Oldal 184 [184]
162 COMMERCE
eighteenth century. In 1794 the house was
rebuilt.
Banking made great strides after the fire
of 1666; and many of the wealthiest houses
were founded about that time. Charles II
dealt a heavy blow at their prosperity by
closing the Exchequer. Charles I had
0)
ME ön —
ll
if
e
mal;
jpecereyy
a ae Ti
aq
1
coven?
" jé megi j
mr ; 4 x vee
“OE
ae |
LAW COURTS BRANCH OF THE BANK OF ENGLAND, FLEET STREET
SIGN OF THE "FOX, 24 LOMBARD STREET
finally ruined his cause
by seizing £200,000
which the bankers of his
time had deposited for
safety in the Tower; but
the Stuarts, like the Bour¬
bons, learnt nothing by
experience, and in 1672
Charles II seized Trea¬
sury deposits to the
amount of £1,300,000.
One banker alone, Sir
Robert Viner, fost
£416,000, but had as
compensation an annuity
out of the excise. Viner
was the goldsmith who
made the regalia, now in
the Tower. Another great
banker, Backwell, was
qoutes ee iad
ee eee ee Seas oe a egyen 9