Dossier 05 - Charter of Incorporation

Manuscript

Charter issued by Charles II.

Paraphrases of the clauses, in English, are as follows:

(1)

(2) Philip and Mary made Thomas Dockwray the first Master of the Company, John Cawood and Henry Coke the first Wardens and William Bonham and all others named in the letters patents the commonalty of the Company.

(3) In the same letters patents the Master, Wardens and commonalty were made one body corporate.

(4) The Master, Wardens and commonalty could have a perpetual succession for the future, and be named the Master and Keepers or Wardens and Commonalty of the Mystery or Art of Stationers of the City of London.

(5) They were enabled to plead and be impleaded, and answer and be answered, by that name in any actions etc. whatsoever in any court of law.

(6) They were granted a common seal.

(7) They and their successors could make ordinances for the good governing of the Company freemen;

(8) Provided that those ordinances were in no way contrary to the laws and statutes of England, or in prejudice to the common-weal of the Kingdom.

(9) They and their successors could meet lawfully to enact their ordinances and consider their other affairs, without molestation.

(10) They could meet yearly, or more often or seldomly, to choose from among themselves one Master and two Wardens to govern the Company.

(11) They could remove the Master and Wardens if they wished.

(12) If in any election the Master, Wardens and commonalty should be equal in one vote, then the Master or senior Warden could have a double vote.

(13) They and their successors could sell and purchase lands, tenements, goods and chattels, notwithstanding the Statute putting lands and tenements in mortmain;

(14) Providing the said lands and tenements were within the City of London, or the suburbs or liberties of the City, and did not exceed the yearly value of twenty pounds.

(15) Philip and Mary also ordained that no person could exercise the art of printing or stamping books for sale without either being a member of the Company or holding a royal licence.

(16) The Master, Wardens and commonalty were also granted powers to search and sieze books printed or stamped against the tenor of any statute.

(17) Whereas the Company petitioned the King for a confirmation of his letters patents and all liberties and privileges contained therein, and

(18) petitioned the King for provision within his letters patents that the governing part of the Company, and the Clerk, should be obedient to the King, and that upon their election they should be liable to be removed by order of the Privy Council upon just complaint, and that the Company could then proceed to elect another fit person in their place.

(19) The King allows and confirms to the Company the letters patents and all grants, liberties etc. contained within.

(20) The King allows Roger Norton, the present Master, and John Towse and Henry Hills, the present Wardens, to remain the Master and Wardens of the Company in accordance with the Company ordinances, for one year from their elections until other fit persons are elected by the Court of Assistants who hold communion with the Church of England and have received the Lord's Supper at least six months before the election;

• latin

• latin

Illuminated heads and borders; first membrane with portrait of Charles II; second membrane with arms of the Company; third with arms of the City of London; pendant Great Seal attached.

Digitised in 2013, in collaboration with Guildhall. A fascimile copy is on permanent display in the Court Room, Stationers' Hall.

A microfilm copy is on reel 71, 'Records of the Stationers' Company 1554-1920: 115 Reels of Microfilm with Printed Guide', published by Chadwyck-Healy Ltd (1989)

Translated into English by anonymous Freemen in Appendix to TSC/1/A/xx/xx, 'The Charters and Grants of the Company of Stationers [...]', printed by R Nutt, 1741

Catalogued

Open

In the 1680s Charles II enforced a policy of seizing and regranting borough charters, which extended to the London livery companies, and reissuing them to give the king power over the appointment of senior corporation officials.