gulations of the society of hoastmen or fitters, confound this with an account of the coal-trade, as we reserve this important department for a place appropriated to itself: and therefore we shall not enter into all the minutiæ, or every lesser circumstance, respecting this opulent and very consequential society, selecting only the most informing and important.

It appears that a society of hoastmen had existed as a guild or fraternity in the town of Newcastle upon Tyne from time immemorial, before their incorporation by royal charter, which is faid to have been granted on the following occafion: About the year 1599 queen Elizabeth requiring of the mayor and burgeffes of that town the great arrears of a duty payable to the crown, of two-pence per chaldron on coals fold to non freemen in the port of Tyne, (the date of which deficiency is not afcertained) it appeared that the payment of this impost had been fo long neglected, that they found themselves unable to comply with the royal demand; on which they befought her majesty to remit them the fum, and to incorporate the old guild of hoastmen, who, on their incorporation, should, by a grant to the queen, her heirs and successors, for ever, pay one shilling for every chalder of coals exported from thence to the free people of England. These are the observations of Mr Gardiner in his England's Grievances; but the hoastmen say, they made this grant to her majesty out of pure loyalty and goodwill, and to enable her to support the realm against its foreign enemies. The queen seems indeed to countenance this patriotic motive of the hostmen, as she observes "that the shilling per chaldron was granted to her by the hoft

1

What is justly called the great charter to the town of Newcastle, granted by this sovereign in the 42d year of her reign, includes a clause whereby this fraternity is incorporated, and in which forty-eight perfons are named therein for the better loading and difpofing of pit-coal and fstones upon the Tyne; and for their own better fupport as a society, with the title of governor, stewards, and brethren of the fraternity of hoastmen in the town of Newcastle upon Tyne, a common feal is granted them. The governor and stewards are to be annully elected on the fourth of January. Power is given them to load and unload any where on the river Tyne between Newcastle and Sparhawk, yet as near Newcastle as they can, notwithstanding the statute of the twenty-first of Henry the eight. See the abstract of this charter in the preceding pages.

The term Oft, or Hostman, seems to have taken its origin from a paffage in a statute of Henry IV. in the year 1404, cap. 9. Merchants Aliens. "And alfo it is ordained and stablished, that in every city, town, and port of the fea in England, where the faid merchants aliens or strangers be or shall be repairing, sufficient hooftes shall be affigned to the same merchants by the mayor, sheriffes, or bailiffes of the faid cities, townes and portes of the fea. And that the faid merchants, &c. shall dwell in no other plase, but with their faid hoftes fo to be affigned; and that the fame hoftes shall take for their travaile in the manner as was accustomed in old time." Statutes by Barker.

The subsequent regulations respecting the meafure, the loading, and the duties on coals, we refer to the article coal-trade, digging, vending, &c. of coals. Governors

Governors of the Hoastmen's Company,

Chosen annually, June 4th.

1713-14-15 Matt. White, efq.

1716 Richard Ridley, efq.

1725 Sir William Blackett

1728 George Liddell, efq.

1740 John Ord, efq.

1745 John Simpson, efq.

John Simpfon, esq. was succeeded by J. E. Blackett, efq. who is the present governor.

THE SOCIETY OF MASTERS AND MARINERS, Generally named THE TRINITY-HOUSE.

It is certainly an important part of the political wifdom of a nation to know where principally "its strength lies." And by experience, and never more fo than during the late arduous contest with almost all the maritime powers of Europe, we find, that the chief fource of our power lies in our naval force,--our wooden walls. In tracing, therefore, the origin of a society, to whose good services not only the port of Tyne, but also our national commerce in general, owes very confiderable obligations, require that we give to its history a more particular attention.

So remote as A. D. 1335, the mariners of Newcaftle upon Tyne are diftinguished in our annals for their bravery by fea, and their gallant behaviour in the national fervice.

This fociety was first denominated an ancient religious or fecular guild, with the title of the "Guild or Fraternity of the Bleffed Trinity," confifting of both fexes, and founded by fome ancient royal authority.

In the year 1492, this society appears to have been an incorporated body, purchasing by the feoffees, the fite of their present house; for which a red rose was to be prefented yearly, at midfummer, if demanded. A pottle of wine, for fome additional grant, continued to be paid annually, above a century after.

Anno

Anno 1505, the fociety ordered, that a hall, chapel, and lodgings, should be erected on the fite of the present Trinity-house, at their common expence, for their poor brethren.

October 5, 1536, king Henry VIII. granted a charter of new incorporation to this guild or fraternity, confifting, at that time, both of men and women, out of love to the Trinity, and to encourage the art of navigation; which society, in future, was to be governed by a master and four wardens, and by the name of "The Master and Wardens of the Holy and Indivisible Trinity;" to have a common feal, implead and be impleaded, &c. with licence to build and embattle two towers, the one at the entrance of the haven of Tyne, and the other on the hill adjoining; in each of which lights were to be maintained every night; for the fupport of which they were empowered to receive fourpence for every foreign ship, and twopence for every English one, arriving at the port of Tyne, The succeeding sovereigns, Edward VI. and Mary, confirmed the above charters.

A. D. 1584, queen Elizabeth granted to this society a new charter, founding them anew, by the name of "The Master, Pilots, and Seamen of the Trinity-house of Newcastle upon Tyne;" to be a perpetual brotherhood, confifting of nineteen elder brethren, who with the rest, styled younger brethren, should yearly, on the Sunday next after Candlemas, choose a master, two elder wardens, and two younger ones; as also four assistants out of the elder brethren, with as many out of the younger, for the government of the fraternity, and safe cuftody of the poffeffions thereof: they were allo to plead and be impleaded, &c. &c.