Chapter XXIII: Appendix: K

HALL-MARK OF THE ARMOURERS’ COMPANY

Carolus I, ann. 7, 1631. Rymer, Vol. XIX, 309

“John Franklin, William Crouch, John Ashton, Thomas Stephens, Rowland Foster, Nicholas Marshall, William Coxe, Edward Aynesley, Armourers & freemen of the company of Armourers ar ordered to deliver 1500 armours each month with arms, pikes &c. and to train prentices and to mend, dress & stamp armours.” The document goes on to state “you ar to approve of all such armour of the said common armes & trayned bands as shall be found fit for service, and shall trye all sorts of gunnes, pikes, bandaliers of the said common armes and trayned bands before they be used or excersied and to approve of such as are serviceable for warres at the owners charges and being proved shall allow as fit for service and allowing shall stamp the same with A. and a Crown being the hall mark for the company of workmen armourers of London which marke or stamp our pleasure is shall with consent of the lord lieutenant or his deputy lieutenant remayne in their custodye who shall have the charge to be intrusted with the execution of this service.... And because diverse cutlers, smythes, tynkers & othe botchers of armes by their unskilfulness have utterly spoiled many armes, armours gunnes and pykes, and bandoliers ... we doe hereby prohibit that noe person or persons whatever, not having served seven years or been brought up as an apprentice or apprentices in the trade and mysterie of an armourer, gun-maker, pyke-maker and bandolier-maker and thereto served their full tyme of seven years as aforesaid ... do make, alter, change, dress or repayr, prove or stamp any armes, armours, gunnes, pykes or bandoliers ... we do absolutely forbid that no ironmonger, cutler or chandler or other person whatsoever doe vent or sell any armours, gunnes, pikes or bandoliers or any part of them except such as shall be proved and stamped with the said hall marke of the company of workmen armourers aforesaid being the proofe marke ... that hereafter there shall be but one uniform Fashion of Armour of the said Trayned Bands throughout our said Kingdome of England & Dominion of Wales ... whereof the Patterns are and shall remayne from tyme to tyme in our said Office (of Ordinance).”

APPENDIX L

PETITION OF THE WORKMEN ARMOURERS OF LONDON TO THE COUNCIL

S.P.D. Car. I, cclxxxix, 93, May, 1635

Petitioners being few in number & most of them aged about 7 years past sued to Her Mtie for some employment for preservation of the manufacture of armour making within the kingdom. Her Mtie on advice & report of the Council of War granted petitioners a patent which 2 years passed the great seal & was then called for by the Council for further consideration. Pray them to take the same into consideration and the distress of petitioners & either to pass the patent or if there be any omission in it to give orders for drawing up another.