7,8 Antiquity and Early 



" For the Saddlers r The King to all to whom, &c., 

 of London. \Greeting. The just men, the Saddlers 

 of our City of London, and of other cities, burghs, and 

 AD. 1-^64. ^^^^^ ^^ o^^ Kingdom, have besought us, 

 Charter from by their petition exhibited before us and 

 Edward III. q^j. (Council, in our last Parliament, that 

 whereas very many Saddlers dwelling in divers parts of 

 our said Kingdom, not being content with lawful gain, 

 do daily make saddles for sale of rotten and ill-seasoned 

 wood, and of false and weak hides, cloths, and trappings, 

 causing them to be garnished with nails of lead, tin, and 

 pewter, and do not desist daily to make divers other 

 deceits and deceptions in their works, and, nevertheless, 

 sell those saddles at a great price, to the damage and 

 deception of us and all our people, and also to the 

 manifest scandal and disgrace of just and faithful 

 Saddlers. We wish, for the common good and profit of 

 the said Kingdom, and for preserving the honour of that 

 trade, and of the faithful workmen of the same, to ordain 

 a fit remedy for such faults. We, for such failings and 

 deceptions, and for avoiding the injuries and grievances 

 which might happen to us and our people upon this, 

 Being willing to assent to their prayer in this behalf, of 

 our special grace have granted for us and our heirs, that 

 as well in the said City of London as in every other 

 city, burgh, or vill of the said Kingdom, where the trade 

 of saddle-making is now exercised, or hereafter may 



Saddlers' Company in the thirty-seventh year of this reign : 

 " Charta Sellariorum in Hustengo de Communibus Placitis 

 tento die Lunae proximo post festum Sancti Petri in Cathe- 

 dra anno regni Regis Edwardi Tertii quadragesimo septimo. 

 (Hist. Roll of Common Pleas, No. 97.) 



N.B. — The letters patent are dated ist December, 37 

 Edward III. but were apparently not enrolled till 47 Edward 

 III. 



