Masters, who thereupon summoned them to appear and shew cause why their
grant should not be annulled, whereupon they came on the 27th July and--
gave their ffree and full consentꝭ that yf they have broken any pt̃e
of their graunte to them heretofore made they will surrender upp
their yeomanry.
10th August, 1587. The privilege of collecting quarterage was taken
away from the Yeomanry.
Also whereas there hathe ben a Rule graunted to the yeomanrie
that they maie send pˀsons to ward for disobedyence and to take
ffynes yt ys fullie agreed the same Rule shalbe void But yf anie
varyance happen to be, the same shall be declared to the masters or
governo{rs} for Reformac͠on And further that the said yeomanrie shall
take none into their Assystance w{th}oute the consent of o{r} saide
masters or governo{rs} and their successo{rs.}
7th September, 1587. M{r} Henry Rankin M{r} of o{r} Companie made a
motyon whether he sholde swere the yeomanry or not and yf they should
be sworne what othe he should geve them. And yt was agreed by the
saide Corte That the Masters or Governo{rs} may take the pˀsentment
of them but not swere them. And further yf the yeomanry do request
to be sworne they must be answered w{th} the wordꝭ of their pattent
w{ch} ys onlie to pˀsent them. And further touching the collecc͠on
of their quartridge yt must stand as yt dothe untill further
consultac͠on be had therein and yf they have any request to make or
ought to saie they must bring the same in writinge into this Corte.
29th May, 1600. This daie the wardens of the yomanrye made requeste
to the Maisters that they woulde be pleased to redeliver unto them
their booke of orders which remayneth in their Custodie, whereuppon
it is not thoughte fitt by the Courte that the yeomanrie have the
Custodie of the said booke, but that the Clarke of this Companye
keepe the same And that he shewe the same booke to the yeomanrye when
they have occasion to use it.
About two years previously the Court had endeavoured to put down the
Yeomanry and had curtailed many of their privileges; the exact nature
of the disagreement is not stated, but it doubtless arose from the
Yeomanry “takeinge to much uppon themsyllfs.”
17th January, 1604. At this Courte it is ordered That the Ould
Wardens of the Yomanrye doe bringe in such money as is behind by
theire Audite beinge eight pounds twelve shillings and eight pence
ORELLS to be committed to the Compter.
28th February, 1605. It was ordered that a Yeomanry of this Company
should be established, though there is no entry of its extinguishment.
Rules and ordinances were to be made by the Court, and twenty-four
persons were to be nominated by the “present wardens of the said
Yeomanry” to serve as a Court of Assistants for the Yeomanry, with a
power of veto reserved to the Masters.
16th April, 1605. A Committee sat to consider the patent to be granted
to the Yeomanry.
2nd May, 1605. This daye the M{r} and M{r} Warden Mapes and M{r}
Thorney delivˀed to the Wardens of the yomanry viz. Robert Jenninges
and Richard Alderson and also to Robert Wood and Edward Goodale the
yomanryes boxe and money their Corrector their twoe standinge Cuppes
& Covers and their cases and all such oth{r} thinges as they had of
the yomanryes, but onely their patent w{ch} is to be renued & twoe of
their keyes were delivˀed to the sayd Robert Wood and Edward Goodale
by them to be kept.
24th May, 1605. This daye the ordynancꝭ of the yomanry were ratiefied
& confirmed by this Court. Also the quarterages of the yomanry was
this daye demised unto the wardens of the yomanry from the xvj{th}
of September next ensuinge for the terme of ... at the yerely rent
of 8{li} to be paid by quarterly payments w{ch} demyse was passed by
wrytinge indented as by the same more at lardge may appeare.
At the end of the Minute Book, 1598-1607, is a copy of a part of this
indenture.
26th November, 1607. It was ordered:--
That the wardens of the yomanry shall take for the use of their
funerall clothe at eˀvy funerall wherein it is used ij{s} vj{d} And
the bedell for his attendaunce xij{d} provided notw{th}standinge
that if such deceased pˀson shall owe unto the yomanry arrerages of
quarterage that the wardens of the sayd yomanry shall not lend their
said funerall cloth before such arrerages be first paid.
10th August, 1609. It was ordered that the Yeomandry shall hold their
great generall dinner albeit they made request to the Contrary.
The next extracts record the last events in the chequered existence of
the Yeomanry.
17th November, 1635. According to a former order of Court the
Wardeins of the yeomanrye did this daye deliver up unto the Maisters
their Accompt and the xvij{li} v{s} viij{d} in money upon the foote
of that Accompt Also they delivered up to this Court their plate
bookꝭ and goodꝭ with the Inventarye and that being delivered & donn
Richard Lamb and Thomas Duppa twoe of the yeomanrye Wardeins threwe
downe their keyes on the table in a scornefull manner and badd y{e}
M{rs} take all.
3rd December, 1635. This daye upon mature deliberac͠on had as alsoe
upon just groundꝭ and causes showed to this Court of the greate
burthen of this Companie in the continuall charge of the keepeing
of a yeomanrye And it being propounded to this Court whether the
Wardeins and Assistants of the yeomanrye should continew the holding
of the yeomanrye yea or noe It was by most voyces fully concluded and
ordered that they shall continew noe longer their governem{t} And
they the Wardeins & Assistantꝭ of the yeomanrye & their governem{t}
are by this Court dissolved.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
THE CLERK.
The office of Clerk of the Company is doubtless as ancient as the
Company itself, although there is no mention of one prior to the year
1530[185]; but as there were always registers to be kept, fees to
receive, apprentices to bind, and the multifarious business of a Livery
Guild to conduct and record, we conclude that the office has existed
from the earliest period.
[185] In the ordinances of Sir Thos. More.
The Clerk in Queen Mary’s time seems to have combined the occupation of
gardener with that of his office, and for this he had but a small fee
in addition to his stipend. Later on the Clerks appear to have devised
fees for every conceivable kind of business which could possibly
be transacted at Barber-Surgeons’ Hall, and in the 17th and 18th
centuries the income derived from this source alone must have been very
considerable.
The Company has been served by good, bad and indifferent Clerks; we
prefer to dwell only on the former and record the names among others,
of Francis Rowdon, Charles Bernard and John Paterson as being worthy
to be held in goodly remembrance. The books of the Company abound in
testimony to their ability as well as to the fidelity and zeal which
they displayed in the execution of their office.
1st October, 1555. The first Clerk of whom there is any record is
Thomas Apulton (or Apleton), who, being Beadle, was promoted to that
office.
As will be seen elsewhere, the Company had a fair garden in Monkwell
Street, and the following interesting minute connects it with the
Clerk:--
8th October, 1555. The Clercke of our Companye shall have for waxe
pennes and ynke and for trymynge of the gardeyn yerelye vj{s}
viij{d.} Yf the gardeyn be not well trymmed and made clene weded and
swept at all tymes when the M{r} and Governors of the clothing or
any of Thassistaunce of the same shall see yt and thereupon fynde
faulte then the saide Clercke shall paye a ffyne to the hall because
the said gardein ys not made cleane swept and wedyd as the M{r} and
Governors of the Clothinge and thassistaunce of the same shall think
meete and convenyent.
5th March, 1556. It was ordered that if--
The Clercke of the Company doo evile mysuse any of the Clothinge or
of the yomanry w{th} unsemely words & dewe proofe therof had and
proved he shalbe dismyssed clere from the having of the Office of
clercke.
27th August, 1557. John Johnson was elected and sworn Clerk “for so
longe time as he shal behave hymsyllfe well and honestlye in the saide
office.” The salary was fixed at £4 per annum, with 6_s._ 8_d._ extra
for paper, ink and keeping the garden, and “for wasshinge of the lynen
of the howse iij{s} iiij{d.}”
It would appear that one Wilson had some time previously been Clerk,
for arrangements were made by which Wilson’s widow was not to be put
out of her house, and it was also settled that if Johnson died before
his wife, his widow should in like manner have the house after his
decease. The rent of this house, which was attached to the Hall was
10_s._ per annum, and paid by the Clerk to the Renter Warden.
Johnson probably continued Clerk till about 1570, as the books are kept
in the same handwriting until then.
Thomas Garter succeeded Johnson, but on 14th January, 1572, he was
dismissed from his office for a “certain lewde facte by him committed,”
and William Field was elected and sworn in in his place. Field wrote an
exceedingly neat and precise hand.
20th March, 1572. It was ordered that in future the Clerk of the
Company should always be chosen from among the freemen.
15th March, 1575. William Eden elected Clerk vice Field.
14th November, 1577. Eden was ordered to receive £6 per annum
“benevolence” over and above his salary of £4, in consideration of the
“smalenes of his lyvinge.”
10th December, 1596. Eden was indebted to the Company £10, “yet in
regard of the hardnes of the tyme and his greate charge he shalbe
forborne this yere.” At the same Court, gifts were made to the Beadle
and Porter on account of the hardness of the times.
16th June, 1597. Eden’s troubles had not forsaken him for we read under
this date--
There was geven unto Willm̃ Eden Clark of the Companie in regard of
his greate charge and the scarsytie of the tyme the some of v{li}
and for the x{li} w{ch} he oweth he ys to pay the same as god shall
inable him.
2nd November, 1597. Francis Rowdon elected Clerk vice Eden. Rowdon
appears to have been a most methodical man and kept the books with
scrupulous neatness and care; his writing is a very fine specimen of
the Court hand of the period, and the best in the Company’s books for
many years.
1599. The Clerk’s Salary was raised to £6 per annum.
1600. To £8 per annum, and in
1603 To £10 per annum.
26th November, 1607. This daye ffrancꝭ Rowdon Clark to this Company
pˀsented his petic͠on to this Court by w{ch} hee prayed ratificac͠on
of certen fees belonginge to his place and office in this Company as
hereof doe insue.
FFIRST hee prayed to have xl{s.} for the drawinge registringe of the
M{rs} accompt so that it be regestered w{th}in twoe moneths aft{r}
the awdit.
ALSO hee prayed to have x{s.} for evˀy alienac͠on of every lease of
any of the Companyes landes or tenemtꝭ for wrytinge thereof.
ALSO to have for the drawinge & ingroseinge of every lease xx{s.}
ALSO to have xij{d.} for evˀy othe ministered by any of the M{rs} to
any of the yomanry of this Company.
ALSO to have xij{d.} for evˀy one that is made free by service
and sixe shillingꝭ & sixe pence of every man that is made free by
redempc͠on or translac͠on.
ALSO vj{s.} viij{d.} for enteringe of every Anathomy accompt.
ALSO to have iiij{d.} for every Acquittance that hee shall make for
the wardens of the yomanry for the forme of theyre quarterage And
xij{d.} of them for the Coppie of every order w{ch} concerneth the
governem{t} of the yomanry.
ALSO that hee may have of evˀy freeman for his letter of admittance
or tollerac͠on under the seale of the house vj{s.} viiij{d.} And of
evˀy forren for the lyke x{s.} And of evˀy alien xiij{s.} iiij{d.}
ALSO for pennes Inck & papˀ and for the wardens bookes pˀ an. x{s.}
ALSO for every bill of complaynt iiij{d.}
ALSO for enteringe of evˀry order betwixt pˀtie & pˀtie for the
endinge of any Controversie xij{d.}
ALSO for makeinge cleane the hall against evˀy feaste iiij{s.} And
such a dishe of meate as the M{rs} of evˀy such feast shall think
fit.
ALSO for evˀy searche for the name of evˀy freman or appˀntice
iiij{d.}
ALSO for evˀy pˀson that is taken into the livˀy iij{s.} iiij{d.}
ALSO for evˀy pˀson that is taken into the Assistantꝭ iiij{s.}
iiij{d.}
ALL w{ch} ordinancꝭ and allowances were ratiefied & confirmed by this
Court.
6th July, 1609. Uppon the humble suite & petic͠on of ffrancꝭ Rowdon
Clarke to this Company It is this daye ordered by this Courte that
w{th}in one moneth next ensuinge hee shall noĩat to the pˀnt M{rs} a
sufficient Clarke to whom hee is desyreous to surrender his place and
office of Clark to this Company And his suite shalbe graunted unto
him if such pˀson so to be pˀnted unto this Court shalbe lyked and
allowed.
26th July, 1609. Rowdon presented Richard Ratsdale, Scrivener, for the
office of Clerk, about whose sufficiency and ability enquiries were
ordered to be made, but they were not satisfactory, for, on the 10th
August, William Syddon was elected Clerk vice Rowdon.
The same day it was ordered that Rowdon was to continue in the Livery
and to have the use of the Hall and his house until Michaelmas, also
that Syddon was to be translated from the Cutlers’ Company.
Syddon’s records of the Company’s business were very meagre and a great
contrast to those of the former Clerk.
7th October, 1625. Syddon surrendered his clerkship to Richard Turner
(a son of Cressens Turner, Clerk in the Lord Mayor’s Court), who
was admitted and sworn. Turner died in 1643, and by his will left
some property to the Company to be annually distributed in charity
amongst freemen of the Barber-Surgeons, and this became the source
of a protracted litigation between his widow and the Company. On the
17th November, 1643, she filed a bill against the Company, which
they defended, and succeeded in retaining the greater portion of the
bequest. The accounts appear to have been very intricate and involved,
remaining unsettled for many years. The Court, however, distributed
the whole of the bequest in accordance with the will, as long as the
estate (which was leasehold) held out.
16th June, 1628. It is ordered by this Court and our M{r} gave order
to the Clarke that he should henceforward have a stoole and sitt at
the end of the table w{th} his bookes and register as the clarkes of
other Companies doe.
2nd October, 1643. Robert Rawlins elected Clerk vice Turner.
30th June, 1648. The Court granted Rawlins £30 in consideration of his
great pains about the Company’s business, and ordered that his salary
should be raised from £10 to £30 per annum.
23rd February, 1658. Richard Reynell elected Clerk vice Rawlins
(resigned).
21st July, 1685. Joseph Masters elected Clerk.
17th September, 1685. Charles Hargrave elected “Deputy Clerk.” The
business of the Company had of late years increased enormously in
consequence of the examinations of and Certificates to Navy Surgeons,
examinations held for superannuation of wounded or infirm soldiers and
sailors, and other matters connected with the Navy office, all of which
entailed vast labour on the Clerk.
28th November, 1688. Charles Hargrave elected Clerk vice Masters.
20th November, 1707. Charles Bernard elected Clerk vice Hargrave.
Hargrave had kept the books in a slovenly manner, and appears to have
been both a dishonest servant as well as an improvident man.
11th December, 1707. It was reported to the Court that Hargrave’s
Estate was indebted to the Company £320 8_s._ 6_d._, moneys which he
had received and not accounted for.
8th July, 1708. Mrs. Sarah Hargrave (his Widow) presented a petition
for relief, stating that she was in poor circumstances, with six
children unprovided for, whereupon the Court, notwithstanding her late
husband’s delinquencies, very generously ordered her a gratuity of £12
10_s._ 0_d._
Charles Bernard was a relative of, and Executor to Charles Bernard,
Serjeant-Surgeon to Queen Anne and Master in 1703. It is delightful
to observe the methodical and careful manner in which Bernard began,
and all through his life kept the books and accounts; he wrote a large
and elegant hand, though somewhat encumbered with flourishes, and his
signature is a characteristic one.
[Illustration: Handwritten signature]
7th September, 1708. Hargrave’s son was in the Compter, and the Clerk
was directed to see and talk with him about the Company’s papers in
his custody, and if he would give them up the Clerk was to make him a
present of three guineas.
The Court frequently relieved Mrs. Hargrave, and in December, 1709,
gave her £15.
Among the official list of Clerk’s fees at this period were the
following:--
For the use of the Hall for ffuneralls, Country ffeasts
or weddings 1 0 0
ffor the ffunerall of every Liveryman, the best hood or 0 7 0
17th July, 1718. The Court as a particular reward to Charles Bernard
their Clerk for abstracting and peruseing the Company’s title to
the Estate in East Smithfield and for his care in passing the fine
thereof whereby the Company saved a sume of money and for his
extraordinary trouble in attending the Lords of the Admiralty and
prosecuteing several persons for takeing the dead bodys from the
place of Execuc͠on Did and do hereby give him the sum̄e of fourscore
pounds who accepted the same as a most bountifull Instance of the
kindness of this Court to him with a full resoluc͠on on his part to
acquitt himself by all imaginable and constant returns of duty and
gratitude.
Mr. Charles Bernard, who had been a most zealous Clerk and high in the
esteem of the Court, died somewhere between the 5th and 20th February,
1740.
25th March, 1740. Joseph Wheeler, son of John Wheeler, Barber-Surgeon,
elected Clerk, vice Bernard. Wheeler wrote a fine bold and flowing
hand; and the books were well kept, but he was evidently not so able a
man as Mr. Bernard.
4th July, 1740. Joseph Wheeler provided two sureties who entered into a
bond for £3,000, to ensure his fidelity in the execution of his office.
17th January, 1743. The Commissioners of the Navy having complained
that sufficient regard had not been paid to former letters of theirs
respecting Surgeons’ Mates, and it appearing that the Clerk had
withheld the said letters from the Court, it was ordered that he should
be suspended forthwith, with which the Commissioners were acquainted
and also that the Court had resolved not to take off such suspension
but by the consent and desire of the Commissioners.
31st January, 1743. The Commissioners of the Navy having signified
their desire that the Clerk should be restored to his office, he was
called into Court, severely reprimanded, reinstated in his position,
and cautioned as to his future conduct.
Mr. Wheeler continued Clerk until the separation of the Surgeons from
the Barbers in 1745, when neither body retained his services, and it
appearing that moneys were due from him to the Company, application was
made to his sureties.
25th June, 1745. John Paterson was chosen Clerk to the Barbers’ Company
at the first Court held after the separation, and entered into a Bond
with two sureties in a sum of £2,000.
19th February, 1746. Mr. Paterson having brought in an account of his
Costs in the matter of the separation of the Surgeons amounting to £167
13_s._ 2_d._, and also an account of voluntary contributions by members
of the Company towards defraying the same amounting to £168 10_s._
6_d._, he begged the Court to accept of his past services as a return
for the honour done him in his election, and the Court were pleased
to accept of the compliment, but having a high sense of the services
rendered by Mr. Paterson, they directed the sum of £80 to be laid out
in plate and presented to him “to remain in his family as a memorial of
his merit and of their gratitude.”
5th March, 1765. Mr. Paterson requested permission to resign his
office, which the Court accepted with great reluctance, and passed a
complimentary resolution in his favour.
Richard Beale, who had been Mr. Paterson’s clerk and was highly
recommended by him, was elected Clerk.
8th August, 1765. Mr. Paterson was unanimously elected an Assistant.
Mr. Beale bequeathed £500 to the Company in reversion on the death of
Mrs. Ann Woodhouse.
22nd April, 1766. James Marye elected Clerk vice Beale (deceased).
22nd April, 1766. John Paterson Esquire being withdrawn a Motion was
made and the question being put That a piece of plate of the value of
Fifty Pounds or thereabouts be presented to the said M{r} Paterson
as a mark of the high esteem and value this Court entertains of his
merit and abilities and to shew their gratitude to him for his long
and faithful services during the course of twenty years and in return
for his readiness on every occasion to assist this Court with his
advice and council, the same was carried in the Affirmative, NEMINE
CONTRADICENTE.
By the Accounts for this year it appears that a Silver Tureen, Dish and
Ladle were purchased for £65 16_s._ 0_d._, and this was no doubt the
gift to Mr. Paterson.
20th August, 1767. The Court being informed that Mr. Paterson intended
to stand for the City at the next General Election, it was ordered that
he should have the use of the Company’s Hall for his meetings.
An excellent mezzotint portrait of Mr. Paterson, with some eulogistic
lines below, is preserved at Barbers’ Hall.
In 1754 Mr. Paterson presented to the Company the valuable portrait of
the Duchess of Richmond, painted by Sir Peter Lely, and which still
adorns the Court Room.
Mr. Paterson was a member of the Common Council, and sometime
Chairman of the Bridge House Estates Committee, he was also M.P. for
Ludgershall, Wilts. He was ever faithful to this Company, serving it
with distinguished ability, and seems to have been greatly respected
and esteemed.
1st June, 1790. William Wood elected Clerk vice Marye.
Mr. Wood presented the Company with a handsome Silver Tea Urn.
13th August, 1795. Edward Grose Smith (Mr. Wood’s partner) elected
Clerk vice Wood, resigned.
5th March, 1822. Henley Smith (son of E. G. Smith) elected Clerk vice
Smith, resigned.
5th February, 1861. Mr. Henley Smith resigned and was elected an
Assistant (Master in 1864).
7th May, 1861. Henley Grose Smith (son of Henley Smith) elected Clerk
vice Smith, resigned. Mr. Henley Grose Smith was elected an Assistant
1877.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
THE BEADLE.
There is no certainty as to the first institution of this office,
though it is probably not so old as that of the Clerk, who in ancient
times, summoned the Livery, collected the quarterage and performed
various duties which we afterwards find assigned to the Beadle, and we
may conclude that in those days he was little more than a Caretaker or
“Porter”; indeed, this is the more likely as the latter designation is
frequently applied to the Under Beadle in the Records.
As the business and numbers of the Company increased, several minor
functions of the Clerk were delegated to the Porter or Beadle, who had
distinctive duties assigned to him varying with the age in which he
lived; among these may be enumerated, sweeping the garden, collecting
quarterage, cleaning the Hall, whipping naughty apprentices, summoning
freemen, etc., bringing home dead bodies from Tyburn, keeping lists of
journeymen, pressing Surgeons and Barbers for sea service, assisting
the Masters on search days, hunting up and laying informations against
non freemen practising Barbery and Surgery, marshalling and heading
processions, both at the Hall and in the City pageants, guarding the
Parlour door, and other offices too numerous to particularise, though
there were but few of them which did not yield a fee, and indeed our
Beadle could hardly have lived without fees, for his official salary
in Edward VI’s time was but £4 per annum, which, notwithstanding the
greater value of money then, could scarcely be considered a fat living.