LIVERY COMPANIES, the name given to a class of insti tutions in the City of London which at one time were universal in Europe. The gild (q.v.) in the twelfth century "has many aspects, social, religious and economical, and it is unwise to look for any single origin for so complex an institution." The gilds assumed generally the character of corporations in the reign of Edward III. Many of them had been chartered before, but their privileges were confirmed by letters patent. Edward III. himself became a member of the fraternity of Linen Armourers, or Merchant Tay lors, and other distinguished persons followed his example. (His Majesty King George V. is a member of the Mercer's Company by patrimony.) From this time they are called livery companies, "from now generally assuming a distinctive dress or livery." The charters were re-granted, generally in the original form, by suc cessive sovereigns upon payment of a fine to the king's hanaper. In 1684, on receipt of writs Quo warranto, the companies sur rendered their governance to the King—Charles granted a charter which abolished the right of election of wardens vested by earlier charters in the liverymen of the companies, increased the number of the courts of assistants and conferred membership for life upon the persons selected for these offices. James II., just before his departure to exile, restored the ancient privileges. All proceedings were formally cancelled by Act of Parliament, 2, William and Mary session I., chapter 8. Nevertheless, even in cases where liverymen still form an integral element in the ad ministration of their companies' affairs, the system introduced by Charles II. is followed in essentials.
The authority of the company extended to the general welfare, spiritual and temporal, of its members. In the regulation of trade they possessed extensive powers. They required every one carry ing on the trade to join the company, to prevent monopoly or en hancement of prices. There was no question of a monopoly until the degeneration of the craft gilds into limited corporations of capitalists. In the regulation of trade the goldsmiths had the assay of metals, the fishmongers the oversight of fish, the vintners of the tasting of wine, etc. The companies enforced their regula
tions on their members by force and by fines. Many of their ordinances looked to the domestic affairs and private conduct of the members. The grocers ordain "that no man of the fraternite take his neyghbor's house yt is of the same fraternite, or enhaunce the rent against the will of the f oresaid neyghbor." The wearing of beards was forbidden. Football was prohibited. Attempts to restrict marriage to daughters of liverymen were made and failed. Members reduced to poverty by adventures on the sea, increased price of goods, borrowing and pledging, or any other misfortune, are to be assisted "out of the common money, according to his situation, if he could not do without." From Gild to Charitable Trust.—But the companies gradu ally lost their industrial character. The richer members engrossed the power and the companies tended to become hereditary and exclusive. Persons became members who had nothing to do with the craft, and the rise of great capitalists and the development of competition in trade made the regulation of industry by means of companies no longer possible. The usurpation of power on the part of the richer members encountered, still encounters, opposi tion. In the Goldsmiths' company in 1529 the mode of electing officers, and the system of management generally, was challenged by three members who called themselves "artificers," poor men of the craft of goldsmiths. The dispute was carried into the court of chancery and the star chamber. The artificers accused the company of changing the constitution of the society, by persons who "were but merchant goldsmiths, and had but little knowledge in the science." In 1531 the three complainants were expelled from the company, and then the dispute seems to have ended. In most cases their regulative functions have disappeared. The Fish mongers company still carries out the supervision of certain Acts with vigour and success. The Goldsmiths carry out the assay of the Pyx. Throughout the companies have been owners of property and managers of charitable trusts.