THese are to give Notice , That the Office and Security , formerly proposed for Insuring Houses from Fire , after the Rate of Six Pence per Pound for Brick-Houses , and Twelve Pence for Timber , is NOW Perfected and Settled ; and the Persons concerned in the Security , will Attend every Day at their Office on the Back-Side of the Royal-Exchange , from the Hours of Nine till Twelve in the Forenoon , and from Three till Six in the Afternoon , to Subscribe Policies for all Persons desirous to Insure their Houses , as far as the Number of Three Thousand Houses .

Much Labour , much Time hath been spent in Settling this Affair : It being above a Year since the Propositions for Insuring Houses from Fire were first made Publick . This hath occasioned several Discourses , as if it were a Project in its own Nature , not to be Practised ; and would prove like the Abortive Conceits of several Others , in this last Twenty Years , on this Subject . But whosoever considers the Wayes and Means that were at first Proposed to be followed in Settling this Designe , such as were thought absolutely necessary to give that Satisfaction , which the Greatness of the Concern did require , will believe this Affair could not have been otherwise , or sooner Effected .

The Way and Means to Settle this Designe , as it was first Proposed , was thus ; That there should be General-Meetings of all Persons , that had any Thoughts of Insuring their Houses , and were Well-Wishers to such a Designe , before any Security was Settled : At which Publick Meetings , the Value and Nature of the Security , Manner and Method of Settling it , and all Things else that could be offered either to the Advantage or Disadvantage of this Designe , should be Debated , and Regulated .

This Scrutiny this Office was to pass : For though some Publick Designes ▪ whose Fund have been Reputation , & Personal Credit , have Thriven best without Examination , & ( of a suddain ) Raised Themselves into great Reputation ; yet sometimes ( Mushroom-like ) they have had their Duration and Rise equal : their Creditors having lost their Money , before they had the Leisure to consider why they Trusted them . So , on the contrary , those Designes , whose Fund are in Land , being Real and Certain , can have no greater Advantage , than to have their Foundation Examined by those that Trust them : And though such Deliberation may make their Beginnings and Growth slow ; yet They will be like the Oak , Durable .

Many General-Meetings , upon Publick Notice , were held at the Office , where several Gentlemen , and Eminent Citizens were present . The first Debate was about the Value of the Security , Whether Forty Thousand Pounds was Sufficient to Secure Ten Thousand Houses , as it was first Proposed , with the Addition of Ten Thousand Pounds for every Ten Thousand Houses ? This , after much Debate , appeared to be Sufficient to the Majority ; because though Ten Thousand Houses are of greater Value , than the Fund ; yet being supposed that they will stand at great Distances , they could not be Destroyed by any One Fire : Yet because some Gentlemen questioned it , and it being the Designe of those Persons concerned in the Office , to give full Satisfaction to All ; it was at last agreed , That the Security of Forty Thousand Pounds then Proposed , should be only for the Insuring of Five Thousand Houses , with the Addition of Ten Thousand Pounds , for every Five Thousand Houses .

The next Debate was the Nature of the Security , which was proposed to be in Ground-Rents : This was agreed by all , to be the best sort of Security , and least subject to Alteration in Value : Those that were Proposed , were the Ground-Rents of Essex-Buildings , being about One Thousand and Fifty Pounds per Annum ; the Ground-Rents at the Lower-End of St. Martins-Lane , being about Three Hundred and Fifty Pounds per Annum ; and the Ground-Rents of Devonshire-Buildings without Bishops-gate , being about Seven Hundred Pounds per Annum , when they are all Built on : But because They were not all Finish't , that was made an Objection ; but Answered ; That it was probable , they would be Finished before the Number of Five Thousand Houses were Insured : Yet to avoyd that Scruple , it was agreed to Settle ( at present ) only the Ground-Rents of Essex , and St. Martin's-Buildings for Three Thousand Houses ; and when the Ground-Rents of Devonshire-Buildings are Finished , to Settle them for Two Thousand more .

The Manner of Settling this Fund was debated ; which was ; that these Estates should be conveyed to several eminent , and known Persons , whom the Company should approve of in Trust for this Use : Several Gentlemen were named ; and those that were pleased to accept of the Trust , were , Sir Joseph Sheldon ( since Deceased ) Sir George Treby , Recorder of the City of London , Sir Michael Heneage , Sir William Warren , Sir Richard How , Lieutenant Collonel Rich , William Thompson , Esq ; George Bradbury , Esq ; both of the Middle-Temple ; Edward Maynard , Esq ; Mr. Ralph Hartley , and Mr. Nathaniel Hawes .

Last of all , the Method of Settling this Design was debated , which was agreed to be referred to such Councel , as should be then Chosen ; there was also a Committee chosen of several Gentlemen then present , which were desired to Attend the Councel , and see the Execution of all things debated , and agreed to . The Councel Chosen , were Sir Francis Pemberton , now Lord Chief Justice , Sir William Jones , Sir Francis Winnington , Mr. Williams , late Speaker to the House of Commons , Mr. Mosier , Mr. Polixfen , Mr. Saunders , and Mr. Whitaker : The Councel were all Attended several times by the Committee : And at last , at a general Meeting of the Councel and Committee , after a due Examination of the Title , and of all other things that were Debated , and Proposed to them . The Councel did all agree to the Conveyance ; but altered the Proposition for Re-building ; so that if a House Insured be Burnt , the Loss must be satisfied in Money ; for the Office is not to Re-build ; though both were at first Proposed ( to be at the Election of the Insured . ) This was thought necessary to avoid those Disputes , which might arise about the Dimensions , Form , and Substantialness of Building .

The Form of the Policy was also Settled by the Councel ; and the Names of those Persons that are to Subscribe them , are Mr. Samuel Vincent , Dr. Nicholas Barbon , Mr. Benjamin Bartlet , Mr. Samuel Tookey , &c. And any Two of them Signing , make good the Policy .

This was the Method that was followed in Forming this Design , and although all Endeavours were used for dispatch : yet through the Weightyness of the Affair , Number , and Greatness of the Councel ; it was last Trinity-Term , before the last perusal of this Settlement , had passed all the Councel ; Since , the Time has been spent in Ingrossing the Conveyances , Sealing , and Inrolling of the Deeds , and Attornment of the Tenants , according as Councel Directed . And although some Persons , who have had the Misfortune in the Interim , to lose their Houses for want of the Office being Settled ; ( they being since Burnt ) have Cause to think it Tedious ; yet the Generality of Men will agree , This Design could not have been sooner perfected .

THese are to give Notice , That whereas several Gentlemen , to shew their willingness to Encourage this Design , have Subscribed to Insure their Houses , as soon as the Conveyances were Settled ; upon which Account it was Proposed , as an acknowledgement for their Encouraging the Office , that they should have a Years Purchase Gratis : That is , That they should Insure Eight Years for Five Paid , Twelve for Seven . Twenty-One for Nine , and Thirty-One for Ten. And , Whereas many more would have Subscribed , had there been due Attendance given at the Office : And because it is now Vacation ; It is therefore thought fit to propose ; That those Gentlemen that shall Insure their Houses , and take their Policies before the First Day of November next , shall have the same Advantage with those that did Subscribe ;