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The Charter of 1631 (summarised in modern English). |
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King Charles, at the request of the clockmakers within and around the City of London and with the agreement of the Lord Mayor, the Recorder and the Aldermen of the City of London decrees :
1. That a body should be set up for ever, "by the name of the Master, Wardens, and Fellowship of the Art or Mystery of Clockmaking of the City of London", to include all English-born clockmakers, whether freemen or not, who live within the City, or a radius of ten miles around it.
2. That under that name, the Company should have perpetual succession.
3. That as a body, the Clockmakers' should be entitled to acquire and dispose of property of all kinds.
4. That as a body the Company should have the same power as an individual to plead and defend any cause in any court.
5. That for business purposes, the Company should have and use a common seal, which it may alter or re-make at any time.
6. That the Company should be able (and must) elect a Master, according to the terms set out below.
7. That three Wardens must also be elected from the Fellowship.
8i. That ten or more freemen of the Fellowship must be elected as Assistants.
8ii. That the Assistants' rôle is to "assist and aid the Master and Wardens" in any matters concerning the Fellowship.
9i. That the Master Wardens and Assistants (the Court) may make decisions concerning the Fellowship by a simple majority, though this majority must include the Master and one Warden.
9ii. That the Court may create reasonable laws and ordinances (in writing) from time to time, which they believe to be honest, and good for the Company. These may relate to suitable oaths to be administered, to the governance of the horological trade (with particular reference to protecting the public interest), to maintaining the influence of the Company and to punishing and reforming abuses in the trade within the City and ten miles around it. Abuses may include the making or offering for sale badly made or deceitful goods.
9iii. That furthermore, for the good of the public and of the Fellowship, the Court may regulate all aspects of the present and future conduct of the trade throughout the whole of England.
10. That by the same simple majority (of which the Master and one Warden must be two), the Court may establish punishments and penalties for the breaking of their rules, which may include, set fines, variable fines, the destruction of badly made work or any other lawful means they may choose.
11. That the Court may keep money raised by fines for the use of the Fellowship and impose other punishments without interference from the Crown.
12. That all the bye-laws created by the Court must be obeyed, provided that they are reasonable, legal and according to the custom and usage of the City.
13. That for the future, any clockmaker within the geographical area set out, who takes an apprentice, must do so through the Clockmakers' Company, whether they are freemen of it or not. This is to ensure that the Company ultimately achieves complete control of its trade.
14i. That David Ramsay shall become the first Master of the Fellowship, he being or having been a clockmaker by profession.
14ii That David Ramsay shall remain in office until the following Michaelmas Day and continue until a successor is elected according to the terms set out below.
15i. That similarly Henry Archer, John Wellowe and Sampson Shelton shall become the first Wardens, they being or having been clockmakers by profession.
15ii That the appointed Wardens shall remain in office until the following Michaelmas Day and continue until successors have been elected according to the terms set out below.
16i. That James Vautrolier, John Smith, Francis Forman, John Harris, Richard Morgan, Samuel Lynaker, John Charlton, John Midnall, Simon Bartram and Edward East shall become the first Assistants and remain in office for life, unless any are removed for misbehaviour or for any other good reason.
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