ABSTRACT
The visible symbols of the many strong links between a city and its gilds lay largely in the ceremonial and pageantry of important public occasions, when lavish processions and 'tryumphs' created impressive spectacles. The organisation of civic processions or 'ridings' as they were commonly called, l necessarily raised the question of the order of precedence. In London, down to the end of the fifteenth century, the final decision in cases of doubt or dispute was made by the Lord Mayor. But as the livery companies grew more influential and proud of their standing and functions in the City and, indeed, in the State itself in certain respects, so they waxed more jealous of each other and more pernickety about their privileges. Consequently, intercompany disputes about precedence became not only more frequent, but more intricate and difficult to ~ e t t l e . ~ By the beginning of the sixteenth century the problem had become so tiresome that there emerged a general wish to reach, once and for all, a lasting settlement. Thus, in 1515-16 a specially convened Court of Aldermen worked out an order of precedence using as their principal guide the order followed in the mayoralty of Sir Edmund Shaa in 1482-3; and the order of precedence promulgated in 1516 is the one used today as regards the Companies incorporated before that date.s This is:
1 Mercers 11 Vintners 2 Grocers 12 Clothworkers 3 Drapers 13 Dyers 4 Fishmongers 14 Brewers 5 Goldsmiths 15 Leather Sellers 6 Merchant Taylors 16 Pewterers 7 Skinners 17 Barbers 8 Haberdashers 18 Cutlers 9 Salters 19 Bakers
10 Ironmongers 20 Wax Chandlers
21 Tallow Chandlers 22 Armourers 23 Girdlers 24 Butchers 25 Saddlers 26 Carpenters 27 Cordwainers 28 Painter-Stainers 29 Curriers 30 Masons
31 Plumbers 37 Tilers and 43 Woolmen 32 Innholders Bricklayers 44 Scriveners 33 Founders 38 Bowyers 45 Fruiterers 34 Poulterers 39 Fletchers 46 Plasterers 35 Cooks 40 Blacksmiths 47 Stationers 36 Coopers 41 Joiners 48 Broderers
42 Weavers
The principle or principles, if any, on which the order was worked out has never been stated and is still something of a mystery. Certainly the antiquity of a company did not come into it, otherwise the Weavers would rank first and not forty-second. Nor does membership seem to count: a 'great' company did not necessarily mean one having a great number of freemen. We are left, then, with wealth or 'estate', and here light begins to break through. Although no attempt seems to have been made in 1516, or earlier, actually to value the estates owned by the various companies and the charitable trusts administered by them, yet each of the first twelve companies in the order of precedence did own 'great' or 'very considerable' estates and their annual payments to charitable uses were substantial, especially when we reflect upon the high commodity value of the unit of money in the Middle Ages.
