anent company in the
prodigal reign of Richard II., and they no doubt drove a good business
with that thriftless young Absalom, who, it is said wore golden bells on
his sleeves and baldric. For ten marks--not a very tremendous
consideration, though it was, no doubt, all he could get--Richard's
grandfather, that warlike and chivalrous monarch, Edward III., had
already incorporated the Company, and given "the Mystery" of Goldsmiths
the privilege of purchasing in mortmain an estate of L20 per annum, for
the support of old and sick members; for these early guilds were benefit
clubs as well as social companies, and jealous privileged monopolists;
and Edward's grant gave the corporation the right to inspect, try, and
regulate all gold and silver wares in any part of England, with the
power to punish all offenders detected in working adulterated gold and
silver. Edward, in all, granted four charters to the Worshipful Company.

[Illustration: TRIAL OF THE PIX. (_See page 357._)]

Henry IV., Henry V., and Edward IV. both granted and confirmed the
liberties of the Company. The Goldsmiths' records commence 5th Edward
III., and furnish much curious information. In this reign all who were
of Goldsmiths' Hall were required to have shops in Chepe, and to sell no
silver or gold vessels except in Chepe or in the King's Exchange. The
first charter complains loudly of counterfeit metal, of false bracelets,
lockets, rings, and jewels, made and exported; and also of vessels of
tin made and subtly silvered over.

The Company began humbly enough, and in their first year of
incorporation (1335) fourteen apprentices only were bound, the fees for
admission being 2s., and the pensions given to twelve persons come to
only L1 16s. In 1343 the number of apprentices in the year rose to
seventy-four; and in 1344 there were payments for licensing foreign
workmen and non-freemen.

During the Middle Ages these City companies were very attentive to
religious observances, and the Wardens' accounts show constant entries
referring to such ceremonies. Their great annual feast was on St.
Dunstan's Day (St. Dunstan being the patron saint of goldsmiths), and
the books of expenses show the cost of masses sung for the Company by
the chaplain, payments for ringing the bells at St. Paul's, for drinking
obits at the Company's standard at St. Paul's, for lights kept burning
at St. James's Hospital, and for chantries maintained at the churches of
St. John Zachary (