pounds on behalf of the company itself. The payment of the prizes in this lottery was, even when gained, very tardy, so that when, in 1585, the queen had recourse to another lottery for armour, very urgent entreaties were necessary to engage persons in it, and precepts were issued to the companies, stating, that since the publishing of the proceedings respecting the lottery, the coming in of adventures was very slack, by reason of the hard opinion and distrust conceived of the last lotteries, and from the length of time set down for that in hand. And having her majesty's grant of the lottery, which was intended specially to benefit Mr. John Calthorpe, who had so well deserved in bringing the same into the realm, the council had reduced the time of the execution of the said lottery, to the 8th of March, then next ensuing, at which time, "there should be a true delivery of the prizes to the winners." It is added, "We mean to appoint twenty persons, to see that no man shall be defrauded of such part or parts of the armour, as may fall to his lot, by the said lottery. And in order to speed the execution of it, we hope, on the receipt hereof, you will call the aldermen your brethren together, and persuade every man to adventure, and to deal with the masters and wardens of all the companies, to make adventures. And for so doing, there shall be bestowed on the lord mayor, as her majesty's gift, in respect of the forward service of the said lottery, one basin and ewer of one hundred pounds; and to each of the sheriffs, one basin and ewer of one hundred marks, to remain to the use of the lord mayor and sheriffs, and their successors, for ever." Notwithstanding pressing solicitations and promised rewards, the companies showed considerable backwardness in embarking on the undertaking; and in the books of the Merchant-Tailors, a sarcastic motto is entered, as the one adopted by them on that occasion:

One byrde in the hande is worth two in the wood; If we get the great lot, it will do us good. In the next reign, a lottery of plate was tried, towards the plantation of Virginia, and all the companies adventured in it. The Grocers are stated to have won a silver gilt salt and cover, worth about thirteen pounds, for a venture of sixty-two pounds, five shillings, and a fee of nineteen shillings and sixpence, delivery!

When the system of forced loans was no longer available, the granting of patents for monopolies, and for the oversight and control of different trades, was resorted to. Of the abuses of this custom, there is the following notice. "She (Elizabeth) granted her servants and courtiers patents for monopolies; and those patents they sold to others, who were thereby enabled to raise commodities to what price they pleased, and who put invincible restraints upon all commerce, industry, and emulation in the arts. It is astonishing to consider the numbers and importance of those commodities which were thus assigned over to the patentees; currants, salt, iron, powder, cards, calf-skins, felts, leather, ox shin bones, train oil, lists of cloth, &c., &c., these are but a part of the commodities which had been appropriated by the monopolists. When this list was read in the house, a member cried, 'Is not bread in the number?' 'Bread!' said every one with astonishment. Yes, I assure you,' replied he, "if affairs go on at this rate, we shall have bread reduced to a monopoly before the next parliament.' Complaints were, at the same period, raised against the companies, on account of "concealments," as they were called, or omissions charged to have been wilfully and fraudulently made by the companies, in returning the value of their chantry estates in the reign of Edward the Sixth. Strype says, that Sir Edward Stafford, one of Elizabeth's courtiers, having obtained the queen's patent, took with him some prying fellows, who hoped thereby to make some gain to themselves, and the companies were again put to great trouble, and their lands and tenements made liable to be forfeited and taken away from them, by means of such patents; what was discovered becoming the property of these patentees, commonly called concealers, and the queen having some small part in fee-farm. Two of these concealers, named Adam and Woodshaw, obtained by these means, the sum of 8381. 4s. 6d. per annum, from the estates of the several companies, with a fee-farm of 22l. 12s. 4d. per annum, to the queen. This sum, as well as the whole yearly value of all their lands, had been previously bestowed by the companies, "upon the poor, upon scholars, and upon public good uses: without employing any one penny thereof in their dinners, or other like charges, but the same were wholly borne of their quarterage, and the warden's charge out of their own purses."

The companies likewise received precepts on matters unconnected with pecuniary affairs. When seditious publications and practices excited the fears of the sovereign, the lord mayor regularly received commands to call on the companies, invoking their aid. The plan adopted by the Ironmongers' company to get possession of any seditious works which might be in the hands of the members of their company, was as follows: "A secret place" was made in the court room, to which every man present was compelled to ascend, put in his hand, and then return; "which was to the end, that such persons of the company as had any of the same seditious books, should there let them fall; and being but one man at one time, there was none to accuse him that had any book." The author of this plan does not seem to have taken into account, the possibility of the members leaving their seditious books at home, instead of depositing them in the "secret place." The apprehension of the Spanish Armada was another occasion, on which very solemn appeals were made to the companies; and a general declaration of the willingness of the members to serve her with their lives, lands, and goods, was signed and sealed by the members.

Sumptuary regulations, which were carried to a ridiculous excess, were frequently carried into execution through the medium of the City companies. Though Elizabeth was inordinately fond of dress and ornament, she evinced the greatest anxiety that her subjects should dress plainly. "Wenches" were to have their "gownes, kirtles, waistcoats, and petticoats unmingled with silk," and apprentices had their ruff-bands shortened, and were obliged to wear the collars of their doublets "without piccadilly or other sup port." Two members of the Ironmongers' company were, in 1579, chosen to attend, with two men free of the Grocers, at Bishopsgate, from seven o'clock in the morning till six in the evening, in order to examine the habits of all persons passing through the gate. A solemn precept from the mayor, also commanded and admonished the companies, under a denunciation of inflicting "the penalty on all the offenders without any favour," that none of the queen's subjects were to wear caps otherwise than according to the fashion prescribed. In the next reign the regulations were even more minute. James complained of "the abuse growing by excesse, and strange fashions of apparell, used by manye apprentices, and the inordinate pryde of may de servantes, and woman servantes, in their excess of apparell and follye in varietie of newe fashions." He regulated the clothing of apprentices, who were to wear no hat, the facing of which should exceed three inches in breadth in the head; or which, with the band and trimming, should cost above five shillings; the band was to be destitute of lace, made of linen not exceeding five shillings the ell, and to have no other work or ornament than a plain hem and one stitch; and if the apprentice should wear a ruff-band, it was not to exceed three inches in height, before it was gathered and set into the stock, nor more than two inches in depth before the setting into the same stock. The collar of the doublet was to have neither the "poynt, well (whale) bone, or plaits," but to be made closely and comely, and, as well as the breeches, was to be made only of "cloth, kersy, fustian, sackcloth, canvasse, English leather, or English stuffe," and of not more than 2s. 6d. the yard; his stockings were to be of woollen, yarn, or kersey; he was not to wear "Spanish shoes with polonia heels," or have his hair with any "tufte or lock," but cut short in a decent and comely manner. Particular directions were also given as to the dress of the London servant girls, and the restrictions imposed afford a curious picture of the sort of attire worn by such damsels at that period. The servant girl was to wear no "lawn, kambrick, tiffany, velvet lawns, or white wires," on the head, or about "the kerchief, koyfe, crest cloth, or shadow," but only linen, and that not to exceed five shillings an ell. Her ruff was on no account to be more than four yards in length before the gathering or setting of it in, or of greater depth than three inches; nor was she "to wear any fardingal at all, great or little; nor any body and sleeves of wire, whalebone, or other stiffing (stiffening), saving canvass or buckram only."

SECTION 8.

INTERFERENCE WITH THE PRIVILEGES OF THE COMPANIESRUINOUS EFFECT OF THE CIVIL WARS.

The City companies were not allowed, without much contest on their part, to retain the freedom and independence of their several bodies, and to choose and appoint their own officers. The interference of the sovereign in these

matters first commenced in 1565, when Elizabeth attempted to direct the disposal of some premises of the Ironmongers' company. In 1579, the same company was recommended, or rather commanded by Elizabeth, in a letter written by herself, to grant a new lease of a portion of their premises to one William Sparkes. Immediate compliance was of course yielded. Such applications now became frequent. Sir Francis Walsingham asked of the Merchant-Tailors for the reversion of the clerkship of the company in favour of one Henry Foster; Lord Morley asked for a living for his chaplain; and the queen repeated such requests as that above noted. In the two next reigns the same unconstitutional practice was continued. In 1622, the King, Prince Henry, the Princess Elizabeth, and George Villiers, duke of Buckingham, all condescended to become suitors to the Merchant-Tailors for the reversion of the clerkship of their company for one Lawrence Lowndes. The annoyance of these demands was also experinced by all the other companies, and was carried to a ridiculous height. "In December, 1622, the Grocers had no less than six suitors for their vacant cook's place, all well recommended. The lord mayor commended his cook to their court as being very sufficient in his profession, of an honest and civil behaviour, and requested, for his sake, that they would take consideration of him. This candidate was opposed by the cook of Sir Humphrey Handford, Knight, one of the sheriffs, who procured the same Sir George Calvert, by his majesty's command, to write in his behalf, recommending him as "singularly skilful in his profession,' also as known to the late Queen Anne of Denmark, and as having been for some time, in consequence, in his majesty's own service. The only two candidates permitted to go to ballot were the above; and the election was conducted with all the zeal and manœuvres which would have lately attended that of a member of parliament."

The church patronage of the companies was that with which Charles seemed most disposed to interfere. In 1636, he wrote to the Grocers, saying, that he had conferred the vicarage of Plymouth on Dr. Wilson, incumbent of their church of St. Stephen's, Walbroke, and he requested them to keep their vacant living open to a successor to be named by him. The company determined there should be no nomination till the rectory became void. The king afterwards appointed Dr. Howell, one of his own chaplains, but the company finding, on inquiry, that the doctor would not promise to reside on his London living, if elected, except during winter, they put in a second candidate in nomination with him. After much maneuvering on both sides, the company elected their own candidate, Mr. Saxby; but the king expressed himself so much displeased, that Mr. Saxby tendered his resignation. The royal candidate now again came forward, and was admitted; but the company took care to express that such admission was by the free and unanimous consent of the whole court.

In 1650, the arbitrary custom of interference in the pri

| vileges of the companies was extinguished by an order of the Merchant-Tailors to the effect, that their court "finding how various persons, when suitors for alms or situations which fall vacant, are in the habit of procuring eminent men to interfere in their behalf, by speaking, by recommendatory letters, and by other means, which were formally disallowed, and always disliked by this court as tending to prejudice and forestall their own free elections of such as themselves might wish to serve, do resolve that whatsoever person shall in future become a suitor for an almshouse, place, or pension, and shall procure any person to apply to the court for such, or that shall bring any nobleman's letters in the like behalf, otherwise than as certificates of good behaviour, such person, in every such case, shall be held to be incapable of whatever favour he may apply for."

The spirit of monopoly often appeared strongly among the companies; a ridiculous proof of which was exhibited in the Painters Stainers, a company which had existed in the reign of Edward the Third, but had not been incorporated. In the time of Elizabeth they sought this favour, but endeavoured to get inserted in their charter an absurd prohibition. It was that they might have power to restrain all persons from painting pictures of the queen, noblemen, and others, as well as "all other manner of paintings," unless such persons had served a seven years' apprenticeship to their company; and for the absurd reason, that such works "showed fair to the sight, but were not substantially wrought." "Elizabeth, (says Mr. Herbert,) who possessed the portraits of Sir Antonio Moore, Hilliard, and other high names, it can hardly be conceived, would have done other than laugh at this petition; but it seems not to have been presented; for upon asking the advice of the lord mayor and aldermen, they honestly answered, "that they had no judgment or skill in the science to discern such fraudulent workmanship from what was substantial and good,' which caused the prohibition to be omitted. One cannot help re flecting, that had Vandyke lived in this age of absurd restriction, his 'fair-looking' works, for want of being substantially wrought,' might never have delighted posterity."

The disastrous effects of the civil wars in the reign of Charles the First, were very severely felt by the Livery Companies. From the commencement of those mischiev ous contests in 1640, until the fire of London in 1666, the companies were subjected to the most harassing exactions, spoliations, and calamities. In the former of these years, the king demanded 20,000l. from the city. The companies were severally assessed by precept to contribute to this amount, and paid their respective quotas, not, however, without strong opposition from some of them. In the following year, another precept demanded the payment of 40,000l. for the use of the parliament, and this being granted, there arrived another message to the city in 1642, thanking the companies for the former loan, and increasing the demand for that year to 100,000%. The professed

motive of this loan was the relief of Ireland; its covert one, to strengthen parliament against the king; and it appears that the city sided with parliament, for it obeyed this enormous demand with alacrity, and the sum was freely voted at a common hall convened for the purpose at Guildhall. Precepts were addressed to the several companies, and were not apparently disputed, except by the Ironmongers' company, who paid their share by absolute compulsion, after having disputed the right of a common hall to bind the companies. In the following year (1643), the whole of the companies' halls were compelled to make periodical payments in aid of the parliamentary struggle against the king, and in the autumn of the same year (on the approach of the royal army towards London), the parliament demanded 50,000l. in addition to such payments.

Woful was the condition of the City companies under this incessant exaction, and loud were their complaints at the state to which they were reduced. The Ironmongers lamented their "sadd condicion," having formerly lent to divers lords and to the parliament such large sums that they were "disabled and impoverished, soe that they cannot finde any meanes to satisfy his lordship's desire." The Grocers, equally dispirited, entered into "a sad and serious consideration of the miserable distractions and calamities of this kingdom, threatening the ruin thereof by sickness and famine, the certain attendants of an unnatural and bloody warre, which nowe reigneth in this kingdom," and in token of their grief and abasement they resolved to forego all convivial meetings, and even to omit their annual election. In order to furnish the supplies which were thus arbitrarily exacted, not only were individuals belonging to the companies completely impoverished, but all the fraternities were obliged to sell or pawn their plate. The interest (in some cases a high one) promised on these loans, was also withheld both by the king and the parliament, neither party being faithful to their engagements. The Ironmongers' company held out more pertinaciously than the rest against these exactions, and on one occasion when summoned before the parliamentary committee, they used every effort to evade payment; but being solemnly informed by the commissioners, "that the money was to preserve their lives, their liberties, and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which was more deare than all the rest," the assistants attempted to borrow 13007., but no man belonging to the hall would lend, pleading their individual weighty taxes as an excuse; the company, therefore, were finally obliged to sell all their plate.

This career of exaction was followed by the dismantling of the companies' halls. Religious paintings, and other decorations spared at the Reformation as harmless, were now included in the list of superstitious objects, requiring to be banished or destroyed. The hangings of Merchant-Tailors' Hall exhibited a pictorial history of John the Baptist; these were noticed as superstitious and offensive, and were eventually defaced. The same course was pursued with the other companies; and when at length it became the settled purpose of parliament to take away the king's life, the metropolis being filled with troops, the halls of the several fraternities, as well as the churches and other public buildings, were converted into barracks. The Merchant-Tailors' company had sufficient interest with General Fairfax to get freed from the nuisance. The general's warrant was as follows:-"Whereas inconvenience has been represented to me to fall out in case any soldiers are quartered at MerchantTailors' Hall, and there being very many poor belonging to that company, these are to require you, on sight thereof, to forbeare to quarter either horse or foot in the said hall; and hereof you are to be observant, as you will answer for the contrary. Given under my hand and seal, in Queen street, 28th December, 1648. THO. FAIRFAX." Directed, "To the Quartermaster, Centinels, and other Officers whom it may concern." The company were so delighted with this exemption from a general grievance, that they presented the quarter-master with twenty pounds, and the individual who brought the protection to them with ten shillings.

After the annihilation of royal authority, the city became the grand focus of the parliamentary government, as is abundantly testified by the numerous tracts and other records of the period. "Guildhall was a second House of Commons, an auxiliary senate, and the companies' halls the meeting-places of those branches of it denominated committees. All the Mercuries,' or newspapers of the day, abound with notices of the occupation of the companies' premises by these committees. Goldsmiths' Hall was their

In the festivities and rejoicings consequent on the Restoration, the City companies bore a conspicuous share. Notwithstanding the impoverished state to which they had been reduced in the reign of Charles the First, they appear to have recovered themselves sufficiently during the protectorate to greet with some appearance of their former pomp and dignity the restored monarch. Such of the trade societies as could afford it presented rich gifts; others offered the most affectionate congratulations. They feasted the monarch at their halls, and proudly enrolled his name among the members of the Grocers' company. But while they were thus lavishing their hospitality, Charles appears to have eyed the tokens of their yet remaining wealth with considerable longings for its appropriation to his own purposes. Gradually, but completely, the whole of the companies were brought into entire subjection to the crown, and the freedom which had been so manfully upheld in former reigns, was completely yielded to the avaricious monarch. His first attack on their independence was in the second year of his reign, by passing an act for well-governing and regulating corporations, under pretence of which all freedom of action was soon destroyed. Notwithstanding this infringement of their liberties, the corporation and companies, in 1665, built and furnished a fine new ship, for the purpose of presenting to government. One of the papers of the period contains the following announcement:-"This Saturday my lord mayor and the rest of the remanent aldermen went to Deptford to see their new ship, the Loyal London, and in what fitness she is; their care having been to provide and pay money from time to time to satisfie her workmen, and found her so forward, that she seems only to want anchors, and some of her last furniture."

This was the year previous to that direful calamity, the great fire of London, which was most destructive to the halls of the companies, mostly situated in the very heart of the city. Those of the Leathersellers, Pinners, and a few others, beyond the range of the conflagration, escaped, but all the rest were completely destroyed. By this dreadful calamity the companies' records were burnt, their plate melted, and their city premises, from whence they drew their incomes, reduced to ashes. To crown their misfortunes, they were overwhelmed with a load of debt, (the consequence of the compulsory loans they had been subjected to,) which they had no means of paying.

The

Under this accumulation of distress, their first steps were to secure the melted plate, and to obtain an estimate of their losses and capabilities. Seventeen days after the commencement of the fire, the masters and wardens of the MerchantTailors' company set themselves "to view the company's plate, melted in the late dreadful fire," and to treat with "Mr. Taylor at the Tower, or any other person, about the refining of the same to the best advantage.' They also ordered that, "on account of the company's house being burned," all persons who received 6s. 8d. and 2s. 6d. quarterly, and were chosen by the wardens' substitutes, and paid from the stock of the society, should be no longer paid their pensions, except those who were in great want." Grocers' company also received particulars from their wardens "of the company's plate melted in the hall, in the late violent and destructive fire, and of the melted parcels taken up and put together, with the company's urgent occasions for a supply of money: it was therefore determined that the same plate (amounting to about two hundred pounds weight of metal) should be sold and disposed of to the best advantage for the benefit of the company.'" They had also a schedule of the company's houses and rents read to them, and "in regard to the shortness of the days, the distance of divers persons' abodes, and the danger and troublesomeness of going in the dark amongst the ruins, not then allowing them time for debate and determination," they agreed to meet weekly.

By extraordinary exertions, by subscriptions, and col

trees, bushes, shrubs, brambles, thickets, inhabited and haunted by divers wild beasts, and birds of various kinds and colours. In the front of this scene were two negro boys, properly habited, and mounted upon two panthers, bearing the banners of the lord mayor, and the company's arms. Sir Thomas Pilkington, of the same company, mayor in 1689, varied this scene of a wilderness, called "The Company's Pageant," by introducing, in addition, to the wild beasts of the former show, "wolves, bears, panthers, leopards, sables, and beavers, together with dogs, cats, foxes, rabbits, and which latter, the account says, tost up now and then into a balcony, fall off upon the company's heads, and being by them tost again into the crowd, afforded great diversion."

The Drapers' company, in 1679, at Sir Robert Clayton's show, introduced in their trade pageant characters representing the twelve months of the year, and numerous other allegorical personages, richly dressed. The concluding pageant exhibited a landscape of Salisbury Plain, "where rustic shepherds and shepherdesses were feeding and folding their flocks; and for the future exaltation of the Drapers' delight, here were several trades met together, all pertinent for making of cloth; as carders, spinners, dyers, woolcombers, shearers, dressers, fullers, weavers, which were set without order, because the excellence of this scene did consist of confusion. Although their number and weight were too ponderous for all of them to work, according to their distinct arts and mysteries, yet they were here met in their persons to rejoice and express their frolicks in dancing, jumping, tumbling, piping, and singing, and all such jovial actions and movements of agility, as might express their joy and exultation in their compliments to the new lord mayor, and their service to the Drapers' company."

The pageant of the Haberdashers, in 1699, when one of their company was mayor, is described as having "a stately chariot all enriched with embossed work of silver, driven upon four golden Catherine wheels, in which was seated St. Catherine, the original patroness of the honourable company of Haberdashers, the chariot drawn by two large Indian goats, argent, being the supporters of the company." This chariot was followed by a scenic exhibition consisting of a very large stage, on which "were planted, almost all round, several shops, namely, milliners, hosiers, hatters, cappers, and other branches of the haberdashery trade. Commerce sat in the rear of this scene, on a rich throne, and descended as the lord mayor passed by, to make his speech. During the movement of this pageant, several papers of tobacco were given amongst the people."

In 1694, the Cloth workers exhibited the Garden of the Hesperides, with Jason and his golden fleece. "This pageant," says the prograinme, "is entirely applicable to the honourable Cloth workers, the fleece being a golden one, morally so represented by virtue of the riches arising from the manufacture of the fleece. The dragon, being a watchful creature, intimates the caution, industry, and vigilance, that ought to secure, support, and preserve trade; whilst Jason, that gave the dragon a sleeping potion, and so carried away the golden fleece, was in reality an industrious merchant, that equipped his ship, the Argonaut, and by traffic and commerce carried off the golden fleece, namely, the trade of the world." After this came the chariot of Apollo, drawn by two golden griffins, (the company's supporters,) mounted by triumphant figures; Apollo himself, as the shepherd of King Admetus, rode in the chariot, and whilst addressing the lord mayor, "a rich figure of a rising sun, above ten foot in diameter, not seen before, and whose beams cherish both sheep and shepherd, appeared above his head out of the back of the chariot, with all his beams displayed in gold."

At the Vintners' pageant in 1702, the lord mayor was first saluted by the Artillery company, before whom stepped the Vintners patron saint, St. Martin, splendidly armed cap à pie, having a large mantle of scarlet; and followed by several beggars, supplicating for alms, dancing satyrs, persons in rich liveries, halbeteers, and old Roman lictors. They all marched to St. Paul's churchyard, where the saint severed his mantle with his sword, and delivered a portion to the mendicants.

One of the trade pageants of the Goldsmiths' company exhibited what was called The Goldsmith's Laboratory, representing "a large and spacious workshop, of several artificers, distinct in their proper apartments, for the several operators in the mystery of the goldsmiths, containing forges, anvils, hammers, and other instruments of art, &c." In the midst, on a rich golden chair, sat St. Dunstan, the

ancient patron and guardian of the company, in pontifica libus, in one hand a golden crozier, in the other his goldsmith's tongs, with the devil beneath his feet. A large goldsmith's forge faced the saint's throne, with fire, crucibles, &c., and a boy blowing the bellows. The representation of a goldsmith's shop full of plate, and artificers at work in the various departments, with the assay-master making an assay, and work men hammering a massy piece of plate, to the sound of music, &c., filled up this pageant. Several of the companies still possess remains of these old shows, particularly the Grocers' company. The scenes were painted like those of the theatres, in distemper, and the animals which drew the pants were fabricated so like what are used there, that there is little doubt but that they were the work of theatrical artists.

The last public event of any consequence in the history of the City companies, was their complete subjugation, in 1684, to the power of the king, by means of the quo warranto, or inquiry into the validity of the City charter. Charles the Second, like his father and grandfather, early showed a desire to interfere with the government and property of these companies, and the result of the proceedings just noticed, made him master not only of these, but of all the corporations in England. The charter of the City was arbitrarily and illegally declared forfeited, and several of the companies, terrified by the proceedings against London, surrendered their charters. The surrender of their charters was, in most of the companies, preceded by a petition, stating their having been chartered and incorporated by former royal grants, which conferred on them divers immunities, privileges, and franchises. That his sacred majesty having, "in his princely wisdom," thought proper to issue a quo warranto against them, they had reason to fear they had highly offended him, and they therefore earnestly begged his pardon for what was past, and "to accept their humble submission to his good will and pleasure, and that he would be graciously pleased to continue their former charters, with such regulations for their future government as he should please." This, and other acts of servility on the part of the companies, were very agreeable to the monarch, and he was pleased to grant them another charter, under such restrictions as he thought fit. These restrictions effectually destroyed all liberty of will and action in the companies, and permitted them to exist only during the royal pleasure.

In the succeeding reign an attempt was made to influence the companies' selection of voters. James the Second directed the lord mayor to issue precepts requiring them to return "such loyal and worthy members as might be judged worthy and fit to be, by the lord mayor and court of aldermen, approved of as liverymen to elect members to serve for the city of London at the approaching parliament." Mr. Herbert remarks, "that what made this more glaringly corrupt was, that most of the independent aldermen had been previously put out of their places, and compliant tools appointed by the crown in their room." But the arbitrary proceedings of this monarch were of short duration; for at the news of the coming of the Prince of Orange in 1688, James gave a hasty order in council, preparatory to the passing of an act, whereby all restrictions consequent upon the judgment on the quo warranto were repealed. Soon afterwards, a special court of lord mayor and aldermen was held, pursuant to the grants for restoring the city charter, when an order was made for restoring the liverymen of the several companies of the city to the state they had been in before such judgment. The abdication of James confirmed their emancipation. The security of the city and its immunities and privileges being deemed of great importance, on this joyful event, William and Mary not only passed a statute reversing the quo warranto of the city, but enacting, as to associated bodies generally, that they should henceforth stand as they respectively were at the time of the judgment given be restored to all their estates, lands, tenements, &c., and that all charters, letters patents, or grants of the last two reigns, should be wholly null and void.

Thus were tranquillity and confidence restored, and the privileges and rights of corporate bodies firmly established, so that the affairs of the livery companies rapidly improved. From that period to the present, their history has been of too uneventful a nature to require much comment.

JOHN W. PARKER, PUBLISHER, WEST STRAND, LONDON.