Anthony Mingay has written an interesting article in JOONS about a gift made by Richard Minge to the Worshipful Company of Cordwainers, a City of London livery company, of which he was a member. Anthony should not be surprised that these simple bequests are still being made. Most, if not all, of the ancient livery companies in the City have historical bequests which they are still observing. The Company of which I am a liveryman, the Worshipful Company of Masons, which dates its known existence as far back as 1356, has the Joshua Marshall Bequest, which is still administered by our Charitable Trust. Joshua Marshall was Master Mason to Charles II and was Master of the Company in 1670. He died in 1678 and bequeathed to the Company the £200 debt owed to him by the Company. Since then the Company has paid £10 per year to "poor widows of members of the Company." Marshall was contractor for the stonework of the Monument on Fish Street Hill and for the re-building of Temple Bar among other things. Chris Radmore 3017