A. D. 1546. 97 



The great wealth of the Fuggers, merchants of Augfburg, now liv- 

 ing at Antwerp (already mentioned in the year 1535), is further illuf- 

 trated by an acquittance of Anthony Fugger and nephews to King 

 Henry VIII of England, and to the city of London (bound with him), 

 for L 152,180 Flemifli, which the king had borrowed of them. [Fa- 

 dcra, V. xv, p. loi.] * 



And in the following year. King Edward VI borrowed of the fame 

 perfons 129,750 Caroline florins, on the fecurity of the city of London. 

 \Fadern, V. xv, p. 152.] Thus we fee that in thofe times the monarchs 

 were obliged to fupport their own credit by the fecurity of this great 

 metropolis. 



Henry VIIT granted a licence to two Florentine merchants therein 

 named, to import, for three years to come, the following rich mer- 

 chandize, which (he fays) were for the pleafure of us and our deareft 

 wife the queen, our nobles, gentlemen, and others ; viz. All kinds of 

 goldlmith's work of gold and fdver, all kinds of fkins and furs, of fa- 

 bles, &c. all forts of cloths of tillue of gold, lilver, tinfel, velvet, and 

 filk, cloths of tapefhry and arras mixed with gold and fdver, all forts of 

 fringes and lace wrought with gold and fdver, or otherwife, of all which 

 the king was to have the firft light and the refufd. \_F(xdera, V. xv, 

 /. 105 ] The luxury of drefs was at leaft as great in thofe days as the 

 prefent, though not fo generally diffuied. 



By a flatute [37 Hen. VII f, c. 21.] two parifli churches, or one 

 church and a chapel, not being above one mile afunder, and one of 

 them not exceeding the yearly value of L6, might be united into one, 

 with the confent of the bifliop, patrons, and incumbent, Sec. It feems 

 by the preamble to this ad, that there were many parfonages in Eng- 

 land, whereof the glebes, tithes, and other yearly protits, were not fuf- 

 ftcient to maintain a pricfl: or curate for the benefit of the parifliioners ; 

 and as within u mile or Ids of the faid poor parfonage, there happened 

 in many places to be another pandi church fituated as conveniently tor 

 the faid parifliioners as their own church may be ; and v/hereas the ex- 

 penfe of fupporting the two churches, for reparations, &c. is greater 

 than iLch poor parifl'iioners can bear ; therefor, if one of thofe church- 

 livings happen not to exceed the yearly value of L 6 in the king's books, 

 it may be united to the other parifli church ; yet the union may be af- 

 terwards made void, provided the parifliioners of fuch poor parifli fliall, 

 in one year after fuch union, properly fecure to the incumbent of the 

 faid parifli tlie yearly [Kiymeut of fo much money as, with the fum that 

 the laid pariflies rated at in the king's court of firll fruits and tenths,. 

 ihall amount to the full fum of L 8 yearly. 



* The. Fuggers,^ by licence from the king of failed to India, and owned a pait of every carpo 

 Portugal, ulcd to fend a fadur ill each iWp that of peppcr-impoited. \_Lmfchottcn, p. !i5o.] M-- 



VoL.iL n; 



