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patent granted by King Richard II. in the
year 1393. The members are not only
exempt from quarterage, but upon their
admission to the livery, pay only a fine of
2l. 13s. 4d.
This fraternity is governed by a Prime
and three other Wardens, with forty As-
sistants, and 232 Liverymen.
MERCERS HALL, and Chapel, are situated
in Cheapside, between the Old Jewry and
Ironmonger lane, on the spot where an-
ciently stood an hospital dedicated to St.
Thomas of Acars or Acons. They were
both destroyed by the fire of London;
after which they were rebuilt by the com-
pany. The front, which is towards
Cheapside, is adorned with a very hand-
some entrance; the door case is enriched
with the figures of two Cupids mantling
the company's arms, and with festoons,
&c. and over it the balcony is adorned
with two pilasters of the Ionic order, and
a pediment; with the figures of Faith,
Hope and Charity, and other enrich-
ments.
The inner court is adorned with piaz-
zas, formed of columns of the Doric or-
der; the hall room and great parlour are
wainscoted with oak, and ornamented
with Ionic pilasters; and the ceiling with
fretwork.
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The chapel is neatly wainscoted, and
paved with black and white marble.
MERCERS court, 1. St. Mary hill. 2.
Tower hill. 3. Tower street.
MERCERS SCHOOL, in the Old Jewry, was,
as well as their hall and chapel, a part of
the hospital of St. Thomas of Acons; but
that hospital being surrendered to Henry
VIII. in 1531, it was purchased by the
company of Mercers, and the ancient
school continued; the Master having a
salary of 40l. per annum, with a commo-
dious dwelling house, for which he is
obliged to teach twenty-five boys gram-
matical learning. Maitland.
MERCERS street, Long Acre; so called from
its belonging to that company.
MERCHANT ADVENTURERS. See HAM-
BURGH MERCHANTS.
MERCHANT TAYLORS, the seventh of the
twelve principal companies, was incorpo-
rated by Edward IV. in the year 1466;
and was anciently denominated Taylors
and Linen Armourers: but many of the
company being great merchants, and
Henry VII. one of the members, that
Prince in the year 1503 re-incorporated
it, by the name of, The Master and War-
dens of the Merchant Taylors of the frater-
nity of St. John the Baptist, in the city of
London.
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