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Stephen Slaney
Sir Stephen Slaney (1524–1608) was an English merchant, four times Master of the Worshipful Company of Skinners, and Alderman, Sheriff and Lord Mayor of London. He has been called "one of the most picturesque of the Elizabethan Merchant Adventurers".
Stephen Slaney was the son of John Slaney of Mitton (in Penkridge, in Staffordshire) and the grandson of Ralph Slaney of Yardley in Worcestershire. He is said to have been the younger brother of John Slaney of Shifnal, Shropshire, and also had brothers William (who died before 1598) and Henry (living 1598). He was married on 22 January 1559/60 at St Mildred, Poultry to Margaret, daughter of Jasper Pheasant (Fesaunt), magistrate, of Tottenham, Middlesex, and his wife Margaret, daughter of George Henyngham of Tottenham (died 1537), so establishing his kinship with puritan interests among the City's ruling group. Stephen embarked upon London mercantile life as a freeman and officer of the Worshipful Company of Skinners.
In April 1566 Stephen and the merchant Francis Barnham (died 1575) acted as feoffees for Sir Thomas Wentworth in the alienation, for Wentworth's uses, of the manors of Chatham, Rochester, Horsted and others in Kent. 1568 he assisted Wolstan Dixie in the purchase, for Dixie's heirs, from Sir Thomas Wentworth and his wife the manors of Staynton (held of the Crown in chief) and Awkborough (North Lincolnshire), and lands there, together with free fishery in the waters of the River Humber by fine in the Common Pleas: for this a pardon of alienation had to be obtained in March 1569. He became a substantial figure in the Company of Merchant Adventurers of London, and was among those named in Elizabeth's commission of 1572 to empower the sale, for the recovery of debts, of the ships and merchandize of the subjects of the Catholic King arrested since 1568/69. In around 1575 he was informed against for having imposed a usurious mortgage, and was fined £7,800, part of which was payable to the Queen. For that part, amounting to £3,900, he received a pardon through the intervention of influential associates.
Slaney engaged in Mediterranean trade as what was afterwards called a Turkey merchant, and it is said that on one occasion he was captured by the Turks and had to give up his entire fortune (or at least Norton in Chebsey, in Staffordshire) as a ransom. He served as Auditor to the City in 1576–1578 and again in 1581–1583. He first became master of his company (Skinners) in 1585. His first term as alderman was for Portsoken Ward, in 1584–1586, and he was chosen Sheriff of the City of London, with Henry Billingsley, for 1584–85. Anthony Mundy addressed to them, and to the Lord Mayor Thomas Pullyson, his address warning of traitors within. In 1585 the Merchant Adventurers appointed Slaney to a committee in 1585 to confer with Captain Christopher Carleill "upon a voyage intending to the uttermost parts of America". He then transferred to the Coleman Street Ward in 1586, and was again chosen master of his company in 1587. After being elected master a third time in 1591, he served as Lord Mayor of London for 1595–96.
At the start of his mayoral term, a general overhaul of the forces for the defence of the realm was ordained. Some of the Lords of the Council were appointed to have dealings with the Mayor and Aldermen for the putting of the City's forces in order, their organization into bands to be led by men of judgement and experience, and (if necessary) for their augmentation. Out of the City's general forces, three thousand men were to be chosen to be prepared for defence of the counties of Kent and Sussex from the river Thames, and a fleet of barges was to be kept ready for their conveyance. His correspondence with the Privy Council in September 1595 contains interesting references to the playhouses in London. In December 1595 a survey was taken of all the poor householders in the wards and liberties of the City who were in need of present Relief, and the report was presented to Queen Elizabeth by the Mayor, which showed the number of householders to be 4,132.
In July 1596 a printed ballad was brought to him, complaining of the shortage of corn in the realm. As Slaney wrote to the Lord Treasurer, it contained "certain vain and presumptuous matters, bringing in the Queen, speaking with her people dialoguewise in very fond and undecent sort, and prescribing order for the remedying of this dearth". Although the information came from an official source, the poem was "done in that vain and indiscreet manner" so as to whip up discontent among the poor, and therefore Slaney summoned the printer and publisher, who falsely claimed to have a licence for it. The author was Thomas Deloney, "an idle fellow", who had also written a similarly disorderly pamphlet for the Silk-weavers, but the Mayor was unable to find or arrest him. Over the following months four more libellous pamphlets were found which were being dispersed seditiously in the City, and these he also forwarded to the Lord Treasurer. The City magistrates at that time were determined not to permit unworthy or disrespectful speeches against the monarch. Slaney's letter of August 1596 to the Merchant Taylors suggesting they forego their annual feast and apply the money to a charitable purpose received the reply that this had already been done.
Slaney transferred his aldermanry once more, this time to the Broad Street Ward from 1596 until his death in 1608. His fourth term as master of his company was in 1598. In that year Sir Stephen Slaney, his son Jasper Slaney, and kinsman John Slaney of London, appear as partners, and Humphrey Slaney, a merchant resident at Middelburg, as factor or dealer there for Jasper Slaney. They have been engaged in shipping corn and rye from Zeeland on behalf of Thomas Offley (jnr), citizen and leather seller of London, who brings a suit for detention, accusing John and Jasper of collusion against him. By the close of this hearing in 1598, which was found for the plaintiff, Humphrey Slaney has become Administrator of Jasper Slaney's affairs. Sir Stephen was subsequently President of the Bethlem and Bridewell in 1599–1600, President of Christ's Hospital 1602–08, and Surveyor-General of Hospitals 1604–08.
Stephen died on 27 December 1608, aged 84, and was buried in a vault beneath the church of St Swithin, London Stone, Walbrook Ward, where his memorial inscription "on a fair tomb in the east end of the north aisle" was recorded by Anthony Mundy. (The church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London, 1666, and rebuilt by Wren, but finally demolished in 1954.) His will (written in 1598) left £6 for 12 sermons in St Swithin's church, and was proved in 1609. As befitted a Lord Mayor, he made large charitable bequests, including £100 to the poor children of Christ's Hospital, 100 marks to freeing of prisoners from the Counters of Wood Street and the Poultry, £6.13s.04d to the poor of St Thomas' Hospital, and the same to St Bartholomew's Hospital and the Bridewell, £5 for poor prisoners in the King's Bench and the same to the Marshalsea, £10 to the poor of Coleman Street, £5 to the poor of Portsoken Ward and £5 to the poor of St Swithin's parish. The Skinners were to have 72 poor men's cloaks for distribution, and £15 to hold his funeral dinner.
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Stephen Slaney
Sir Stephen Slaney (1524–1608) was an English merchant, four times Master of the Worshipful Company of Skinners, and Alderman, Sheriff and Lord Mayor of London. He has been called "one of the most picturesque of the Elizabethan Merchant Adventurers".
Stephen Slaney was the son of John Slaney of Mitton (in Penkridge, in Staffordshire) and the grandson of Ralph Slaney of Yardley in Worcestershire. He is said to have been the younger brother of John Slaney of Shifnal, Shropshire, and also had brothers William (who died before 1598) and Henry (living 1598). He was married on 22 January 1559/60 at St Mildred, Poultry to Margaret, daughter of Jasper Pheasant (Fesaunt), magistrate, of Tottenham, Middlesex, and his wife Margaret, daughter of George Henyngham of Tottenham (died 1537), so establishing his kinship with puritan interests among the City's ruling group. Stephen embarked upon London mercantile life as a freeman and officer of the Worshipful Company of Skinners.
In April 1566 Stephen and the merchant Francis Barnham (died 1575) acted as feoffees for Sir Thomas Wentworth in the alienation, for Wentworth's uses, of the manors of Chatham, Rochester, Horsted and others in Kent. 1568 he assisted Wolstan Dixie in the purchase, for Dixie's heirs, from Sir Thomas Wentworth and his wife the manors of Staynton (held of the Crown in chief) and Awkborough (North Lincolnshire), and lands there, together with free fishery in the waters of the River Humber by fine in the Common Pleas: for this a pardon of alienation had to be obtained in March 1569. He became a substantial figure in the Company of Merchant Adventurers of London, and was among those named in Elizabeth's commission of 1572 to empower the sale, for the recovery of debts, of the ships and merchandize of the subjects of the Catholic King arrested since 1568/69. In around 1575 he was informed against for having imposed a usurious mortgage, and was fined £7,800, part of which was payable to the Queen. For that part, amounting to £3,900, he received a pardon through the intervention of influential associates.
Slaney engaged in Mediterranean trade as what was afterwards called a Turkey merchant, and it is said that on one occasion he was captured by the Turks and had to give up his entire fortune (or at least Norton in Chebsey, in Staffordshire) as a ransom. He served as Auditor to the City in 1576–1578 and again in 1581–1583. He first became master of his company (Skinners) in 1585. His first term as alderman was for Portsoken Ward, in 1584–1586, and he was chosen Sheriff of the City of London, with Henry Billingsley, for 1584–85. Anthony Mundy addressed to them, and to the Lord Mayor Thomas Pullyson, his address warning of traitors within. In 1585 the Merchant Adventurers appointed Slaney to a committee in 1585 to confer with Captain Christopher Carleill "upon a voyage intending to the uttermost parts of America". He then transferred to the Coleman Street Ward in 1586, and was again chosen master of his company in 1587. After being elected master a third time in 1591, he served as Lord Mayor of London for 1595–96.
At the start of his mayoral term, a general overhaul of the forces for the defence of the realm was ordained. Some of the Lords of the Council were appointed to have dealings with the Mayor and Aldermen for the putting of the City's forces in order, their organization into bands to be led by men of judgement and experience, and (if necessary) for their augmentation. Out of the City's general forces, three thousand men were to be chosen to be prepared for defence of the counties of Kent and Sussex from the river Thames, and a fleet of barges was to be kept ready for their conveyance. His correspondence with the Privy Council in September 1595 contains interesting references to the playhouses in London. In December 1595 a survey was taken of all the poor householders in the wards and liberties of the City who were in need of present Relief, and the report was presented to Queen Elizabeth by the Mayor, which showed the number of householders to be 4,132.
In July 1596 a printed ballad was brought to him, complaining of the shortage of corn in the realm. As Slaney wrote to the Lord Treasurer, it contained "certain vain and presumptuous matters, bringing in the Queen, speaking with her people dialoguewise in very fond and undecent sort, and prescribing order for the remedying of this dearth". Although the information came from an official source, the poem was "done in that vain and indiscreet manner" so as to whip up discontent among the poor, and therefore Slaney summoned the printer and publisher, who falsely claimed to have a licence for it. The author was Thomas Deloney, "an idle fellow", who had also written a similarly disorderly pamphlet for the Silk-weavers, but the Mayor was unable to find or arrest him. Over the following months four more libellous pamphlets were found which were being dispersed seditiously in the City, and these he also forwarded to the Lord Treasurer. The City magistrates at that time were determined not to permit unworthy or disrespectful speeches against the monarch. Slaney's letter of August 1596 to the Merchant Taylors suggesting they forego their annual feast and apply the money to a charitable purpose received the reply that this had already been done.
Slaney transferred his aldermanry once more, this time to the Broad Street Ward from 1596 until his death in 1608. His fourth term as master of his company was in 1598. In that year Sir Stephen Slaney, his son Jasper Slaney, and kinsman John Slaney of London, appear as partners, and Humphrey Slaney, a merchant resident at Middelburg, as factor or dealer there for Jasper Slaney. They have been engaged in shipping corn and rye from Zeeland on behalf of Thomas Offley (jnr), citizen and leather seller of London, who brings a suit for detention, accusing John and Jasper of collusion against him. By the close of this hearing in 1598, which was found for the plaintiff, Humphrey Slaney has become Administrator of Jasper Slaney's affairs. Sir Stephen was subsequently President of the Bethlem and Bridewell in 1599–1600, President of Christ's Hospital 1602–08, and Surveyor-General of Hospitals 1604–08.
Stephen died on 27 December 1608, aged 84, and was buried in a vault beneath the church of St Swithin, London Stone, Walbrook Ward, where his memorial inscription "on a fair tomb in the east end of the north aisle" was recorded by Anthony Mundy. (The church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London, 1666, and rebuilt by Wren, but finally demolished in 1954.) His will (written in 1598) left £6 for 12 sermons in St Swithin's church, and was proved in 1609. As befitted a Lord Mayor, he made large charitable bequests, including £100 to the poor children of Christ's Hospital, 100 marks to freeing of prisoners from the Counters of Wood Street and the Poultry, £6.13s.04d to the poor of St Thomas' Hospital, and the same to St Bartholomew's Hospital and the Bridewell, £5 for poor prisoners in the King's Bench and the same to the Marshalsea, £10 to the poor of Coleman Street, £5 to the poor of Portsoken Ward and £5 to the poor of St Swithin's parish. The Skinners were to have 72 poor men's cloaks for distribution, and £15 to hold his funeral dinner.