History of the Comtany. 6 



ance of the whole Company at the funeral, and, if 

 the circumstances of the widow and orphans were 

 destitute, they were relieved from the common 

 " stock " or " house " fund. 



It has not been thought expedient to Interrupt 

 the thread of historical narrative by more than a 

 passing allusion to the internal affairs of the Com- 

 pany at this stage ; a more ample account of their 

 ordinances and of the curious and interesting 

 incidents arising out of their application, will be 

 found In a separate and subsequent chapter. 



It Is pleasant to conjure up In our minds, 



.J . however, an approximate picture of 



the seventeenth Cheapsldo as It appears at this period, 



century. ■■ . , . , . , 



and we are assisted m this mental 

 effort by the frequent mention In the Company's 

 Order Books of places once famous landmarks, but 

 now, alas, known to us only In name. Cheapside, 

 or Westchepe, as It was more commonly called, 

 was undoubtedly the most historically Important 

 thoroughfare In Old London, the probable con- 

 sequence of Its being the high road from the 

 City to the west — from the Tower to Whitehall 

 and Westminster — the favourite route of State 

 pageants and processions. Its two rows of shops 

 were at once the richest and handsomest In Old 

 London, the south side being mostly occupied by 

 wealthy goldsmiths. Great has been the change 

 In the commercial life of the citizens since then. 

 Then, each tradesman or merchant worked at his 

 craft, or " set forth his wares to the she we " in 



