Painters in the Reign cf Henry VIII. 141 



which they fuffercd to run to ruin. Being 

 condemned to the repairs, they were in rc- 

 compence indulged with granaries, and an 

 alderman of their own -, but in time were 

 complained of, for importing too great 

 quantities of foreign grain. They were re- 

 flritfled, yet flill increafed in wealth, and had 

 a noble hall in Thames- flreet with three 

 arched gates, and in the reign of Edward III. 

 they hired another houfe of Richard Lions, 

 a famous lapidary, one of the fherifFs, who 

 was beheaded by the Kentifli rebels in the 

 reign of Richard II, and another for which 

 they paid 70 /. per ann. But flill continu- 

 ing to engrofs the trade, they were fuppr.ei- 

 fed in the reign of Edward VI. who feized 

 the liberties of the Steelyard into his own 

 hands. 



But for nothing has Holbein's name been 

 oftener mentioned than for the pi6lure of 

 Sir Thomas More's family. Yet of fix 

 pieces extant on this fubje(5t, the two fmaikr 

 are certainly copies, the three larger pro- 

 bably not painted by Holbein, and the 

 fixth, tho' an original pidlure, moft likely 

 not of Sir Thomas and his family. That 

 Holbein was to draw fuch a piece is in- 

 dubitable; 



