The Benchers are generally in number about twenty, though there is no fixed number. They may be called to the Bench at eighteen or twenty years standing. The Bench have power to call whom they think proper of such standing to the Bench; which if they answer not, they pay a Fine of Fifty Pounds.
The Benchers eat at their own expence in this Society, having nothing allowed but their Commons; which few, I believe none, of the Benchers of the other Houses do.
The Readings, which generally were upon some Statute, continued about eight days, when there were Treats and Balls at the Reader's expence; and there is an Order of the House, of no very old date, by which the Reader was restrained from having above Eight Servants, which shews, in some measure, the luxury and expence attending them. They have now been discontinued upwards of seventy years (the last Reader being Sir William Whitlocke, 1684); but there is a Reader still appointed every year, and some small Treat, at the expence of the Society, of Venison, &c.; and the Arms of the Reader are put up in a Pannel in the Hall.
Mr. Bohun, the Writer of several excellent Books in different branches of the Law, having, when he was Reader at New Inn, put up a question tending to Blasphemy, (I think it was, whether the Person of our Saviour was God,) was excommoned by the Society; that is, he was denied the privilege of coming into the Hall, and at the same time obliged to pay for full Commons. They judged expulsion too mild a punishment.
The Old Hall stood on the South side of Pump Court, which, upon building a new one, was converted into Sets of Chambers; and which, by Order of Queen Elizabeth, were not to exceed eight in number. This was soon after pulled down, and Chambers built in its stead.
Library.—Left by Will to the Society, by Astley, a Bencher of it. It contains about Nine Thousand Volumes. Besides this, he left a Set of Chambers, value three hundred pounds, for the maintenance of a Librarian, who at first was a Barrister; but, not being thought worth their acceptance, it is now in the Butler.
Present Hall.—Built by Plowden, who was seven years in perfecting it. He was three years Treasurer successively; and after he quitted the Treasurership, he still continued the direction of the Building.
The Temple Organ was made by Smith. The Societies, being resolved to have a good Organ, employed one Smith and one Harris to make each of them an Organ, value five hundred pounds; and promised that they would give seven hundred pounds for that which proved the best. This was accordingly done, and Smith's was preferred and purchased. The other, made by Harris, was sold to Christ-Church in Dublin; but, being afterwards exchanged for another made by Byfield for four hundred pounds difference, it was sold by Byfield to the Church at Woolwich[378].
Inns of Chancery, like the Halls at Oxford.