and Allen Collye they were made frendes, shoke handes and frendly
depˀted.
2nd March, 1573. Here was a complaint agaynste Henrye Lushe by John
Parradize for that the said Henry Lushe called the said John Paradize
knave, and he p{d} his fyne xij{d} and they toke hands & were ffrends.
19th April, 1574. Here was Willm̃ Brode and brought in an answere
agaynste the complaynt of Edward Saunders for lykeninge hym to
Esoppes dogge and they were appoynted to be ffrends and to brynge the
matter no more in question.
Was this the “dog in the manger”? Anyhow, it seems a trivial matter to
have been brought before the grave old Masters.
2nd February, 1575. Here came one Willm̃ Goodnep and complayned of
Willm̃ Clowes for not curing his wief de morbo gallico and yt was
awarded that the saide Clowes sholde either geve the saide Goodnep
xx{s} orells cure his saide wief, w{ch} Clowes agreed to pay the
xx{s} and so they were agreed and eche of them made acquittance to
other.
28th February, 1576. Here was a complainte against Willm̃ Clowes
by one Goodenge for that the saide Clowes had not onlie misused
the saide Goodinge in speeche but also most of the masters of the
Companye w{th} scoffing wordes and jestes and they all forgave him
here openlye in the Co{r}te and so the stryfe was ended upon condˀ
that he shold nev{r} so misuse him self a gayne, and bonds was caused
to be made to that effect.
25th September, 1576. At this Coˀte came Willm̃ Wise and Mathew Ken,
and divers evell and unbrotherlike speches was pˀved and so the saide
Willm̃ Wise confest his falt paide his ffyne and made a breakfast to
the Companie for their paynes, and so they shoke hands and were made
ffrends.
25th March, 1577. Here at this Corte was a greate contension and
stryffe spoken of and ended betwene George Baker[278] and Willm̃
Clowes[279] for that they bothe contrary to order and the good and
holsome rules of this howse misused eche other and fought in the
ffelds togethers, but the M{r} Wardens and assistance wishing that
they might be and continewe loving brothers pˀdoned this greate
offence in hope of amendment.
[278] Master 1597 and Serjeant Surgeon.
[279] Warden 1594.
9th January, 1598. Thomas Cole complayned of Thomas Goodall for
sueinge him at the Comon lawe w{th}out license of the M{rs} And was
fined And his fine mittigated to 3{s} 4{d}
4th December, 1599. This daie Roberte Morrey complayned of William
ffoster for callinge him Pandor and Bawde and for sayeinge he was
presented by the Wardemot inqueste for keepinge a bawdye house, uppon
hearinge whereof their controversies were referred to the Maisters of
this Companye, the same to be ended before the sixte daie of Januarye
nexte.
24th July, 1600. In the matter in Controversie betwixt Roger Semper
and ffrancis Thompson it is ordered that the sayd Sempˀ shall at the
next Court bringe in his fine for usinge reprochefull wordes against
the sayd Thompson And for that the sayd Sempers wyefe did assalt the
sayd Thompson & brake his shop wyndowes. And that the sayd Semper
shall delivˀ such goodes as hee hath of the sayd Thompson before
the next Court And that hee shall at the same Court geve the sayd
Thompson satisfacc͠on for his wyndowes.
24th July, 1600. In the Controversie betwixt John Izard & Robert
Steward it is ordered that the sayd Robert Steward shalbe comitted to
the Compter for refusinge to paye his fine for supplantinge the sayd
John Izards cure and for behavinge himselfe unreverendly before the
M{rs} in the Court.
11th September, 1600. This daie John Urvey complayned of Henry Bracye
for arrestinge him before he had obtayned leave of the Maisters And
it was thereuppon ordered that the said Henrye Bracye shoulde be
warned to appeare before the Maisters at the nexte Courte and that he
shoulde be commaunded from the Maisters to staie his suite till then.
17th September, 1600. This daie in the matter in controversi betwixte
Henry Bracy and John Urvey It is ordered that the saide Henry Bracye
shall not proceede any further in his suite but that the said John
Urvey shall paie the debte of ffowerteene shillinges and twoe
shillinges for his chardges by twoe shillinges wickelye till all be
fully satisfied and paide And uppon the payment thereof the said
Bracye to make him a generall acquittaunce the firste payment to
begine on Tewsdaie nexte, And the money to be paide to the M{rs} of
this Companye.
20th October, 1600. This daye it is ordered that John Urvey shalbe
comitted to the Compter for not pˀforminge his payments to Henry
Bracy accordinge to the orders of this howse.
21st July, 1601. Where div{s} controversies hath bene betweene John
Browne and Jenkin Marcrafte the endinge of w{ch} is by them of their
mutuall assents referred to the M{rs} or Governors of this Company
who aft{r} hereinge of their sevˀall controversies & fyndeinge
thereby that the wounde for w{ch} the money was to be paid to John
Browne was reverted to his former state It is thought fit that the
said Marcrafte shall paye to the said Browne pñˀtly[280] the somme of
xl{s} in full satisfacc͠on of all debts duties and demaunds, w{ch}
the said Browne accepted of and received the said somme accordingly.
And whereas Lewis Atm{r} finished the Cure after it was reverted
Therefore it was lykewise ordered that the said Marcrafte shall paye
to him xx{s} for his paynes.
[280] Presently, _i.e._, at once.
6th August, 1601. This daye John Ibatson and John Wyndet referred
a controversie betwene them concerninge a debt of iiij{li} lent by
the said Wyndet to the said Ibatson to the hereinge & endinge of the
M{rs} of this Company and gave the eyth{r} to the oth{r} 6{d} to
stande to their award so that they ended the same before the laste
daye of Septemb{r} next w{ch} if they refuse to stand to, the refuser
shall forfeyt x{li.}
27th March, 1604. This daye Lycence is geven to Andrew Mathewe to sue
Richard Tyler at the Com̃on Lawe for the tenemˀt wherein the said
Tyler nowe dwelleth, for that Tyler refuseth to referre the heareinge
& endinge of that controversie to the M{rs} of this Company.
16th October, 1610. In the Controvˀsie between William Wright and one
Harrington Itt is att this Court ordered that Harrington shall paie
unto Wryght for and in respect of such rentes he doth owe unto Wright
the some of xxx{s} imediate And like wise he shall mend such paynes
of glasse as nowe by his necligence are broken in Wrightꝭ wyndowes
and soe all controvˀsies between them are determyned.
24th September, 1611. In the Controvˀsey between ffrauncꝭ Bilford of
thˀone pˀte & John fflint on thˀother pˀte It is ordered that either
of them shalbe bound unto thˀother of them in 20{li} a peece to stand
to the Award of M{r} John Gerard & M{r} Richard Mapes.
1st October, 1611. At this Court forasmuch as John fflynt would not
stand to the order of the M{rs} set down the last Court between him
& ffrauncꝭ Bilford the said Bilford hath leave to arrest the said
fflynt.
22nd October, 1611. In the Controvˀsie between Dennis Davys on thˀone
pˀte & John Person on thˀother pˀte It is ordered that they shall
live quietlie togethers as brothers of one Company should doe and
neither of them by him selfe or his servantꝭ to gyve or move offence
either by word or deed unto thˀother of them.
It was not often that the good offices of the Court were unavailing in
the settlement of disputes, but in the following case, in which the
lady probably played a prominent part, the Masters seem to have been
unable to settle the matter:--
12th July, 1614. In the complaint made by William Purkꝭ and ffrauncis
his wife against Greene, w{ch} beinge heard at this Court, the M{rs}
could drawe them to noe quiet ende, all pˀties being verye obstinate.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
HERALDRY.
There are numerous excellent examples of the Company’s Arms at the
Hall. The records contain many beautiful drawings and emblazoned
shields of arms, not only of the Company but of some of the Masters as
well.
One of the choicest specimens is the massive old carving beneath the
semicircular canopy of the entrance doorway; this is dated 1671, and
is both bold and quaint; long may it be preserved to the Barbers!
The carved coat of arms which formerly ornamented the stern of the
Company’s barge, and which is probably late 17th century work, has
been carefully preserved, and may be always admired over the chimney
piece in the Committee room. There is the large “tortershell” in the
vestibule given by Mr. William Kings in 1645. The cloth on the Court
table is artistically embroidered with the Arms of the Company and
the City, the embroidered portions being part of the ancient barge
cloth. There is a handsomely emblazoned coat of arms on the plan of
the Company’s property (presented by Mr. Charles John Shoppee), and
a pretty little bit of old stained glass in the window on the first
floor landing. The Company formerly possessed a great many banners, but
these are unfortunately lost to us; the one which is placed behind the
Master’s chair is beautifully painted by Bishop of Doctors’ Commons,
and has at the back the inscription--
EX DONO SIDNEY YOUNG MISTERII BARBITONSORUM FRATRIS AMANDI 1885.
1451. In this year the original grant of arms was conferred, being
simply the first quarter of our present achievement; sable, a chevron
between three fleams argent, the fleams being mediæval lancets, though
from their shape they have sometimes been thought to represent razors.
This coat was borne by both the Barbers and their successors, the
Barber-Surgeons, until the time of Elizabeth. The grant is as follows:--
[Illustration: Coat of arms]
~Be~ it knowen to all men that y Clarensew Kyng of Armes of the
South Marche of Englond Consideryng the noble estate of the Cite of
London by the name of Erle & Barons as in their ffirst Charter by
scripture appereth and as now called mayre and aldermen and by good
avyce of all the aldermen and the noble citezenis of London that
every alderman shuld have award by hymself to governe and rule to
the Worship of the cite and the maires power evˀy alderman in his
Ward with correccion of the mair beyng for the tyme and so notablie
ordeyned to be custumed evˀy Craft clothing be hem self to know o
Craft from a nother and also synes of Armes in baner wyse to beer
conveniently for the worship of the reame and the noble cite and so
now late the Maisters of Barbory and Surgery within the craft of
Barbours John Strugge Thomas Wyllote Hugh Herte & Thomas Waleys come
& praying me Clarensewe Kyng of Armes to devise hem a conysauns &
syne in fourme of armes under my seall of myn Armes that might be
conveniently to ther Craft. And where y Clarensewe Kyng of Armes
consideryng the gode disposicion of them y have devysed a Conysaunce
in fourme of Armes that is to sey A felde sabull a cheveron bytwene
iij flemys of silver the which syne of armes y Clarensew gyve the
same conysaunce of Armes to the forsaid Crafte and none other Crafte
in no wyse shall not bere the same. ~To~ the which witenesse of this
wrytyng y sette my seal of myn armes & my syne manuall wreten atte
London the xxix day of the monthe of September the xxx{th} yere of
the regne of oure soverayne lord Kyng Henry the Sixt.
By CLARANSEW Kynge of armes.
1492. In this year a cognizance, or possibly an informal grant of arms,
was given to the Surgeons’ Company; this is depicted on the first
leaf in the beautiful old vellum book of Ordinances at the Hall, the
inscription under, stating that it was given to the Craft of Surgeons
of London in the year 1492, at the going over the sea into France of
Henry VII. (_See_ the fac-simile at p. 69.)
No other authority than the above statement is known for this coat, but
in the grant to the Barber-Surgeons (1569) it is recited that Henry
VIII granted the Company of Surgeons a cognizance “which is a spatter
thereon a rose gules crowned golde for their warrant in fielde but
no authoritie by warrant for the bearinge of the same in shilde as
armes.” The Herald in drawing the grant of 1569 probably accidentally
put in the name of Henry VIII for that of Henry VII, the entry in our
book being undoubtedly coeval with the circumstance. We here get the
foundations of our present coat of arms; the fleams representing the
old Barber-Surgeons or Barbers, and the crowned rose and spatula the
Surgeons proper, both of which were introduced into one shield in 1561,
and quartered in 1569.
On either side of the shield of the Surgeons’ Arms stands a Saint
habited as a doctor or physician, one of whom holds a medical vessel in
his right hand, while the other has a box of ointment and a spatula,
indicative of their being professors of the healing art. These are the
patron Saints of the Company, Cosmus and Damianus. Mrs. Jameson states
that they--
were two brothers, Arabians by birth but they dwelt in Ægæ, a city of
Cilicia. Their father having died while they were yet children, their
pious mother Theodora, brought them up with all diligence, and in the
practice of every Christian virtue. Their charity was so great, that
not only they lived in the greatest abstinence, distributing their
goods to the infirm and poor, but they studied medicine and surgery,
that they might be able to prescribe for the sick, and relieve the
sufferings of the wounded and infirm; and the blessing of God being
on all their endeavours, they became the most learned and the most
perfect physicians that the world had ever seen. They ministered to
all who applied to them, whether rich or poor. Even to suffering
animals they did not deny their aid, and they constantly refused all
payment or recompense, exercising their art only for charity and for
the love of God; and thus they spent their days.
In the cover of a Latin Bible, printed in 1470, I discovered some
vellum padding, which on examination proved to be a MS. of XIth
century, consisting of part of a collection of the lives of the
Saints, interspersed with prayers, etc., and which probably had been
read in some Convent refectory during the hours of meals. This MS. is
moreover curious, as those portions intended to be sung have certain
signs affixed, known as “neumes,” which, before the more modern method
of musical notation was introduced, were employed to denote musical
expression. An account of the martyrdom of Cosmo and Damian, together
with their brothers, is here preserved, but as the original is in very
contracted Latin, the following translation will, perhaps, better
supply its place:--
The souls of Cosmus and Damianus the Just are in the hands of God.
There have moreover been crowned these five brothers Cosmus,
Damianus, Antimeus, Leuntius and Eutrepius.
Furthermore we beseech Thee, Almighty God, to grant that we, who
commemorate the nativities of thy Saints Cosmus and Damianus, may by
their intercessions be delivered from all present and future evils.
Amen. The blessed martyrs Cosmus Damianus, Antimeus, Leuntius and
Eutrepius, were committed to prison by order of the governor; and
on the following day, the proconsul sitting on the judgment seat,
caused an enormous fire to be made, and the above-named men to be
led out of prison and cast into its midst. But on account of their
prayers the fire lost its power over these saints. The governor was
astounded, and the executioner, thinking that the circumstances which
had happened with regard to the martyrs of God depended on their
magical arts, ordered them to be again interrogated. But, when they
remained firm with a cheerful and joyous countenance rendered more
noble by torture, he ordered crosses to be made, and the martyrs,
when stretched upon them, to be pelted with stones. Accordingly,
when the blows recoiled on those that delivered them, the governor,
inflamed with excessive rage, gave orders to attack them with arrows,
so that at a less distance the steel might at least penetrate. But,
although he had not been able to injure them in any way, many of
those who discharged arrows and who stood near withdrew on account of
the wounds that they received.
For so is the testimony.
Seeing accordingly that his ill will was overcome by Divine power,
the governor ordered them to be mutilated with a sword.
The blessed martyrs were put to death on the Twentieth day of
September; and their bodies were buried by devout men in a holy spot
not far from the city of Ægae.
Mrs. Jameson relates a legend somewhat similar to the above, and states
that it was of great antiquity, being transplanted into Western Europe
in the first ages of Christianity. The Emperor Justinian, having been
recovered, as he supposed, from a dangerous illness by the intercession
of these saints, erected a superb church in their honour. Among the
Greeks they succeeded to the worship and attributes of Æsculapius;
and from their disinterested refusal of all pay or reward, they are
distinguished by the honourable title of Anargyres, which signifies
moneyless, or without fees. These saints are commemorated on the 27th
September, and all over Europe have ever been the patron saints of the
Barbers and Surgeons; they are also the patrons of the Medici family,
and as such they figure on the coins of Florence.
1540. In the bowl of the grace cup given by Henry VIII to the
Barber-Surgeons, the arms of the Barbers impaling the Surgeons are cut,
but this is merely the fancy of an engraver, and of later date than the
cup.stration]
Pg468
10th July, 1561. In the Heralds’ College (I.C.B., No. 101, 20) is
a grant of arms by William Harvey, Clarencieux King of Arms, to
the Barber-Surgeons, in which he grants and assigns unto them for
an “augmentac͠on to ther old and aunscint Armes (which is sables a
chevrone between thre flumes argent) a chef paly argent & vert on a
pale goles a lyon passant regardant gold betwene two spatters argent a
roze gewles crowned golde & to ther creast upon the healme an opinacus
golde standing upon a wreath argent and sables manteled gewles dubled
argent.”
[Illustration]
1565. This year, Harvey, Clarencieux, granted two supporters to the
above arms, namely, “two lynxe in their proper Collor about there necks
a crowne with a cheyne argent.”
1568. This year, Garter, Clarencieux, and Norroy, Kings of Arms,
ratified and confirmed the above arms, crest, and supporters, with
the following variations, the arms to be borne quarterly, “the ffyrst
sables a cheveron bytwyne iij flewmes argent, the second quarter per
pale argent and vert on a spatter of the fyrst a Dobele rose gules and
argent crowned or, over all on a crosse gules a lyon passant Regardant
or.”
12th June, 1569. The grant of Arms by Dethick, etc., is a beautifully
artistic production, though, unfortunately, slightly damaged, and
the seals are missing. In 1885 the Company had it reproduced in
chromo-photography by Mr. William Griggs, whose work has been so
skilfully executed that it is difficult to observe the least difference
between the original and the copies.
[Illustration]
With this grant is the first appearance of a motto “De præscientia
Dei.” How this motto came to be chosen, or in what way it applies to
the Barber-Surgeons, I am at a loss to point out. The following is the
text of the grant.