breasts of Englishmen, showed on this, as well as on former and subsequent occafions, that however the efforts of a few factious and difaffected individuals may, for a period, disturb the general tranquillity, the moment of real danger absorbs all party feelings, and produces a unity of action which is irrefiftible. Thus, the War which was commenced in 1793, was not the War of the Court, of the Ministers, or of the privileged orders; it was a War of the great majority of the people of Britain. In declaring it against France in February 1793, his Britannic Majesty spoke the voice of the British nation.* Its duration, as is well known to us all, was for a period of thirty years; the fuccess was various, but its termination eminently glorious to the British nation, which, by its internal unanimity and by heavy personal facrifices, carried all Europe through a struggle, which, on more occafions than one, had appeared hopeless.

As far as the Grocers' Company are concerned, I have now brought my labours to a close; the journals, from the period I have last alluded to, presenting nothing worthy of record, which has not been noticed in that portion of my work which treats of the Hall. The task, although somewhat laborious, has been most gratifying, inasmuch as it has made me thoroughly converfant with the history and tranfactions of the ancient and venerable Corporation to which it is my pride to be attached. It has enabled me to see that the conduct pursued by the Company, through all times and in all circumstances, good and evil, has been confiftent and highly honourable; loyalty and good faith

* Biffet's Reign of George III. vol. v.

having been, from their earliest inftitution, their main fprings of action. Conftituted as the Company now are, the fame principles will, I am perfuaded, continue to actuate them; and charity, attachment to the inftitutions of their country civil and religious, and brotherly love among themfelves, be, to the end of time, their distinguishing characteristics. For my own part, partaking moft cordially in these fentiments, I cannot breathe a better and more appropriate prayer for the profperity of the Society, than by fervently reciting the Grace which is, on all feftive occafions, pronounced at the Hall,-GOD PRESERVE THE CHURCH, THE QUEEN, AND THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF GROCERS.

NOTICES OF ILLUSTRIOUS AND

EMINENT MEMBERS OF THE

Grocers' Company.

"CLARORUM virorum facta morefque pofteris tradere, antiquitus ufitatum, ne noftris quidem temporibus, quanquam incuriofa fuorum ætas omifit, quotiens magna aliqua ac nobilis virtus vicit ac fupergreffa eft vitium, parvis magnifque civitatibus commune, ignorantiam recti et invidiam."

C. Cornelii Taciti Agricola.

"BUT what doe I their names feeke to reherse,
Which all the world have with their iffue fild?
How can they all in this fo narrow verse
Contayned be, and in small compaffe hold?
Let them record them that are better skild,
And know the moniments of paffsed time:
Only what needeth fhall be here fulfild."

Spenfer's Faerie Queene, Canto XI.

A A

NOTICES OF EMINENT MEMBERS.

ANDREW BOKEREL.

ANDREW BOKER

EL, Pepperer, was

Mayor of London in

the reign of King
Edward I. for feven

confecutive years,

namely from 1231 to 1237. The

traces of the Bokerel family, of which this diftinguished citizen (the first noticed in the Civic annals as a Pepperer) was a member, are faint and very widely scattered. The Bokerels, there is no doubt, came originally from Italy, where they were known by the name of Boccherelli, (a family whofe defcendants are ftill to be found at Pisa,) as in the Hundred-rolls, or Inquifitions* of the fecond year of Edward I., William Bokerel is named, together with Gregory de Rokefly, the Bafings, and divers other great city men of the time, as being one" among other Lombards of whofe names the jury were ignorant:" it is further faid of the fame William, that he held the fourth part of a knight's

*Calend. Rotulm. Hundred. No. 1, p. 415.