70 History of the Company. 



Fennor, an actor, describing In 1617 the Wood 

 Street Counter, alludes to the frequent occupation 

 of this prison by members of the Saddlers' craft. 

 He says: "As In a citty there Is all kinds of 

 trades, so Is there heere, for heere you shall see a 

 cobler sitting mending olde shooes, and singing as 

 merrily as If hee were under a stall abroad ; not 

 farre from him you shall see a taylor sit crossed- 

 legged (like a witch) on his cushion threatning 

 the rulne of our fellow prisoner, the ^Egyptian 

 vermlne ; In another place you may behold a 

 Sadler empannelling all his wits together how to 

 patch this Scotch padde handsomely or mend the 

 old gentleman's crooper that was almost burst In 

 pieces. ^ 



Frequent mention occurs of another famous 

 prison. Old Ludgate : This was anciently a free 

 debtors' prison, and, according to Strype, Its 

 tenants were chiefly merchants and tradesmen 

 who had been driven to want by losses at sea. Its 

 mention In the Company's books Is mostly In 

 connection with the relief of poor members of 

 the Company, who found themselves Involuntary 

 inmates. 



1607. April 18///. 



" It was then ordered and agreed that John Atkinson, 

 being a prisoner in Ludgate, shulde have of the howse 

 charge to kepe him to werke a hide of Icthcr and a cople 

 of calves skyns w^'* cost xxiiij^" 



^ ''The Compter's Commonwealth, or a voiage made to an 

 infernall Island," by William Fennor, a.d. 1617. In the 

 Library of the B. M. 



