134 A HISTORY OF GARDENING IN ENGLAND. 



It was hoped that the formation of this Guild would put a stop 

 to frauds practised by gardeners in the City, who sold dead trees 

 and bad seeds " to the great deceit and loss " of their customers. 

 But it appears that these abuses continued to exist, and a second 

 Charter was granted in the fourteenth year of James L, and the 

 Company was invested with further privileges. No person was 

 allowed to " use or exercise the art or misterie of gardening, 

 within the said area, without the licence and consent"* of the 

 Company, nor were any persons who had not sensed their 

 apprenticeship, and received the freedom of the Company 

 permitted to sell any garden-stuff, except within certain hours, 

 and in such places and markets as were open to other foreigners 

 who had not the freedom of the City, The Company were also 

 permitted to seize any " plants, herbs or roots that were exposed 

 for sale by any unlicenced person and distribute them among the 

 poor of the place where such forfeitures shall be taken." And 

 it was also lawful for any four members of the Guild "to search 

 and viewe all manner of plants, stocks, setts, trees, seedes, 

 slippes, roots, flowers, hearbes and other things that shall be 

 sould or sett to sale in any markett within the Cittie of London 

 and sixe myles about," and to " burn or otherwise consume " all 

 that was found to be " unwholesome, dry, rotten, deceitful! or 

 unprofitable." William Wood was elected first Master under 

 the new charter. There were two Wardens, the number of 

 Assistants was increased to twenty-four, a Beadle was appointed, 

 and the Company was granted a livery. The rights and 

 privileges of the Company were again confirmed by Charles I., 

 in 1635. The arms are a man digging, and the supporters two 

 female figures with cornucopiae ; the crest, a basket of fruit, and 

 the Motto, " In the sweat of thy browes shalt thou eate thy 

 bread." Although licenced by the Charter, to have a Hall in 

 which to assemble, they never appear to have possessed one. 

 The Company for long has ceased to exercise its privileges, but 

 it still exists, and ranks seventieth among the City Guilds. t 



All the herbs already in cultivation were retained, mostly on 



* Second Charter, 1616, in the possession of the Company. 

 t There is an account of the Company in Bradley's Treatise on Ilusbandyy 

 and Gardening, 1726. 



