Hall marks on gold & silver plate

1 8
HALL MARKS ON PLATE.
ally allowed and put on record (Lib. 1., fol. 19, a and b, Town Clerk's
office). This Sir Edmund Shaa was goldsmith to the King, and on
December i, in the first year of his reign, sold him the following
pieces of plate, viz.: "4 pots of silver, parcel gilt, weighing 28
pounds 6 ounces; 3 pots and 5 Bowes, 35 pounds; 12 dishes, 11
saucers, silver, with gilt borders, weighing 44 pounds 11 ounces; 2
chargers, 10 saucers, an ewer parcel gilt, and 8 other chargers. The
weight of the said plate was 275 pounds 4 ounces of troy weight, and
came to ;^550 13s. 4d."
Stow records that at his decease he appointed, by testament, his
executors, with the cost of 400 <strong>marks</strong>, and the stuff of the old gate
called Cripplegate, to build the same gate of new, which was performed
and done in the year 1491. He founded and endowed a
free school at Stockport, in Cheshire, in the year 1487. The will of
Sir Edmund Shaw contains a bequest to the Goldsmiths to support
this school. He also directs " 16 rings of fine gold to be graven
with the well of pitie, the well of mercie, and the well of everlasting
life," and to be given to his friends.
1483. Henry Cole, goldsmith, must have been a leading man
in the trade, for at the coronation of Richard III he was elected by
the Common Council, among the heads of the Livery Companies, to
attend the Mayor to Westminster as cup-bearer at the coronation,
and they all went in great state.
1483. The index of the same volume commences thus:
"
Thys Kalendar was made and ordeynyd for this Boke by
Henry Coote,
Stephyn Kelke,
John Ernest, and
Allan 'Newman, Wardens.
"
The last day of August in the yere of our Lord God
MCCCCLXXXiij, and in the ffurst yere of the Reygne of King Richard
the thyrd."
''Sir Edmond Shaa, Knyght, then Mayre of the Cyte of London.
William Whyte and John Mathew, Sheryffys of the same
Cyte."
1485. Sir Hugh Bryce, son of Richard Bryce, of Dublin, goldsmith.
Mayor in 1485, Sheriff, 1475, Governor of the Mint in the
Tower, and Keeper of the King's Exchange. The Goldsmiths' Com-
pany, like many others, had a rich pall, or herse-cloth, which is thus
"
alluded to in the minutes : The Wardens shewed the Company the
goodly and rich hersecloth which was made with the goods of Sir
Hugh Bryce, Dame Elizabeth, his wife, and Dame Elizabeth Terrell.
It was agreed that the said cloth should not be lent to any other
person than a goldsmith, or a goldsmith's wife; that whenever it
was used, the company assembled should pray for the said two
donors' souls, as well as the soul of the said Dame Elizabeth Terrell,
and that the beadle should have for his safeguard and attendance
twelve pence at the least."