordinary expenses were often less than a 

 sovereign. The greater part of the income was from fines and 

 compositions from traders who joined the Society ; and the main 

 part of the expense was in prosecutions. These expenses were 

 sometimes recovered from the offender. 



The officers had the power of making a levy on the members, 

 and although there is no actual mention of this power having been 

 exercised, the minute book contains some orders on the subject ; 

 but the amounts of assessment and the date of the meeting have 

 not been filled in, nor have the orders been signed by the 

 officers. 



The Wardens rendered their accounts somewhat irregularly, 

 and there is nothing to show that the fine of ten shillings and 

 penalty of disfranchisement were ever imposed on them for not 

 presenting their accounts within one month of their completion of 

 office. Sometimes they were allowed to run several years into 

 arrear. There is no copy of a balance-sheet on the minutes^ 

 The sum which one set of wardens handed over to their succes- 

 sors is generally stated, sometimes the total amounts they received 

 and expended are given without any details. It was said of 

 Mr. Francis, who gave in his account on April i8th, 1693. "it 

 doth appear that he hath paid all the money out of his hands, & 

 by order of the Company, & is hereby discharged." 



* The Company of Merchants at Alnwick, founded in 1582, frequently 

 prosecuted pedlers, and in the year 1670 spent £8;^ i6s. 8d. for that 

 purpose. Tate's " History of Alnwick." 



