History of the Company. 39 



happen to be exercised, one or two just and faithful 

 men of the said trade shall be elected and assigned by 

 the Saddlers dwelling there to overlook and take 

 charge of that trade, and to make scrutiny of the 

 defaults which may happen to be found there in the 

 work of Saddlers, as often as there shall be occasion, 

 and present all those defaults to the Mayor and Bailiffs 

 or Keepers of the vills, places, and markets where those 

 defaults shall be found [We] being willing that all such 

 false works so presented may be burnt by the discretion 

 of the said Mayor, Bailiffs, or Keepers, and that the 

 Saddlers making them may be punished by heavy amer- 

 ciaments, which same amerciaments shall remain for 

 ever with the aforesaid Mayor, Bailiffs, and Keepers and 

 Commonalty of the places where those defaults shall 

 happen to be found, and that they who are elected to 

 make such scrutiny in the City of London may present 

 in form abovesaid such defaults found in other cities, 

 burghs, and vills, together with others elected there. In 

 [witness] whereof, &c. 



" Witness the King at Westminster, the first day of 

 December. 



'' By the King himself and Petition of Parlia- 

 ment." 



In the 50th year of the same reign, a.d. 1377, 

 the Saddlers' Company are recorded 

 as sending four members to the Com- 

 mon Council, which at that time was composed of 

 representatives of the guilds ; only nine of the 

 Companies sent more members than the Saddlers, 

 who contributed as many representatives as the 

 Cloth workers, Ironmongers, and Salters, and 

 twice the number of the Leathersellers, Brewers, 

 and other important crafts. 



