THE ROYAL EXCHANGE [Illustration: THE ROYAL EXCHANGE, LONDON.] THE ROYAL EXCHANGE A NOTE ON THE OCCASION OF THE BICENTENARY OF THE ROYAL EXCHANGE ASSURANCE BY A. E. W. MASON ROYAL EXCHANGE LONDON 1920 CONTENTS. PART I.--THE HOUSE. CHAPTER I. PAGE SIR THOMAS GRESHAM AND THE FIRST ROYAL EXCHANGE 11 CHAPTER II. THE GREAT FIRE AND THE SECOND ROYAL EXCHANGE 26 CHAPTER III. THE THIRD ROYAL EXCHANGE 43 PART II.--THE BUSINESS. CHAPTER IV. THE SOUTH SEA BUBBLE AND THE BIRTH OF THE ROYAL EXCHANGE ASSURANCE CORPORATION 51 CHAPTER V. ON ASSURANCE 67 CHAPTER VI. SOME ODDS AND ENDS 85 CHAPTER VII. THE CORPORATION 97 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. THE ROYAL EXCHANGE _Frontispiece._ FACING PAGE THE FIRST ROYAL EXCHANGE 20 THE SECOND ROYAL EXCHANGE 34 INTERIOR OF THE SECOND ROYAL EXCHANGE 41 THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SECOND ROYAL EXCHANGE BY FIRE, 1838 43 SOUTH SEA BUBBLE BROADSHEET, 1720 52 THE SECOND ROYAL EXCHANGE--PROOF OF FIRST HEADING ON FIRE POLICIES, 1721 99 PART I. THE HOUSE. CHAPTER I. SIR THOMAS GRESHAM AND THE FIRST ROYAL EXCHANGE.