The Annals of the Barber-Surgeons of London

Part 12

Chapter 123,302 wordsPublic domain

The Royal College of Surgeons possess some Cartoons, from which, it has been said, this picture was painted; this is, however, very doubtful. Some particulars as to these Cartoons may be seen in Mr. D’Arcy Power’s book, p. 96.

In 1734 the Company agreed with Mr. Bernard Baron for him to engrave the picture for 150 guineas, and several details relating thereto are recorded in the Minutes. It was published in 1736, and is a faithful reproduction, much sought after by collectors. Baron has however copied the picture, exactly as he saw it on to the copperplate, so that when the impressions were struck off, everything was reversed. His original study, a red crayon, beautifully executed, is preserved in the Court Room, and the copperplate is still used, each Assistant on his election being presented with a copy of the engraving. The Company also possess a rather rough proof before letters.

The print is dedicated to the Earl of Burlington, with a Latin inscription, of which the following is a translation.

“To the Most Noble Lord Richard Boyle, Earl of Burlington and Cork, &c., Knight of the Most Illustrious Order of the Garter. For the restoration, with the greatest liberality, at his own costs, of the Anatomical Theatre built a hundred years before, with the greatest skill, by the very celebrated Architect Inigo Jones, and decayed by lapse of time. This painting of Holbein representing the granting of a Charter given with his own hand by Henry VIII, King of England, &c., to the Society of Surgeons in London and preserved in their Hall, is by the Society of Surgeons of London humbly dedicated.”

This inscription, written at a time when the relations between the Barbers and the Surgeons of the Company were becoming strained, was evidently drawn by a Surgeon, who coolly ignored the Barbers throughout.

A very good pen and ink drawing of the picture was made by Austin Travers Young (aged 16) in 1883, and presented by him to the Company, for which he received the thanks of the Court.

1537. In “Chapter House Book” B. 1. (at the Record Office) is a list of the freemen of the several Companies of London at this date, which gives the names of 2,468 freemen in 39 Companies (an average of about 63 to each). The Barbers outstripped in numbers all the others, having a roll of 185 members; next to them came the Skinners with 151, then the Haberdashers with 120, so on down to the Bowyers, who mustered but 19. The premier Company, the Mercers, numbered but 55, whilst the ancient Weavers had only 30 members.

The following is the list of our freemen, the first twenty-six being members of the Court, and Nicholas Symson, Master that year.

[84] Vycary. [85] Tholmwood. [86] Sprignall. [87] Bowle. [88] Cazier? [89] Daiseman. [90] Butphillian. [91] Tholmwood. [92] Ingolsby.

The forty-two names following the Court and ending at John Awcetter were Liverymen, the remaining hundred and seventeen being Yeomanry.

1543. A few years previously the King had set the example of wearing his hair and beard short, and now the City seems to have discountenanced long beards, as I find the following in _Letter Book Q. 87_. (10th July, 35 Henry viij.)

AN ACTE AGAYNST} BEARDED MEN. }

ITEM for dyvˀse & sundrye consyderac͠ons & causes movyng this Cor̃te it is this daye orderyd & decreid & establyshed by the same that from henseforward there shall no Cytezen or other iñhit{a}unte[93] of this Cytie usyng or havyng a greate berde of more notable pˀlyxitie[94] or length then other the seid Cytezens of this Cytie do nowe use or have hertofore of late yeres usyd to were, either be iñhited pˀmytted or suffred to Receyve or take eny orphanage into his handes and custodye albeit that he wolde fynde nevˀ soe good suertyes for the same nor yet be admytted from henseforward to this Co{r}te for eny Recognito{ns} or suertye for eny suche orphange And yt is also assentyd & agreid that no pˀson havynge eny such berde shalbe admytted by redempc͠on into the lybt̃ies & fredome of this Cytie as longe as he shall were eny such berde.

[93] Inhabitant. [94] Prolixity.

1544 and 1545. In _Repertory XI_ (at Guildhall) ff. 73{B.,} 176, 187{B.,} 229{B.,} 232 and 234 are various records relating to the vexed question of the Barber-Surgeons going on inquests, bearing armour and serving as constables, from all which offices they claimed exemption under their Charters and Act of Parliament.

By the earlier entry, it seems that the Wardens were warned to appear before the Court of Aldermen to shew cause why they refused to pass upon inquests, etc.; then came a petition from the Company praying to be discharged of all offices save the Inquest of Wardmote once a year; this does not appear to have satisfied the Authorities, and the Company were directed to draw up further Articles to be submitted to the Court of Aldermen. Great pressure was no doubt put upon the Barber-Surgeons, the result being that they abandoned most of the privileges of exemption which they had claimed, and submitted a Bill of Articles, which was finally approved, and entered of record on fo. 234. A copy of this lengthy document is at the Hall, and from it it appears that on the 22nd October, 1545, the Company appeared before the Court of Aldermen as “humble Besechers” to be shorn of their privileges, the ground of their petition being “That forasmoche as some grudge and displeasure is lately sith the unyon and conjunction of their said ffelowshippes in to one entyre Company growen conteyned and taken against them and their said ffelowship, by dyverse of theire neighbours being citezeins of this citie, as they be, by reason that they your said suppliauntꝭ” are discharged by their Charters and Act of Parliament from bearing offices, etc., “that other the Cittzeins of this citie are ellygible and lyable unto, ffor the whiche grudge and displeasure your besechers are not a little sorye. ffor the playne declarac͠on thereof and for the eschewyng advoyding and utter extinguysshement of the said grudge and displeasure from hensforwarde,” they are content that it shall be ordained that they shall go upon all Wardmote Inquests, but not upon any inquests between party and party (_i.e._, sit as jurymen in civil actions); that all freemen of the Company not practising Surgery shall be contributory to all assessments, serve as Constables and keep watches in their turn as other citizens, but that all Surgeons shall be free from bearing armour, etc.

Notwithstanding this compromise, entered in the City books, it seems in course of time to have been overlooked, and, as has been previously remarked, the exemption of _all_ freemen of the Company from juries, etc., has been claimed and allowed down to quite recent days.

1550. The first of our Court Minute Books which has been preserved, commences in the 4{th} Edward VI, and bears this title,

~Orders and Awardes~ made ordered and awarded within the tyme of Maister George Geen Thomas Johnson Thomas Stocdall and Mathew Johnson Maister and Wardeins of the Company and fellowship of BARBORS SURGEONS of London for one hole yere begynnyng the xxvj{th} day of Auguste in the fowerthe yere of the reigne of our Sovereigne Lorde Kynge Edward the Syxte with thassent and consent of the Assistaunces of the same Companye as hereafter ensuethe.

From this and the succeeding Minute Books, the following extracts are principally taken as illustrative of the Company’s History from this period:

1556. At the end of the first book is a very long memorandum written and signed by Thomas Knot, Master, to the effect that on the 26th March, 1556, he made humble suit to the Lord Mayor, Sir Will{m.} Garrett and the Aldermen, in the name of the Company, for the exemption of the Company from finding or setting forth any soldiers or men of war at any time thereafter, when it might be that the Citizens of London should be required to do so, either by sea or land, “fforasmoche as the same Company are alwayes at every such tyme and tymes very sore burdened and chardged otherwise hereafter expressed, that is to saye, They are comaunded and bounden to prepare and fynde so manye Surgeons and so many other men attendinge upon them at every tyme and tymes that it shall fortune the King” to send out soldiers by sea or land, and “the same Company doe alwayes prepare fynde and send furthe for every one houndreth of suche Souldyers one Surgeon and a man attending upon him.” Upon which representations the Lord Mayor and Aldermen were pleased to grant to the Company, that on future occasions when the like requisitions might “fortune to be layed or appointed to or upon theym, that then they in every suche case upon their gentle suyte and request made unto the Lorde Mayor and courte of Aldermen for the tyme beinge for and concernynge their sayd dischardge for and in consyderac͠on of the causes above remembered, shalbe as gentelye and charytably holpen eased and releaved in that behalf as the wayte and ymportaunce of the burden that the Cytie at every suche tyme shalbe chardged w{th} all will reasonablye permytt and suffer.”

The memorandum then proceeds to state that the Lord Mayor and Aldermen advised the Master to cause a remembrance of the above (being only a promise by word of mouth) to be entered and recorded in the Book of Ordinances of the Company, which was done.

1555. In Henry Machyn’s Diary for this year, is the following reference to a Romish procession, winding up with a dinner at Barbers’ Hall.

The xxvij day of May was the Clarkes prossessyon from Yerdhall[95] college, and ther was a goodly masse to be hard, and evere clarke havyng a cope and garland, with C.[96] stremers borne, and the whettes[97] a playng round Chepe, and so to Ledynhall unto Sant Albro[98] chyrche, and ther thay putt off ther gayre, and ther was the blessyd sacrament borne with torche-lyght abowt, and from thens unto the Barbur-hall to dener.

[95] Guildhall. [96] A hundred. [97] Waits. [98] St. Ethelburga.

Charter from Philip and Mary, which is still in our possession, and has a most beautifully executed title, the initial letter representing the King and Queen seated on the throne, and the border containing various heraldic badges; the seal unfortunately is damaged.

PHILIPPUS ET MARIA, Dei gracia Rex et Regina Anglie hispaniarum ffrancie utriusque Sicilie Jerusalem & hiᵬine fidei defensores Archiduces Austrie Duces Burgundie Mediolani & brabantie Countes haspurgi fflandrˀ & Tirolis.

~Omnibus~ ad quos presentes lr̃e pervñint salt̃m.

INSPEXIMUS quasdam lrãs patentes domini H. quondam Regis Anglie septum[99] fc̃as in hec verba, HENRICUS dei grã, &c. . . . . . . . . Teste me ip̃o apud Westmonastiũm duodecimo die marcii Anno regni nr̃i tcĩo. Yong. pro viginti soliᵭ solut̃ in hanap̃io. NOS AUTEM lrãs pˀdcãs ac omnia & singula in eisdem contenta rata heñtes & grata ac ea pro noᵬ heredibʒ & Successoribʒ nr̃m prefate Regine quantum in noᵬ est acceptamus & approbamus ac ea dilc̃is noᵬ Thome Vicary nunc magistro mistere barbitonsoꝜ Thome Whytyngame Jacobo Wood & Johĩ Warren Gubernatoribus ejusdem mistere & Successoribʒ suis ratificamus & confirmamˀ p’ut lrẽ p’dc̃e in se r̃onabiliter testantur. IN CUJUS rei testimonĩu has lr̃as nrãs fieri fecimus patentes. TESTIBUS nobis ip̃is apud Westmonasterium octavo die Junii Annis regnorum quarto & quinto.

[99] A clerical error, for Henry VIII.

LUTLEY.

Taxat̃ finis ad x{l.}

Nico eboꝜ Canc.[100]

[100] Assessed at a fine of £10. Nicholas (Archbishop of) York, Chancellor.

It is noticeable in this Charter that the confirmation is to the Governors of the “Barbers,” and not “Barber-Surgeons,” although the latter was then the legal style of the Company, but probably this was another clerical error.

1560. This year (6th January) the Company obtained an Inspeximus Charter from Elizabeth, still preserved at the Hall; it has a title in much the same style as the preceding charter, but the seal is very much damaged.

ELIZABETH, Dei gracia Anglie FFrancie, et hibernie Regina fidei defensor, &c. ~Omnibus~ ad quos presentes littere pervenerint salutem.

INSPEXIMUS litteras patentes Dn̄i P. et Dn̄e M. Sororis nr̃e precharissime nuper Regis et Regine Anglie de confirmac͠oe factas in hec verba PHILIPPUS et MARIA dei gracia, &c. . . . . . . . . TESTIBUS nobis ip̃is apud Westmonasterĩu octavo die Junii Annis regnoꝜ nr̃oꝜ quarto et quinto. NOS AUTEM lrãs predcãs ac omĩa et singula in eisdem contenta rata habentes et grata ea pro nobis heredibus et successoribus nr̃is quantum in nobis est acceptamus et approbamus ac ea Diɫcis nobis Georgio Geñ nunc magistro mistere BarbitonsoꝜ Willm̄ Grene Thome Bayly et Joh̃i Smarthawyte Gubernatoribus ejusdem mistere et Successoribus suis ratificamus et confirmamus prout lrẽ predcẽ in se racionabiliter testantur. IN CUJUS REI TESTIMONIUM has lrãs nrãs fieri fecimus patentes. TESTE me ip̃a apud Westmonasteriũ sexto die Januarii Anno regni nr̃ secundo.

COTTON.

Taxat̃ finis ad x{l.} vj{s.} viij{d.}

In Machyn’s quaint Diary, we find the following entries:--

1561. The xxiiij day of Feybruary whent to hang xviij men and ij women, and serten ware browthe[101] to be bered in serten parryches in London; the barbur surgens had on[102] of them to be a notheme[103] at ther halle.

[101] Brought. [102] One. [103] Anatomy.

1562. The xx day of June was a gret shutyng[104] of the Compene of the Barbur Surgeantes for a gret soper at ther owne hall for a xxx mess of mett,[105] for they dyd make ij godley[106] stremars agaynst that day of their harmes,[107] the whyche they wher agmented by the most valeant kyng at armes master . . . . . . and they had vj drumes plahyng and a flutt; and ij gret ansutts,[108] and as a shot was wone, downe whent that and up the thodar,[109] and as they whan the shut; and master Gall[110] and ys syd[111] wan the soper--the master of the Compene.

[104] Shooting, probably at Moorfields, with bows and arrows. [105] Meat. [106] Goodly. [107] Arms. [108] Ancients (flags). [109] The other. [110] Thomas Galle. [111] His side.

The x day of August was Barbur surgyons fest, and they capt ther communion at Sant Alphes[112] at Crepull-gat, and master Recherdson dyd pryche,[113] the skott; ther was good syngyng; and after to ther halle to dener, and after dener a play.

[112] St. Alphage. [113] Preach.

1567. Elizabeth inaugurated the first State Lottery in England, as a means of providing money, and a very peremptory mandate was directed by the Lord Mayor to the various City Companies, commanding them to adventure therein.

1st February, 1568. The Barber-Surgeons put in 40{s.} for the “use, profet and benefyt of the hall,” but did not draw a prize, and indeed none of the Companies reaped any advantage by the speculation, the Lottery being simply a trap into which they were ordered to walk.

The proposal for this Lottery was as follows:--

A verie rich Lotterie Generall without any Blancks contayning a great No. of good prices, as well of redy money, as of Plate & certaine sorts of marchaundizes having been valued & prised by the commaundement of the Queenes most excellent Majestie by men expert & skilfull and the same Lotterie is erected by hir majesties order, to the entent that such Commoditie as may chaunce to arise thereof, after the charges borne, may be converted towards the reparation of the Havens and strength of the Realme, & towardes such other publique good workes. The No. of lots shall be foure hundreth thousand, and no more: and every lot shall be the summe of tenne shillings sterling onely, and no more.

Stow says that this Lottery was commenced to be drawn on the 11th January, 1569, at the West Door of St. Paul’s, and continued drawing day and night until the 6th May following.

It was a common practice of the Companies to put in their money under mottoes, and some curious ones are recorded, many being composed with a quaint sarcasm on the probability of prizes being obtained.

Herbert (Hist. of the Twelve Livery Companies) gives some interesting particulars of the State Lotteries, and quotes a motto used by the Merchant Taylors which pretty clearly indicates their opinion of the business;

One byrde in the hande is worth two in the wood, If we get the great lot, it will do us good.

Some of the prizes were ridiculously small, _e.g._, 1_s._ 2_d._, 2_s._ 1_d._, etc., and great dissatisfaction was expressed at the principal prizes remaining unpaid to the winners.

1573. The Company received a precept from the Lord Mayor for a “loan” of money to make provision of wheat for the City, and the same was by the Court ordered to be complied with. This “corn custom” is very fully treated of by Herbert, and was virtually a tax upon the companies, who were each rated and compelled to find a certain proportion of corn to be stored by the City, and sold at such times as when, there being a scarcity, the markets would otherwise rise, were it not for the immense stock kept by the City. This custom survived for many years under certain modifications; as we shall see hereafter, our Company built a granary in 1633, and stored their own corn.

The precept above referred to was as follows--