454 HORSE-SHOES AND HORSE-SHOEING. 



imposed by the important development this art had 

 assumed, certain it is, that some years after the king's 

 return from exile to England, and the restoration of the 

 monarchy, the Company of Farriers was incorporated 

 (1763) by the style of 'the Master Wardens, Assistants, 

 and Commonalty of the Company of Farriers, London.' 

 This local corporation was, and is now, a livery company, 

 and governed by a master, three wardens, and twenty-four 

 assistants. In 1736, it had, besides these, thirty-nine on 

 the livery. 



The arms of the corporation are : Ar. three horse- 

 shoes. Sa. pierced of the field. Crest. An arm em- 

 bowed, issuing from clouds on the sinister side, all proper, 

 holding in the hand a hammer az. handled, and ducally 

 crowned or. Supporters. Two horses Ar. Motto, ' Fi 

 et VirtiLte^. 



In Scodand, the artificers had, from an early period, 

 formed a corporation at Edinburgh, designated the Ham- 

 mermen's Corporation. This was one of the chief guilds 

 or public bodies, and included every handicraft ; though 

 at first it appears that that of the iron, or black-smith, 

 greatly predominated. The earliest entry, which occurs 

 in 1582, though the corporation had been embodied for 

 some considerable time before this date, gives us to under- 

 stand that among the 'essays' or specimens of skill and 

 proficiency required to obtain admission, that of the 

 smith was ' ane door cruick (hook) and door-band, ane 

 spaide iron (a spade), ane schoile iron (a shovel), and 

 horse-shoe and six nails thereto.' 



Many distinguished men were presented with the free- 

 dom of this Corporation of Hammermen. An entry for 



