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 commodious dwelling house, for which he is obliged to teach twenty-five boys grammatical learning. _Maitland._ MERCERS _street_, Long Acre; so called from its belonging to that company. MERCHANT ADVENTURERS. See HAMBURGH MERCHANTS. MERCHANT TAYLORS, the seventh of the twelve principal companies, was incorporated 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 Wardens of the Merchant Taylors of the fraternity of St. John the Baptist, in the city of London_. This fraternity is governed by a Master, four Wardens, thirty-eight Assistants, and 394 Liverymen, who upon their admission pay a fine of 20l. The company is possessed of a great estate, out of which they pay to charitable uses, pursuant to the wills of the respective donors, about 2000l. _per annum_. This company has a spacious hall on the south side of Threadneedle street. _Strype’s Stowe._ MERCHANT TAYLORS _Almshouse_, near the west end of Rosemary lane, contains twenty-six apartments for so many poor widows, the relicts of deceased members, who annually receive 6l. and a chaldron of coals each, with a gown every third year. _Maitland._ MERCHANT TAYLORS _rents_, Moor lane. MERCHANT TAYLORS SCHOOL, in Suffolk lane, Thames street, was founded by the company of Merchant Taylors in the year 1568, for the education of boys. It was anciently kept in a house which belonged to the Duke of Buckingham, and was called the Manor of the Rose; but that edifice being destroyed by the fire of London in 1666, the present structure was erected upon the same spot. The school is a long and spacious building, supported on the east by many stone pillars that form an handsome cloister, within which are apartments for the three Ushers. Adjoining to the school is a library supported also by stone pillars, and well furnished with books. And on the south of the library is the part called the chapel. Contiguous to these is a large house appropriated to the use of the head Master. The school consists of eight forms, in which near three hundred boys have their education; an hundred of whom, according to the constitutions of the company, are taught _gratis_; an hundred more at 5s. and fifty at 2s. 6d. a quarter.