and in like manner the "probi homines" of the Cordwainers made certain provisions or bye-laws in 53 Hen. III. "de consensu et voluntate Majoris Londoniæ cæterorumque baronum ejusdem civitatis." In 11 Edw. I. certain ordinances were made by the "prodes homes" painters of the city of London, for regulating their trade; and, in order that the regulations might be observed, they elected four guardians or wardens, who were sworn before the mayor and the other "bones gentz" of the city to keep the same according to their power.

In the reign of Edward the Third, probably in consequence of some general regulation, we find the names of the " we find the names of the "probi homines" of twentyfive of the principal mysteries, who had been sworn before the court of

honours was observed; for in the church where the Alderman was about to be buried, a person appeared upon a caparisoned horse, arrayed in the armour of the deceased, bearing a banner in hist hand, and carrying upon him his shield, helmet, and the rest of his arms, along with the banner, as is still the usage at the sepulture of lords of Baronial rank. But by reason of the sudden and frequent changes of the Aldermen, and the repeated occurrence of pestilence, this ceremonial in London gradually died out and disappeared. From this, however, it is evident what high honour was paid to the Aldermen in ancient times. Indeed no person was accepted as Alderman unless he was free from deformity in body, wise and discreet in mind, rich, honest, trustworthy, free, and on no account of low or servile condition; lest, perchance, the disgrace or opprobrium that might be reflected upon him by reason of his birth, might have the additional effect of casting a slur upon the other Aldermen and the whole city as well.

And hence it is that from of old no one was made apprentice, or at all events admitted to the freedom of the said city, unless he was known to be of free condition; and even if after he had received the freedom it became known that he was a person of servile condition, through that same fact he lost the freedom of the city; a thing that was the case with Thomas le Bedelle, Robert le Bedelle, Alan Undirwode and Edmund May, butchers, who, in the mayoralty of John le Blount, lost their freedom in consequence of having acknowledged that they held land in villenage of the bishop of London, and so remained debarred of the freedom of the city; as set forth in Book C. fol. 88. Hence, too, in the mayoralty of Nicholas Extone, fishmonger, in the year of our Lord, that is to say 1300 [i.e. 1387], being the [tenth] year of the reign of King Richard, the second of that name since the Conquest, an ordinance was made that, upon the admission of apprentices, as also upon receiving the freedom, the same ancient custom should in future be observed; as set forth in book H.-Liber Albus, pp. 29, 30.

In ancient times the ward was styled after the name of the Alderman; thus the ward of Candelwykstrete was called the ward of Thomas de Basyng, and the ward of Castle Baynard, the ward of Simon Hadestock, &c.-Ibid.

aldermen, to govern and rule the same.

In the 39th of the same reign, the court of aldermen passed an ordinance by which this custom was established and confirmed. It was ordained that all the mysteries should be faithfully ruled and governed each according to its nature, and in such a manner that no deceit should be found in any of their works or trades. That in each mystery there should be chosen four or six, or more or less according to the needs of the mystery, which persons so chosen and sworn should have full power from the mayor to will and faithfully to do and perform the same (Les quieux genz issent esleus et juretz, eyent plein poiar du Maire de ceo bien et loyalment faire et parfourmir). Any member of the mysteries refusing to obey the wardens, for the first offence to be imprisoned ten days, and to forfeit to the commonalty for the contempt 108.; for the second offence to be imprisoned twenty days, and to forfeit to the commonalty 20s.; for the third offence to be imprisoned thirty days, and to forfeit 30s.; and for the fourth offence to be imprisoned forty days, and to forfeit 40s.*

1402. A petition was presented to the King in parliament by John Cavendish, praying the redress of certain grievances therein stated, which, being read and considered, was referred to the mayor, aldermen, and fortyeight members of the guilds, with several noblemen, judges, and others, who were directed to assemble on a certain day in the Tower of London, there to be informed and to ascertain the truth of all the matters alleged in the said petition. The order of parliament runs in the following

words:

Le roy voet q le conte de Wircestr' et les autres nomez en le cedule annexe a ceste peticion, ovesą, autres psones a la denominacon du Roy, soient assignez d'examiner la matier comprise en mesme la peticion p toutes le bones voies q meultz lour semblera p lour discreciouns, et d'ent certifier en le chancellerie.

Pleise a ñre tres redout Sĩ le Roy et a les honourables Srs de ceste psent parlement ordeign', q le mair et aldermans et teyns comuners de la citee de Loundres desouth escriptez puissent assembler a une eteyne jour en la Tour de Loundres ou en ascune autre lieu a la volunte ñre tres haut Sĩ le Roy en psence de Mons le conte de Wircestre, et Sĩ

Second Report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the Municipal Corporations of England and Wales, 1837, fol. 13; City Records, &c. &c.

de Lovell, le Sĩ de Say, les Chiefs Justices de l'un Baunk et de l'autre, le Chief Baron de l'Escheqer, Monsr John Cheyne, Mons Thomas Pykworth, Chrs, et John Durward, Esquiere, pur avoir plein enformacion et conusans de la verite de toutz les matires presentez a ñre Sĩ le Roy p un John Cavendish. Et qñre dite Sĩ le Roy et son tres sage conseill purrent ent ordeigner due remedie en sustentacion de les bones layes, customes, et usages usez deinz la franchise du dite cittee en temps del tres noble Roy E. Tierce, q dieu assoille. Et si aveigne q ascune seigar devant escripte soit absent vous pleise pur prendre une autre en son lieu, qe le remedie et execucion des ditz matires ne soit taricz. Les nouns de comuners ceux q'ensuent c'est assavoir.

Then follow the names of the "comuners" of twenty-seven guilds, commencing with the Mercers. The Ironmongers rank ninth, and are represented by Henry Julyan and Thomas Craste, who were probably wardens or keepers of the Company at that time.*

In former times, the Lord Mayors were exclusively chosen from the Twelve Companies (or on accession to that office became free of one of them); none of the lists in our Histories of London afford a single instance to the contrary, from Fitz-Alwin to Sir Robert Wilmot. The twelve Companies took precedence in all civic triumphs, and occupied the chief standings in all state processions through the city; they alone of the Companies contributed to repair the city walls, and were always most largely assessed in all levies for the government of the city. The common opinion, therefore, that the Lord Mayor must be a member of one of these Companies is indisputably founded on long prescriptive right and usage. In 1742 Sir Robert Wilmot was sworn in Lord Mayor notwithstanding that he was not so qualified, and that upon the advice of counsel, who said there was no law for it. His Lordship was of the Coopers' Company, and would have been translated to the Clothworkers', but his admission being carried only by a small majority, and they at the same time refusing him their hall, he resolved to give them no further trouble. It is now understood that being free of one of the twelve Companies is only necessary to qualify the Lord Mayor for President of the Irish Society.†

1404. An Act was passed to restrict and prohibit the manufacture of certain deceptive articles, most of which were probably sold by the Ironmongers of that period.

"Item, whereas many fraudulent artificers, imagining to deceive the common people, do daily make locks, rings, beads, candlesticks, harneis for girdles, hilts, chalices, and

*Rot. Parl. 4 Hen. IV. A° 1402, vol. iii. p. 519.

† Vide Herbert's Livery Companies, vol. i. p. 37.

sword pomels, powder boxes, and covers for cups of copper and laten, and the same over gilt and silver, like to gold or silver, and the same sell and put in gage to many men not having full knowledge thereof, for whole gold and whole silver, to the great deceit, loss, and hindrance of the common people, and the wasting of gold and silver: It is ordained and established that no artificer, nor other man whatsoever he be, henceforth, shall gild nor silver any such locks, rings, beads, candlesticks, harneis for girdles, chalices, hilts, nor pomels of swords, powder boxes, nor covers for cups, made of copper or laten, upon pain to forfeit to the King Cs. at every time that he shall be found guilty, and to make satisfaction to the party grieved for his damages; but that, chalices always excepted, the said artificers may work, or cause to be wrought, ornaments for the church of copper and laten, and the same gild and silver, so that always in the foot, or some other part of every such ornament so to be made, the copper and the laten shall be plain, to the intent that a man may see whereof the thing is made, for to eschew the deceit aforesaid."- Statutes of the Realm.

1410. (11 Hen. IV.) Sir RICHARD MARLOW, citizen and ironmonger, served the office of Lord Mayor, and again in 1417, the 5th of Henry V.

In his "mairaltie," (saith Stow) "there was a play at Skinners' Hall, which lasted eight days; to heare which most of the greatest estates of England were

present. The subject of the play was the sacred scriptures, from the creation of the world." "They call this Corpus Christi play in my country," (observes Weever, in citing the above quotation,) "which I have seen acted at Preston and Lancaster, and last of all at Kendall, in the beginning of the reign of King James, for which the townesmen were sore troubled, and upon good reasons the play finally supprest, not onely there, but in all other townes of the kingdome."

Sir Richard Marlow was sheriff in 1402. He gave 207. to the poor of Queenhithe ward, and ten marks to the church of Saint Michael, Queenhithe, in which he was buried. Weever has preserved the remains of his epitaph:

Arms Quarterly gules and azure, an orle of martlets or.-Harl. MS. No. 6860, and College of Arms.

1423. (2 Hen. VI.) NICHOLAS JAMES, citizen and ironmonger, and sheriff of London. He is stated to have been buried in St. Botolph's, Bishopsgate. Arms: Azure, a dolphin argent.-Harl. MS. No. 6860, and College of Arms.

1442. (21 Hen. VI.) Sir JOHN HATHERLEY, alias ADDERLEY, citizen and ironmonger, chosen Lord Mayor. He was the son of John Hatherley, or Adderley, of Bristol. During his mayoralty, the citizens took in hand many chargeable but useful and ornamental works: namely, to build divers conduits of fresh water, with standards and other devices, and leaden pipes that ran above three miles both above and under the earth, and also to make a common granary, and to repair the great cross in Cheap, erected in 1290 by Edward the First, in memory of his queen, Alianora; the King having granted a licence to the mayor and citizens, in order to set forward these works, to buy two hundred fodder of lead anywhere in the realm, and to hire with their money workmen, masons, and plumbers, as many as they would from time to time.*

In the parish church of Peper-Harrow, in the county of Surrey, there is a sepulchral brass to the memory of Johanna, wife of the before-named Sir John Adderley, and afterwards re-married to William Brokes, Esq. of that place; she is represented kneeling before a desk; on a scroll over her head is written :-hu mercy & lady helpe. And beneath her feet the following inscription :

Er vestra caritate Orate p' a'i'a Johan'e Addirley quo’d'm uxor' Joh'is Addirley quo’d'm Maioris Civitatis london' et nup' uxor' Will'i Brokes armigeri patroni istius eccl’ie qe quid'm Johan'a obiit xviijo die Nove'br' Ao D'ni Mo CCCC. lxxxvijo cuis a'i'e p'picie...

* See Strype's Stow, and MS. Collectanea of W. Sargeant, vol. i. in the City Library. Arms of Sir John Hatherley: Argent, on a bend gules, between two lion's heads erased sable three crosses pattée of the field.-Harl. MS. 6860.