602 LON 
feveral guilds in London as early as i i8o, that were amerced 
to the crown as adulterine, i. e. let up without warrant from 
the king; as the Goldfmiths, Butchers, Glovers, Curriers, 
&c. On the other hand, there were then alfo feveral war¬ 
ranted or lawful guilds; for it appears that the Weavers 
of London paid a rent, or ferine, as it is called in the ftyle 
of the exchequer, to king Henry I. who reigned between 
noo and 1x35, for their guild; and had, in after times, 
great difputes with the city of London concerning their 
high immunities and privileges. But the oldeft charters 
now in being, of the moft eminent companies in London, 
are of a later date; viz. the Goldfmiths and Skinners, not 
till the year 1327; the Grocers, in 1345; and the other 
companies ftill later. 
But, in refpefl to the livery companies, it is to be re¬ 
marked, that they are not only eftablifhments for carry¬ 
ing on trades, although that was the leading caufe of their 
original incorporation; but they have been always in the 
practice of admitting upon their roils perfons who have 
no connexion with that or any other trade, who defire to 
become members of the fir ft corporation in the world, 
in order to enjoy its privileges, or to reprefent it in 
parliament; or of admitting others to whom the high ef- 
timation in which it is held throughout the united king¬ 
dom has rendered it the'firft compliment which the city 
of London can offer to their magnanimity and bravery, 
to their loyalty and patriotifm, to their conduct in the 
field or on the feas, in the fenate or in the cabinet, in the 
fervice of their king and country, or to their exemplary 
worth and integrity as upright citizens. Amongft fuch 
as thefe, the twelve firft companies in particular can 
exhibit names which have been dignified with the ap- 
plaufe and admiration of their country, aud will ever 
live in the records of hiftory. But thefe eftablifhments 
do not ltop here; for they are poflefled of endowments 
which render them truftees for the benefit of their poorer 
brethren to a very large extent; fo that it will be readily 
feen that every company is an inftitution of brotherhood 
and charity, and manifefts how numerous and ample are 
the provifions againft the misfortunes to which every clafs 
of human life is fubjefted. The twelve principal com¬ 
panies are feized of Iriih efiates in the county of Ulfter ; 
thefe were forfeited lands during the rebellion, and thence 
vefted in the crown in 1609. King James propofed to the 
corporation of London to take them, on condition of their 
planting and repeopling them ; the corporation agreed to 
the propofal, and erefted a fociety for this purpofe, called 
the Irifii Society, to treat with the king ; and, having agreed 
to accept the terms, they rarifed a contribution among the 
companies of 6o,oooi. for the purchafe. On the 29th of 
May, 11 James I. they were incorporated by the name of 
“ The Governors and AfTiftants of the New Plantation in 
Ulfter within the Realm of Ireland ;” with the grant of 
cities, manors, and lands, and power to create manors and 
privileges, not exceeding 1000 acres. This charter vefts 
the ellates, in trulf, for the ultimate benefit of the twelve 
chief companies, who were the contributors to this pur¬ 
chafe, and hold the eftates as a feignory. 
Subjoined the reader will find a brief but correft account 
of every company, placed according to an order of prece¬ 
dency long eftabliflied, but the motives of which we can¬ 
not find, fince they are ndt ranged according to the chro¬ 
nology of their foundations. This order we have alfo fol¬ 
lowed in the Plates; while the name of each company will 
be found in its alphabetical order in the Index at the end 
of the volume. 
Plate VIII. contains the Armorial Bearings of the 
City of London, and of the Twelve Principal Companies. 
Arms of the City o/London.- Argent, a crofs, and in 
the firlt quarter a dagger in pale, point elevated', gules. 
Crefh; a dragon’s wing argent, charged with a crofs as in 
the arms. Supporters ; on each fide a dragon argent, 
wings elevated and charged with a crofs as in the crelt. 
D O N. 
It is generally understood, that the dagger became part of 
the arms of the city of London after the death of Wat 
Tyler in 138] ; but we are told that there is a ilone near 
Runnymede, bearing date 12S5, on which the city-arms 
appear with a dagger. Yet who can fay that the dagger 
lias not been added iince ? See p. 66. 
1. Mtrcers.—-' 1 he Company of Mercers, which is the 
fiilt of the twelve principal companies, was incorporated 
by letters patent, granted by king Richard II. in the year 
1 393, underthe titleof “The Wardens and Commonalty of 
the Myftery of the Mercers of the City of London,” with 
a licence to purchafe an eftate of twenty pounds per an¬ 
num in mortmain, which by numerous gifts and addi¬ 
tional grants is fo increafed, that when, in 1698, the com¬ 
pany accepted of Dr. Afhton’s project for providing a 
maintenance for clergymen’s widows, they inverted up¬ 
wards of fourteen thoufand pounds in a fund for fecuring 
thirty, pounds per cent, per annum, to the widow of each 
fubferiber, during life; but, this annuity being found 
larger than the fund could bear, it was afterwards reduced 
to twenty per cent. The members of this company are 
not only exempt from quarterage, but, upon their admif- 
fion to the livery, pay only a Tmall fine. They are go¬ 
verned by a prime and three other wardens, and a court of 
afliftants. It is a wealthy company, and they pay in cha¬ 
ritable benefactions about three thoufand pounds per ann. 
The Mercers’ Company are truftees for the manage¬ 
ment of an hofpital called Norfolk College, founded in 
1613, by Henry earl of Northampton, and by him dedi¬ 
cated to the Holy Trinity. He endowed it with lands 
and revenues for the fupport of a warden and twenty pen- 
fioners, twelve of whom are to be of the parifh of Green¬ 
wich, and eight of the parifh of Shotifham in Norfolk; 
they muft have been inhabitants four years of the parifh 
whence they are chofen, unmarried, fifty-fix yeats of a°-e 
at the leaft, able to repeat the Creed, Lord’s Prayer, and 
Ten Commandments; neither common beggars, drunk¬ 
ards, or otherwife of immoral behaviour ; neither idiots, 
blind, or in any way fo impotent as to be unable to at¬ 
tend divine fervice in the chapel daily; and not pofleflin» 
property to the amount of il. per annum; they receive 
Ss. a-vveek for commons, the warden 16s. befides clothes, 
lodging, and falaries, variable at the diferetion of the com¬ 
pany. The prefent annual revenue ofthe college, which is 
in a very flourifhing condition, is about nool. It (lands 
by the river fide, at the eaft end of the town of Green¬ 
wich ; it is a brick ftrufture, forming a frnall quadrangle. 
At the fouth-eaft end of the chapel is a handfome monu¬ 
ment of the founder, which was removed with his body 
from the chapel at Dover Caftle, where he had been bu¬ 
ried. On a table-tomb, under a canopy fupported by 
eight fquare pillars, ftands a black farcophagus, on which 
are inferiptions enumerating his titles and charities, &c. 
Sec. —The Mercers’ Company are alfo vefted with the truft 
of an alms-houfe, which was founded in 1413, by fir Rich¬ 
ard Whittington, thrice lord-mayor of London, for thir¬ 
teen poor men; this eftablifhment arofe out of a college 
which he had founded on the north fide of the church of 
•St. Michael Paternofter, for a raafter, four fellows, clerks, 
chorifts, See. —'They are alfo truftees for St. Paul’s fchool. 
—Their hall is in Cheapfide. See p.470. 
Arms: Gules, a demi-virgin couped below the fhoul- 
ders, iffuing from clouds, all proper, vefted or, crowned 
with an ealtern crown of the lalt, her hair difhevelled, 
and wreathed round the temples with rofes of the fecond, 
all within an orle of clouds proper. Motto, Honor Deo. _ 
Every company was anciently placed under the protec¬ 
tion of foirse particular faint; and, on the commemora¬ 
tion-day afligned to that faint in the calendar, the com¬ 
pany tiled to meet, go to church, t ran (aft the bufinefs of 
their guild, and dine together. Thefe ancient cuftoms 
have been kept up to this moment, except that of hearing 
churcb-fervice. The patronefs of this company is the 
Virgin Mary, their dealings being moftly in filks, threads*. 
ant? 
