*

In the churches of Ipswich are found many merchant marks, the sign and symbol of trade. The grave-stone of Augustine Parker, on the floor of St. Mary Key, near the chancel, bears his mark, as does also the brass of Drayle, in the Portmans' aisle in St. Mary Tower. The well-known Pounder brass bears a merchant's mark. Several others can be named as remaining in churches. A corner post in a yard leading between St. Clement's and the Quay bears a merchant's mark. The largest collection, however, of which the town can boast, may be seen outside the clere-story of St. Margaret's, in the spandrils of the heads of the windows of which they abound. These are doubtless the symbol of the trade of those who contributed by their goods and possessions to the erection of the building.

These curious and interesting devices of persons following commerce as a profession, and not entitled to bear arms, seldom exhibit more than a design indicating a particular confederacy or company to which the owner belonged. Occasionally they display the initials of the merchant, but not often, though always the cross, and frequently the sacred banner, that is, a banner bearing a cross. At later periods, the merchant's mark was placed in a shield. In "The duty and office of an Herald of Arms," written by Francis Thynne, 1605, is this passage:-" He shall prohibit any merchant or any other, to put their names, marks, or devices in escutcheons or shields, which (escutcheons or shields) belong, and only appertain to gentlemen bearing arms, and none others." Merchants frequently wore their mark on their seals, and sealed their deeds and bargains with the mark they had adopted.

See frontispiece.

OLD LOCALITIES.

ERHAPS the most complete ancient plan of Ipswich is that published by Speed in 1610, and therefore a knowledge of many localities earlier than that date is not to be expected. Fortunately, how

ever, many streets and buildings are mentioned in ancient documents by which not only is the antiquity and situation of various places established beyond doubt, but the general aspect of the town in several eras may be traced with considerable correctness.

At a very early period, the town was divided into four leets-Eastgate, Westgate, Southgate, and Northgate leets, the bounds of which were marked by crosses of stone. These crosses were removed most probably at the Reformation, and no account can be found either of their size, or ornament. Perhaps they served merely as boundaries, and were therefore plain and stunted; but if connected with the various religious houses, little doubt can exist but that they were of an ornamented nature.

Eastgate leet extended from the Northgate, on the east side, down Brook-street as far as a stone cross called Lewy's cross, and taking a turn to the

left reached "as far as the common fosse,* near the Friars' Preachers, with Cary-street, Thing-street, and Caldewelle-street."

Westgate leet extended from the Northgate on the right of the street upon which now stands the Pykenham gateway, as far as the street leading from Brookstreet towards the Fish-market, and through the said market to the right of the corner of the "water cobbe," and so through the Corn-market (now Cornhill,) on one side of the High-street, as far as Westgate-street, with the suburb without the same gate.

Southgate leet extended from Westgate, on one side of the High-street (St. Matthew's) towards the south, as far as the east end of the church of St. Mildred, and then as far on the right side of the street as the lane called Woulfouneslane, in the parish of St. Peter.

The division of Northgate leet extended over the remaining portion of the town, with Stoke bridge, the suburbs without the Quay, with St. Clement-street.

In the ancient regulations for the customs of the markets are found places called " Botflod Water,” and a lane extending from "Botflod by the side of the brook southward, as far as the Colhil, and from thence as far on both sides of the street to the capital mansion of the late John Bolle, opposite the burial ground of St. Stephen's, and onwards as far as the lane leading out of the common ditch towards Abbot's Croft."

Brook-street, under the name of Broc-street, can be traced as far back as Henry III.

Stoke Bridge is mentioned in the town books as early as 1300, when Thomas Alvarde, who held pro

* These particulars are borne out by the Domesday of the town. We here obtain a corroboration that the ditch and wall went down the Lower Wash.