To this company belongs the ballast office, for clearing and deepning the river Thames, by taking from thence a sufficient quantity of ballast, for the supply of all ships that sail out of that river; in which service sixty barges with two men in each, are constantly employed, and all ships that take in ballast pay them 1_s._ a ton, for which it is brought to the ships sides. In consideration of the great increase of the poor of this fraternity, they are by their charter impowered to purchase in mortmain lands, tenements, &c. to the amount of 500_l._ _per annum_; and also to receive charitable benefactions of well disposed persons, to the like amount of 500_l._ _per annum_, clear of reprizes. There are annually relieved by this company about 3000 poor seamen, their widows, and orphans, at the expence of about 6000_l._ They commonly meet to chuse their master at their house at Deptford; but are not obliged to do it there. See the article DEPTFORD. Their meetings are generally on Wednesdays and Saturdays, at their house in Water lane, Thames street; but their courts are not constantly fixed to a set time. Their house in Water lane has been twice burnt down, once at the fire of London, and the last time in the year 1718. Among the curiosities preserved in the hall of this building is a flag taken from the Spaniards, by the brave Sir Francis Drake, whose picture is also there: a large and exact model of a ship entirely rigged, and two large globes; and in the parlour are five large drawings curiously performed by the pen, of several engagements at sea in the reign of King Charles II. _Maitland._ TRINITY _lane_, Garlick hill, Thames street.☐ TRINITY _Minories_, a curasy situated in the Little Minories, in Portsoken-ward, where anciently stood an abbey of nuns of the order of St. Clare, called the Minoresses, founded by Edmund Earl of Lancaster, brother to King Edward I. in the year 1293, but being suppressed in the year 1539, a number of houses were erected in its room, and a small church was built for the inhabitants, and dedicated to the Trinity, whence it received its present appellation, the additional epithet of Minories being added from the above Monastery. The present church is a small brick edifice with a low tower crowned with a turret. The patronage has been all along in the crown: but the income of the curate is said to be so small as to amount to no more than 25_l._ _per annum_, besides surplice fees. TRINITY _the Less_, a church formerly seated at the north-east corner of Little Trinity lane, where at present a German chapel, denominated the Swedish church, is situated; it received the epithet of Less, to distinguish it from the Trinity priory at Aldgate: but this church suffering the fate of the other public buildings, at the fire of London in 1666, and not being rebuilt, the parish was by act of parliament united to the church of St. Michael’s Queenhithe.