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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 Bourbons, learnt nothing by experience, and in 1672 Charles II seized Treasury 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
