altry.

Saddlers' Hall is close to Foster Lane, Cheapside. "Near unto this
lane," says Strype, "but in Cheapside, is Saddlers' Hall--a pretty good
building, seated at the upper end of a handsome alley, near to which is
Half Moon Alley, which is but small, at the upper end of which is a
tavern, which gives a passage into Foster Lane, and another into Gutter
Lane."

"This appears," says Maitland, "to be a fraternity of great antiquity,
by a convention agreed upon between them and the Dean and Chapter of St.
Martin's-le-Grand, about the reign of Richard I., at which time I
imagine it to have been an Adulterine Guild, seeing it was only
incorporated by letters patent of Edward I., by the appellation of 'The
Wardens, or Keepers and Commonalty of the Mystery or Art of Sadlers,
London.' This company is governed by a prime and three other wardens,
and eighteen assistants, with a livery of seventy members, whose fine of
admission is ten pounds.[7] At the entrance is an ornamental doorcase,
and an iron gate, and it is a very complete building for the use of such
a company. It is adorned with fretwork and wainscot, and the Company's
arms are carved in stone over the gate next the street."

In 1736, Prince Frederick of Wales, that hopeless creature, being
desirous of seeing the Lord Mayor's show privately, visited the City in
disguise. At that time it was the custom for several of the City
companies, particularly for those who had no barges, to have stands
erected in the streets through which the Lord Mayor passed on his return
from Westminster, in which the freemen of companies were accustomed to
assemble. It happened that his Royal Highness was discovered by some of
the Saddlers' Company, in consequence of which he was invited to their
stand, which invitation he accepted, and the parties were so well
pleased with each other that his Royal Highness was soon after chosen
Master of the Company, a compliment which he also accepted. The City on
that occasion formed a resolution to compliment his Royal Highness with
the freedom of London, pursuant to which the Court of Lord Mayor and
Aldermen attended the prince, on the 17th of December, with the said
freedom, of which the following is a copy:--

"The most high, most potent, and most illustrious Prince Frederick
Lewis, Prince of Great Britain, Electoral Prince of Brunswick-Lunenburg,
Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Duke of Rothsay, Duke of Edinburgh,
Marquis of the Isle of Ely,