(HAP. II. .MKIM'HAXT ADVKNTl'KKK. '..! 



adventurer. In those days country gentlemen of mode- 

 rate income were accustomed to bind their sons appren- 

 tice's to merchants, especially where the number of 

 younger sons was large, as it certainly was in the case 

 of Richard Myddelton of Galch-hill. There existed at 

 that time in the metropolis numerous exclusive com- 

 panies or guilds, the admission into which was regarded 

 as a safe road to fortune. The merchants were then 

 few in number, and they constituted almost an aris- 

 tocracy in themselves; indeed, they were not unfre- 

 quently elevated to the peerage because of their wealth 

 as well as public services, and not a few" of our present 

 noble families can trace their pedigree back to some 

 wealthy skinner, mercer, or tailor, of the reigns of 

 James or Elizabeth. 



Hugh Myddelton was entered an apprentice of the 

 guild of the Goldsmiths' Company. Having thus set 

 his son in the way of well-doing, Richard Myddelton 

 left him to carve out his own career, and rely upon his 

 own energy and ability. He had done the same with 

 Thomas, whom he had helped until he could stand by 

 himself; and William, whom he had educated at Oxford 

 as thoroughly as his means would afford. These sons 

 having been fairly launched upon the world, he be- 

 queathed the residue of his property to his other sons 

 and daughters. 1 



The goldsmiths of that day were not merely dealers in 

 plate, but in money. They had succeeded to much of the 

 business formerly carried on by the Jews and Venetian 

 merchants established in or near Lombard-street. They 

 usually united to the trade of goldsmith that of banker, 

 money-changer, and money-lender, dealing generally in 

 the precious metals, and exchanging plate and foreign 

 coin lor gold and silver pieces of English manufacture, 

 which had become much depreciated by long use as well 



' Kccoiils of Denbigh,' p. 201-2. 



H 2 



