St. Thomas in the City of Salisbury, where, on his brass plate, may be seen the following inscription to the memory of himself and his wife: "Here lyeth buried ye Bodies of John Baylye (sometimes Maior of this Citie) and Katherine his wife, which John deceased ye xi of October, and Katherine the xxiij of Julye in the Yeare

1600,"

The introduction of this "Prophecie" may (however interesting) appear to many to be a digression; but I have no apology to offer, since the avocation of John Halle, as an extensive dealer in wool, naturally leads me to speak of clothing, and its concerns. This portion of the trade of the City of Salisbury was not, originally, confined to the manufacture of flannel. Aubrey, writing of his time (1669), saith thus: "The best white cloaths in England are made at Salisbury, where (by the way) the water thro' running through Chalk becomes very nitrous; and therefore abstersive. These fine Cloaths are died black at London or Holland (or scarlet.") Thus says Aubrey; and I could prove, from numerous authorities, that, in the middle-ages, Salisbury, Winchester, Romsey, and Southampton were the seats of an extensive cloth manufacture. leads me to observe, that this inland trade alone would, of course, raise up numerous dealers in wool to supply the makers of cloth; but other Causes combined to render Salisbury a celebrated mart for that staple commodity, wool, and to make it the residence of merchants of such affluence as "Halle and Webb." Aubrey says: "Halle, I doe believe, was a merchant of the

P P

This

Staple at Salisbury." In my fourth Essay I have proved, that the duties on exported wools, &c., formed the greater portion of the revenues of the Crown, and that certain towns were appointed, (of which Southampton was one,) from whence alone the exportation of wools was allowed.

Such a "marchant" was, assuredly, John Halle, and this fact is pointed out, not merely by the assertion of Aubrey, but also by the symbol of the staple, which forms an integral portion of his merchant's mark. (See the plate, p. 81.) In the Essay, before alluded to, when I had developed the primary meaning of the word staple, (as used in a commercial sense,) I further observed, that the word is continued still to be applied to the most extensive products of the country without the remotest reference to fiscal duties. Thus the present dealer in wool is called a wool-stapler; but yet he is a trader of far minor importance to the wealthy John Halle. He is one, who, making his periodical circuit, buys up, at the houses of the growers of the wool, their several stores; and acts as the middle-man between the farmer and the clothier. Not so the Hero of my History. He fairly, and openly, competed for the purchase of the numerous loads of wool brought to the (to this day well-known) " Wool Market" of the faire Citie of Salisburie, and which was conveniently opposite to his own residence.

Here, gentle reader, a vivid picture presents itself to my imagination. I see, on the day of the mart, the "Wool Market," filled with numerous wains laden with that commodity; and,

amidst the busy scene, I recognise the (to me well-known) portly figure of John Halle, habited in his merchant's gown, and low cap— open, and honest, in countenance—threading his way, and, with unerring judgment, promptly selecting, and, as promptly, purchasing the superior samples; and, having made those purchases, directing the carmen to convey his boughten goods to his capacious store-rooms.

Aubrey, in speaking of John Halle as a merchant of the staple, and a dealer in wool, does certainly make use of language somewhat hyperbolical. His words are: "As Greville & Wenman bought all the Coteswold, soe did Halle & Webb all the wooll of Salisbury plaines." These words, however, must not be taken in a literal sense. He here speaks figuratively, and comparatively. There is no doubt, that there were many minor dealers; and I ween, there were some, who, occasionally, competed with the great Leviathans, " Halle & Webb," but who purchased for the consumption of the home manufacture. He merely means to say, (and that, I trow, was truly so,) that these two great capitalists had the command of the market— that they purchased very largely for exportation, and-that they secured to themselves the fairer wools; (as in those days the best cloths were imported;) and such wools did these affluent merchants of the staple, probably, convey in their own wains to the staple town of Southampton; and then, having paid the duties of the Crown, they again, as probably, conveyed them in their own shipping to the far-famed mart of

the staple-town of Calais; where the bales of John Halle (you may rest assured, gentle reader,) were easily recognised by his monogram, and religious symbol-by his merchant's mark-well denoting, alike, his faith in his Saviour, and his uprightness as a merchant; and where (you may feel equally assured) they met with an eager reception, and as ready a sale.

I must here remark, that Aubrey has used (and I have followed his example) the names of "Halle & Webb" apparently in conjunction; yet it must not be hence inferred, that they were partners in their mercantile concerns-no-he plainly only means to point them out as merchants of the most extensive dealing; and there can be no doubt, that "Greville & Wenman, Halle & Webb," were all great capitalists, and made their several purchases on their respective private accounts.

Aubrey, in speaking of the ancient mansion of John Halle, (it may be remembered,) makes this query, viz. "if there are not also woolsacks in the pannells of glasse?" Certainly there are none now, nor ought we to be surprised at this, when we consider the great age of the halle-that it has been erected upwards of three centuries, and a half-that its windows, during that lengthened period, must have experienced many repairs, and alterations, andthat it has been a tavern! On the other hand we ought not to cease to wonder, that these invaluable specimens of ancient art have descended to our own times still not more disarranged, and mutilated. I have been informed

by my late respected friend, Dr. Maton (3,) that, he well remembered, when he first viewed the windows in the younger period of his life, seeing, amongst the ornamented panes of glass, one, or more, decorated with the wool-sack.

It is now time to enter on the few recorded particulars of the memorials of John Halle. In the 22d year of Henry, the Sixth, 1444, it appears by the Leger of the Corporation of Salisbury, that John Halle contributed six shillings towards raising the sum of 407. (equal, probably, to 4007. of the present day,) being the proportion of a general subsidy to the King, which seems to have been affixed as the payment of the City of Salisbury. The occasion of this subsidy is not recorded, as I can find, by Historians; but that the King stood in need of money at that particular crisis is very probable. The finances of England and France were then much weakened by an expensive war, and both sides were equally desirous of rest, which was obtained by a successful negotiation held at Tours for a truce. Henry found it necessary then, it is probable, to wind up the heavy expenses of the past war; which had, not unlikely, been defrayed by means of loans from the wealthy merchants; and, in addition to such emergency, he had another call on him, at this time, for extraordinary expenses. William de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk, was sent to France, as the head of the Embassy, for the purpose of bringing about, if not a final peace, at least a truce for some lengthened period. He failed in the former, but-succeeded in negotiating a truce for three