A LIST OF THE PRESENT MEMBERS OF THE CORPORATION OF THE BOROUGH OF PRESTON. MAYOR. THOS. MILLER, ESQ. RECORDER. SIR JAMES ALLEN PARK, KNT. one His Majesty's Puisne Judges of the Court of Common Pleas. TOWN CLERK. RICHARD PALMER, ESQ. Clerk of the Peace and Coroner. MAYOR'S BAILIFF, S. HORROCKS, JUN. ESQ. TOWN'S SERGEANT, Mr. William Crook. These in the charter are termed capital burgesses. GUILDA MERCATORIA CUM CAUSA DE BURGI PRESTONE IN ALDERNESSE IN COM: PALAT: LANC: THE METHOD OF SOLEMNIZING THE JUBILEE, OR GUILD MERCHANT. "The wheel of life is turning quickly round, And in one place is very seldom found: The midwife wheels us in, and death he wheels us out, Good lack a day! how we are wheel'd about." THIS compilation owes its birth, in some degree, to the warmth which the author always felt for some one or other to give an account of this ancient fete, held by charter in our borough of Preston. Thus has he snatched from the hand of time, and the wearying bustle of commercial scenes, a few moments, in order to record to posterity, and wrested from the grasp of ancient history, matter in itself valuable to the antiquary and man of science. Should they amuse the leisure moments of an indulgent friend, or superinduce for a season that calm on the ocean of life, the principal object of his labour will be attained, and his little book will become what he intended,—a record that may continue beyond the narrow period of his being, and serve as a memento for the respected circle in which he moves. Should matter appear which is familiar to readers of more extensive information, it is hoped they will pardon the attempt to elucidate the ancient guild merchant of Preston, as to its history and customs. Sympathizing with such readers as have not had opportunities to attain to a thorough knowledge of the antiquity of this grand spectacle, he has been induced to write this work for their information. The author has to lament the inauspicious fate that denied him the requisite erudition, the extensive reading so necessary for the embellishment and fuller illustration of his weak attempt to state a concise account of the Preston guild merchants' jubilee. We shall here transcribe an account of Preston guild, as held in 1782, from a paper printed in Liverpool, on September the 19th, 1782, entitled the Liverpool General Advertiser: "The guild at Preston, was, we are assured, honoured with the appearance of a more numerous and splendid assemblage of personages, of the first rank and fortune, than ever graced that place on any similar occasion. Messrs. Austen and Whitlock's company of comedians performed each night, to audiences not less crowded than they were judicious and respectable; the boxes in particular, (which were filled every evening,) exhibited scenes of beauty and elegance, such as are rarely to be met with even in the theatres of the metropolis; nor were the performances in any respect unwor→ thy of such distinguished patronage, none but the newest and most celebrated pieces being represented during the fortnight, all of which, we have authority to say, were got up and performed with that chasteness and regularity which has long given this company the pre-eminence over every other out of London. In a word, the plays, oratorios, masquerades, assemblies, and races, formed a diversity of amusements for every description of taste, and greatly contributed to make up a degree of refulgence such as no former period has equalled, nor is it probable that any future one will surpass. There were upwards of three hundred people at the masquerade, on Tuesday se'nnight, a number of which assumed characters, which were extraordinarily well supported." The guilda mercatoria, or merchants' guild, is a liberty or privilege granted to merchants, whereby they are enabled to hold certain pleas of land, &c. within their own precincts, and is confirmed by charters given in the 37th Edward III. and 15th Richard II. It is of Saxon origin, and is derived from the word gilo, signifying money, by which certain fraternities enter into an association, and stipulate with each other, to punish crimes, make losses good, and acts of restitution, in proportion to offences; for which aforesaid purposes they raised sums of money amongst themselves, and put the same into one common stock; they likewise endowed chantries,- for priests to perform oraisons for the defunct. Fraternities and guilds were therefore in use, in this kingdom, long before any formal licences were granted to them, though at this : day they are a company combined together with orders, and laws, made by themselves, by the king's licence. Guilds were held by the Saxons, as may be seen from their records, which run thus:"In Quibus Gilhala Burgensium," &c. The guild of Coventry will shew how all the rest were held, and were used before any regular license or charters were granted. The guild is generally a gay and festive meeting; oratorios, balls, masquerades, and plays, continue for many weeks. St. John the Baptist is the special patron of Preston guild. The guild is held in August, (except something extraordinary happens to prevent it.) For further particulars vide Cambden; the second volume of the memoirs of Cardinal Poole; and page 16 of this work. The last guild, held in 1802, was remarkable for the spendour exhibited by the nobility and gentry who attended this provincial jubilee. By charter, the guild is to be held every twentieth year, in default of which the elective franchises of the inhabitants, and the rights of the burgesses, together with that of sending two members to parliament, would be forfeited. The first charter to the burgesses of Preston, given in 1172, granted to their body, inter alia, that the aforesaid burgesses of that borough, have a guild merchant fete, within the said borough, with all the liberties and franchises appertaining to such guild merchant; and the ancient and free burgesses of the borough of Preston have for many ages past, obtained from succeeding kings and queens of this our realm of England, full liberty and other franchises, together with vast immunities, as specially mentioned in the royal charter of Henry II. Wherefore, many other immunities, privileges, and franchises do stand duly ratified, and fully confirmed, by many royal grants and charters, particularly by the last charter, called the confirmation charter, granted by King Charles II. in the year 1681; and they have for many ages past, held and kept, within this ancient and loyal borough, a guild merchant, át the expiration of every twentieth year, as appears by the records and guild books belonging to the corporation of Preston. Before we enter into a succinct account of the method of holding a guild, within the town of Preston, we shall transcribe an account of the guild holden in 1802, under the auspices of Nicholas Grimshaw, Esq. the mayor, and the rest of his worthy brethren appointed to superintend the same. PRESTON GUILD, AS HELD IN 1802. "First issued from perfumers' shops, A crowd of fashionable fops: They ask'd her how she lik'd the play? It must be observed, that the noble and illustrious family of the house of Stanley possesses great patronage at this extraordinary time, and give great eclat to this jubilee, by their presence. Every kind of sport suited to each rank and degree of life, is introduced. The guild commenced on Monday the 30th day of August, under the most pleasing auspices imaginable, assisted by as favourable weather as could possibly be desired. The immense concourse of persons of all ranks, from the peer to the peasant, was such, it was believed, as was never before collected, on any similar occasion. The morning was ushered in with the ringing of bells, and sounding of trumpets. At the different inns where the various companies were to assemble, colours or flags were seen flying from the windows; and bands of music were heard playing. This was calling forth all to enjoy the jubilee. It may be said, with truth, that all parties joined in exerting themselves to support the guild with propriety and honour to the town of Preston. The gentlemen's procession commenced on the Monday morning aforesaid, immediately after breakfast, and was preceded by the ' marshall, armed cap-a-pee, on horse back, trumpeters on horse back, &c. Then came twenty-four young, handsome, and blooming women, belonging to the various cotton-mills of the town, dressed in a uniform of peculiar beauty, and chaste simplicity. Their dress consisted entirely of the manufacture of the town. The ground petticoats consisted of fine white calico; the headdress was a kind of blue feathered wreath, formed very curiously of cotton, so as to have the appearance of a garland: each girl carried in her hand the branch of an artificial cotton tree, as being the symbol of her profession. These branches appeared as if they were in full bloom, and bore a strong resemblance to nature. The ingenuity with which they were formed, and their execution, reflected great credit on the taste displayed by Mrs. Horrocks, and the female part of her family, who made them. This portion of the spectacle had a truly natural and pleasing effect. The various T |