In 1433, the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers was granted a Royal Charter by King Henry VI, formalizing its role as the governing body for the fish trade in London. The Charter gave the Company the authority to regulate the sale of fish, inspect markets, and enforce quality standards at Billingsgate and other venues. This institutional framework helped ensure the safety and fairness of the fish trade in the growing metropolis. The Fishmongers' Company remains one of the City of London's most ancient and prestigious livery companies.

The Fishmongers' Company appears in the literature of medieval and early modern London, including the works of Geoffrey Chaucer and Ben Jonson. The Company's pageantry and civic functions were celebrated in poetry and drama, and its members were often portrayed as pillars of the community. The Company's charter also inspired a body of legal and administrative poetry that praised the virtues of trade regulation.