The ordinance of Edward II. required freemen of the city to be members of one or other of the companies. By the ordinance of 49 Edw. III. (1375), the trading companies were to nominate the members of common council, and the persons so nominated alone were to attend both at common councils and at elections. An ordinance in 7 Richard II. (1383) restored the elections of common councilmen to the wards, but corporate officers and representatives in parliament were elected by a convention summoned by the lord mayor from the nominees of the companies. An act of common council in 7 Edw. IV.
appointed the election of mayor, sheriffs, etc. to be in the common council, together with the masters and wardens of the companies. By 15 Edw. IV. masters and wardens were ordered to associate with themselves the honest men of their mysteries,' and come in their best liveries to the elections ; that is to say, the franchise was restricted to the "liverymen" of the companies. At this time the corporation exercised supreme control over the companies, and the companies were still genuine associations of the traders and householders of the city. The delegation of the franchise to the liverymen was thus, in point of fact, the selection of a superior class of householders to represent the rest. By 19 Henry VII. (1504) ordinances and by-laws were required to be submitted for approval to the chancellor, chief justices of either Bench or the Justices in eyre. This act still remains in force and by-laws or ordinances which have not been thus validated are devoid of authority. The corporation lost its control over the companies, and the members of the companies ceased to be traders and house holders; the liverymen were no longer a representative class, and the Reform Acts of 1832 and 1867 reformed the representation in several particulars which was practically abolished by the Repre sentation of the People Act of 1918. The liverymen of the corn panies, being freemen of the city, still elect the lord mayor, sheriffs, chamberlain and other corporate officers.
The wealth and organization of the companies made them a most appropriate instrument for the en forcement of taxation. The loan of L21,263 6s. 8d. to Henry VIII., for his wars in Scotland, in 1544 seems to be the first in 'Properly the word should be spelled, as it was originally, "mistery"; it comes through the O.Fr. mestier, modern métier, from Lat. minis terium, service, employment, and meant a trade or craft, and hence the plays acted by craftsmen and members of gilds were called "mystery plays" (see DRAMA) . For the word meaning a hidden or secret rite, with which this has so often been confused, see MYSTERY.
stance of a pecuniary grant to the crown. The confiscation of ecclesiastical property at the time of the Reformation affected many of the trusts of the companies; and they were compelled to make returns of their property devoted to religious uses, to pay over the rents to the crown and to purchase the trusts from their corporate funds. In course of time the taxation of the com panies became "a regular source of supply to government," which when money was wanted for public works, informed the lord mayor, who apportioned the sums required among the various companies, and issued precepts for its payment. Contributions towards setting the poor to work, erecting the Royal Exchange, cleansing the city ditch, discovering new countries, furnishing military and naval armaments, for men, arms and ammunition for the defence of the city, are among the purposes thus served. To these and similar purposes of public utility the Companies devote much of their corporate income.
The livery companies now in existence are the following: Apothecaries Fletchers Needlemakers Armourers and Founders Painter Stainers Brasiers Framework Knitters Parish Clerks Bakers Fruiterers Pattern Makers Barbers Gardeners Paviors Basket Makers Girdlers Pew terers Blacksmiths Glass Sellers Plasterers Bowyers Glaziers Plumbers Brewers Glovers Poulterers Broderers Gold and Silver Saddlers Butchers Wyre-drawers Salters Carmen Goldsmiths Scriveners Carpenters Grocers Shipwrights Clockmakers Gunmakers Skinners Clothworkers Haberdashers Spectacle Makers Coach and Coach- Horners Stationers harness Makers Innholders Tallow Chandlers Cooks Ironmongers Tin Plate Workers Coopers Joiners Turners Cordwainers Leathersellers Tylers and Brick-layers Curriers Loriners Upholders Cutlers Makers of Vintners Distillers Playing Cards Watermen and Drapers Masons Lightermen Dyers Master Mariners Wax Chandlers Fanmakers Mercers Weavers Farriers Merchant Taylors Wheelwrights Feltmakers Musicians Woolmen Fishmongers In 1927 the Company of Master Mariners was constituted by Royal Charter and, in remembrance of the connection of the Mercer's Company, the first of all the companies, with the Merchant Adventurers and the maritime activities of earlier days, a loving cup was presented to the newly constituted company.
The following are the twelve great companies in order of civic precedence : Mercers, Grocers, Drapers, Fishmongers, Goldsmiths, Skinners, Merchant Taylors, Haberdashers, Salters, Ironmongers, Vintners, Clothworkers. The "Irish Society" was incorporated un der James I. as "the governor and assistants of the new plantation in Ulster, within the realm of Ireland." The twelve companies con tributed the sum of L60,000 for the scheme to settle a Protestant colony in the lands forfeited by the Irish rebels. The companies divided the settlements into twelve, under the paramount juris diction of the Irish Society. The charter of the society was re voked by the court of star chamber in the reign of Charles I., but a new one was granted by Charles II., under which the society still acts. The situation has been changed by the operation of the Land Purchase Act of 1903.
Most of the companies adminis ter charities of large value under schemes of the Charity Commis sioners, the Board of Education, the Endowed School Commission ers and the Court of Chancery. Education in particular has bene fited greatly by the wise munificence of the companies and by their personal interest in the important trusts administered by them. The Mercers' Company administers St. Paul's school under Dean Colet's will, and in 1902 built a girls' school—now of the first rank. Mercers' school is one of the oldest schools in London. The Drapers administer Bancroft's school (1727). The East London college, now an important centre of university education in Lon don, has received from the corporate funds of the company grants exceeding £250,000. This company's donations to education and charity from 1907 to 1928 amount to £750,000. The Mer chant Taylors' company maintains their school in London with admirable results. The Skinners' school at Tonbridge is of the first order. The City and Guild of London Institute was developed from the initiative of the Cloth-workers company in 1875 by the joint action of the companies, and is now incorporated in the Imperial College. The Goldsmiths' company has given hand some sums to the Institute. In aiding science the companies have been wisely generous by founding research fellowships (Salters' company) or by grants in aid of institutions carrying on scientific investigations. By exhibitions and scholarships meritorious stu dents are helped in their university careers. The endowment of professorial chairs and research work have also received the sup port of City companies.