Charter of King Richard III to the Wax-Chandlers Company

This 1884 facsimile reproduces a royal charter granted by King Richard III to London's Wax-Chandlers Company. The document features elaborate Gothic script, illuminated borders with foliate decoration, and two lead seals attached by silk cords—standard elements of official medieval documentation. The reproduction captures the formal authority of royal grants to craft guilds, which regulated trade, maintained quality standards, and governed membership within London's commercial hierarchy. Facsimiles like this one served Victorian audiences as both historical records and demonstrations of printing technology's ability to faithfully reproduce precious originals.