480 Prncrrdinris of the Roi/al Irish Academy. 



strangers coining to the city, and all such were to have their signs. So high 

 an official as Sii' Francis Walsingham, H. M. Chief Secretary, applied that 

 the wife of one Frith, an inhabitant but not a freeman of the city, might ply 

 her calling as a sempstress, which was granted on condition that she procured 

 the necessary materials from city merchants only. In 1588 a special place 

 in Cork Hill was assigned for the free fishermen of the city for selling their 

 fish, whUe the free fishermen who then dwelt in Fish (Fishamble) Street were 

 allowed to sell at their own stalls. The Trinity Gild (that of the merchants) 

 seems to have had special jurisdiction with regard to herrings, for, on an 

 occasion when the mayor had purchased some quantity of that fish, he became 

 bound to make no further bargains for such without the privity of the 

 master and wardens of that fraternity. During the course of the year 1600, 

 the Master of the Bakers' Company forbade the members to bake bread, so 

 that the city was unprovided with that commodity. He was committed to 

 Newgate, where he was to remain at the discretion of the mayor. As a 

 consequence, the Council, in the Lord Deputy's absence, directed that the assise 

 of bread should be laid down, which the mayor carried out. 



In 1609 the activity of Dutch merchants in capturing portion of the city 

 trade was the cause of some anxiety to the citizens, especially as these 

 foreigners managed to evade payment of imposts, &c. In a particular case 

 recorded in the "Friday Book," one Jaques Marshis of Amsterdam was 

 encouraged to venture to Dublin with a freight of dry goods, for which he 

 hoped to maintain a freedom in St. Patrick's ; and some velvet was taken from 

 a Dutchman by the Merchants' Gild, which was sold in the franchises, 

 contrary to the charters. A Mr. Jacob appears to have instigated the 

 aggressiveness of the foreigners. He was counsel in a Bill presented to the 

 Star Chamber against the mayor, &c., and was said to have declared in open 

 court that he would overthrow the city charters. As a result, an order 

 was made that any free citizen buying from Dutch merchants should be 

 disfranchised or fined. 



There are some notices of the riding of the franchises, which in 1607 was 

 said to have been long omitted. The destruction in 1597 of a large number 

 of houses, and the deaths of nearly 400 inhabitants by the blowing up on 

 Wood Quay of 144 barrels of gunpowder belonging to Government, caused so 

 much sorrow that the muster of citizens at Cullenswood, which usually took 

 place on Easter Monday, was given up that year. 



The city school and its masters occupy some space. Mr. Bruerton, master 

 in 1599, was to have £15 salary paid him by the sheriffs ; and in 1605, 

 Eobert Mason was paid fifty shillings, old silver, for keeping the " Free " 

 school from ilicbaelmas to Christmas. On one occasion, mimition belonging 



