bers as might be judged worthy and fit to be, by the lord mayor and court of aldermen, approved of as liverymen to elect members to serve for the city of London at the approaching parliament." What rendered this more glaringly corrupt was, that most of the independent aldermen had been previously put out of their places, and compliant tools appointed by the crown in their room. The merchant tailors, as if in approval of these measures, are stated in their books to have made application, near this very time, to the lord mayor to put up the king's statue in the Royal Exchange.*

The news of the coming of the Prince of Orange, in 1688, forced from James II. an act of restitution, or rather an hasty order in council, preparatory to the passing of such an act, by which all restrictions consequent upon the judgment on the quo warranto were repealed. On the 7th of October, a special court of lord mayor and aldermen was held, pursuant to the grants for restoring the City charter, (and which preceded this restitution of the companies,) when an order was made for restoring the liverymen of the several companies of the City to the state they had been in before such judgment, and which order the masters, wardens, and assistants, of the several incorporations, were forthwith to put in execution, as were their several clerks to enter the same in their respective books. The abdication of James confirmed this emancipation. The security of the City of London, and its immunities and privileges, being considered on this joyful event essential to the national welfare, the statute

• In the Merchant Tailors' books we find the following further particulars connected with the after stages of the quo warranto.

Sept. 25, 1687. A precept from the mayor states, that "by the late charters granted to the several companies of London, it was ordered that his majesty, his heirs and successors, might by order in council, from time to time, displace and remove the master, wardens, and assistants of the several companies, or any of them, and thereupon the place or places of such person or persons so removed shall be void;" and enumerates the names of persons who were then to form vacancies. And on the 3d of October a second precept, in consequence of a royal mandate from Windsor, notifies the re-admission of the same members so ordered to resign, with a renewal of the company's charter, which was issued to their court on the 11th of October, 1687. They thus announce the grant of their new charter:

"Nov. 22, 1687. This court having now received letters patent from his majesty, under the great seal of England, relating to the companies of this city, and the choice, admission, and confirmation of their masters, wardens, assistants, and liverymen, doth order that all the clerks of the several companies of this city do forthwith repair to the town clerk, and take out a copy of the said letters patent, to be communicated to and observed by their respective companies, and entered in their company's books."...

† Maitland, 1, p. 485-6.

2 William and Mary passed, which not only reversed the quo warranto against the City, but enacted, as to associated bodies generally, "That all and every of the several companies and corporations of the said city (London,) shall henceforth stand, and be incorporated in such manner and names, and in such sort and manner, as they respectively were at the time of the said judgment given, and every of them are hereby restored to all and every the lands, tenements, hereditaments, rights, titles, estates, liberties, powers, privileges, precedencies and immunities, which they lawfully had and enjoyed at the time of giving of the said judgment. And that as well all surrenders, as charters, letters patent, and grants for new incorporating any of the said companies, or touching or concerning any of their liberties, privileges, or franchises, made or granted by the said late King James, or by the said King Charles II. since the giving of the said judgment, shall be void, and are hereby declared null and void, to all intents and purposes whatsoever."*

Tranquillity and confidence having been restored after the accession of William and Mary, and the privileges and rights of corporate bodies firmly established by parliament, the affairs of the livery companies began to improve. During the interval between that period and the present time, various minor events and changes have occurred in their separate histories and government, but nothing sufficiently affecting the whole to demand the continuation of this essay. We shall therefore here conclude with a few words relative to what are called the Companies'

IRISH ESTATES.

In the reign of Elizabeth a rebellion having broken out in the province of Ulster, in the north of Ireland, that province was in a great manner depopulated and laid waste. Upon the suppressing of this rebellion great part of the province

This act, it should be observed, though it abrogated all charters of James's which were inimical to the companies, or confirmatory of Charles II.'s new charters, after the quo-warranto, allowed those restored by James, by his intended act of restitution, or order, in privy council, (and which, in fact, only reinstated the companies as they were before the quo-warranto,) to remain in force, and they are accordingly still acted upon, and in force. William and Mary, in a few instances, granted new charters, not altering the former constitution of the companies, but extending their jurisdiction and right of oversight, as in the case of the Grocers. See account of their company.

became vested in the crown by forfeiture; and, in order to re-settle the same, and to establish a colony of Protestants there, particularly in the county of Derry, James I., in 1609,* made proposals to the mayor and commonalty of London, of such forfeited lands, upon condition of their new planting and peopling the same.

The proceedings for the purchase commenced by the mayor's sending precepts to the companies, dated July 1, 1609, and which were accompanied by a copy of certain 66 MOTIVES AND REASONS," to induce the citizens of London

TO UNDERTAKE IN A PLANTATION IN THE NORTH PARTS

OF IRELAND," together with a printed book, containing a collection of such orders and conditions as were to be observed by the undertakers, upon the distribution and plantation of the escheated lands in Ulster, "lately received by his lordship [the mayor,] from the lords of his majesty's most honourable privy council, and to the said precept annexed.”+

The "MOTIVES and REASONS" are long, but very curious. The spots pointed out as fittest for the City of London to plant are stated to be "the late desolated cittie of the DERRIE," situated on the river of Loughfoyle, which was navigable with good vessels above the Derry, and the land "at or neare the castle of Coleraine," situate on the river of the Ban, but navigable with small vessels only, "by reason of the bar a little above Coleraine." The nature of both these places, (but particularly the Derry,) is stated to be such as, with small ex

This year (1609) seems to have been the age for colonizing. The merchant tailors, on the 7th of preceding month of March, received their precept for the settlement of Virginia. Vide ante, p. 121.

The precept was as follows:

"To the Master and Wardens of the Companie of

"Whereas, I have latelie received from the lords of his majesties most honourable privie counsell, a project for a plantation in Ireland, the coppie whereof together with a printed booke you shall receive hereunto annexed, with intimation of his majesties most gracious favour and love to the Cittie of London, to grant unto us the first offer of soe worthie an accion, which is likelie to prove pleasinge to Almightie God, hoble. to the Cittie, and profitable to the undertakers. Theis are therefore to will and require you p,sentlie to assemble togeather a competent number of foure men of most judgment and experience, to joyne with like number of foure men of evrie other of the companies of this Cittie amongst themselves, to consider of and sett downe in writinge such reasons, orders, demands, and other circumstances as are fit to be remembered, required, or reformed, in the undertakinge of so worthie and so hoble. an oc'cion, and certify me in writinge, before the fiveth daye of this instant Julie, the names of such foure of yor. companie as you shall soe nominate and appoynt, wherein you are not to fayle in any wyse. From Guildhall, this first daye of Julie, 1609.

"SEBRIGHT."

pense and industry, might be made by land almost impregnable, and consequently afford perfect security to their inhabitants. To these towns the king, it is said, would grant corporations, and also the whole territory betwixt the holders, measuring 21 miles in length, and including the sea on the north, the Ban on the east, and the river Derry or Loughfoyle on the west; and out of which 1000 acres or more might be allotted to each of the towns for their commons, rent free, whilst the rest could be planted "with such undertakers," (or settlers,) as the City of London should think proper.

The "LAND, SEA, and RIVER COMMODITIES," of the part of Ireland so to be conveyed, are then pointed out; the land is described as well watered, having plenty of fuel, and store of all things necessary for food, not only for home consumption, but exportation; the soil fertile for tillage; adapted for the breed of English sheep, and growth in many places of madder, hops, and wood; and affording also abundantly fells of all sorts, red deer, foxes, sheep, lambs, rabbits, martins, squirrels, &c.; hemp and flax, it is added, grow there more naturally than elsewhere; the materials for building, both of houses and ships, are further said to be abundant, there being for the former, timber, stone, lime, slate, and shingle, with proper soil for brick and tile; and for ships every thing in the greatest plenty excepting tar; also other sorts of wood for different services, as pipe staves, hoopen staves, chess board staves, wainscot, soap, and dying ashes, glass and iron works, ❝iron and copper being there plentyfully founde." The sea and rivers are mentioned as offering equal advantages, and the document finishes by pointing out "the profit that London shall receive by this plantation.”

The king's proposals having been received, the mayor and citizens immediately thereon erected a company, consisting of a governor, deputy governor, and 24 assistants, (since called the Irish Society,) to treat with the crown concerning the new plantation. And the city having resolved to accept the king's proposal, and having raised by contribution among its principal companies 60,000l. for that purchase, James, by his letters patent, dated March 29, in his 11th year, incorporated such society by the name of " the Governor and Assistants of the new Plantation in Ulster, within the realm of Ireland;" and granted to them and their successors (upon condition of

their building the town, settling the lands, and doing other services,) various cities, manors, towns, villages, castles, lands, and hereditaments, in the said province of Ulster; with power to create manors, of any quantities of lands not exceeding 1000 acres, of such tenants as were in the letters patent limited; and to limit to the said several manors so many acres of land, distinct and severed for demesne lands, as should seem necessary and convenient to the society. And a new county was thereby erected, which, uniting the old name of Derry with its new masters', the Corporation and Companies of London, is now called "London-Derry."

The new settlement having been thus finished, the towns built, and the lands settled, the whole was mapped and divided by the Irish Society, as nearly as could be, into twelve equal parts; and the Twelve Companies, who had equally contributed to the raising of the 60,0007. mentioned drew lots for their several shares, which on receiving, they each named from themselves, their armorial bearings, or other circumstances. Thus the Drapers have their "manor of Drapers;" the Ironmongers the "manor of Lizard," (lizards being that company's supporters); the salters their "manor of Sal," &c.

The Irish Society continued to act under the charter of James until the reign of Charles I., when it was revoked and declared void by a sentence of the court of Star Chamber, and the crown resumed the lands as forfeited, on pretence that the covenants of the original grants were not performed: But Charles II., in the fourteenth year of his reign, granted a new charter, confirming the previous one of James, and restoring to the City and Twelve Companies all their former privileges and estates; and it is under this charter that the Irish Society continues to act as a corporation. They are invested by the crown with the most ample authority to enforce their own regulations for the general objects of the plantation; and, notwithstanding the division of the estates amongst the Twelve chief Companies, such estates are considered to be still under the paramount jurisdiction of the Irish Society, and are liable to contributions, if necessary, in common with the indivisible estates in the society's hands, towards the

• Concise View of the Irish Society.