An Historical Essay on the Livery Companies of London. Richard James Cheeswright

in A.D. 967, dealing in grain, flax, cloth, and linen; ​they swore to remain unmarried. Gradually this Gild decayed, and in 1552 was dissolved. The Mercers, in the year 1172, held lands granted by Gilbert a'Beckett (Father of the great Archbishop.) A few years later, in 1226, a quarrel took place between the Goldsmiths and Merchant Taylors (then called the Linen Armourers.) Each party—assisted by other Companies—met on an appointed night to the number of 500 men, completely armed, and proceeded to fight manfully. Many were killed and wounded on each side, nor could they be parted until the Sheriffs came and apprehended the ringleaders, thirteen of whom were condemned and executed.

      The purposes and functions of the Gilds were manifold; they supported, protected, and regulated trade; preserved trade secrets, and generally watched over the interest of their particular Craft or Fraternity; searching for spurious goods, testing weights and measures, and imprisoning dishonest traders.

      The Gilds were of the greatest service to trade in ancient times, they settled disputes between Master and Workmen—they upheld the Apprenticeship system as being the best for producing skilled labour, and meeting at their respective Halls, while they enjoyed the festive board, they discussed business matters, thus fostering the social virtues, and increasing the mutual interest of Master and Workmen.

      The Master of the Gild (under the name of Alderman), was for the time being omnipotent; members of the Gild could not leave London without his permission; the apprentices were strictly ruled; they were bound at the age of 14, and having served their seven years, and being of age and good name, they were then sworn and admitted as Freemen. If a man wanted to follow any Craft in the City, or to enjoy any of the benefits of Citizenship, he must belong to a Gild.

      ​The reign of Edward III, the great dawn of the fine arts and of commerce, gave birth to an entire reconstruction of the trading fraternities, and of the change of name from Gilds to Crafts and Mysteries, and the substitution for the old title of Alderman that of Master or Warden. Special Charters were granted by Edward III, but the Chartering of the Gilds was not the only favor granted by that Monarch. Having found them to be the mainspring of the trade and industry of his Kingdom, he determined to raise them in public estimation. Their Members. He became a member of the Linen Armourers (now the Merchant Tailors), which was the first Company to boast a Sovereign amongst its members. Richard II afterwards became a member of the same Company, and the great, both Clergy and Laity, as well as the principal Citizens, hastened to become enrolled as members of the various fraternities. The Skinners, the Merchant Tailors, and the Mercers, are said to exhibit most princes and nobility in their lists near this time; other Companies had a greater proportion of City dignitaries. The Grocers, towards the close of Edward the Ill's reign, enumerated no less than 16 Aldermen amongst its members, the Cutlers Company doubtless receives no inconsiderable share of such members.

      Very many distinguished personages have in our own time taken up the Freedom of the Companies and become enrolled as members thereof.

      In the reign of Richard II the Inrolment of the Companies' Charters was, first insisted upon. The following list will shew the date of the Incorporation of a considerable number of the Companies, viz.:—

The Bakers	1155	Henry II.
The Goldsmiths	1180	Henry II.
The Butchers	1180	Henry II.
The Sadlers	1272	Edward I. ​
The Skinners	1327	Edward III.
The Carpenters	1344	Edward III.
The Grocers	1345	Edward III.
The Vintners	1365	Edward III.
The Fishmongers	1384	Richard II.
The Mercers	1393	Richard II.
The Salters	1394	Richard II.
The Haberdashers	1407	Henry IV.
The Cordwainers	1410	Henry IV.
The Cutlers	1413	Henry V.
The Armourers	1423	Henry VI.
The Brewers	1438	Henry VI.
The Drapers	1439	Henry VI.
The Leathersellers	1442	Henry VI.
The Barber Surgeons	1461	Edward IV.
The Ironmongers	1463	Edward IV.
The Tallow Chandlers	1463	Edward IV.
The Merchant Tailors	1466	Edward IV.
The Dyers	1472	Edward IV.
The Pewterers	1474	Edward IV.
The Cooks	1480	Edward IV.
The Clothworkers	1482	Edward IV.
The Joiners	1569	Elizabeth.

      Their Halls. The greater part of the Halls which existed before or near the Reformation appear to have been formed from the deserted mansions of the great, and from buildings devoted to religious purposes. Drapers Hall was a mansion belonging to Lord Cromwell; Salters Hall belonged to the Earl of Oxford; The Grocers built their Hall on the site of Lord Fitzwalter's town mansion; the minor companies, in several instances, bought and converted the Halls of the dissolved religious houses into Trade Halls, as, for instance, the Leathersellers, who fitted up the fine hall of the Nuns of St. Helens; the Pinners, who occupied the Austin Friars Hall, afterwards called "Pinners Hall Meeting House"; the Barber Surgeons, who built on part of the site ​of the Hermitage of St. James-in-the-Wall, and others.

      Some of the larger Halls were used for other than trade purposes. By the Parliamentary commanders they were converted into barracks; by the Puritanical clergy into