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

The writs to the Mayor on this occasion, as well on behalf of the Goldsmiths as the Cutlers, command—"that in consequence of certain petitions, which had been presented to the King in his present Parliament, by the Goldsmiths and the Cutlers, and which petitions were enclosed, he should, on reading the same, do what was right on behalf of each, and make return thereof, under his seal, to the King in his then Parliament, who would determine thereupon,"

      The return of the Mayor specified "that by virtue of two writs of the Lord the King, directed to him, William Ascham, Mayor of London, he had inspected the petitions of the Goldsmiths and Cutlers, and had caused to appear before him, at the Guildhall of the said City, as well the sufficient men of the said Mysteries as several other good and sufficient aged men of each ward of the City, and had had exhibited to him by the said Goldsmiths and Cutlers, their charters, inrolments, and evidences, as well written as not written, concerning the rules, usages, assaying and governments of the said Mysteries; and by which it appeared to him, the Mayor, that the Cutlers had of old times occupied their works of gold and silver within the City as the changes of time and fashion demanded; and that the Wardens of the Mystery of Goldsmiths, for the time being, subject to the oversight of the Mayor and Aldermen of the said City, had from old times been accustomed to have the assay of the gold and silver work of the said Cutlers within the City of London."

      Their Privileges The Citizens of London by various Royal Grants obtained the privilege of choosing their own Lord Mayors and Chief Magistrates. They were elected by the Court of Aldermen and a number of Commoners ​summoned by them out of each ward; but the numbers being often varied at the discretion of the Alderman gave great uneasiness to the Commonalty, for the removing of which the method of election was altered by an Act of Common Council passed in 1476, whereby the manner of electing by the Liverymen of the several Companies was established. By virtue of this Act, the Lord Mayor or Chief Magistrate is annually chosen on Michaelmas Day, for which purpose the Liverymen assemble in the Guildhall on that day, when by holding up of hands they choose two of the Senior Aldermen below the chair, who being returned to the Courts of Lord Mayor and Aldermen, the Senior Alderman is commonly declared Lord Mayor Elect.

      The Livery Companies formerly exercised the right of sending members to the Court of Common Council. By a list amongst the City records (50 Edward III), it appears the Companies sending Members in pursuance of their powers were increased from 32 to 48. The Cutlers Company are mentioned in the list as choosing two Members. This right was ultimately taken away, and the Members of the Court of Common Council are now elected by the inhabitant householders of the various wards.

      The Parliamentary representatives were also exclusively elected by the Freemen; but this privilege was lost through the operations of the Reform Bill.

      It will be interesting to note here that the first grant of a Charter to the City of London was that made by William the Conqueror.

      Their Troubles and Recovery. The Livery Companies having gradually increased in numbers, engrossed the trade of the Kingdom and selected the bulk of the Common Council, acquired such wealth and consequence as to attract the especial attention of the government. The custom of forced loans which had been begun by Henry VIII was carried on to a most oppressive extent, and the extracting of money from the trading ​corporations became a regular source of supply to the government. Precepts were made on all the Companies alike towards setting the poor to work, towards erecting the Royal Exchange, cleansing the city ditch, projects for discovering new countries, for furnishing naval and military armaments, for men, arms, and ammunition to protect the city, for state and city pageants, for provision of corn and coal, compulsory loans for the government and for the Crown, and various other expedients, were amongst the most prominent by which it was contrived to screw from the Companies their wealth.

      Large amounts were also raised by forced loans for the purchase of foreign wheat as a provision of corn for the city. (In a list published in 1545, the Court of Common Council directed a large loan to be raised for this purpose, the Cutlers' proportion being stated in the list at £10.) These precepts were unwillingly complied with, and in 1561 the Mercers caused an application to be made for the return of their money, 'formerly lent.' This was answered by another precept being made.

      Besides the arbitrary operation of precepts, both Elizabeth and her immediate successors made it a business of their reigns to influence the selection of officers and the control of the property of the Companies. Instances are recorded of this nature with respect to the Ironmongers, the Merchant Tailors, the Grocers, and other Companies; these attempts were finally resisted and ultimately ceased.

      The disastrous effects of the reign of Charles and of the civil wars was much felt by the Livery Companies; precepts were made for large amounts and had to be met by each Liveryman; thus for one loan of £40,000 the Ironmongers' proportion was from £10 to £15 each on those who had fined for Master; £6 18s. 4d. on the office of Warden; from each Liveryman £5; and from each Freeman £3.

      ​To furnish the loans thus arbitrarily and rapidly levied, the individuals of the Companies had at this time not only impoverished themselves, but all the fraternities were obliged to sell or pawn their plate.

      The Companies took a conspicuous part in the rejoicings to celebrate the Restoration. Charles was, however, scarcely established on the throne than he cast a longing eye on the wealth of the Companies. In 1684 he brought the whole of them under complete subjection to the Crown through the operation of the quo warranto—an enquiry into the validity of the City Charter, the result of which rendered the King not only master of London but of all the Corporations in England. Almost all the Companies surrendered their Charters. The new Charters granted by Charles contained such prohibitions as showed that all liberty of action was completely destroyed, and that the Companies were only to exist during the royal pleasure.

      The first act of James II (1685) was an attempt to influence the Companies' selection of voters.

      The news of the approach of the Prince of Orange in 1688 forced from James II an Act of Restitution, by which all restrictions consequent on the quo warranto were repealed. The City Charter was restored, and the Statute 2 of William and Mary passed, which not only reversed the quo warranto, but enacted that all and every of the several Companies of the City of London shall be restored to all their Charters and privileges, lands, tenements, and estates.

      Tranquility and confidence having been restored after the Accession of William and Mary, and the privileges and rights of corporate bodies firmly established by Parliament, the affairs of the Livery Companies began to improve. During the interval between that time and the present, various minor events and changes have occurred in their separate ​histories and government which do not, however, need recapitulation here. May they by their patriotic action, their wisdom in the management of their estates, and their charitable deeds, continue to be, as they most assuredly are, the most powerful and charitable body in the world.

      Addenda. Although, perhaps, not strictly within the scope of the History of the City Companies, a few remarks on the subject of the Great Plague and the Great Fire, and the Monument erected to commemorate the latter event, and by which the interests of the Companies were undoubtedly affected, may not be out of place here.

      Great Plague. About the beginning of May, 1665, one of the most terrible plagues that ever affected this, or perhaps any other country, broke out in the City; its ravages were so dreadful that in the course of the year nearly 90, 000 persons perished. The King's Court and the Parliament removed from London to Oxford. All business and pleasure were naturally suspended, and it appears the distress of the poorer classes was such that, for the relief of their pressing necessities, the Livery Companies were assessed by the Parliament for various sums of money, and were bound, in addition, to furnish a certain quantity of coals, of which the proportion of the Cutlers was 75 chaldrons.

      Great Fire. In the year 1666, one of the most dreadful conflagrations that ever happened in any age or country broke out in the City. The fire commenced in Pudding Lane, and extended its ravages to the Temple, and northward as far as London Wall; it laid waste and consumed the buildings on four hundred and thirty-six acres of ground, four hundred streets, lanes, &c., thirteen thousand two hundred houses, the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, eighty-six Parish Churches, six Chapels, the