there should be a greate Election dinner or a small dinner or onely
Cakes and wine upon the next Election daye for choise of new M{rs},
whereupon by most voyces it was ordered that there should be a greate
Election dinner held this yeare and the allowance of xx{li} towardꝭ
that charge to be defrayed.
28th January, 1631. This Court being informed of Swinnertons abusive
and naughtie pewter from tyme to tyme brought to serve this Hall at
feastꝭ doe dismisse him from serving that place any longer.
20th September, 1632. It is ordered by this Court that the Twoe
Governo{rs} that are Surgians shalbe at the charge and give the
venison that shalbe used at their solepñe[287] feasts and those twoe
Governo{rs} Surgians and the other twoe Governo{rs} Barbars to paye
joynetly & sevˀally share and share like amongst them 4 the charge
for fees and fetching the venison soe to be brought to o{r} Hall.
[287] Solemn.
8th March, 1637. Whereas the Lord Windsor & S{r} Tho. Bludder
brothers of this Company were invited to dine here when M{r} Die
made his dinner that the fare was enlarged. It is ordered that that
addic͠on of fare amounting to 50{s} shalbe allowed out of the stock.
6th April, 1638. Whereas the Companie intendeth to invite the Lords
of y{e} privye Counsell & other Lords & pˀsons of state at the
dedicac͠on of the Theater & first anatomicall publiqe opac͠ons[288]
there It is ordered by this Court & theis pˀsons following were
appointed to give their attendance in the Hall upper pˀlors & Theater
at the enterteynment of the lords on mondaye next viz{t}
[288] Operations.
Edward Charley Edward ffleete }
Henry Eaton Hen: Wateson } are appointed & have promised to
Edward Arris Hen: Boone } attend on the Lords in Liverye
Thomas Allen John Dorrell } gownes to carry up the Lords diett
Lawrence Lowe John Lufkin } & attend them at dinner.
Thomas Turner John Perkins }
M{r} Wateson to be Gentleman Sewer.
Thomas Browne to be Husher of the Hall.
John Perkins to be Groome of the Lords Chamber.
John ffoster to be Groome of the Hall.
Nathan: ffoster beadle to be attendant at the outer streete gate with
a white staffe in his hand.
Also M{r} Joseph Coopˀ the Princes Cooke is desired to pˀvide messe
of meate for the Lordꝭ diett in y{e} greate pˀlor.
The following expenses of this Entertainment are extracted from the
Great Audit Book, the first item being probably a Committee dinner to
settle details with Mr. Cooper, the King’s Cook.
1638. Paid by consent for a Dinner at the
Dragon in Cheape 6 Aprill for the
Companie and the princes Cooke ij{li} ij{s} iiij{d}
THE ENTERTAINMENT AND DYNINGE OF THE LORDS OF THE COUNCELL IN
OUR GREAT PARLOUR AT THE PUBLIQUE ANATOMYE.
paid to the Butler for Lynnen and plate &
Attendauc̃e v{li}
paid to the Pewterer for hire of Pewter then v{li}
Given to M{r} Cooper the Princes Cooke that
dressed the Lords dynner v{li}
paid to two Upholsters for the hier of stooles
and chaire l{s}
paid to the Vinctner for wine then viij{li} iij{s}
paid to the princes Cooke for soe much
disbursed by him for the Lords diett as
to the Butcher Poulterer hearbewoomen
fruiterer Grocer fishmonger and Under
Cookes as by bill appeareth the som̃e of lviij{li} viij{s}
paid to Stacke for a bushell of flower
xj{s} vj{d} and 2 dozen of stale bread ij{s} xiij{s} vj{d}
paid for faggottꝭ and Charcoales as by bill xxvj{s} vj{d}
paid for stronge beare and six shillings
beere by bill xxxv{s} and for carryinge
in j{s} iiij{d} xxxvj{s} iiij{d}
paid for hire of Venice glasses and pottꝭ
&c and for those pottꝭ and glasses
that were broaken xxxiiij{s}
paid for 4{li} of double refined sugar viij{s} iiij{d}
paid for 3 dossen of french bread iij{s}
paid to the Waterman and Porter that brought
the beere in Bottles from the Lord Chamberlaines v{s}
paid for the hier of two Close stooles vj{s} viij{d}
paid to the porter that brought a dozen of
silver dishes from the Lord of Hollands xviij{d}
paid to Tryman Payne his Scullery man ij{s} vj{d}
paid to John Bludder of the Kings Wardrobe for
bringinge and hanginge the great Parlour
w{th} Tapestry xx{s}
To John Bare my Lord Chamberlaynes Pantryman x{s}
And to one of his Scullery men x{s}
And to the Lady of Devonshires man that
brought the silver dishes v{s}
Paid for bread when the Lords dined there xij{s}
----------------------------
Summ̃. lxxxxiij{li} v{s} iiij{d}
============================
20th June, 1638. Upon the complaint of the losse of a silver spoone
the last dinner in the Hall and diver other times napkins & pewter
dishes this Court doth order that when dinner goes in, the outer
Wickett doore shalbe alwayes locked & the key thereof brought in and
layed by o{r} M{r} for the time being till dinner be ended & the
plate naperye & dishes gathered up & soe discharged.
The next entry would seem to indicate that some previous gift for the
purchase of books had unhappily been diverted into a wrong channel.
2nd March, 1640. £6 given by Mistress Napkin & Mistriss Eaton is
absolutely ordered to buy bookes & not disbursed or dispended in
Drinking.
The following circumstance is significant, as exactly one hundred years
later the separation which Mr. Foster desired, and for which he got
into trouble, became an accomplished fact.
6th November, 1645. Mr. Ralph Foster was complained of for refusing to
make his dinner to the Court on his election as an Assistant, and he
thereupon uttered certain speeches “tending to the separation of the
Barbers from the Surgeons,” for which he was reprimanded, whereupon he
promised to make his dinner and to say no more about disunion.
23rd October, 1649. Upon reading the precept requiring the Livery to
attend the Lord Mayor Elect to Westminster in their Barge, it was
ordered that the Livery should be warned to perform that service in
accordance with old custom, and “that there be a ffeast at the Hall
on that day for the said Livery, But in respect of the hardnes and
troubles of the times this Court doth consent that there be noe second
course and noe Woeman at the same ffeast.”
* * * * *
Among the Company’s archives are four books containing many details
of the feasts held between the years 1676 and 1790. They appear to
have been kept by the various cooks, probably under the direction of
the Clerk, and the following gleanings from them will be found to be
replete with interest.
The first entry is as follows--
July y{e} 4{th} 1676 for barber sirgons hall Cortt diner.
Leag of mutton boyld | Sallet | 8 harty Chockes for 2
S{r} Loyne of befe | Neack of Mutton | dishes
Shoulder of Venison | 3 Chickens 3 Rabets | 2 small Dishes of frut
ffor a Leag of Mutton 0 3 4
ffor a Sirloyne of befe 0 9 0
ffor a Shoulder of venison 0 5 0
3 chickins 3 rabets 0 5 6
8 harty chockes 0 1 0
ffrut 0 3 6
fyring 0 3 0
3 pound of butter 0 1 6
veniger 0 0 3
peper & other spice 0 0 3
oyle & salt 0 0 6
Gallindine 0 0 6
4 Colliflouers 0 1 3
ffor dressing Diner 0 6 6
July y{e} 27{th} 1676 ffor y{e} Asestance & thar wivfes att
barbar sirgons
ɫi. s. d.
ffor 5 Dishis of Chickins Backon & Colliflours boyld 2 10 0
ffor a side of venison 1 4 0
ffor 3 Sir Loynes of befe 1 10 0
ffor 1 fore rebb for breackfast 0 8 0
ffor a neack of vele & muton 0 7 0
ffor 3 Grand Sallets 0 12 0
ffor puting 3 peces of venison in past 1 4 0
ffor 3 Dishis of geses 2 in a dish 0 18 0
ffor 3 made Dishis & 18 Chescaks 0 15 0
ffor 3 Dishis of Turkes & sas[289] 2 in a dish 0 18 0
ffor 3 Lumbard pyes 1 4 0
ffor 4 Dishis of Toung & udders 1 4 0
ffor 3 Custtords 0 12 0
ffor a firckin of Sturjon 2 0 0
ffor 4 Dishis of Chickins & pigons 1 4 0
ffor y{e} use of putter[290] 1 0 0
ffor wood and coles 0 12 0
ffor 3 Dishis of Tarts 1 1 0
ffor 3 Dishis of oringes & lemonds 0 7 6
ffor a small dish of frute 0 2 6
ffor worckmen & labarars and my owne paines 1 0 0
3 Dishis of frut 0 0 0
--------
20 13 0
========
[289] Turkeys and sauce.
[290] Pewter.
The monthly dinners were very much after the foregoing Bill of fare,
and the following extracts of some of the more interesting items are
taken at random.
October, 1676. ffor 2 piges[291] 0 7 0
2 pullets rostted with saseges & oystters 0 5 0
ffor 3 Gallions of oysters 1 4 0
ffor 18 lb. of medling backon 0 12 0
ffor 8 lb. of lardin backon 0 5 4
[291] Pigs.
The dinner on Lord Mayor’s Day, 1676, cost £26 6_s._ 4_d._, this was
exclusive of wine. The “buttered ale” on this occasion was compounded
as follows--
1 C of Eages[292] & 8 Gallions of Ale 0 5 4
2 lb. of butter 0 1 2
8 lb. of sugar 0 4 0
1 ounce of nuttmages 0 0 5
-------
0 10 11
=======
December, 1676. ffor 4 Duckes 0 4 8
January, 1677. ffor 1 quart of oyle 0 2 0
January, 1677. ffor 2 quarts of venigar 0 1 0
March, 1677. A quarttern of Smelts 0 2 0
18 whitting 0 1 6
a Jegett of mutton 0 4 6
6 capons 0 13 0
9 chickins 0 12 0
9 Rabets 0 6 0
7 Lobstars 0 9 4
a side of Lamb 0 5 6
ffor Lorell flouers & fenell 0 0 6
ffor flouer spice & Anchoves 0 1 6
May, 1677. ffor 2 Calfes heads 0 6 0
ffor 4 hundreds of sparagar 0 3 4
ffor 3 wasfalia hames 1 0 0
[292] Eggs.
Cucumbers under the designation of “cockinbers” and sometimes
“cowcombers,” together with sorell, barbery, “samfer,” “lorell
flouers,” capers, anchovies, oranges and lemons, “gallindene,”
“carberys,” horse reddish, parsley, “red cabbeg,” etc., frequently
occur at this period as being used for garnishes and in the preparation
of the dinners.
March, 1678. ffor a Hole fresh Cod 0 14 0
ffor 12 teale and 3 docks[293] 0 15 9
ffor 4 quartes of oysters 0 8 0
ffor 3 dishis of pipins & Caraways 0 4 0
May, 1678. ffor 7 Grene geese 0 19 0
July, 1678. ffor 4 Battelia pyes 2 8 0
September, 1678. ffor a Maria puding 0 4 0
October, 1678. a dish of florindines 0 6 0
[293] Ducks.
The staple dishes about this period were--
Westphalia hams. Venison pasties.
Sirloins of beef. Ribs of beef.
Necks of veal and mutton. Rabbits.
Boiled legs of pork. Capons and sausages.
“Midlin” bacon. Pullets and oysters.
Tongues and udders. Geese.
Dishes of Pigeons. “Lumber” pies.
Dishes of Turkeys. “Tansies.”
Sturgeon. Cod.
Ling. Eel pies.
Dishes of tarts. “Maid dishes.”
Apple pie. Dishes of fruit.
Custards. Almond florandines.
Mince pies. Oranges and lemons.
Grand salads. French benes.
Sparagrasse. Spinidge.
Sprouts. Turnops.
Colliflowers. Hartychockes.
The pudding now so well known at Barbers’ Hall as “Barbers’ pudding,”
was originally “Maria pudding,” then “mara,” later on spelt “maro,”
and finally “marrow pudding,” by which latter designation it is often
now called.
September, 1684. ffor 8 oringes 0 1 8
Poultry seems to have been cheap, as for the election dinner in this
year--
7 Geese were bought for 1 4 6
16 Turkeys " " 1 14 8
39 Chickens " " 1 19 0
90 Pigeons " " 1 6 3
The allowance to the “musick” at nearly every dinner was a shoulder of
mutton, sometimes supplemented by two rabbits. The cost of “dressing”
the monthly dinners was usually about 8_s._, and of the Election, Audit
and quarterly Courts £1 10_s._ to £4.
May, 1685. ffor 2 dishes of Pidgon and Backon and spinig 0 16 0
2 dishes of Mackerell 0 6 0
August, 1687. This election dinner was a little above the average, the
following being the details--
for a Brace of Bucks 8 13 0
for Putting them in 8 Pastyes 4 0 0
for 6 S{r} Loynes of Beef and a four rib for brakefast 3 4 0
4 Westfalia hams 1 11 0
7 Lumber pyes 2 16 0
7 Marrow puddings 1 15 0
7 Custarts 1 11 6
7 Dishes of Tarts 2 2 0
7 Dishes of Tonges and Udders 1 15 0
7 Gees 1 5 8
14 Torkeyes 1 11 6
45 Chickins 2 5 0
4 Dozen and 1/2 of Pidgeons 0 13 6
12 Partriges 0 12 0
a Shoulder of Mutton & 2 Rabits for the musick 0 5 0
12 pound of midling Bakon and Lard 0 8 0
24-1/2 pound of fresh butter 0 17 0
for Artechoaks Cabidg french beans Lawrell Parsly and
herbs to garnish 0 9 0
flower Salt and Salt butter for the range 0 5 6
for Gallindine and Goos sace[294] 0 3 6
for Viniger 0 6 0
for Brooms packthread Candels and other things 0 1 0
Wood and coles 1 0 0
Kooks and Laberours and my own pains 3 0 0
2 pounds of Loaf Suger 2 0 0
--------
40 6 8
========
[294] Sauce.
May, 1688. Is the first mention of a “creem chees” 0 0 8
December, 1692. With the exceptions of ling, sturgeon, and salt fish
with egg sauce, but little other fish appears to have been eaten. On
this occasion, however, we find--
2 Dishis of fresh Cod Drest with Shrimps & Anchove Sawse 0 14 0
ffor 6 Whitings 0 2 0
October, 1693. Green peas are for the first time referred to amongst
the vegetables, and, singularly enough, they only occur once in each
year for many years, and then at the _October_ dinners!
June, 1698. 2 pounds of fine powdered sugar for
the Strawberrys 0 1 4
July, 1704.
THE STEWARDS DINNER.
A legg of mutton rosted 0 2 8
A buttered appel pye 0 3 0
Cheese to y{e} appel pye 0 0 2
3 Quartes of Coffee 0 3 0
--------
0 8 10
========
May, 1707. ffor 15 Mackril 0 10 0
16 Gooseberry tartes 0 8 0
Caper sauce for the mutton 0 1 0
April, 1708. A Frygusse of Lamb 0 6 0
20th September, 1709. It was ordered, in consequence of the great
increase in the Livery, that there should be six instead of five
stewards of the Mayor’s Feast to make the Livery dinner, and any
liveryman chosen to the office and refusing to serve was to be
prosecuted under the by-laws. The fine for not serving was £13 6_s._
8_d._, and was invariably enforced, numerous cases of refusal being
decided at law in favour of the Company. Six Whifflers were as usual,
appointed “to be attendant upon the Govern{rs} at the Hall upon the
next Lord Mayo{rs} day in comely & decent Apparrell with gilded Chaines
& white Staves.”
6th November, 1717. In consequence of irregularities at the Lord
Mayor’s feast, it was ordered that in future the Stewards should be
prohibited from bringing their wives and friends to the dinner.
1721. The third dinner book opens with an account of the receipts
of the Governors’ “Potation Money” for this year, amounting to £131
11_s._ 2_d._, the contributions being from Barbers one guinea, and from
Surgeons two guineas each. This potation money was spent at the Mitre
Tavern in Fleet Street, on ten Monthly Court dinners, which averaged
the modest sum of £4 4_s._ apiece, and the remainder was disbursed
about the election feast, wine and sundries.
The cost of the Mayor’s feast this year was £67 7_s._, and at this
dinner was drunk a hogshead of port (query), six gallons of mountain,
six gallons of white port, and three gallons of canary.
July 19th, 1722. At the ladies’ feast the following wine was drunk--
30 Gallons Red Port at 7_s._ 10 10 0
11 " Sherry at 7_s._ 3 17 0
7 " Canary at 7_s._ 2 9 0
5 " Rhenish at 7_s._ 1 15 0
and 4_s._ were expended on tobacco and pipes.
1726. The monthly Court dinners were held at the George and Vulture
Tavern, nine of them costing in all £29 13_s._ 9_d._
The Election dinner this year cost £91 8_s._ 0_d._
And the Lord Mayor’s feast £72 1_s._ 10-1/2_d._
June, 1729. The monthly Court dinner was held at “Vaux Hall.”
The accounts throughout the Third Dinner Book (1720-1740) appear to
be much the same every year. First is a list of receipts for Potation
Money, averaging about £100 per annum, then follow the allowances out
of the same towards the Election dinner, the dressing it and use of
pewter, about £19 in all, the payments for the monthly Court dinners
(nine or ten at about £4 4_s._ each), and the expenses of the Election
feasts, about £80 to £90 a piece.
The cost of the Lord Mayor’s feast, the Livery feast, and the Ladies’
feast, was borne by the Stewards.
There were gay doings at some of these dinners, as witness the
following:
1726. Paid the Boy who danced the anticks at the Lady’s feast, 5_s._
1727. By Cash paid the Butchers who played to the Company with their
Marrow bones and cleavers on Lord Mayor’s day, 1_s._
And there were sometimes rather shady doings after the dinners, thus:
10th July, 1729. Mem̃dm. M{r} Truelove & M{r} Fradin carried away
y{e} next morning after y{e} feast four Dozen Quarts of Wine, One
whole Venison pasty, One whole Goose, one whole fowl, & several
lemons & sugar.
1st February, 1732. Mr. John Atkinson and the other Stewards of the
Mayor’s feast, employed a cook of their own, and “did make a most
scandalous Dinner for y{e} Co.,” whereupon order was given that in
future no other than the “Standing Cooke” of the Company should be
employed.
One is astounded at the quantity of wine which appears to have been
imbibed at some of these dinners; take, for example, the following on
Lord Mayor’s Day, 1735, and note that it is especially stated that the
wine was “drank at the said feast”:
Paid for the following quantitys of wine provided for and drank at
the said feast, viz{t.}
To M{r} Standert for 21 Gall Red Port 6 6 0
2 Gall Lisben 0 12 0
2 Gall Mountaine 0 12 0
2 Gall Canary 0 13 0
29 Bottles lost 0 4 10
To M{r} Gaywood for 20 Gall Red Port 6 0 0
2 Gall Mountaine 0 12 0
2 Gall Lisbone 0 12 0
2 Gall Canary 0 13 0
To M{r.} Pierce for 2 Gall Lisben 0 12 0
2 Gall Mountaine 0 12 0
2 Gall Canary 0 13 0
20 Gall Red Port 6 0 0
By the above account these thirsty old Barber-Surgeons seem to have
consumed no less than 79 Gallons of wine at this dinner.
15th July, 1736. 56 gallons of wine were drunk at the Ladies’ feast.
21st July, 1726. It is order{d} That from henceforward at all publick
Feasts or Dinners to be held or made at the Hall the Cook of the
Company for the time being shall before he sends the Dinner into the
Hall deliver to the Clark of the Company at his House his Messe of
meat consisting of six compleat dishes according to the Ancient laws
and usage of the Company in that behalf the same being the ancient
ffee & Perquisite of the Clerk.
21st August, 1729. The above order was vacated in consequence of
disputes as to the contents and number of the dishes supplied to the
Clerk, and it was ordered that the Clerk should receive £5 5_s._
annually in lieu of his “messe of meat,” and also that he should dine
at all the feasts “as he has always been accustomed to do.”
1st February, 1731. For the better regulating of the Ladys Feast It
is ordered That every Member of the Court of Assistants shall besides
his Lady and one daughter have three tickets to be delivered to such
persons as they shall think fitt to be admitted to come and dance at
the Hall at Five of the Clock on that day and that there shall be two
Constables to attend at the Hall gate and see that nobody is admitted
but with such Ticketts and that the Ticketts be made out by the Clerk
of the Company and sealed with the Company’s seal.
The Summons to a Liveryman to take upon himself the office of Steward
was of a very peremptory nature, as will be seen by the following:--
S{r}
By order of the Ma{rs} or Gov{rs} of the Mystery & Comonalty of
Barbers & Surgeons of London, I do hereby give you notice that you
having been chosen & admitted of the Livery or Cloathing of the said
Company, You are appointed by the Masters or Gov{rs} of the s{d}
Comp{d} together with M{r.} Richard Penton M{r.} Joseph Griffin M{r.}
Daniel Pengrove and M{r.} Joseph Mitchell who are also Liverymen of
the said Company to make an Entertainment in the Com̄on Hall of the
said Company situate in Monckwell Street in the Parish of Saint Olave
Silver Street in the City of London for the Gov{rs} and Assistants
of the s{d} Company commonly called the Livery Dinner on Teusday the
3{d} day of June 1735 at two of the Clock in the afternoon pursuant
to a By law of the said Company in that behalf made & provided. And
in case you shall neglect or refuse w{th}out reasonable Excuse to
join together with the said M{r.} Richard Penton M{r.} Joseph Griffin
M{r.} Daniel Pengrove and M{r.} Joseph Mitchell to made such Dinner
on Teusday the 3{d} day of June next, or to contribute and pay your
share and and proporc͠on of the charges thereof you will forfeit and
pay to the said Ma{rs} or Gov{rs} of the s{d} Mystery and Comonalty
to the use of the said Company the sum of £5. And I do hereby give
you further notice That the gentlemen who are to join with you in
making the said dinner will meet you at the George and Vulture Tavern
in Saint Michael’s Alley in Cornhill in the City of London on Friday
next being the 23rd day of this instant May at six of the clock in
the afternoon to give the proper directions for the said dinner, at
which time and place you are desired to attend for that purpose.
I am S{r}
Your most obed{t.} humble Serv{t.}
CHA: BERNARD
Clerk to the s{d} Company.
Herewith you will receive a copy of the Bill of Fare or a Particular
of w{ch} the s{d} Entertainment is to consist.
Barbers and }
Surgeon’s Hall, } 22{d} May 1735
To M{r.} Cha: More.
28th May, 1741. By an order made this day in reference to the Ladies’
feast it was directed--
that the Entertainment shall continue no longer than twelve of the
clock when there shall be no more Dancing but that the Musick be then
dismissed and the Company depart.
28th August, 1741. The Court having taken into consideration the ill
behaviour and abusive language of John Atkinson Distiller in White
Chappell (a Liveryman of this Company) on the last day of Election,
who in a most gross manner (in the Common Hall of this Company) the
Master of the said Company did greatly insult and abuse and did
otherwise very indecently and rudely behave to other Members of the
Company whereby the Peace of the said Company then assembled was
greatly disturbed, and being determined to put a stop to and prevent
the like grievances for the future by punishing all such offendors
herein ORDERED that the said John Atkinson be fined for such his ill
behaviour to the Master the sum of 6{s} 8{d} and 10{s} for bringing
in to Dinner on that day another person with him after having been
acquainted by the Master that the same was contrary to the By laws of
the said Company.
1745. It is noticeable that the Potation Money fell off on the
separation of the Surgeons from the Barbers. During the three or four
preceding years the amount had been steadily running down from an
average of £105 to £57, and there seems to have been no Election or
Livery Dinners this year, though the gallant Barbers did not forget the
Ladies, for they gave them (and themselves) a dinner at a cost of £52
1_s._ 9_d._
The Barbers, too, at this time do not seem to have drunk quite so much
wine as the Barber-Surgeons did, and in the year 1747 is the first
mention of Beer, when 12_s._ was paid for a barrel of small Beer for
the Lord Mayor’s feast, and only 68 bottles of wine were consumed on
this occasion.
Between the years 1750 and 1786 no records are kept of any but the
Mayor’s feasts, though doubtless the Company did not fast during the
intervals.
There is now a striking similarity in these dinner accounts year by
year; usually there were six stewards each of whom provided, about the
years 1775, and later on, no less than 53 bottles of wine each, thus
emulating their predecessors the Barber-Surgeons; there are numerous
references to these bottles as being quarts, so that about 80 gallons
must have been drunk at each dinner. Happily, all this is now changed.
It is noticeable from the earliest times that the Company on every
occasion of a feast, invariably hired their Pewter dishes and plates
at great cost; it seems strange that this continual outlay should have
been incurred, instead of keeping a stock of pewter.
1830 and 1831. Considerable difficulty had arisen for some years past
in procuring Stewards for the Mayor’s feasts, and also in enforcing
the fines for not serving, whereupon a resolution was passed that
Liverymen refusing to pay the Steward’s fine would not be invited to
the dinners, and would be declared ineligible to come on the Court.
The Court seem to have had grave doubts as to the efficacy of their
By-Laws in recovering at law the Steward’s fines, and a case having
been prepared it was submitted to Sir James Scarlett and to Sir Thomas
Denman (the Attorney General). The opinion of the former eminent
Counsel, dated 10th October, 1832, is set out in the minutes, and he
appears to have been very clear that they would not be recoverable,
whereupon the Court ordered a letter (of 16th October) to be addressed
to the Livery, informing them of the difficulty which had arisen by
reason of Liverymen refusing to serve as Stewards in their rotation
(after having partaken of the hospitality of other Stewards in former
years), and that in consequence thereof there would be no dinner that
year. The day after this letter was sent out, Sir Thomas Denman’s
opinion was handed in, and was to the opposite effect of that given by
Sir James Scarlett! Since this period, and now, the Steward’s fine is
paid on the admission of a Liveryman, and thus a source of constant
annoyance is done away with.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
THE IRISH ESTATE.