Records Relating to the Society of Merchant Venturers of the City of Bristol in the Seventeenth Century

Notes:

Comprises transcriptions of selected documents from the 17th century archives of the Society with a lengthy introduction largely about the history of the Society in this period [ppvii-lvi]. The transcriptions are grouped: 'Charters, ordinances and register of members'; 'Registration of apprentices and admission of members'; 'Officers, hall meetings and general administration'; 'The Merchants' Hall'; 'Dinners, hospitality and presents'; 'The merchants' accounts'; 'Charitable and educational work'; 'Corporate activities of the Society'; 'The Merchant Venturers and the Port of Bristol'; 'Pirates, Turkish corsairs and convoys'; 'The Merchant Venturers' interests in exploration and colonization'; 'Relations with the London companies'; 'Protection of the merchants' interests'. The introduction covers such issues as: merchant organisations before 1552; constitution; membership; finances; relations with city government; relationship with Bristol society; commercial policy; etc. Its companion volume is P McGrath (ed), 'Merchants and Merchandise in Seventeenth Century Bristol', 1955