I20 History of the Company. 



The new Charter was granted to the Saddlers' 

 AD 1684 Company on the 24th December 

 Charter of followIng, and read at the Quarter 

 Charles II. (3q^j-|- j^ January, when the Wardens, 



Assistants, and Clerk took the oath and subscribed 

 the declaration. Charles II. died during the next 

 month (6th February, 1685), and was succeeded by 

 his brother, James II., and in the month of May, 

 in view of the approaching election of Parliament, 

 the Company were reconstituted a Livery, and 

 were called upon by the Lord Mayor, pursuant to 

 an injunction from James, to return a list, for 

 ratification by the Court of Aldermen, of such 

 Liverymen who were of the "best, more dis- 

 creete, and sufficient members of y^' Company 

 being perso7is of appi^wed and icnquestionable 

 Loyalty!' an obvious indication of the King's 

 intention to influence the selection of Voters. 

 The affairs of the Company appear to have gone 

 on pretty smoothly during the next two years, 

 despite the increasing dissatisfaction of the City 

 and country against the ill-advised King, who 

 had let loose the reins of monarchical despotism 

 and tyranny, and arrogated to himself the pre- 

 rogative of ruling the national will and conscience 

 without the aid even of a Parliament ; for, to 

 obviate the inconvenience of their want of com- 

 pliancy, he had dispensed with that assembly 

 altogether. 



The Charter of the late King, Charles II., 

 to the Saddlers and other Companies, pro- 

 vided for the right of the King to remove any 



