The Charter Granted to the Wheelwrights by King Charles II, 3 February 1670
CHARLES THE SECOND By the Grace of God King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith &c. TO ALL to whome these presents shall come GREETING
WHEREAS WEE are informed by the humble Petition of divers Wheelewrightes in and neere the Citty of London that certaine Forreigners undertake the profession and trade of a Wheelewright notwithstanding they are ignorant and unskillful) therein and altogether uncapable of makeing the worke used in and about the said Citty whereby much mischeife happneth to persons in the Street by falling of Cartes and Coaches and great damage to Merchants and others in theire Goodes as alsoe losse and danger to Gentlemen occasioned by the ignorance and ill worke of the said forreigners that never served to the said profession and other great inconveniences and misdemeanours used and practized in the said Arte and trade for the prevention whereof WEE have beene humbly besought to Incorporate them into a Body Politique and to invest them with such priviledges and powers as may bee meete and necessary for the well ordering and regulateing of the same Art and Mistery
NOW KNOW YEE that WEE taking the premisses into our princely consideracion and being desirous to advance the good and benefitt of the Artistes and Freemen of the said Art and Mistery and for the generall good and advantage of all our loveing Subjectes of our especiall grace certaine knowledge and meere motion HAVE ordeyned granted and
constituted and appointed And by these presentes for us our Successors DOE ordeyne grant constitute and appoint that MATHEW BATEMAN ESQUIRE RALPH ASHBY FRANCIS JESSON RICHARD SMART CHRISTOPHER HAWES BARTHOLOMEW HOOPER RICHARD BURGIS WILLIAM DUKE JOHN TURNER SAMUELL GAYNES WILLIAM CRADOCKE JOHN EADES RICHARD MERRITT JOHN SLADE JOHN BOX ROBERT TAVERNER WILLIAM LAWTON JAMES WYNNE JOHN PRESTON EDWARD WRIGHT AND BENJAMIN PHILLIPES Cittizens of London being all Wheelewrightes and Freemen of the said Citty of London and all such other person and persons as now doe or hereafter shall or may use the said Art of Mistery of Wheelewrights within the said Citty of London and five myles compasse thereof for ever hereafter bee and shall bee by vertue of these presentes one Body Corporate and Politique in deede and in name and shall have contynuance and perpetuall succession for ever by the name of Master Wardens Assistantes and Commonalty of the Arte and Mistery of Wheelewrightes of the Citty of London
And that they and theire successors shall be for ever hereafter persons able and capable in the Law to purchase have receive and enjoy Mannors Landes Tenementes liberties priviledges Jurisdiccions Franchises and other hereditaments whatsoever of what kind nature or quality soever thay bee to them and theire Successors in Fee and Perpetuity or for terme of life lives or yeares or otherwise in what sort soever they bee soe as the same exceede not the cleare yearely value of forty pounds the Statute of Mortmaine or anything therein conteyned or any other Act or Statute to the contrary notwithstanding
And alsoe all manner of Goodes chattells and things whatsoever of what name nature or quality soever they bee and alsoe to give grant sett assigne alien sett over and dispose of any the said Mannors Messuages Landes Tenementes & hereditamentes Goodes and Chattells at theire wills and pleasures
And that they and theire Successors by that name shall and may bee able to plead and bee impleaded answeare and bee answeared defend and bee defended in what Court or Courts soever and before any Judge or Justice and other persons and Officers of us and our successors whatsoever in all and singular Accions Pleas suites Plaintes matters and demands of what kind quality or sort soever
And alsoe to doe performe and execute all such Actes and things whatsoever as fully and amply to all intentes and purposes as any other Bodyes Politique or Corporate within this our Kingdome of England or Dominion of Wales can or may act or doe
AND FURTHER That they the said Master Wardens Assistantes and Commonalty of the Art and Mistery of Wheelewrightes in the Citty of London and their successors shall and may for ever hereafter have a Common Seale to serve and use in and for all causes matters and affaires whatsoever of them and theire successors and that itt shall and may bee lawfull to and for them and theire successors to breake alter and make new the said Seale from tyme to tyme at theire wills and pleasures
AND FURTHER WEE WILL and ordeyne And by these presentes for us and our successors DOE give and grante unto the said Master Wardens Assistantes and Commonalty and theire successors for the tyme being full power and authority to assemble themselves and meete together from tyme to tyme in some convenient place within the said Citty of London where they shall thinke most
And then and there they shall and may elect and choose of the said Art and Mistery in manner and forme hereafter in these presentes mencioned a meete person who shall and may bee called the Master of the said Company And alsoe then and there elect and choose two other of the said Company in manner and forme herafter mencioned who shall bee and shall bee called the Wardens of the said Company And also then and there nominate eighteene other meete persons of the said Society in manner and forme hereafter in these presentes expressed who shall bee and shall bee called the Assistantes of the said Company who from tyme to tyme shall be ayding and assisting to the said Master and Wardens for the tyme being in all causes matters and thinges touching or concerning the said Company
And alsoe that the said Master Wardens and Assistantes and theire Successors for the tyme being or any five or more of them haveing obteyned a warrant from the Lord Cheife Justice of the Court of Kinges Bench for the tyme being and with the assistance of a Constable or any other lawfull Officer shall have full power and authority from tyme to tyme and at all convenient tymes peceably and quietly to enter into the House Shopp yard or Warehouse of any Member of the said Society or other persons employed by him there to search prove try and see whether the wheeles and Goodes made sold or put to sale or offered to bee made sold or putt to sale by him or them bee made of good and sufficient materialls and well and duely made and wrought and such as shall bee found not to bee made of good materialls and well and duely made and wrought to seize upon and carry away to the end the same may be duely examined and tryed by the said Master Wardens and Assistantes or the major part of them and disposed of according to Lawe
AND FURTHER WEE DOE Grant for us and our Successors by these presents unto the said Master Wardens Assistantes and Commonaltie of the Art and Mistery of Wheelewrightes of the Citty of London for the tyme being that they or the greater part of them Whereof the Master and one of the Wardens aforesaid for the tyme being to bee two shall and may have full power and authority be vertue of these presentes to make ordeyne constitute appoint and sett downe from tyme to tyme such reasonable Lawes Actes Orders Ordinances and Constitucions in writing as to them or the greater part of them whereof the Master and one of the Wardens as aforesaid for the tyme being to bee two shall seeme good fitt and convenient according to their best discretion as well for and concerning such fitt and legall Oathes as shall be requisite to bee administered to the Master Wardens and Assistantes or any other of the said Society for touching and concerneing the good rule and Government of the said Company or any the Members thereof as for the punishment and reformacion of such deceiptes and abuses as shall from tyme to tyme bee practized either in uttering or making bad and deceiptfull Wheeles and Goodes by any Member of the said Society or any other imployed by him within the said Citty of London or any other place or places within the lymittes aforesaid
And also to provide and lymitt such reasonable paines penaltyes and punishments either by Fynes Amerciamentes or any other lawfull wayes or meanes whatsoever upon all Offenders or breakers of such Actes Orders Ordinances and Constitucions as to the said Master Wardens and Assistantes or any five or more of them whereof the Master and one the Wardens to bee two shall thinke fit
And that the said Master Warden Assistantes and Commonalty and theire Successors shall and may by vertue of these presentes have and take the same by distress Accion of Debt or other lawfull wayes or meanes whatsoever the said Fynes and Amerciamentes to bee and remaine to the use of the said Society and theire Successors without the giving or rendring any Accompt or other thinge to us or our Successors in that behalfe
All which Actes Ordinances and Constitucions soe as aforesaid to bee made WEE WILL shall bee observed obeyed performed and kept under the paines and penaltyes therein to bee conteyned soe as alwayes such Actes Ordinances Constitucions Fynes and Amerciamentes bee reasonable and not repugnant or contrary but as neere as may bee agreeable to the Lawes and Statutes of this Kingdome and to the Custome or usage of our said Citty of London
AND FURTHER for the better Execucion of this our Grant WEE HAVE created assigned named constituted and made And by these presentes for us and our Successors DOE create assign name constitute make and appoint the said MATHEW BATEMEN to bee the first and present Master of the said Company Who shall contynue in the said Office from the date of these presentes until! the Thursday next following the Nyne and twentieth day of September now next comeing if he shall soe long live and well behave himselfe in the said Office and from thenceforth untill one other of the said Society shall bee chosen and sworne into the said Office of Master in due manner according to the Ordinances and provisions in that behalfe in these presentes mencioned and expressed Hee the said MATHEW BATEMAN takeing his Corporall Oath before the Lord Mayor of our Citty of London for the tyme being for the due and faithfull execucion of the said Office or place TO which said Lord Mayor WEE DOE hereby for us and our Successors give power and authority to administer and give the said Oath to the said MATHEW BATEMAN accordingly
AND ALSOE WEE HAVE ASSIGNED named Constituted and made And by these presentes for us and our Successors DOE ASSIGNE name ordeyne constitute and make the said RALPH ASHBY and FRANCIS JESSON to bee the first and present wardens of the said Company And that they and either of them respectively shall continue in the said Office from the day of the date of these presentes untill the said Thursday next following the aforesaid Nyne and twentieth day of September now next comeing if the said RALPH ASHBY and FRANCIS JESSON or either of them respectively shall soe long live and shall well demeane themselves in theire said Offices or places respectively and from thenceforth untill two others of the said Society shall bee duely chosen and sworne unto the said Office of Wardens of the said Company according to the Ordinances and Provisions herein expressed and declared They the said RALPH ASHBY and FRANCIS JESSON takeing theire respective Corporall Oathes before the said MATHEW BATEMAN whome wee doe hereby authorize to administer the said Oath to each of them accordingly
AND WEE LIKEWISE HAVE ASSIGNED named constituted appointed and made and by these presentes for us and our Successors DOE ASSIGNE name and constitute and make the said RICHARD SMART CHRISTOPHER HAWES BARTHOLOMEW HOOPER RICHARD BURGES WILLIAM DUKE JOHN TURNER SAMUELL GAMES WILLIAM CRADOCKE JOHN EADES RICHARD MERRITT JOHN SLADE JOHN BOX ROBERT TAVERNER WILLIAM LAWTON JAMES WYNN JOHN PRESTON EDWARD WRIGHT and BENJAMINE PHILLIPES to bee the first and present Assistantes of the said Company whome wee will shall continue in the said Office of Assistantes dureing theire Naturall lives unlesse they or any of them respectively shall bee removed for misbehaving of themselves in theire said Office or for some other just and reasonable cause they and every of them takeing their respective Corporall Oathes before the said MATHEW BATEMAN Master of the said Society for the faithfull execucion of their said place of Assistantes whome wee doe hereby authorize to administer the same Oath accordingly
AND WEE WILL and by these presentes for us and our Successors DOE GRANT unto the said Master Wardens Assistantes and Commonalty of the said Art and Mistery of wheelewrightes of the Citty of London and theire Successors That the said Master Wardens and Assistants of the said Company for the tyme being or the greater part of them whereof wee will that the Master and one of the Wardens for the tyme being to bee two from tyme to tyme for ever hereafter shall have full power and authority yearely and every yeare at and upon the Thursday next following the Nyne and twentieth day of September to elect and nominate one of the Wardens or Assistantes for the tyme being to bee the Master of the said Company for one whole yeare thence next ensueing and untill one other of the said Wardens or Assistantes shall bee elected and sworne according to the Ordinances and Provisions of these presentes expressed and declared
And that such persons as shall bee soe chosen and named unto the said Office of Master of the said Company before he bee admitted to execute the same shall take his Corporall Oath before the said last preceedent Master and Wardens of the said Company or any two of them And before the Assistantes for the tyme being or the greater part of them to execute the said Office rightly well and faithfully in all thinges touching the same And that after such Oath soe as aforesaid taken shall have and execute the said Office for one whole yeare from thence next ensueing and untill one other shall be duely elected and chosen in his place or stead according to the provisions in these presents conteyned to which last preceedent Master and Wardens for the tyme being or any two of them Wee by these presentes for us our heires and Successors DOE give and grant full power and authority from tyme to tyme to administer the said Oath accordingly
And likewise that at the same tyme of electing the said Master as aforesaid The said Master Wardens and Assistantes of the said Company for the tyme being or the greater part of them whereof the Master and one of the Wardens for the tyme being to bee two shall and may alsoe elect choose and nominate two other of the Assistantes of the said Society who shall bee and shall bee called the Wardens of the said Company for one whole yeare thence next ensueing and untill two others of the said Assistantes bee duely chosen elected and sworne unto the said Office of Wardens of the said Company according to the Ordinances provisions herein after declared and expressed
And that such persons as shall be soe chosen and named unto the said Office of Wardens of the said Company before they bee admitted to execute the same shall take theire respective Corporall Oathes before the last preceedent Master and Wardens of the said Company or any two of them for the tyme being well and duely to execute theire Office in all thinges touching the same and that after such Oathes soe as aforesaid taken the said persons shall and may execute their said Offices for one whole year from thence next ensueing and untill two others shall bee duely Elected and chosen in their places and steads according to the provisions in these presentes conteyned to which said last preceedent Master and Wardens or any two of them for the tyme being WEE by these presentes for us and our Successors
DOE GRANT to the aforesaid Master Wardens Assistantes and Commonalty of the Art and Mistery of the Wheelewrightes of the Citty of London and theire Successors that if the Master and the Wardens of the said Company now and for the tyme being or any of them at any time after they shall bee elected and chosen into his or theire Office or Offices shall happen to dye or bee removed from his or theire said Office or Offices which said Master and Wardens and every of them for ill Government or for any other just and reasonable cause WEE WILL from tyme to tyme shall be removed by the greatest part of the Master Wardens and Assistantes of the Company aforesaid for the tyme being that then and soe often in any of those cases itt shall and may bee lawfull to and for the said Master Wardens and Assistantes for the tyme being or the greater part of them at theire wills and pleasures one other or others of the Assistantes aforesaid to bee Master or Wardens of the said Company in the place or places of him or them soe deceased or removed to elect and choose according to the Orders and Provisions before in these presentes expressed and declared to execute and exercize the said Office of Master Warden or Wardens of the said Company untill the Thursday after the Nyne and twentieth day of September then next following and then and from thenceforth until some other meete person or persons shall bee elected and sworne to bee Master and Wardens of the said Company respectively as aforesaid
NEVERTHELESS WEE WILL that every Master and Warden of the said Society to bee nominated and elected in the place or places of him or them soe dyeing or being removed from tyme to tyme for ever before he shall be admitted to the execucion of the said Office shall take his Corporall Oath before the Master Wardens and Assistantes for the tyme being or the greater part of them well rightly and faithfully to execute the said Office in and by all thinges respectively touching and concerneing the same to which said Master Wardens and Assistantes for the tyme being or the greater part of them WEE DOE by these presentes for us our heires and Successors GIVE AND GRANT full power and authority from tyme to tyme as occasion shall require to administer such Oath and Oathes accordingly
AND FURTHER WEE WILL and by these presentes for us our heires and Successors DOE GRANT to the aforesaid Master Wardens Assistantes and Commonalty of the Art and Mistery of Wheelewrightes of the Citty of London and theire Successors that whensoever itt shall happen any of the Assistantes of the said Company now and for the tyme being to dye or bee removed from his said Office which said Assistantes and every of them for evill government or for any just and reasonable cause WEE WILL from tyme to tyme bee removed by the greater part of the Master Wardens and Assistantes of the Art and Mistery aforesaid for the tyme being That then and soe often it shall and may bee lawfull to and for the said Master Wardens and Assistantes for the tyme being or the greater part of them at theire wills and pleasures to elect and ordeyne one other or others of the said Society being meete person or persons to bee Assistant or Assistantes in the place or places of him or them deceased or removed according to the Orders and provisions before in these presentes expressed and declared to execute and exercize the said Office of Assistant or Assistantes dureing his or theire Naturall life or lives in manner and forme aforesaid
NEVERTHELESS WEE WILL that every Assistant of the said Society soe to be nominated and elected in the place or places of him or them soe dying or removed shall from tyme to tyme before he or they bee admitted to the Execution of his Office of Assistant take his or theire Corporall Oath before the Master and Wardens for the tyme being or any two of them to whome by these presentes WEE give power and authority to administer the said Oath accordingly and soe often as the cause shall require
AND ALSOE WEE WILL and by these presentes for us our heires and Successors DOE GRANT unto the said Master Wardens Assistantes and Commonalty and theire Successors full power and authority That the Master Wardens and Assistantes of the said Company for the tyme being or the greater part of them shall and may from tyme to tyme nominate elect choose and constitute one fitt and meete person to bee Clerke of the said Company to serve for the affaires of the said Society and to allow him such Sallary as they shall thinke fitt and one other fitt and meete person to bee Beadle of the said Company to be serviceable and attendant on the said Master Wardens and Assistantes of the said Company and all matters touching the same and to allow him such Sallary as they shall thinke fitt and the said Clerke and Beadle and either of them for reasonable or just cause to displace and remove and other persons in theire place or places at the discrecion of the Master Wardens and Assistantes or the greater part of them for the time being to choose and elect which said Clerke and Beadle soe elected and ordeyned before they bee admitted to the execucion of theire said Offices shall take their Corporall Oathes before the Master Wardens and Assistantes of the said Society for the tyme being or the greater part of them well faithfully and honestly to demeane and behave themselves in the execucion of the said Offices respectively to which said Master Wardens and Assistantes or the greater part of them for the tyme being for us our heires and Sucessors WE DOE hereby give powere and authority to administer such like Oathes as well to the aforesaid Clerke and Beadle as to all other persons which from tyme to tyme shall be admitted into the said Society
AND WEE DOE hereby nominate and appoint THOMAS JOHNSON Gentleman to bee the first Clerke and HENRY FOTHERINGHAM the first Beadle both to bee sworne according to the power and authority in that behalfe herein before expressed
And for the better discovery of the false deceiptfull and insufficient Workes belonging to the saide Arte or Trade WEE WILL and by these presentes for us our heires and Successors DOE ordeyne and firmely charge and Command that noe person or persons whatsoever from henceforth within the said Citty of London and five miles compasse of the same doe use exercize or practize the said Art or Mistery of Wheelewright unlesse hee or they shall first have served as an Apprentice or Apprentices for the space of seaven yeares at the least to a Freeman of the said Company or some other person or persons lawfully useing or exercizing the said Art or Mistery of Wheelewright according to the Statute in that behalfe made and provided upon paine of being proceeded against for his or theire contemptes thereof according to the lawes and Statues of this our Realme
AND WEE well weighing and considering the good order and honest practice of the Art or Mistery aforesaid will conduce much to the benefitt and good of the people of this Kingdome and that the Members thereof being under the Government of the Citty of London the Offenders in the said Trade are like to bee more effectually dealt withall and punished according to theire demerittes And those that doe use and exercize the same as they ought to doe the better comforted and encouraged
WEE HEREBY DECLARE our will and pleasure to bee That the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the Citty of London for the tyme being doe cause and allow these our Letters Patent to bee Inrolled within the Common Chamber of the same Citty amongst the Recordes thereof to the intent that those that are and shall bee Freemen of London and Members of the said Society of Wheelewrightes may bee subject to the government of the said Citty and may enjoy the benefitt thereof
AND FURTHER WEE WILL ordeyne and Grant for us our heires and Successors by these presentes to the said Master Wardens Assistantes and Commonalty of the Art and Mistery of Wheelewrightes of the Citty of London and theire Successors that itt shall and may bee lawfull to and for the said Master Wardens and Assistantes or the greater part of them for the tyme being to take in and admitt into the same Society such person and persons as they shall from tyme to tyme thinke fitt and as shall desire to become Members of the said Society and to administer such legall and fit Oath or Oathes unto them as to the Freemen of the said Society are or shall bee usually administered
AND FURTHERMORE WEE WILL by these presentes for us and our Successors DOE firmely charge and command all and singular Justices of the peace Mayors Sheriffes Bayliffes Constables and other Officers and Ministers of us and our heires and Successors to whom it shall apperteyne that from tyme to tyme they shall bee and shall bee ayding and assisting to the aforesaid Master and Wardens and Assistantes for the tyme being and the Deputy and Deputyes of the said Master and Wardens for the tyme being respectively whome wee doe hereby give full power and authority to make and constitute under the Seale of the said Company with full power and authority to make search and act and doe all thinges in theire places and steades as full and amply as they may respectively doe or performe by vertue of and according to the intent of these presentes in the due execucion of these our Letters Patentes in and by all thinges to the true intent and meaning thereof
AND MOREOVER WEE WILL and by these presentes for us and our Successors DOE GRANT to the aforesaid Master Wardens and Society and theire Successors That these our Letters Patentes or the Inrollment of the same and all and singular matters and thinges in the same conteyned from tyme to tyme shall be good sufficient firme and effectuall in the Law in all thinges according to the true intent hereof and shall bee expounded and construed cheifely beneficially and largely for the greatest profitt benefitt and advantage of the aforesaid Masters Wardens and Society and their Successors
PROVIDED ALWAYES that if itt shall at any tyme hereafter bee made appeare to us our heires or Successors That these our Letters Pantentes of Incorporacion or any the Causes powers or priviledges thereby granted are prejudiciall or inconvenient or not of publique use and benefitt then upon significacion or Declaracion thereof to bee made by us our heires or Successors under our or theire Signett Signe Manuall or Privy Seale These presentes or such or soe many of the said powers and priviledges whereof any such significacion or Declaracion shall bee soe made shall from thenceforth cease determyne and have noe longer being Anything therein conteyned to the contrary thereof notwithstanding
PROVIDED FURTHER And our will and pleasure is That the Master Wardens and Assistantes of the said Company for the tyme being and all other person or persons to bee from tyme to tyme admitted into the said Society shall before they enter upon the execucion of theire respective Offices or places or become Members of the said Fellowship by admittance thereunto shall severally take the Oathes of ALLEGIANCE and SUPREMACY before the Master and Wardens for the tyme being or two of them whereof the Master to bee one to whome wee doe hereby give full power and authority to administer the same Oathes accordingly
ALTHOUGH EXPRESSE MENCION of the true yearely value or certainty of the premisses or any of them or of any other Guiftes or Grantes by us or by any of our Progenitors or Predecessors heretofore made to the said Master Wardens Assistantes and Commonalty of Wheelewrightes of the Citty of London and theire Successors in these presentes is not made or any Statute Act Ordinance Provision Proclamacion or Restriccion heretofore had made enacted ordeyned or provided or any other matter cause or thing whatsoever to the contrary thereof notwithstanding IN WITNES whereof wee have caused these our Letters to bee made Patentes WITNES OUR SELFE at Westminster the Third day of February in the two and twentieth yeare of our Raigne
BY WRITT OF PRIVY SEALE
PIGOTT