Chapter VI: Preface (6)

Penalties of varying amounts are specified for breaches of any of the foregoing Ordinances.

The By-Laws are signed “Ellesmere, Canc̃,” “T. Dorset” and “Jo: Popham,” and the three seals of their arms are pendant.

8th September, 1606. This daie it is ordered that the M{rs} shall pay
v{li} to M{r} Michaell the Lord Cheif Justices man for his paynes in
penninge of o{r} ordynaunces.

5th February, 1607. This day it is ordered that a Court howse be
errected upon the Bulwarke behind the Hall of this Company for the
M{rs} or Governors to kepe their Courtꝭ at the charge of this Company
And M{r.} ffenton and M{r.} Jenkins are to joyne with the M{rs} of
this Company in the same buildinge.

This Court Room was built within the circular Bulwark at the west end of the old Livery Hall, from which it was shut off by a screen wall or partition; many years later this screen was removed, and the whole thrown into one large apartment, and used as the Livery Hall.

21st January, 1608. The pˀnt M{rs} are this daye authorized to
furnishe the newe Roome in the Bulwark w{th} cloth of Arras or
tapestry or w{th} waynscot as they shall think fittest at the chardge
of this howse, and the Chimney peece & wyndowes to be waynscotted.

1608. The Colony of Virginia (so named from the Virgin Queen Elizabeth, in whose reign it was discovered) was in an unsatisfactory condition by reason of its scanty population, want of enterprise and other causes; whereupon the Council of Virginia endeavouring the prosperity of the Colony, sent a letter to the Lord Mayor propounding a scheme of emigration and colonisation to be undertaken by the City, which should ease the Metropolis “of a swarme of unnecessarie inmates,” make the fortunes of the emigrants (and of the “undertakers”) and benefit the Colony. This letter is so interesting that no apology is necessary for reproducing it here.

WHEREAS the lords of his Ma{tes} councill, commissioners for the
Subsedie, desirous to ease the cittie and suburbs of a swarme of
unnecessarie inmates as a continuall cause of dearth and famine,
and the verie origenall of all plagues almost that happen in this
kingdome, have advised yo{r} lordshippe and yo{r} brethren, in
an ease of state, to make some voluntarie contribuc͠on for their
remove into the plantation of Virginia, w{ch} we understand you
all seemed to like as an action pleasing to God and happie for
this com̃onwealth; We the councell and companie of this ho{ble}
plantation, willing to yelde unto your lop̃p and them all good
satisfac͠on, have entered into consultac͠on w{th} o{r}selves, what
may be everie mans chg̃es, and what of everie private familie, w{ch}
we send herew{th} at large, not as a thing w{ch} we would exact from
you, but that you may see, as in a true glasse, the true chg̃e,
w{ch} we wholly commend unto yo{r} grave wisdoms, both for the somme
and man{r} of leavie; onlie give us leave thus farre to enforme you
that we give no bills of adventure for a lesse some than 12{li}
10{s.} ps̃uminge it wont be an infinite trouble now, and confusion
in the retribuc͠on, but if your lop̃ make any seasment, or raise any
voluntarie contribuc͠on out of the best disposed and most able of
the companies, we are willing to give o{r} bills of adventure to the
m{r} and wardens, to the general use and behoof of that companie, yf
by wards, to the good of that ward, or otherwise as it shall please
you and your brethren out of y{r} better experience to direct. And
if the inmate called before you and enjoyned to remove shall alledge
that he hath no place to remove unto, but must lie in the streats,
and being offerd this journey shall demand what shalbe their pˀsent
maintenance, what their future hopes, yt may please you to lett them
know that for the pˀsent they shall have meat, drink, and clothing,
w{th} an house, orchard, and garden for the meanest familie, and
a possession of lands to them and their posteritie, one hundreth
acres for everie man’s pˀson that hath a head or a body able to
endure labour, as much for his wife, and as much for his child that
is of yeres to do sˀvice to the colonie, w{th} further pˀticular
reward according to theire pˀticuler meritt and desert; and yf yo{r}
lordshipp and yo{r} brethren shalbe pleased to put in any private
adventure for yo{r} selves in pˀticuler, you shalbe sure to receive
according to your pˀporc͠on of the adventure, equall pˀts w{th} us
adventurers from the beginning, both of the comodities returned or
land to be divided; and because you shall see (being aldermen of so
famous a cittie) we beare you due respect, we are contented, having
but one badge of grace and favor from his Ma{tie}, to participate
w{th} you therein, and to make as many of you as will adventure
50{li.} or more, fellow councellors from the first day w{th} us who
have spent double and treble as much as is required, abidden the
hazard of three sevˀall discoveries, w{th} much care and diligence,
and many days adventure, and as yo{r} deputies, and yo{r} assistants,
in yo{r} private wards, so shall as many of them as will adventure
but 25{li.} present money, be made pˀties of this companie and
assistants of this councell; and thus as an action concerning God
and the advancement of religion, the present ease, future hon{r} and
safety of this kingdome, the strength of o{r} navie, the visible
hope of a great and rich trade, w{th} many secrete blessings not
yet discovered, we commend the cause to the wisdome and zeale of
yo{r} selfe and yo{r} brethren and you, and it, and us, to the holie
pˀtection of the Almightie.

The City took up the scheme heartily, a large sum was subscribed and a great number of emigrants crossed the water. The Barber-Surgeons invested £25, but never received anything for it again.

23rd March, 1609. This daye it is ordered that the pˀnt M{rs} shall
advent{r} xxv{li.} uppon a Bill of Exchange for the plantac͠on of
Virginia, of the stock of this howse.

6th January, 1609. In obedience to a precept from the Lord Mayor, £10 was paid to the Chamberlain, towards the construction of a Garner for the use of the City.

25th May, 1610. A precept came from the Lord Mayor calling upon the Company “to be readie in yo{r} bardge well and richlie sett forthe before vii of the clocke in the morning” on the 31st January, to go to Chelsea to meet the eldest son of James I, on which occasion he was to go from Richmond to Whitehall to be created Prince of Wales; whereupon the following minute is recorded:--

AT this Court a precept beinge sent from my lord Maior unto this
Company w{ch} beinge at this Court read, the effect whereof was that
our Company on Thursdaie next shalbe reddie to attend my Lord Maior
in their barge for the honor of this Citie in the enterteynement of
the high & mightie prince at Chelsey. It was ordered that none of
the Company shold be warned for this service but onely those w{ch}
ware of the Assistaunce of the Clotheinge to goe in the Barge, the
reason thereof is that a barge cold not be gotten large enough to
carry the whole lyvery.

1611. In this year came a precept from the Lord Mayor, by authority of the King, complaining of “the abuse growing by excesse and straunge fashions of apparell, used by manye apprentises, and by the inordynate pryde of mayde servaunts and women servaunts in their excesse of apparell and follye in varietie of newe fashions, and to admonish them to have a due and speciall care to see a spedye reformac͠on had in everye one of their servaunts.” What effect this had upon the apprentices and servants of the Barber-Surgeons we are not told, but doubtless they were properly admonished.

1st July, 1614. A precept was received to the effect that the King had determined to borrow £100,000 of the City, and that the Barber-Surgeons were assessed at £600 towards this loan, which they were to lend, or which they were coolly informed they could compound for, by an absolute fine of £30! As the Court well knew that they would never again see a halfpenny of the £600 if lent, they quickly and wisely determined to pay the £30.

Profiting by past experience, the next extracts show that the Court proceeded warily in the matter of “adventuring” in the State Lottery.

29th April, 1614. Att this Court the M{r} propounding how they had
receaved Letters from the Lordꝭ of the privy Councell and from
the lord Maior thereby exhorting & intreating them to call their
assistauntes together and to admonishe the genˀall body to be
adventurers in the great lottery w{ch} is comyng forth, Whereupon the
same lrẽs being considered on at this Court, it is thought fitt and
ordered that the M{rs} shall att their pleasures call together the
body of the Company, and they being gathered together, to admonish &
pˀswade them to be adventerers in the same Lottery.

17th October, 1614. The Court having collected a sum of money for the Lottery, it was ordered that it should not be paid to the Treasurer, Sir Thos. Smith, until the Company shall be “assured” by a Bill of Adventure under seal “for their adventure unto virgynia, as also that it shalbe published in print certeynelie when the lotterey shalbe drawen.”

The College of Physicians had been for many years very jealous as to the Barber-Surgeons trespassing on their preserves, and as far back as 12th November, 1595, wrote a long letter to their “verie loving freends” the Master and Wardens, cautioning the members of the Company against practising physic, and stating that no few of them were culpable in the matter, but that the College had hitherto forborne to molest or punish them; the letter continues, “but for that we now see by daily experience that upon our lenetie and sufferance this inconvenience more and more increaseth, insomuch that both in credit and otherwise, it seemeth to touch us more neere than well can be indured; We have therefore thought it good to put you in mynd thereof, and therewithal earnestly and freendlie to request you, that among yourselves some such discreet order may be taken heerin, that the like offence hereafter maie not be committed by them or any of theirs. Wherein if we shall perceave you as ready to fulfil our honest request, as we are willing to maintain good amytie and concord with you and your Companie, we wilbe very glad thereof and geve you thanks therefore. If not, then as we are fully minded to defend our privileges and to deal with the particular offendors therein, as order of law and our ordinances in that behalf requireth; so we trust the body of your Societie will not be offended therewith. And so we bid you most hartelie farewell.”

The above letter is taken from Dr. Goodall’s History of the College of Physicians. Dr. Goodall gives several instances of Barber-Surgeons and Apothecaries being fined or imprisoned for practising physic; and, indeed, there seems to have been a strife waging between the College and the Company for a long period.

1617. The Physicians in 15 James I obtained a Charter confirming their Charter of 10 Henry viij, with several additional privileges and clauses in restraint of the privileges of the Barber-Surgeons, who thereupon petitioned the King that that Charter might not be confirmed by Act of Parliament, as the Physicians were desirous that it should be. The King on 4th February, 1620, ordered that the petitioners should be left to seek any lawful remedy either in Parliament or otherwise, as they might be advised, and accordingly on 23rd April, 1624, they presented a petition to the House of Commons, who ordered that the Physicians’ Patent should be brought into the Committee of Grievances, and both parties heard by Counsel, the consequence of which was that the Physicians proceeded no further with their Bill.

1632. Later on the Physicians endeavoured again to obtain a supremacy over the Barber-Surgeons, and on 13th June, 1632, procured an Order in Council which made it incumbent upon Surgeons in certain serious and specified cases of Surgery, to call in a “learned Physitian,” and to enforce this order they procured the Attorney General to exhibit a Bill in the Star Chamber in which the obnoxious clause was inserted, but on a Petition of the Barber-Surgeons complaining of the injury that would thereby accrue not only to themselves, but to the public, the King, by an Order of Court dated 22nd July, 1635, directed the clause to be struck out.

After the Restoration, the Physicians again endeavoured to procure an Act of Parliament confirming their Charter, whereupon the Barber-Surgeons claimed to have a clause inserted in the Act in the nature of a proviso that nothing therein contained should be construed to the prejudice of their privileges, and again the Physicians seem to have been checkmated, for they allowed their proposed Act to fall through.

Kings’ Barbers and Kings’ Surgeons seem to have secured substantial benefits from their official positions, as the following notices (from Domestic State Papers at the Record Office) testify.

25th August, 1625. There is a letter of this date from Sir James Fullerton to Secretary Conway, intimating that it is His Majesty’s pleasure to grant to Michael Andrews (Master 1635 and King’s Surgeon) a pension of £150 per annum for life.

17th December, 1625. And at this date is a grant to Thomas Caldwell (Master 1627 and King’s Barber).

A graunt to Thomas Caldwell esq{r} his Mat{s} servant of ye som̃e of
one thousand poundes To be received as well out of the remainder of
three hundred pounds due to his Ma{tie} by Richard Harbin sometime
Collecto{r} of his Ma{t}ꝭ greenwax before his accesse to the Crowne
and out of the arrerages of grenewax money then due unto his Ma{ty.}
As also out of the other grenewax moneys now accrewing to his Ma{tie}
not being in farme. And is granted to him as of his Ma{ts} bounty
in lieu of 800{li} formerly graunted unto him by his Ma{ty} of
w{ch} he received no benefitt. Subscrˀ by Mr. Attorney Genˀall upon
significac͠on of his Ma{t}ꝭ pleasuere by the Lord Trẽr.

In addition to stray grants like the above, the perquisites and fees attaching to the Office of King’s Barber were very lucrative, and Mr. Caldwell must have done exceedingly well out of the following stroke of business.

January, 1626. Whereas his Ma{tie} hath bene pleased to appoint Mr.
Thomas Caldwell his Ma{ts} servant and Barber to make provisions of
all such necessaries as are to be used at the Ceremony of Bathing the
Kn{ts} of the Bath at this his Ma{ties} Coronac͠on to be holden on
the 2{d} day of February next at Westm{r} as to his place by auntient
custome belongeth I do therefore will and require all such whome it
may concearne to take notice thereof hereby for permitting him to
doe and performe all such services as hath bene accustomed in that
behalfe & for delivering such necessaries in kynd or allowance of
money to the valeu thereof as shalbe by him required for the same
according to the auntient custome heretofore used therein. The number
of the said Kn{ts} for whome such provisions are to be made being 80,
by his Ma{tie} appointed to receave that degree.

ARUNDELL & SURREY.

Examined by W{m} Ryley }
Lancaster Herald }

Mr. Caldwell does not appear to have left his widow well provided for, as we read under date 10th July, 1643:

Upon the distressed Petic͠on of Widdow Thamar Caldwall late Wife of
M{r} Thomas Caldwall deceased there is given to her of the gift of
this House v{li.}

1624 and 1625. In the minutes of this period are constant notices of the “visitation,” and of “the contagious tyme.” The Plague raged with great severity in London in 1625, and it is said that over 40,000 died of it in the year. The Company appear to have been very liberal in their gifts of money to any who had the least claim upon them, the relief being frequently stated to have been given by “reason of the hardnes of the tymes.”

11th April, 1625. This daye the pˀcept for provision of corne sent
unto o{r} Companie by the lord Maio{r} of london was here read in
Courte, And this Courte is fullie resolved that the present M{rs} doe
give unto the Lord Maio{r} and returne him this answeare that the
Companie is provided of their proportion of corne and more they are
not able to provide or receive into their charge.

1628. This year the Company were compelled to “lend” the King £360, which they with great difficulty raised, the greater part being borrowed at interest to enable them to do so. They also paid £30 towards a “present” (?) of £5,000 given by the City to the Palsgrave (Frederick, Prince Elector Palatine, son-in-law of James I).

15th August, 1629. On this day was sealed the Company’s new Charter from Charles I. It is in Latin on five large skins of parchment with the Great Seal of England pendant. There is a portrait of the King with a stiletto beard in the initial letter, and an ornamental heading along the top of the first skin. This Charter ratifies that of James I, directs that public lectures on Surgery shall be given, and confirms and somewhat varies the old regulations for the governance of the practitioners of that science.

22nd October, 1629. The Company evidently began now to kick at the numerous demands made upon its purse by the authorities, for a precept coming from the Lord Mayor demanding £12 10_s._ contribution towards a pageant, it was ordered that it be not paid until the Court was satisfied that it could be legally demanded, and enquiry made as to whether or no other Companies had paid similar contributions.

1632. The fabric of old St. Paul’s being in a lamentable state of decay, the celebrated Archbishop Laud wrote a letter to the Barber-Surgeons asking a contribution towards its repair. Ever ready to assist in good works, the Company cheerfully devoted a very considerable sum towards that object, notwithstanding the comparative poverty to which they had been reduced (in consequence of the grievous impositions made upon them by the authorities in the shape of forced loans and other unconstitutional demands). Moreover, they recorded their benefaction, in a delightfully expressed minute, which will be found at the end of the following letter.

9th April, 1632. The letter written by William Lord Bishopp of London
and directed to this Court concerneing our contribuc͠on towardꝭ the
repaire of St Paulls Church in London being now much ruined was here
in Court reade, the teno{r} whereof is as followeth, vidz{t}

To the right worp{ll} my very worthy ffreindꝭ the Maister Wardeins
and Assistantꝭ of the Companie of Barbar surgions London, theis

S. in xp̃o.[117] After my verie hartie comendac͠ons, you cannot but
take notice of his Ma{t}ꝭ most hon{ble} and pious intention for
the Repaire of the decayes of S{t} Pawles Church here in London,
being the Mother Church of this Citty and Diocess, and the greate
Cathedrall of this Kingdome. A greate dishono{r} it is not onely to
this Citty but to the whole State to see that Auncient and goodly
Pyle of building soe decayed as it is, but it will be a farr greater
if care should not be taken to prevent the fall of it into ruin, And
it would be noe lesse disgrace to Religion happily established in
this Kingdome, if it should have soe litle power over the mindes of
men as not to prevaile with them to keepe those eminent places of
Gods service in due and decent repaire which their fforefathers buylt
in tymes by their owne confession not soe full of the knowledge of
gods truth as this present age is. I am not ignorant how many worthy
workes have bene done of late in and about this Citty towardꝭ the
building and repayring of Churches which makes me hope that every
mans purse will open to this greate and necessary worke (according to
Gods blessinge upon him) soe much tending to the service of God and
the hono{r} of this nation. The generall body of the Cittye have done
verie worthily in their bounty allready as alsoe the lord Maio{r}
Aldermen and Sheriffes severally for their owne pˀsons. Theis are
therefore accordinge to their examples hartily to pray and desire
you the Maister Wardeins and other Assistants of the worthy Company
of Barbar Surgions to contribute out of y{e} publicke Stock, to the
worke aforesaid what you out of y{r} Charitye and devotion shall
thinke fitt, and to pay the Summe resolved on by you into the Chamber
of London at or before our Lady Day next, praying you that I may
receave by any servant of yo{r} Companye a note what the Summe is
which you resolve to give. And for this Charity of yo{rs} whatsoever
it shall prove to be, I shall not onely give you harty thankes, but
be as ready to serve you and every of you, as you are to serve God
and his Church. Soe not doubting of yo{r} love and forwardnes to this
greate worke, I leave you to the grace of God, and shall soe rest

[117] Health in Christ.

Yo{r} very loving ffreind

GUIL: LONDON:

London house, January 30. 1632.

And thereupon this Court deepely considering the contentꝭ of that
letter together with the pˀnte ruines and dilapidac͠ons of the said
Church, and as faithfull and charitable members obliged largely to
contribute to soe pious and religious a worke Doe nowe order that out
of the stock and revenew of this house there shalbe paid into the
Chamber of london towardꝭ the said repaire x{li} pˀntely and x{li}
yearely for nine yeares followeing to make it upp compleate a C{li}
as of the free guift of this house. And if att any tyme hereafter the
worke doe cease that then our payementꝭ to cease likewise.

1633. This year the Company built a granary at the Hall, for the store of Corn.

12th July, 1633. A new set of By-Laws was framed and allowed by the proper authorities. These are extant on twelve great skins of parchment, more wordy and of greater length than those of 4th James I! They are, however, very similar to those, with technical alterations and amendments here and there, and provision is made for Lectures on Surgery, demonstrations of anatomy, and for the better Examination of Surgeons. Clause 19 provides that any freemen of the mystery who shall use any arts, trades or sciences other than Surgery “shall be accepted, reputed, adjudged and taken for Barbars.” Empirics and impostors were to be rigorously dealt with, and the Court was to have supervision over _all_ Navy Surgeons, their chests, medicines and instruments. No Barbers or Surgeons were to be impressed for the Navy without license of the Court, and numerous regulations were made for the government of the Company.

The document is signed by Richard Earl of Portland, Lord Treasurer; Sir Thomas Richardson and Sir Robert Heath, the Lords Chief Justices; the seals of the first two are still pendant, but that of Sir Robert Heath is missing.

1636. Spurred into further action for the advancement of the science of Surgery, which their extended powers under the new By-Laws had conferred upon them, the Company determined upon building a Theatre for the delivery of Lectures, and for anatomical purposes, etc. This they set about in 1636, employing the great Inigo Jones as their Architect, who about this period also designed and carried out the present beautiful Court Room or Parlour, one of the best proportioned and prettiest rooms in London.

11th February, 1636. Upon the moc͠on of o{r} M{r} to this Court
concerneing the want of a publique Theater for Anatomycall exercises
and Sceletons and a lesser roome for private discections, This Court
doth order that if the M{rs} or Governo{rs} upon their petic͠on to
the Lord Maio{r} and Aldrẽn they have the bullwarke & long stripp of
ground lieing betwixt the gould smiths tenement & clothw: tenemtꝭ
& london wall at the one end & the Companies hall & pˀlor & london
wall at the other end, by purchase in fee farme or a long lease from
the Cittie, that then a Theater to the largenes of the upper ground
betwixt the goldsmithes tenem̃t & the clothworkers tenem{t} on the
one side & london wall on the other side shalbe be ovally built for
the Wor̃p[118] and comiditie of this Companie at the Charge of this
house.

[118] Worship.

The piece of ground on which it was proposed to erect the Theatre was then on lease to the Company from the City. The Lease was dated 29th March, 7 Charles I (1631), and made between the Mayor, &c., of London, of the one part and the Masters, &c., of the Barber-Surgeons, of the other part. In consideration of £20 paid by the Company the City leased to them lwark and the houses Roomes and buildings therein or thereupon made or erected, And all that ground or garden plott with thappurtenñces scituat lyinge and beinge in the parish of St Olave in Silver Street in the Citie of London next unto the Wall of the same Citie there of the one side, and the landes of the saide Maisters or Governors and others on the other side late in the tenure or occupac͠on of the right honoro{ble} Henry late Lord Wyndsor deceased or of his assignes and now in the tenure or occupac͠on of the said Maisters,” etc., from the feast of the Annunciation, 1631, for forty-one years at a rent of £3. The lease contained the usual covenants of a repairing lease, as also one “that neither they the saide Masters or Governors their successors nor assigns shall or will att any time or times during the said Terme suffer any Inmate or Inmates to dwell in any part of the premises afore demised.”

5th May, 1636. There is an Indenture of Lease of this date made between the Mayor, &c., of London, and the Masters, &c., of the Barber-Surgeons, which after reciting the last mentioned lease proceeds: “And whereas the said Maisters or Governors of the Misterie and Comonaltie of Barbars and Surgians of London for the better enhableing of them in the Arte of Surgerie Doe intend to erect and build a decent Roome or Theatre on part of the premisses for the keeping therein A learned and constant Lecture in the Theorie and practiqʒ partꝭ of Surgerie As also to pˀforme their publique operac͠ons of Anatomies and other exercises thereunto belonging, Which will be verie chargeable to them Wherein the said Maior and Cominaltie and Citizens are desirous and willinge to aide and further the saide Maisters or Governors in the setting forward of soe necessarie and comendable a worke tendinge to the generall good of the whole kingdome,” wherefore the Mayor, &c., leased the said premises to the Company for a further term of 200 years upon the expiry of the lease then running, at the same rent of £3 per annum, the Lessees covenanting to build the Theatre within seven years.

16th May, 1636. Upon o{r} M{rs} report to this Court that the Lord
Maio{r} & Aldrẽn have freely graunted to this house a new lease of CC
yeares comenceing from the expirac͠on of o{r} lease now in being It
is ordered with the generall consent of the whole Court here present
that the Theater shalbe proceeded in and built according to the
plotts drawne by his Ma{t}ꝭ Surveigher.

3rd August, 1636. It is ordered by this Court that the Companies
Armes with Helmett Crest supporters and mantlings shalbe sett up in
Portland Stone under the Cantilaver does of the Theater being over
the Windowe next the Granarye.

Alsoe the mottoe viz{t.} SPECIOSUM HOC THEATRUM ANATOMICUM ERECTÑ
FUIT MICHAELE ANDREWS CHIRURGO REGIO AC COMUNIONI BARBITONSOꝜ ET
CHIRURGOꝜ Pˀ TEMPORE PRÆFECTO, GUARDIANIS VERO JOANNE WARDE NICOLAS
HEATH ET WILHELMO HUCKLE ANNO AB EXHIBITO IN CARNE MESSIÆ SUPRA
MILLESIMUM SEXCENTESIMUM TRIGESIMO SEXTO shalbe engraven in the voyde
stone worke over the greate doore into the Theater.

A plan of the Theatre is preserved in a collection of the works of Inigo Jones, at Worcester College, Oxford, and a short description of it is found in Hatton’s New View of London, 1708. The curiosities in the Barber-Surgeons’ museum of those days will excite a smile when compared with the collection now at Lincoln’s Inn Fields. Hatton says that the Theatre was built in “an elliptical form, and commodiously fitted up with four degrees of seats of cedar wood, and adorned with the figures of the seven liberal sciences, and the twelve signs of the zodiac. Also containing the skeleton of an ostrich, put up by Dr. Hobbs, 1682, with a busto of King Charles I. Two humane skins on the wood frames, of a man and a woman, in imitation of Adam and Eve, put up in 1645; a mummy skull, given by Mr. Loveday, 1655. The sceleton of Atherton with copper joints (he was executed) given by Mr. Knowles in 1693. The figure of a man flead, where all the muscles appear in due place and proportion, done after the life. The sceletons of Cambery Bess and Country Tom (as they then call them), 1638; and three other sceletons of humane bodies.”

Hogarth has, in ghastly style depicted the dissection of a criminal in this Theatre, in which the skeletons above referred to are seen in niches in the wall.

The plan of the Company’s Estate, has been kindly supplied for this work by Mr. Charles John Shoppee, as surveyed by him in 1869, previous to the demolition of the old Livery Hall, Kitchen, etc. The Theatre had been pulled down in 1784, and houses erected on its site; the Theatre is, however, shewn upon this plan, as being more interesting than the houses which supplanted it. In 1636 the Company commenced the erection of the Livery Hall and present Court Room, the work being carried out from the designs and under the superintendence of the celebrated Inigo Jones, the Livery Hall was, however, burnt in 1666, and that shown upon the plan is the one which was erected after the Great Fire.

5th September, 1636. The Plague was again abroad in London, and the Court, for fear of infection by meeting together, resolved as follows:

In regard of the now greate visitac͠on of the plague This Court
doth deferre the Courts for the daye of Rules the Vew daye & other
publique Courts till it shall please God to cease the Sicknes.

23rd September, 1636. The Lord Mayor having requested the Company to nominate “twoe Surgians to take care of those that were infected with the plague in this Cittie & liberties,” the Court thought that two was a wholly insufficient number and nominated six Surgeons to be presented to the Court of Aldermen.

2nd October, 1636. £5 was ordered to be paid in to the Chamber of London towards the relief of the poor, stricken with the Plague.

30th March, 1637. The Company were assessed to pay £10 “ship money,” whereupon an order was made that they should forbear to pay it, and a Committee appointed to wait on the Court of Aldermen to petition against the assessment. The application was, however, unsuccessful, as by an Order of Court, 29th March, 1638, the money was directed to be paid.

8th November, 1638. The Court of Aldermen having assessed the Company to furnish 80 quarters of corn in lieu of 60 as heretofore provided, it was resolved to petition against it. This would be a very important matter to the Company as the assessments for all public purposes were made upon the City Companies _pro rata_ with their corn quarterages, and if the 80 quarters were allowed to stand, it would raise all the future assessments 33 per cent. The result however, of the protest does not appear in the minutes.

28th October, 1640. On receipt of a precept from the Lord Mayor, it was ordered that three barrels of Gunpowder should be bought and stored.

1640. The Company unwillingly agreed to lend the King £400, and were put to great inconvenience in raising the money, which was required by Charles for his campaign in Scotland.

After several skirmishes with the Scots, the English Army was at length disbanded, and the King went himself to Scotland to negotiate the difference which had arisen by his attempted interference in Church matters in that Kingdom; he returned to London in November, 1641, and the following minute refers to the preparations made by our Company to meet him.

22nd November, 1641. Upon reading the Lord Maiors precepts for the
Companyes enterteyning the King upon his returne from Scotland It is
ordered that the Ma{r} and Wardens, Mr. Serjeant Clowes, Mr. Richard
Wateson, Mr. Woodall, Mr. Powell, Mr. Burgin, Mr. Heath, Mr. Henry
Wateson, Mr. Bignall, Mr. Dye, Mr. Arris, Henry Boone, and Thomas
Turner, shalbe attendant on Twesday next well mounted on Horseback in
plush or Velvett with Chaines of Gold, and that John Perkins shall
beare the Pendon with our Coate of Armes on Horseback and that these
18 ffree men shalbe Decently cladd in the Companyes Colours of White
and Greene, each of them with a greene flatt Cap with a white Ribbon
about it, a greene Cassock and Drawers of the same Stuffe Whiffler
like laced with a white Lace a white ribaning and a greene Ribbin
athwart theire Brests, and each of them a Truncheon in theire hands
in the forenoone, and in the aftˀnoone each of them 2 Torches, and
these 18 to attend perticulerly one of them to each of the Horsemen,
viz{t.}

(Then follows a list of the freemen chosen.)

The “Riding out” on this occasion must have been a magnificent sight, if all of the Companies spent proportionately to the outlay of ours, which was no less than £39 17_s._ 10_d._ upon decorations, etc., for those taking part in the procession. Strype informs us that--

The Lord Mayor on horesback wearing a gown of crimson velvet & a
collar of SS, and attended by his suite, rode in the front of the
procession to meet the King. Then followed the Aldermen in scarlet
gowns and the City council and chief officers in black gowns. Upon
reaching Moorfields, there waited in a readiness to attend his
Lordship and the service, about five hundred horsemen selected out
of the Liveries of the several Companies, being Masters, Wardens,
and prime men of each Company in velvet or plush coats and suits,
with chains of gold, being well horsed and gallantly furnished, every
Company having a horseman in the front carrying a pendant with that
Company’s arms to which he did belong (for distinction sake), and a
footman to attend each horseman of the Livery with truncheons and
torches as before, both horsemen with the pendants and footmen being
suited cap-a-pee with the Company’s colours on which they waited.
There were also fourteen Trumpeters, with trumpets, banners and
scarfs, who were placed two between every hundred of the horse, and
four at the head of the troop. The procession moved on to Kingsland,
where the Lord Mayor and Aldermen and the Companies awaited the Kings
approach, while the Sheriffs attended by seventy-two men in Scarlet
Cloaks trimmed with silver lace (the colours of the City) with
javelins and feathers and four trumpeters, rode as far as Stamford
Hill, and there met their Majesties and escorted them to Kingsland.

His Majesty was accompanied by the Queen, the Prince, the Duke of
York, the Princess Mary and the Prince Elector Palatine, and after
receiving an address, the Royal party joined the civic procession
to London, entering it at Moorgate, and proceeded through London
Wall, Bishopsgate Street, Cornhill and Cheapside, to the banquet
at Guildhall, amidst the City Companies in their formalities and
stands on each side of the streets, the City conduits running with a
diversity of wines.

1643. The relations between the King and the City having become estranged in the fearful distractions of these times, Charles endeavoured to conciliate the citizens with a message, which was publicly read at Guildhall on the 13th January, and later on he sent a circular letter to the Masters of the several Companies requiring them to call their freemen and apprentices together, to read to them a copy of a letter which he had sent to the City on the 17th January. The Court of the Barber-Surgeons met on Tuesday, 24th inst., and cautiously record that they would have summoned their freemen for the next day, but that it was a fast day and that in the interim an order had come from the Committee of Safety that the letter, etc., should not be read.

24th January, 1643. The Kings Letter sent to the M{rs} & Wardens of
this Company was read in Court and the printed Letter in it and the
Cittyes Petic͠on and his Ma{ties} gracious answer unto it. And but
that the morrow was fast day being the last Wednesday in this Moneth
the ffreemen and apprentices of this Company could not be summoned
to appeare then, it should have bin read. Soe that in the Interim
an Order of Comand from the Lords and Comõns was directed to this
Company to countermaund the said Letters in these words,

Die Martis 24{to} Januarii, 164-2/3. At the Comittee of Lords and
Comõns for the safety of the Kingdome.

Whereas there are divers Letters pretended to be sent by his Ma{tie}
to the M{rs} and Wardens of the severall Halls in the city of London
with Two litle Bookes therein closed the one intituled The humble
Petic͠on of the Maior, Aldermen and Comõns of the City of London
to his Ma{tie.} And the other intituled his Ma{ties} Letter and
declarac͠on to the Sheriffes and City of London Dated the 17{th}
of January, which evidently tendeth to sedition and setting of the
whole State in a Combustion. These are therefore strictly to charge
& comand the M{rs} and Wardens of every Hall in the City to whome
the said Letters and Bookes inclosed shalbe directed to forbeare to
publish or open any of them till both the Houses of Parliament shall
give further order therein. And the M{rs} and Wardens of every Hall
are required to bring the said Letters with the Messengers thereof to
this Comittee which they will take to be an Argument of theire good
Affection to the Parliament

Pembroke Montgomery Bolingbroke Ed: Manchester
W. Say & Seale Ed: Howard Jo: Evelin Jo: Pym
Antho: Nicoll.

17th January, 1644. It is ordered that in respect of the greate
troubles and distractions of these times there shalbe noe publique
Anatomy this yeare dissected.

1644. The Company seem to have become greatly impoverished by the venture in Ireland, the rebuilding of their premises, and the forced loans to the King and the Parliament. In a certificate given by the Master and Wardens (5th September, 1644) to be produced in a suit in which they were defendants, they state that their debts are £3,000, and that they can get no return of any of the money lent for public purposes, or even the interest of it.

If the Stuarts acted in an unconstitutional manner in their oppressive demands upon the Companies, the Roundheads were as bad, with just this difference, that, with all their pretensions to purity, piety and high-mindedness, they did not hesitate to practise actual dishonesty in their _modus operandi_ of squeezing the Companies, as the following painful incident from our books testifies:--The Company had borrowed from Mr. Richard Wateson, one of the Assistants, £1,200 upon sealed bonds, for the express purpose of meeting the demands which had been made upon them by the King and Parliament from time to time. Mr. Wateson having been declared a “Papist and Delinquent,” his property was seized, and the Bonds of the Barber-Surgeons, found in his strong chest, were taken to the Committee for Gloucester and Hereford, sitting at Grocers’ Hall. These worthies, in conjunction with the Committee for Sequestrations, came down upon the Company and demanded payment of the £1,200 for which they had given their bonds to their brother, Mr. Wateson. The Court deeming this a monstrous piece of injustice, hesitated to comply, whereupon the Committees threatened to seize the Company’s entire estate; and then the Court resolved to petition Parliament, but the House not sitting for some time the petition could not be prosecuted, and the Committee being urgent, the Company most reluctantly agreed to pay down £400 and to have the bonds cancelled. Although these shameful terms were definitely agreed upon, the Committees a few days later broke faith, demanding £400 cash and the Company’s bond for another £100, to which the Company, like the lamb with the wolf at its throat, _nolens volens_, consented. The iniquity of this business was made apparent to the Committees, who were well aware that the Company had incurred the debt to Mr. Wateson in order to meet the previous rapacity of themselves, and yet they hesitated not to compel the Company to submit to a further fine of £500 for having complied with their demands in the past, besides manifesting the dishonesty proposed by them in offering to cancel the debt due by the Company to Mr. Wateson.

29th April, 1645. By the power and authority to this Court given by
severall Orders of a late Court of Assistants, this Court for and
towards the raiseing of the 400{li} agreed to be paid in part of
the composic͠on for Mr. Watson’s debt unto the the Comittee for the
releife of Gloucester, &c., did pawne all the Companyes plate both
guilt and white, weighing 1,120 oz. 1/3 or thereabouts, unto Mary
Crosse of London Widdow for the Sum̃ of 280{li} by a Writeing of
Bargaine and Sale this day sealed with this Companyes Com̃on Seale
bearing date the 16{th} day of this Instant Aprill with a provisoe of
Redempc͠on. And borrowed of Mr. George Dunn 100{li} more at Interest
at vj{li} 10{s} pˀ annum pˀ centum for w{ch} he tooke the secureity
of our Com̃on Seale.

A few years later on (14th September, 1648), Mr. Edward Arris presented to the Court a letter from Mr. Wateson, wherein was intimated that he expected the Company to repay him the money borrowed, the bonds for which had been seized by Cromwell’s party, and for which the Company had already compounded, whereupon we read “This Court doth declare theire acknowledgement of a great respect and esteeme they have and beare towards him and shalbe ready to doe him all the right they can without prejudicing the Company”; and again on 30th April, 1650, “Mr. Richard Wateson an ancient M{r} of this Company Doth this day desire to know the mind of this Court concerning the 1,200{li} by him lent to this Company and sequestred in this Company’s hands and compounded ffor 500{li} in full of principall and Interest, The matter being of great Consequence, this Court doth take time to consider of it and to give him an answer therein.”

What answer Mr. Wateson got, I do not know; he was held in great esteem by the Company, and doubtless some honourable compromise was arranged.

In their negotiations with the Committees, the Company seem to have been able to impress the Chairman favourably on certain occasions, though there is grave reason to apprehend that this official of the party of purity was open to a bribe, as the following minutes would seem to indicate.

27th October, 1645. The Company having been threatened with sequestration of their entire estate unless an assessment made upon them was paid on Friday following, a Committee of the Court was ordered to wait on Mr. Scawin, the Chairman of the Committee for the Army, to beg his favourable consideration of the Company’s poor estate; the result is seen in the next entry.

14th September, 1648. This Court takeing notice of the greate Love
and ffavour of Mr. Scawin Chaireman to the Comittee ffor the Army
expressed oftentimes upon severall occasions towards our Company
Doth thinke fitt in gratitude and accordingly doth order That the
present Governours doe present to him a guift of the value of vj{li}
13{s} 4{d} The quality and price of the guift is left to theire
discretions.

1646. To relieve them of their great debts, the Company about this period raised considerable sums by granting annuities; the following are examples in point:--

24th March, 1646. This day M{r} Nicholas Heath payd the sum of
200{li} to the use of this Company and is the purchase money for an
Annuity of 26{li} pˀ añn. for 10 yeares to himselfe and Grace his
Wife Whereupon the Deed of Grant of the said Annuity was sealed with
the Com̃on Seale and delivered to theire use.

Alsoe this day M{ris} Elizabeth ffreeman payd the sum of 200{li} the
Purchase money for the like Annuity of 26{li} pˀ añn. for 10 yeares
and the Deed for that purpose was sealed and delivered to her.

On the 30th January, 1649, the King’s troubles were ended by his murder, and very shortly afterwards we find this significant minute.

19th March, 1649. This Court doth order That the Oath conteyned in
the Rules and Ordinances of this Company be administred unto every
ffreeman upon his admission as before, The ffirst Words which doe
concerne allegiance to the King and his Successors only to be left
out.

The banners of the Company bearing the late King’s arms were destroyed, and any heraldic insignia at the Hall which contained the Royal Arms were ordered to be defaced. We may readily believe that this was most unwillingly done by the Court, who however, had no option in the matter.

1648-9. Fairfax had filled the City with troops, “billetting orders” being made upon the several Companies for the reception of the soldiers at their Halls. Herbert (Vol. I, p. 181) states that the Merchant Taylors were fortunate enough to procure an order of exemption which cost them £20 10_s._, and further that he believed their case to be unique, but it seems that the Carpenters by means of “Gratuities ‘to sevˀall men of qualitie,’” amounting to £13 2_s._ 6_d._, managed to get free of this imposition, whilst the Barber-Surgeons procured their immunity at a much cheaper rate, for we read in the Wardens’ accounts of the period,

Paid fforr the charges expended in procureing a Protecc͠on from the
Lord General from quartering Souldiers in the hall 13{s} 3{d.}

These notices are clear indications that Cromwell and the “men of qualitie” about him, were accustomed to take bribes.

3rd February, 1654. The City entertained Cromwell at Grocers’ Hall, and our Company had to go out in procession to receive him, our “standing” being in St. Paul’s Churchyard.

1660. The Barber-Surgeons contributed £96 towards a present of £10,000 given by the City to Charles II at the Restoration. No money exacted under precept was more willingly paid than this, and indeed the Companies generally seemed to have cheerfully contributed, delighted to have escaped the gloom of the Commonwealth, and with a prospect of brighter times in store. On the 5th July, the King was nobly entertained at Guildhall, our Company taking part in the rejoicings (see Wardens’ Accounts of this date).

1666. Our Minute Books for this period having been lost or stolen, we unfortunately have no records of the Great Fire beyond those preserved in the “Wardens’ Accounts” (which see), and although these are somewhat meagre, they are highly interesting, especially those which relate to the fortunate preservation of the great Holbein picture. It has been stated (but without any other authority than that of gossiping Samuel Pepys, who had a special interest in disparaging the picture) that it was damaged in the fire, though no notice of such a mishap is known to me, and the Accounts (which are _complete_) are significantly silent as to anything having been spent on its restoration or cleansing, which, had it been injured, would have been necessary; it seems to have been taken away from the Hall by Major Brookes to a place of safety, and subsequently brought home again by six porters.

The Theatre, which was a detached building, as also the present Court Room, both the works of Inigo Jones, were saved, though the Hall was burned, entailing a great expense upon the Company in rebuilding (see Wardens’ Accounts).

The houses 33, 34 and 35, Monkwell Street (see plan, p. 135) were rebuilt 1671, when the gateway to the Hall Court Yard was formed and the grotesque coat-of-arms put up over the Lintol.

When the alterations were made under the superintendence of Charles J. Shoppee in 1869, the old lintol, corbels, tympanum, and door-head were very carefully taken down and refixed over the present entrance to the Hall in the Court Yard. This door-head is always an object of interest to visitors to Barbers’ Hall; long may it continue to be so!

25th August, 1681. A short set of By-Laws was this day enacted. It is on a single skin of parchment, and imposes penalties upon such persons, as, being elected, should refuse to serve as Masters or Stewards of Anatomy. It is signed by Heneage, Earl of Nottingham, Lord Chancellor, and Sir Francis Pemberton and Sir Francis North, the two Lords Chief Justices, all of whose seals are pendant to the document.

1684. This was indeed a troublous year for the Corporation and for the guilds of London. Charles having interfered with the privileges of the City by thrusting in his nominees for Sheriffs, had met with considerable opposition from the citizens, and being assured that this resistance would be continued and maintained by the City, he determined to strike a blow at the root of its franchise, by getting into his hands the Charter of the City, as also the Charters of the several Companies. It was not difficult to procure a venal tribunal which would be prepared to pronounce an iniquitous judgment upon any fictitious statement submitted to it by the King. Sir Rob{t.} Sawyer, the Attorney-General, thereupon undertook, on behalf of the Crown, to prove that the City Charters were forfeited, and contrived the celebrated _quo warranto_, upon which judgment was (as a matter of course) obtained against the City, on the 12th June, 1684.

The Companies seem to have unanimously anticipated this decision, and by so doing and by “surrendering” their Charters and liberties before the delivery of the judgment, hoped to ensure the favour of the King.

The original of the “surrender” of the Barber-Surgeons is very neatly engrossed on extra thick parchment, but the seal was of course removed when it was returned to the Company. The text is as follows:--

To all to whom these p{r}sents shall come. GOVERNO{RS} of y{e}
MYSTERY and COĨALTIE of BARB{RS} & SURGEONS of LONDON send GREETING.
KNOW yee y{t} wee considering how much it imports the Governm{t}
of our company to have men of known Loyalty & approved integrity
to bear offices of Magistracy & places of Trust. The s{d} Ma{rs}
or Govern{rs} have granted surrendred and yielded up, and by these
p{r}sents do grant surrend{r} and yield up unto his most gracious
Majesty CHARLES ye second by the Grace of God King of England,
&c., his Heires and Successo{rs.} All and singular y{e} Powers
Franchises liberties priviledges and authorities whatsoever and
howsoever granted to or to bee used or exercised by y{e} said Masters
or Governo{rs} by vertue of any right Title or Interest vested in
them by any Charters Letters Patents Custome or Prescripc͠on in
force of or concerning the electing nominating constituting being
or appointing of any person or persons into or for y{e} severall
and respective offices of Mast{r} Wardens Assistants and Clerk of
y{e} said Company. And y{e} said Masters or Governo{rs} do hereby
humbly beseech his Ma{tie} to accept of this their surrend{r} and
do with all submission to his Majesties good pleasure implore his
grace and favo{r} to regrant to y{e} said Masters or Governo{rs} the
nameing and Chusing of y{e} said Officers and the said libertie and
ffranchises or so many of them and in such mann{r} as his Majesty in
his great wisdome shall judge most conducing for y{e} governm{t} of
y{e} said Company, And with and under such reservacc͠ons restricc͠ons
and qualificac͠ons as his Majestie shall bee pleased to appoint. IN
WITNES whereof the said MAST{RS} or GOVERNO{RS} have hereunto affixed
their Com̃on seal the sixteenth day of Aprill in y{e} Thirty sixth
year of y{e} reign of o{r} or sovˀaign LORD CHARLES y{e} second, &c.,
and in y{e} year of o{r} Lord Christ 1684.

Similar forms of surrender were adopted by other Companies. I am unable to say whether or no the King interfered with the franchises of the Barber-Surgeons, but think not, as no record of such meddling is to be found in our books, though, doubtless, the Court took care, remembering the rod in pickle, to govern in accordance with the wishes of the King.