Part 47

This Court doth order That there be a new Anathomy Table And that all the Assistants whose Effigies are not in the present Table may be sett up in the new Table at theire owne charge, and that Doctor Goddards ffigure be there sett as Reader and Doctor Prudions Effigies may be painted there if he desireth it And this Court doth order that M{r} Watson a Brother of this Company shall make the said Table and paint thereon the ffigure of an Anathomy with the severall ffigures of the said Reader Doctor Prudion and our Clarke at the charge of this House And that the ffigures of the present M{rs} of Anatomy be there sett as Dissectors at theire owne charge.

9th August, 1647. This Court takeing into considerac͠oon the greate benefitt and proffitt That have accrewed to this House by M{r} Edward Arris a loveing Brother of this Company This Court doth order That his picture be sett up in the Blanck Table in the Hall next the Anathomy Table at the charge of this Howse.

19th August, 1647. Upon the earnest request of Mr. Edward Arris to this Court That his Picture be nott sett up in the Hall according to the Order of the last Court of Assistants This Court to satisfy Mr. Arris modest request therein doth order that that order be annulled and not put in execuc͠on.

Notwithstanding this order Mr. Arris’ portrait was painted, and is still at the Hall.

27th February, 1650. M{r} Arris and Doctor Scarboroughs pictures to be sett in the void Table in the Hall at the charge of this House.

In 1720 the Court were possibly thinking of purchasing another Holbein, as the following note occurs in the minutes,

3rd March, 1720. Memorand{m} M{r} Lenthall at Burford in Oxfordshire has a Picture of S{r} Thomas More and his familey drawn by Hans Holben being a dispute between his Protestant Daughter and his Catholick Daughter in the pˀsence of the father and the rest of the familey.

21st April, 1720. It is referred to the Governors to treat with M{r} Vertue the Ingraver about Ingraving King Henry the Eighths Picture and to report his proposall to a Court of Assistants.

27th August, 1734. The question of engraving the Picture was again referred to a Committee.

17th September, 1734. The Committee reported, the result being that Mr. Bernard Baron entered into an agreement to engrave a plate; the details of the arrangements with him are all set out in the minutes, but are not sufficiently interesting to warrant transcribing.

Baron’s engraving is well known and sought after by collectors, but it has a peculiarity, being a complete reverse of the original picture. Each Assistant is presented with a copy on his election on to the Court.

We formerly had a portrait of Dr. Tyson, Anatomy Reader, but this was sold to one of his descendants in 1745 for ten guineas.

10th November, 1777. Mr. William Slade, an Assistant, presented a mezzotint engraving of the portrait of John Paterson, Esq., formerly Clerk of the Company; the original was painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds. This engraving is now hung in the committee room.

GUILDHALL, 31 October, 1832. GENTLEMEN,

Having become possessed a few years since of a perfect copy of Hollar’s engraved view of London A.D. 1647, representing the most striking appearance of the metropolis as it existed previously to the conflagration in 1666, and thinking it might be acceptable to the Lovers of the Antiquities of this ancient and renowned City that so authentic a Memorial of its then state should be preserved and transmitted to future ages by Multiplication of Copies.

I have had it carefully and correctly Lithographed, and request that your Worshipful Court will be pleased to accept the impression herewith transmitted to be placed in the Archives of the Company of Barbers.

I have the honor to be, GENTLEMEN, Your most obed{t.} Servant, W. L. NEWMAN, _City Solicitor_.

To the Master Wardens and } Assistants of the Worshipful } Company of Barbers, London. }

This picture is now hung up in the corridor.

The following is but little more than a List of the Pictures now at Barbers’ Hall, a full account of which has been already written by Mr. C. J. Shoppee.

ALDERMAN ARRIS’ PICTURE. This picture was painted by Mr. Greenbury who was employed as Portrait Painter to the Company at this period.

DR. CHARLES SCARBOROUGH AND ALDERMAN ARRIS’ PICTURE. This picture was also painted by Mr. Greenbury as by the following extract from the Wardens’ Accounts for 1651 appears--

Paid to Greenburye for Painting the Picture of _li._ _s._ _d._ M{r} Edward Arris and Doctor Charles Scarborough & Anathomye 9 10 0

LINNEUS’ PICTURE. This picture of Linneus was purchased 2nd July, 1844, for £3 3_s._, the particulars of the purchase and of the picture are set out in the Court Minutes of this date. Mr. Shoppee has surmised that this is a portrait of John Bancks, but though his portrait was _ordered_ to be painted, I do not find that it ever was, and it is not once mentioned in any of the numerous early inventories of pictures. The Minutes of 1844 are, however, so precise as to leave no further doubt on this point, viz., that it is a portrait of Linneus.

THE HOLBEIN PICTURE.

KING CHARLES II PICTURE, artist unknown. Purchased by the Company 1720-1721.

INIGO JONES’ PICTURE, by Sir A. Vandyke.

THOMAS LISLE’S PICTURE, artist unknown.

SIR JOHN FREDERICK’S PICTURE, artist unknown. Purchased by the Company, 1665-1666.

SERJEANT-SURGEON CHARLES BERNARD’S PICTURE. This picture was painted by Mr. Murray in 1711, the Company paying him £12 10_s._ for it.

THE DUCHESS OF RICHMOND’S PICTURE, by Sir Peter Lely.

HENRY JOHNSON’S PICTURE, artist unknown. Mr. Johnson was Master 1677; he has been erroneously described as “Serjeant Surgeon” and “Serjeant Knight,” but never held the first office, and there is no such dignity as “Serjeant Knight.” The fact is that Mr. Johnson dying in his year of Master, was succeeded by John Knight, Serjeant Surgeon (commonly called “Serjeant Knight”) and Mr. Knight’s name being so written under Mr. Johnson’s in an old list of Masters, has been taken as the title of an office!

EPHRAIM SKINNER’S PICTURE, artist unknown.

BERNARD BARON’S red crayon study of Holbein’s picture.

“TWO SPANISH PICTURES.” These were so called in the old Inventories. There was also in the Inventory of 1720 “A picture of the Prince Elector Palatine,” but this subsequently disappeared, though the “Spanish pictures” remained in the Inventories for many years. Mr. Shoppee suggests that they are the portraits of Frederick Casimir and his wife Elizabeth. At the top of one of them is a shield of arms, being the coat of Byrkes or Brykes.

QUEEN ANNE’S PICTURE, artist unknown.

All the foregoing Pictures are hung in the Court Room. In the Committee Room are various pictures, engravings and portraits of recent Masters.

In the Vestibule to the Court Room is an ancient list of Masters and Wardens on Vellum, enclosed with oak folding doors. It is not, however, very accurate. It was at the Hall in 1720, and probably for many years previously. The list was rewritten over the old lettering in 1865. (_See head piece, p. 1._)

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES OF EMINENT MEMBERS.

HENRY NEVILL, FOURTH LORD OF BURGAVENNY.

This Lord was the son of Sir George Nevill, third Lord of Burgavenny, by Mary, daughter of Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham.

He succeeded his father in 1535, and was admitted to the freedom of the Barber-Surgeons on the 26th August, 1584. In 1586 he was one of the Commissioners appointed to try Mary Queen of Scots.

For striking the Earl of Oxford in the Chamber of Presence, he was put under arrest, but managed shortly after to obtain a pardon and his freedom.

He married Frances, daughter of Thomas Earl of Rutland, by whom he left at his decease, 10th February, 1557, an only daughter Elizabeth (the wife of Sir Thomas Fane), who was subsequently created Baroness le Despencer.

LORD WINDSOR.

25th June, 1631. This daie o{r} M{r} signifieing to the Court the affectionatenes of the right hono{ble} the Lord Thomas Windsor Knight of the noble order of the bath and Barron Windsor of Bradenham, w{ch} this Court Loveingly and gratefullie embraceing doe graunt his Lo{ps} request and thereupon the said Lord was here in Court admitted and sworne free brother of this Corporac͠on. Alsoe the said Thomas Lord Windsor was by o{r} M{r} received into the Clothing or livery of this Companie and had a livery hood layed upon his lo{ps} shoulder.

Lord Windsor at one time resided in Monkwell Street, close to the Hall; he was chosen a Knight of the Bath 1610, at the creation of Henry, Prince of Wales. He was subsequently Rear-Admiral of the Fleet sent by James I to bring Prince Charles out of Spain, and on that occasion entertained on board ship the Grandees of the Court of Spain with princely magnificence. His Lordship married Lady Katherine Somerset daughter of Edward, fourth Earl of Worcester, K.G., but dying without issue on the 6th June, 1642, he was succeeded by his nephew Thomas Windsor-Hickman, the son of his elder sister Elizabeth.

THE DUKE OF MONMOUTH, K.G.

James Scott, the natural son of Charles II, was born 9th April, 1649, and created Duke of Monmouth in 1663. The same year, on the 7th May, he was admitted to the freedom of the Barber-Surgeons, in company with Alexander Lord Leven, Richard Hopton, and Thomas Rosse, Esquires.

The history of this unfortunate man is well known, and culminated in his being beheaded on the 15th July, 1685.

ALEXANDER, SECOND EARL OF LEVEN.

This nobleman was the grandson of the celebrated General Sir Alexander Leslie, First Earl of Leven, whom he succeeded in 1662. On the 7th May, 1663, he was admitted to the freedom of the Barber-Surgeons, in company with the Duke of Monmouth.

He married Margaret, daughter of Sir William Howard, and sister of the Earl of Carlisle, but died without issue male, in 1663. His kinsman George, fourth Lord Melville, was a staunch adherent of the Duke of Monmouth, and involved in the rebellion, but was lucky enough to escape into Holland; he was, however, attainted and his estates forfeited in 1685, but coming back to England with William III his estates and dignity were restored to him.

SIR JOHN AYLEF.

SIR JOHN AYLEF was an eminent Surgeon and probably born about 1490. Diligent search has been made for his parentage, but without success. In his will he refers to seven “poor” people “being of my kynn dwelling in Grenewiche,” and from the fact that he had a grant of arms instead of inheriting a paternal coat, as also the silence of his immediate descendants when registering the pedigrees at the Heralds’ Visitations (who must have known but did not care to register Sir John’s father), it may be assumed that he was of humble origin.

He was admitted to the freedom of the Barbers prior to 1522 and served the office of Warden 1530, 1532 and 1535, being chosen Master 1538. At this time he was Surgeon to Henry VIII and had cured him of a fistula, for which the king granted him the manor of Gryttenham in Wiltshire, part of the lands of the Abbey of Malmesbury. Henry also bequeathed by his will 100 marks to Aylef.

Mr. Aylef, being elected on 1st August, 1548, served the office of Sheriff 1548-9, and in Wriothesley’s Chronicle under date 1549 we read--

The third daie of March being Shrove Sondaie M{r} Henry Amcottes Lord Maior of London was presented to the Kinges Maiestie at his pallace at Westminster. And after the oration made by M{r} Recorder to his Maiestie and aunswere again by my Lord Chauncelor unto the maior and aldermen, the Kinges Maiestie made my Lord Maior, Knight, and M{r} William Locke, Alderman, and M{r} John Ayliffe, barbar surgeon, sheriffes of London for this yeare, were made knightes also in the Chambre of Presens, the Kinges Maiestie standing under his cloath of estate.

Two days afterwards Sir John had a grant of arms from Sir Thomas Hawley, Clarencieux, and shortly after was elected Alderman of Dowgate Ward. He seems to have relinquished his profession of a Surgeon and to have become a Merchant, holding the important office of Master of Blackwell Hall, one of the greatest commercial centres of the period, and residing at the Hall, in the parish of St. Michael Bassishaw.

On the 28th May, 1550, he was chosen the first Alderman of the newly-created ward of Bridge Without, some interesting particulars of which may be seen in Stow’s Survey (ed. 1633, p. 446); while in Wriothesley’s Chronicle, under date 1550, we also read--

Memorandum. Wednesday in the Whitson weeke, at a Court of the Aldermen kept in the Guyldhall, Sir John Aliffe, Knight, and master of Blackwell Hall, was sworne an alderman of the Bridg ward without, and to have the jurisdiction of the Borough of Southwark, and 2 deputies to be appointed there to assist him, which was the first alderman that ever was there, which was done by the advise of my Lord Mayor and thˀ Aldermen, for the better order to be kept there, and for the more quietnes of the Mayors hereafter to come, and the good order of the Kinges subjectes there, accordinge to the lawes of the City; and the Fryday after he rode with my Lord Mayor all the precint of Southwarke, my Lord Mayor havinge a certeine nomber of the honest persons of the borough at the bridg-house, to whom he shewed theyr alderman, and appointed deputies under him, and so hereafter to see a good order to be kept in the Borough, as in other wardes of the citye of London.

Sir John subsequently removed to his old ward of Dowgate (and continued Alderman there till his death, his successor being chosen 12th November, 1556). After his election as Alderman he was translated to the Grocers’ Company, of which ancient guild he was crowned Upper Warden, 9th June, 1556, in view of his election as Lord Mayor for which he stood next in nomination, and to which office, had he lived but a few weeks longer, he would in all probability have been chosen. He was married to Isabel Buckell of Warwickshire, and by her had four children, John, Erkynwald, Mary and Alice. His son John and great grandson George, were both knighted. His widow, Dame Isabel, had a grant of arms by Thomas Hawley (3 & 4 Ph. & M.) ar. a fesse vaire or and az. betw. three doves ppr. bearing in their beaks a branch gu. Sir John Aylef’s funeral is thus recorded in Machyn’s Diary, 1556--

The xx of October was bered ser John Olyff knyght and altherman, and sum-tym he was surgantt[314] unto kyng Henry the viij{th}, and after he was shreyff of London; and he had levyd tylle the next yere he had byn mayre, for he tornyd from the Surgens unto the Grosers; and bered at sant Myghelles in Bassynghall, with a harold of armes bayryng ys cott armur, and with a standard and a pennon of armes, and iiij baners of emages, and ij grett whytt branchys, and iiij grett tapurs and ... dosen of torchys; and mony powre men had gownes; and with a elmett, targat, and sword; and the crest a crowne and a holyfftre[315] standyng with-in the crowne.

[314] Serjeant Surgeon. [315] Olive tree.

For the inscription on Sir John Aylef’s tomb, which formerly stood in St. Michael’s Bassishaw, _see_ page 89.

Sir John Aylef’s will, dated 26th September, 1556, was proved 24th December, 1556. He was, he says,

At this present somewhat sicke in bodye;--ffirst and principally I give and com̃end my soule unto Almightie god and to my Savio{r} and Redemer Jesus Christ his onely begotten sonne by and throughe the merittꝭ of whose bytter passion I truste to have Remission of my synnes and to the holie goste three parsons and one god and to all the holye & blessed companye of heaven, and my bodye to be buried in holie grave in suche decent order as to the goode discretion of my Executors hereafter named shalbe thought mete and convenient for myne Estate and degree withoute pompe or glorie.

To the parson of St. Michael Bassishaw for tithes and oblations forgotten 20_s._ To every priest singing in that church 10_s._ To the clerk of the same church 5_s._ To the sexton 3_s._ 4_d._ To the repair and maintenance of that church £5. To the parson of Pricklewell, Essex, for tithes and oblations forgotten, 20_s._ To the reparation of that church £4. To the chapel of Bridewell in London £5, and one vestment for a priest to say mass there when the chapel should be made ready. His goods and chattels in London he directs to be divided into three parts, whereof one-third to his wife, one-third to his daughters Marie and Alice and the other third to his executors to the performance of the will. Having already given his sons John and Erkynwald £300 apiece, he gives £100 more to each. To Elizabeth Harvard £10. To Robert Buckle (his wife’s brother) £10, and to each of his children 40_s._ To William Symson, his servant, £10. To John More, his servant, £10. To John Etonfelde £5. To Gyles Strowden, his clerk, £3. To Christopher Vaughan, his clerk, £2. To Thornton, his clerk, £2. To Bromefelde, his clerk, £2. To Millecent, “my Wyfes kinswoman servant in my howse,” £20. To “Joane her sister my maide,” £20. To every one of his servants in London and the country 20_s._ To Thomas Eson, if he remain in Lady Aylef’s service, £5. To George Vaughan,[316]--

[316] Master of the Barber-Surgeons 1569. He died 26th December, 1569.

My boke of Guydo and all my Instrumentꝭ Boxes and other that dothe in any wise belonge to Surgerie. To Mr. Vykarie £5. Item I bequethe to the company of Grocers for a repaste tenne poundꝭ. Item to their clerke xx{s.} Item to their bedell xx{s.} Item I give to the companye of barbors for a repaste at my buryall fyve poundꝭ and to the beddell of the same company of barbors tenne shillings Item I give to the governors of the hospitalls belonginge to the citie of London to make them a dynner at my buryall fyve poundes and to every of the beddles of the said hospitallꝭ one blacke Coote and iij{s} iiij{d} in money.

To the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge £10 each, “to be distributed to the comfort of the poore Scolers w{th}in the said univˀsites.” To poor householders in St. Michael Bassishaw “where I dwell” £4, and to those of St. Alban, Wood Street, £2. “Item to the pore householders in the parishe where the barbors hall dothe stande,” xx{s}. To poor householders in St. Michael, Queenhithe £2. To the poor prisoners in Newgate 40_s._, in the two Counters 40_s._, in Ludgate 40_s._, in the Marshalsea 20_s._, in the King’s Bench 20_s._, and in the Gatehouse at Westminster 10_s._ “Item to every of the sixe Lazar howses abowte London x{s}.” To the poor in Bethlem 20_s._ To the poor in the hospitals of the City £100 (over and above £100 he had already given). To five poor men and two poor women being “of my kynn dwelling in Grenewiche in Kent to eiche of them xl{s} and a gowne of suche Clothe to eiche of theym as shalbe given to the poore at my buryall And my mynde and will ys that yf any other of the poore of my kynn shall w{th}in one yeare and a daye next after my decease come to myne Executours approvinge them selfes sufficiently to be of my kynne & blinde That then every of them shall have xx{s}.” To his wife Isabel, the lease of his farm at Pricklewell with all the stock there “except my Ryding geldingꝭ,” also the lease of his woods there, on certain conditions. To his son Erkynwald the lease of his farm of Fambridge, in Essex, with remainder to Erkynwald’s son William, and after him to Martha (William’s sister), and in the event of all of them dying without issue to Christ’s Hospital, Bridewell, and St. Thomas’ Hospital. Testator recites that Henry VIII granted to him and his wife Isabel and their heirs the manor of “Greteman” (Gryttenham), Wilts, and that he was seised in fee of the parsonage of Wakeringe (near Rochford, Essex), and of a marsh called Alforde Nash, in the parish of Estwood (near Rochford). All of this property he bequeaths, after the death of Lady Isabel to his son John, with remainder to Erkynwald, then to Marie and Alice, and in the event of all them dying without issue to the three hospitals aforesaid. To the poor of the parish of Bassingham (eight miles S. W. of Lincoln) £20 for coals. (Query: Was Sir John born here?) To three score maids marriages in London £20. To Elizabeth Glasier 40_s._ Residue to the Lady Isabel. _Executors_, John Southcott (Under Sheriff of London), Richard Grafton, Grocer, and Lady Isabel Aylef. To Southcott and Grafton £20 each. _Overseers_, Sir Rowland Hill,[317] Laurence Withers, and John Machell,[318] Aldermen, and to each of them a black gown and £10, also a black gown to each of their wives.

[317] Lord Mayor, 1540. [318] Sheriff, 1554.

Sir John Aylef’s name has been spelt in many ways, Aylif, Ailiff, Alif, Olyff, Ailyffe, etc.; in his will it is spelt Aliff. But this family must not be confounded with that of John Oliphe, Alderman and Sheriff 1569, buried at St. Laurence Pountney, 4th July, 1577; although Wilson, in his History of that parish, at p. 232, mistakes John the son of that Alderman for John the son of our Alderman.

For some notices of the Aylefs _see_ Aubrey’s collections for Wilts, and Marshall’s Visitation of Wilts.

The pedigree is compiled principally from Harl. MSS. 897, 1165 and 1443.

THOMAS VICARY,[319] SERJEANT-SURGEON.

Thomas Vicary was probably born between 1490 and 1500, and is stated in Manningham’s Diary to have been “at first a meane practiser in Maidstone untill the King advanced him for curing his sore legge.” In 1525 he was third Warden of the Barbers’ Company, and in 1528 Upper Warden and one of the Surgeons of Henry VIII with £20 a year. In 1530 he was Master of the Company and appointed Serjeant-Surgeon, which latter office he held until his death. In 1539 Henry granted him a beneficial lease for 21 years of the Rectory and tithes of the dissolved Abbey of Boxley in Kent. In 1541 Vicary was chosen Master of the Barber-Surgeons, to which office he was again elected in 1546, 1548, and 1557 having thus held the chief place in the Company no less than five times--an honour to which no other member has ever attained. In the Holbein picture Vicary is represented as receiving the Charter from the King. In 1542 he and his son William were appointed by the King Bailiffs of the Manor of Boxley, and five years later he married his second wife, Alice Bucke. In 1548 Vicary was appointed a Governor of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, and soon afterwards became the Resident Surgical Governor there; in June, 1552, he was made “one of the assistants of this house (St. Bartholomew’s) for the terme of his lyffe.” In 1548 he published his celebrated book “The Anatomie of the bodie of man,” no copy of the first edition of which is now known to be extant. On the 27th January, 1561, Vicary made his will, which was proved in London 7th April, 1562. The will, which is set out in full in Dr. Furnivall’s book, is too long to give here _in extenso_, but the following extracts will be found of interest.

[319] This notice of Vicary is partially condensed from the exhaustive account of him, written by Dr. F. J. Furnivall, and published in the Early English Text Society. Extra series LIII.