Association Oath Rolls - Background to the Documents
In response to one of many actual or suspected Jacobite plots, in 1696 all substantial people and office-holders were 'invited' to subscribe to an Association Oath of loyalty to William III. They swore vengeance if any harm came to him. The Quakers refused to countenance any threat of violence or indeed to swear an oath at all, but most Protestants were only too eager to subscribe. No doubt many felt obliged to sign, regardless of their feelings, by the 17th century equivalent of peer pressure.
The text of the oath was as follows:
Whereas there has been a horrid and detestable conspiracy formed and carried on by Papists and other wicked and traitorous persons for assassinating his Majesty's royal person in order to encourage an invasion from France to subvert our religion, laws and liberty. We whose names are hereunto subscribed do heartily, sincerely and solemnly profess, testify and declare that his present Majesty King William is rightful and lawful King off these realms and we do mutually promise and engage to stand by and assist each other, to the utmost of our power in the support and defence of his Majesty's most sacred person and government against the late King James and all his adherents, and in case his Majesty come to any violent or untimely death (which God forbid), we do hereby further freely and unanimously oblige ourselves to unite, associate and stand by each other in revenging the same upon his enemies, and their adherents, and in supporting and defending the succession of the Crown according to an Act made in the first year of the reign of King William and Queen Mary, entitled 'An Act declaring the rights and liberties of the subject, and settling the succession of the Crown'.
The rolls are a very useful inhabitants' list and seem to survive fairly complete mainly in class C 213 in the National Archives, Kew. They exist not only for England and Wales (with separate returns for the clergy), but also for the king's subjects abroad in such places as Barbados, the Channel Islands and North America. Most males over 20 seem to have signed.
However, they are not easy to edit, being written on long and often very large strips of parchment, usually by the subscriber and thus in a vast variety of hands, many virtually illegible. It is hardly surprising, therefore, that they have not been a favourite subject for record publication.
Wallace Gandy identified the use of these rolls in a booklet published in 1921. He followed this up with part 1 of an edition of the Lancashire rolls. He followed this up with an edition of some of the overseas rolls. He intended to do more work, announcing that he was editing Buckinghamshire, Cheshire, Suffolk and the London Livery Companies. In 1985, Michael Gandy, the grandson of Wallace, reprinted the Lancashire work in a fascimile edition and this was reprinted again in 2000.
Neither part 2 of Lancashire nor any of these other rolls were, sadly, ever published. The London Livery Companies were put in what appear to be galley proofs to the end of the Fruiterers, and a copy of this survives in both the Corporation of London Records Office and the Society of Genealogists' Library.
I drew renewed attention to the use of the rolls in an article in the Genealogists' Magazine and edited the Surrey returns (11,000 names) other than Southwark, which were originally published on microfiche but are are now
online on British Origins. A table of the surviving rolls, taken (with one or two corrections from this article) was published by Jeremy Gibson. The Channel Islands Family History Society has printed the Jersey return, sadly without an Index. The Society of Genealogist's library also has a typescript transcript of the Monmouthshire return.
Other than that there appears to be no transcripts of this most useful list. It seemed very worthwhile to finish Wallace Gandy's work on the Livery Companies. To this, I have added a few other miscellaneous London rolls.
The Documents - London Association Oath Rolls 1696
The following documents which were included in this edition, constitutes
Table I.
| Piece |
Company |
No. of entries |
Percent |
| C 213/171/1 |
Grocers |
372 |
1.69% |
| C 213/171/2 |
Mercers |
229 |
1.04% |
| C 213/171/3 |
Drapers |
221 |
1.01% |
| C 213/171/4 |
Fishmongers |
260 |
1.18% |
| C 213/171/5 |
Goldsmiths |
462 |
2.10% |
| C 213/171/6 |
Skinners |
241 |
1.10% |
| C 213/171/7 |
Merchant Taylors |
757 |
3.45% |
| C 213/171/8 |
Haberdashers |
814 |
3.71% |
| C 213/171/9 |
Salters |
188 |
0.86% |
| C 213/171/10 |
Ironmongers |
180 |
0.82% |
| C 213/171/11 |
Vintners |
271 |
1.23% |
| C 213/171/12 |
Clothworkers |
349 |
1.59% |
| C 213/171/13 |
Dyers |
321 |
1.46% |
| C 213/171/14 |
Brewers |
100 |
0.46% |
| C 213/171/15 |
Leathersellers |
328 |
1.49% |
| C 213/171/16 |
Pewterers |
260 |
1.18% |
| C 213/171/17 |
Barbers |
470 |
2.14% |
| C 213/171/18 |
Cutlers |
240 |
1.09% |
| C 213/171/19 |
Bakers |
249 |
1.13% |
| C 213/171/20 |
Wax Chandlers |
84 |
0.38% |
| C 213/171/21 |
Tallow Chandlers |
253 |
1.15% |
| C 213/171/22 |
Armourers and Brasiers |
157 |
0.71% |
| C 213/171/23 |
Girdlers |
120 |
0.55% |
| C 213/171/24 |
Butchers |
318 |
1.45% |
| C 213/171/25 |
Saddlers |
121 |
0.55% |
| C 213/171/26 |
Carpenters |
80 |
0.36% |
| C 213/171/27 |
Cordwainers |
170 |
0.77% |
| C 213/171/28 |
Painter-Stainers |
123 |
0.56% |
| C 213/171/29 |
Curriers |
180 |
0.82% |
| C 213/171/30 |
Masons |
119 |
0.54% |
| C 213/171/31 |
Plumbers |
136 |
0.62% |
| C 213/171/32 |
Innholders |
189 |
0.86% |
| C 213/171/33 |
Founders |
151 |
0.69% |
| C 213/171/34 |
Poulters |
152 |
0.69% |
| C 213/171/35 |
Cooks |
186 |
0.85% |
| C 213/171/36 |
Coopers |
626 |
2.85% |
| C 213/171/37 |
Tylers and Bricklayers |
92 |
0.42% |
| C 213/171/38 |
Bowyers |
39 |
0.18% |
| C 213/171/39 |
Fletchers |
47 |
0.21% |
| C 213/171/40 |
Blacksmiths |
355 |
1.62% |
| C 213/171/41 |
Joiners and Ceilers |
441 |
2.01% |
| C 213/171/42 |
Weavers |
2738 |
12.46% |
| C 213/171/43 |
Woolmen |
26 |
0.12% |
| C 213/171/44 |
Scriveners |
47 |
0.21% |
| C 213/171/45 |
Fruiterers |
57 |
0.26% |
| C 213/171/46 |
Plaisterers |
187 |
0.85% |
| C 213/171/47 |
Stationers |
384 |
1.75% |
| C 213/171/48 |
Broderers |
176 |
0.80% |
| C 213/171/49 |
Upholders |
148 |
0.67% |
| C 213/171/50 |
Musicians |
34 |
0.15% |
| C 213/171/51 |
Turners |
272 |
1.24% |
| C 213/171/52 |
Basketmakers |
88 |
0.40% |
| C 213/171/53 |
Glaziers |
212 |
0.96% |
| C 213/171/54 |
Horners |
63 |
0.29% |
| C 213/171/55 |
Farriers |
77 |
0.35% |
| C 213/171/56 |
Paviours |
87 |
0.40% |
| C 213/171/57 |
Lorimers |
183 |
0.83% |
| C 213/171/58 |
Apothecaries |
378 |
1.72% |
| C 213/171/59 |
Shipwrights |
183 |
0.83% |
| C 213/171/60 |
Spectaclemakers |
41 |
0.19% |
| C 213/171/61 |
Clockmakers |
352 |
1.60% |
| C 213/171/62 |
Glovers |
245 |
1.12% |
| C 213/171/63 |
Combmakers |
132 |
0.60% |
| C 213/171/64 |
Feltmakers |
513 |
2.34% |
| C 213/171/65 |
Frameworkknitters |
243 |
1.11% |
| C 213/171/66 |
Silk Throwers |
89 |
0.41% |
| C 213/171/67 |
Carmen |
278 |
1.27% |
| C 213/171/68 |
Pinmakers |
187 |
0.85% |
| C 213/171/69 |
Needlemakers |
114 |
0.52% |
| C 213/171/70 |
Gardeners |
123 |
0.56% |
| C 213/171/71 |
Soapmakers |
40 |
0.18% |
| C 213/171/72 |
Tinplateworkers |
131 |
0.60% |
| C 213/171/73 |
Wheelwrights |
138 |
0.63% |
| C 213/171/74 |
Distillers |
156 |
0.71% |
| C 213/171/75 |
Hatbandmakers |
51 |
0.23% |
| C 213/171/76 |
Pattenmakers |
123 |
0.56% |
| C 213/171/77 |
Glass-Sellers |
83 |
0.38% |
| C 213/171/78 |
Tobacco Pipemakers |
273 |
1.24% |
| C 213/171/79 |
Coachmakers |
406 |
1.85% |
| C 213/171/80 |
Watermen |
1445 |
6.58% |
| C 213/171/370 |
Officers and Yeomen of Guard |
107 |
0.49% |
| C 213/171/393 |
Trinity House |
185 |
0.84% |
| C 213/171/394 |
Ordnance Office |
288 |
1.31% |
| C 213/171/395 |
Officers of Tower |
54 |
0.25% |
| C 213/171/396 |
Officers and builders of St Paul's |
34 |
0.15% |
| C 213/171/397 |
Heralds |
15 |
0.07% |
| C 213/171/398 |
Lutestring Company |
110 |
0.50% |
| C 213/171/407 |
Clergy: Archdeaconry of London |
38 |
0.17% |
| C 213/171/408 |
Clergy: Archdeaconry of Middlesex |
86 |
0.39% |
| C 214/9 |
London Dissenters |
99 |
0.45% |
| Total |
21970 |
100.00% |
The number of entries is with two stated exceptions probably a very good guide to the numbers in each Livery Company. Firstly, the Watermen declare that there are at least 4,000 of them already in the King's Service, who could not therefore sign the roll. Rather unexpectedly, the Musicians also stated that "the rest of the members are in the king's service and could not be found" without any estimate of the number. It is possible, of course, that other companies also had members away on military or naval service.
However, allowing for these reservations, the following
Table II shows the same information as Table I, but in order of size.
| Piece |
Company |
No.of entries |
Percent |
| C 213/171/42 |
Weavers |
2738 |
12.46% |
| C 213/171/80 |
Watermen |
1445 |
6.58% |
| C 213/171/8 |
Haberdashers |
814 |
3.71% |
| C 213/171/7 |
Merchant Taylors |
757 |
3.45% |
| C 213/171/36 |
Coopers |
626 |
2.85% |
| C 213/171/64 |
Feltmakers |
513 |
2.34% |
| C 213/171/17 |
Barbers |
470 |
2.14% |
| C 213/171/5 |
Goldsmiths |
462 |
2.10% |
| C 213/171/41 |
Joiners and Ceilers |
441 |
2.01% |
| C 213/171/79 |
Coachmakers |
406 |
1.85% |
| C 213/171/47 |
Stationers |
384 |
1.75% |
| C 213/171/58 |
Apothecaries |
378 |
1.72% |
| C 213/171/1 |
Grocers |
372 |
1.69% |
| C 213/171/40 |
Blacksmiths |
355 |
1.62% |
| C 213/171/61 |
Clockmakers |
352 |
1.60% |
| C 213/171/12 |
Clothworkers |
349 |
1.59% |
| C 213/171/15 |
Leathersellers |
328 |
1.49% |
| C 213/171/13 |
Dyers |
321 |
1.46% |
| C 213/171/24 |
Butchers |
318 |
1.45% |
| C 213/171/394 |
Ordnance Office |
288 |
1.31% |
| C 213/171/67 |
Carmen |
278 |
1.27% |
| C 213/171/78 |
Tobacco Pipemakers |
273 |
1.24% |
| C 213/171/51 |
Turners |
272 |
1.24% |
| C 213/171/11 |
Vintners |
271 |
1.23% |
| C 213/171/4 |
Fishmongers |
260 |
1.18% |
| C 213/171/16 |
Pewterers |
260 |
1.18% |
| C 213/171/21 |
Tallow Chandlers |
253 |
1.15% |
| C 213/171/19 |
Bakers |
249 |
1.13% |
| C 213/171/62 |
Glovers |
245 |
1.12% |
| C 213/171/65 |
Frameworkknitters |
243 |
1.11% |
| C 213/171/6 |
Skinners |
241 |
1.10% |
| C 213/171/18 |
Cutlers |
240 |
1.09% |
| C 213/171/2 |
Mercers |
229 |
1.04% |
| C 213/171/3 |
Drapers |
221 |
1.01% |
| C 213/171/53 |
Glaziers |
212 |
0.96% |
| C 213/171/32 |
Innholders |
189 |
0.86% |
| C 213/171/9 |
Salters |
188 |
0.86% |
| C 213/171/46 |
Plaisterers |
187 |
0.85% |
| C 213/171/68 |
Pinmakers |
187 |
0.85% |
| C 213/171/35 |
Cooks |
186 |
0.85% |
| C 213/171/393 |
Trinity House |
185 |
0.84% |
| C 213/171/57 |
Lorimers |
183 |
0.83% |
| C 213/171/59 |
Shipwrights |
183 |
0.83% |
| C 213/171/10 |
Ironmongers |
180 |
0.82% |
| C 213/171/29 |
Curriers |
180 |
0.82% |
| C 213/171/48 |
Broderers |
176 |
0.80% |
| C 213/171/27 |
Cordwainers |
170 |
0.77% |
| C 213/171/22 |
Armourers and Brasiers |
157 |
0.71% |
| C 213/171/74 |
Distillers |
156 |
0.71% |
| C 213/171/34 |
Poulters |
152 |
0.69% |
| C 213/171/33 |
Founders |
151 |
0.69% |
| C 213/171/49 |
Upholders |
148 |
0.67% |
| C 213/171/73 |
Wheelwrights |
138 |
0.63% |
| C 213/171/31 |
Plumbers |
136 |
0.62% |
| C 213/171/63 |
Combmakers |
132 |
0.60% |
| C 213/171/72 |
Tinplateworkers |
131 |
0.60% |
| C 213/171/28 |
Painter-Stainers |
123 |
0.56% |
| C 213/171/70 |
Gardeners |
123 |
0.56% |
| C 213/171/76 |
Pattenmakers |
123 |
0.56% |
| C 213/171/25 |
Saddlers |
121 |
0.55% |
| C 213/171/23 |
Girdlers |
120 |
0.55% |
| C 213/171/30 |
Masons |
119 |
0.54% |
| C 213/171/69 |
Needlemakers |
114 |
0.52% |
| C 213/171/398 |
Lutestring Company |
110 |
0.50% |
| C 213/171/370 |
Officers and Yeomen of Guard |
107 |
0.49% |
| C 213/171/14 |
Brewers |
100 |
0.46% |
| C 214/9 |
London Dissenters |
99 |
0.45% |
| C 213/171/37 |
Tylers and Bricklayers |
92 |
0.42% |
| C 213/171/66 |
Silk Throwers |
89 |
0.41% |
| C 213/171/52 |
Basketmakers |
88 |
0.40% |
| C 213/171/56 |
Paviours |
87 |
0.40% |
| C 213/171/408 |
Clergy: Archdeaconry of Middlesex |
86 |
0.39% |
| C 213/171/20 |
Wax Chandlers |
84 |
0.38% |
| C 213/171/77 |
Glass-Sellers |
83 |
0.38% |
| C 213/171/26 |
Carpenters |
80 |
0.36% |
| C 213/171/55 |
Farriers |
77 |
0.35% |
| C 213/171/54 |
Horners |
63 |
0.29% |
| C 213/171/45 |
Fruiterers |
57 |
0.26% |
| C 213/171/395 |
Officers of Tower |
54 |
0.25% |
| C 213/171/75 |
Hatbandmakers |
51 |
0.23% |
| C 213/171/39 |
Fletchers |
47 |
0.21% |
| C 213/171/44 |
Scriveners |
47 |
0.21% |
| C 213/171/60 |
Spectaclemakers |
41 |
0.19% |
| C 213/171/71 |
Soapmakers |
40 |
0.18% |
| C 213/171/38 |
Bowyers |
39 |
0.18% |
| C 213/171/407 |
Clergy: Archdeaconry of London |
38 |
0.17% |
| C 213/171/50 |
Musicians |
34 |
0.15% |
| C 213/171/396 |
Officers and builders of St Paul's |
34 |
0.15% |
| C 213/171/43 |
Woolmen |
26 |
0.12% |
| C 213/171/397 |
Heralds |
15 |
0.07% |
| Total |
21970 |
100.00% |
Christian Names
It will be no surprise that the number of forenames of London inhabitants was limited, even allowing for the substantial number of foreigners, principally Huguenots. The top ten names accounted for nearly 70%, and the top four (John, William, Thomas and Richard) over half of the population. Ninety-four names had ten or more entries each, and these represented nearly 97% of the sample. Table III shows these ninety-four names and their frequency.
| Christian Name |
No.of Entries |
Percent |
| John |
4347 |
19.58% |
| Thomas |
2764 |
12.45% |
| William |
2522 |
11.36% |
| Richard |
1357 |
6.11% |
| Robert |
956 |
4.31% |
| Edward |
817 |
3.68% |
| James |
797 |
3.59% |
| Samuel |
701 |
3.16% |
| Henry |
644 |
2.90% |
| Joseph |
579 |
2.61% |
| George |
570 |
2.57% |
| Francis |
379 |
1.71% |
| Charles |
356 |
1.60% |
| Daniel |
283 |
1.27% |
| Benjamin |
267 |
1.20% |
| Peter |
209 |
0.94% |
| Nicholas |
201 |
0.91% |
| Nathaniel |
196 |
0.88% |
| Isaac |
182 |
0.82% |
| Abraham |
165 |
0.74% |
| Mathew |
163 |
0.73% |
| Christopher |
151 |
0.68% |
| Stephen |
147 |
0.67% |
| Anthony |
124 |
0.56% |
| Edmund |
124 |
0.56% |
| Jonathan |
122 |
0.55% |
| Philip |
111 |
0.50% |
| Ralph |
100 |
0.45% |
| Jacob |
95 |
0.43% |
| David |
91 |
0.41% |
| Andrew |
88 |
0.40% |
| Roger |
84 |
0.38% |
| Michael |
83 |
0.37% |
| Alexander |
81 |
0.36% |
| Jeremiah |
76 |
0.34% |
| Jean |
75 |
0.34% |
| Simon |
72 |
0.32% |
| Joshua |
68 |
0.31% |
| Walter |
67 |
0.30% |
| Hugh |
65 |
0.29% |
| Humphrey |
60 |
0.27% |
| Pierre |
56 |
0.25% |
| Jacques |
54 |
0.24% |
| Lawrence |
51 |
0.23% |
| Timothy |
51 |
0.23% |
| Paul |
45 |
0.20% |
| Adam |
41 |
0.18% |
| Arthur |
38 |
0.17% |
| Gabriel |
34 |
0.15% |
| Giles |
31 |
0.14% |
| Mark |
31 |
0.14% |
| Moses |
31 |
0.14% |
| Bartholomew |
29 |
0.13% |
| Josiah |
26 |
0.12% |
| Lewis |
26 |
0.12% |
| Elias |
25 |
0.11% |
| Zachariah |
25 |
0.11% |
| Oliver |
22 |
0.10% |
| Ambrose |
21 |
0.09% |
| Leonard |
21 |
0.09% |
| Caleb |
20 |
0.09% |
| Gilbert |
20 |
0.09% |
| Jasper |
20 |
0.09% |
| Solomon |
20 |
0.09% |
| Job |
19 |
0.09% |
| Randall |
19 |
0.09% |
| Aaron |
18 |
0.08% |
| Geoffrey |
18 |
0.08% |
| Martin |
18 |
0.08% |
| Clement |
17 |
0.08% |
| Luke |
17 |
0.08% |
| Obadiah |
17 |
0.08% |
| Rowland |
17 |
0.08% |
| Valentine |
17 |
0.08% |
| Noah |
16 |
0.07% |
| Augustine |
15 |
0.07% |
| Brian |
15 |
0.07% |
| Gervase |
15 |
0.07% |
| Jeremy |
15 |
0.07% |
| Abel |
14 |
0.06% |
| Owen |
14 |
0.06% |
| Theophilus |
14 |
0.06% |
| Israel |
13 |
0.06% |
| Marmaduke |
13 |
0.06% |
| Tobias |
13 |
0.06% |
| Jonas |
12 |
0.05% |
| Lancelot |
12 |
0.05% |
| Miles |
12 |
0.05% |
| Adrian |
11 |
0.05% |
| Cornelius |
11 |
0.05% |
| Josias |
11 |
0.05% |
| Ebenezer |
10 |
0.05% |
| Evan |
10 |
0.05% |
| Godfrey |
10 |
0.05% |
| Total |
21509 |
96.89% |
Editorial Method
All the entries have been sorted into one alphabetical sequence. This does have the disadvantage of losing the position on the various rolls of entries. However, many rolls distinguish between ordinary members, and those who were liverymen, i.e. senior members, and virtually all name the main officers of the company, such as the master and wardens. These designations have been included in the index.
All surnames have been rendered as they appear in the original. Christian names have been standardised and common ones abbreviated as necessary, but foreign versions such as Jacques have been retained. All titles such as master, yeoman etc. have been retained but again abbreviated as necessary. Company, etc. names have also been abbreviated.
No biographical information has been appended to the signatories. This is (I trust) a worthwhile contribution to a future prosopography of early modern London citizens, but not in any way an attempt at such a work.
Thirty entries which have been counted in the tables above do not appear in the index. This is because:
- in one case neither surname nor christian name is legible; this citizen was a liveryman of the Plasterers'
- in fourteen cases the christian name was legible but the surname was not. These consist of three men (all called Thomas !) in the Ordnance Office, two Pattenmakers (Nicholas and Richard), Edward another liveryman and Plasterer, two vintners, Charles a freeman and John a liveryman and six Watermen, two Johns, two Roberts and two Thomas's.
- in three cases the christian name was legible but the beginning of the surname was lost. These were a Broderer called Edward ...all, and two Coachmakers both called John ...olings.
- in the last eleven cases, no surname is given in the original. Four of these were Bakers, Edward, Henry and two Williams, four also were Coachmakers, two Thomas's and two Williams, and there were single entries from the Curriers (John), the Feltmakers (William, a journeyman) and the Frameworkknitters (Robert who has to make his mark).
I am extremely grateful to Michael Gandy, as representative of his grandfather, for allowing me to make extensive use of Wallace Gandy's work. Any errors, of course, remain entirely my responsibility.
Cliff Webb, The Feast of St Stephen, protomartyr, 2006.
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