left hand he holdeth a golden crozier, and in his right
hand he useth a pair of goldsmith's tongs. Beneath these steps of
ascension to his chair, in opposition to St. Dunstan, is properly
painted a goldsmith's forge and furnace, with fire and gold in it, a
workman blowing with the bellows. On his right and left hand, there is a
large press of gold and silver plate, representing a shop of trade; and
further in front, are several artificers at work on anvils with hammers,
beating out plate fit for the forgery and formation of several vessels
in gold and silver. There are likewise in the shop several wedges or
ingots of gold and silver, and a step below St. Dunstan sitteth an
assay-master, with his glass frame and balance, for trial of gold and
silver, according to the standard. In another place there is also
disgrossing, drawing, and flatting of gold and silver wire. There are
also finers melting, smelting, fining, and parting gold and silver, both
by fire and water; and in a march before this orfery, are divers miners
in canvas breeches, red waistcoats, and red caps, bearing spades,
pickaxes, twibills, and crows, for to sink shafts, and make adits. The
Devil, also, appearing to St. Dunstan, is catched by the nose at a
proper _qu_, which is given in his speech. When the speech is spoken,
the great anvil is set forth, with a silversmith holding on it a plate
of massive silver, and three other workmen at work, keeping excellent
time in their orderly strokes upon the anvil."

The Goldsmiths in the Middle Ages seem to have been fond of dress. In a
great procession of the London crafts to meet Richard II.'s fair young
queen, Anne of Bohemia, all the mysteries of the City wore red and black
liveries. The Goldsmiths had on the red of their dresses bars of
silver-work and silver trefoils, and each of the seven score Goldsmiths,
on the black part, wore fine knots of gold and silk, and on their
worshipful heads red hats, powdered with silver trefoils. In Edward
IV.'s reign, the Company's taste changed. The Liverymen wore violet and
scarlet gowns like the Goldsmiths' sworn friends, the Fishmongers;
while, under Henry VII., they wore violet gowns and black hoods. In
Henry VIII.'s reign the hoods of the mutable Company went back again to
violet and scarlet.

In 1456 (Henry VI.) the London citizens seem to have been rather severe
with their apprentices; for we find William Hede, a goldsmith, accusing
his apprentice of beating his mist