The special occupations of these merchants are not stated with much precision. After the Goldsmiths come the Black-well Hall factors, representing our ancient staple in woollens, whose privileges were the occasion of a great legal controversy shortly before the date of this little publication; and they were settled with prodigious learning in the Common Pleas by Chief Justice Sir Orlando Bridgman, as may be seen in his logical judgments. One particular address is very interesting. It is at “_the Insurance Office_,” then a new institution among us, and only extended with great success in the beginning of the next century, in the reign of Queen Anne. The Royal Exchange was a prominent place of business for our merchants of 1677. The Dutch walk, the Turkey walk, the _Irish_ walk, the Spanish walk, and the like, have a significance far beyond the agreeable cosmopolitan sentiments expressed in the Spectator upon Addison’s and Sir Richard Steele’s visit to the Exchange of their day, crowded with men from every clime. In these several walks could be found, in the earlier years of the reign of Charles II, the collected members of our various trades beyond sea; and it was from them that the Lord Mayor was directed by a royal order in Council, to have elected the body that was to assist ministers in the preparation of our laws of trade and the colonies. That original order in council, signed by Lords Clarendon and Southampton, is preserved in the City library in Guildhall. It contains an article of extreme interest at this moment, specially providing for the election of the _Italian_ merchants to that body. This commercial tie with _United_ Italy cannot fail to be strengthened so as to revive an alliance with us too long interrupted by religious prejudice on both sides. The list has a few Italian names, but more Portuguese--perhaps brought over from the connection with “_the Royal House of Lisbon_” in the person of Charles the Second’s Queen, received by us with becoming good humour, according to the pungent epigram which bade “_the De’il take Hyde and the Bishop beside, that made her bone of his bone_.” The division of the merchants in their respective dignities is worth a passing reflection. Some are knights and baronets; some are aldermen; the mass are plain John or Thomas, with a considerable sprinkling of _Misters_--the master of olden times being an addition of worship. The Captains and Majors of the list were doubtless the officers of the train-bands, of no little historic fame in London, from King John and Magna Carta even to John Gilpin.