THE BOWYERS

The making of bows, like the use of the smithy, was so ancient that there must have been a Fraternity of Bowyers in very early times. They existed as a Company by prescription, and, which is strange, they received no charter of incorporation until the year 1620, when bows and arrows were quite superseded by firearms.

Riley tells us that in the year 1871 (Memorials, p. 348) the Bowyers and the Fletchers (Makers of Arrows) entered into a friendly understanding that they would not meddle with the trade of each other, excepting four men named, who would not assent and stood out. These were brought before the mayor and explained that they had apprentices to both crafts; that they had orders in both kinds to execute; and that they asked for time, which was granted with a warning.

If bows are useless without arrows they are equally so without strings. In the year 1416 (Riley, Memorials, p. 435) the “reputable men of the trade of Stringers,” i.e. Bowstring Makers, waited on the mayor; they represented the necessity of looking after the workmanship of bowstrings, and they prayed for leave to appoint Wardens of their own with power to inspect the trade, which was granted. By these examples we perceive that there were Companies which were recognised by the City, and continued working together with authority over the trade for centuries. It is not clear whether they had the right of holding property. But they could, and did, impose penalties and fines upon evildoers in their trade.

The following is from the Royal Commission:

The Company has a charter dated the 25th May 1621, which was confirmed by another dated the 17th November 1668.

The following is an abstract of the purport of these charters:—

1. The style of this Company is the Master, Wardens, and Society of the Mystery of Bowyers of the City of London.

2. James I. by his charter reciting that the Bowyers of the City of London using the art or mystery of making of long bows, were an ancient Fraternity in the City, but who had fallen into decay, and that the king being willing as much as in him did lie to restore the ancient and laudable exercise of archery with the long bow unto the end that the said Fraternity might with better encouragement practise their trade grants, that the Bowyers of London, and all and every person and persons then using or who shall thereafter use the mystery of making long bows in the City of London and liberties thereof, and being freemen of the said City, and then free of the said Fraternity, or hereafter to be made free, should be a body politic and corporate by the before-mentioned name or style.

The charter grants that they shall be governed by one Master, two Wardens, and thirteen Assistants, and the first Master, Wardens, and ten of the first Assistants are thereby named and appointed the first Master and Wardens, to continue in office until the Thursday next after the feast of St. James the Apostle, 1622, and from thence until others should be elected pursuant to the charter; and the Assistants, during their natural lives, or until removed, and for the future election of these officers is granted that the Master, Wardens, and Assistants, or the greater part of them from time to time thereafter, upon Thursday next after the feast of St. James the Apostle, 1622, may nominate and choose one fit person of the Assistants to be Master and two to be Wardens, who are to execute their offices for two whole years thence next ensuing, and in case of death or removal otherwise to be chosen within fourteen days.

The charter gives to the Wardens and Assistants power to elect a clerk and beadle to hold office during pleasure.

The charter further declares that all freemen of the Company, and all persons of the Mystery within three miles of the City of London and the suburbs thereof, shall be contributory to the Company, and shall also pay a quarterage of 8d. per quarter or 2s. 8d. per year. This charter, or the enrolment thereof, was exemplified and confirmed by Charles II.

The charter gives the power of making bye-laws to the Master, Wardens, and Assistants, or the greater part of them.

The Bowyers are now a small Company with a Livery of 25; an Income of £550; property on Trust valued at £40 a year.

It is interesting to note that so little was the decline in the use of the bow understood in the sixteenth century that in the year 1560 a fixed price was imposed on the bow, viz. of 6s. 8d. each for the best, 3s. 4d. for the second best, and for the inferior qualities 2s.

The Company formerly had a Hall by “the corner of Monkswell Street,” according to Stow; but according to Strype it was upon St. Peter’s Hill, in the ward of Castle Baynard. After the Fire, he says, the Bowyers met in some public-house for the conduct of their affairs. The City Directory says their Hall formerly stood in Noble Street, and was destroyed in the Great Fire.