The Company and the Trade. 199 



side and there burned, while at others, again, they 

 were taken to Smithfield and there destroyed by 

 the same process. Occasionally the defect lay in 

 the saddle-tree — the wooden body of the saddle — 

 which was sometimes an old tree re-employed and 

 sometimes made of unseasoned wood ; when this 

 was so the leather would be taken off and returned 

 to the maker to be re-used, and the saddle-tree 

 broken and destroyed. 



The following are a few excerpts in illustration 

 of the custom, taken from some hundreds of 

 similar cases which the Company's Minute Books 

 record : — 



1605. November i6th. 



" James Ramsey a forren"" for making of pillions ol 

 olde stuff and twill had them defaced and cutt to peces 

 because the Kinges publicke shulde not be deceaved w^^' 

 them and was pardoned of his imprisonment and notw^''- 

 standing warned he was to mende his workmanship 

 upon a greate payne. 



" At this Courte Rowland Hodges for having in his 

 howse and shoppe in the tyme of search made by the 

 Wardens xv male pillions bought of a forren"" made of 

 evill and naughtie stuffe was fyned for that fault five 

 shillings w^^^' was paide to Symon Penyale." 



1606. March 12th. 



"The same xvth daye of Aprill, 1607, being a third 

 Quarter Day as aforesaid the Company being assembled 

 at their hall they were requested by the Wardeins and 

 Assistants to viewe a nomber of Sadies covered with 

 sheep's leather w*'^ were taken in sundry searches made 



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