But we will go a little further. The Company did not buy without legal aid, for the books show “lernyd counsaile at the purchas makyng” received not only 26s. 8d. for their advice and labours, but there was paid “at taverns dyvers tymes” for refreshments to the same gentlemen the large sum of 3s. 6d.
Having purchased a house and garden, and regularly gone into housekeeping, the Ironmongers began their furnishing in humble style. Among the first articles purchased were the following:—
| x | stoles | iijs. | iiijd. | |
| i | fire forke | } | xjs. | vijd. |
| i | pʳ tongs | } | ||
| i | pʳ andyrons | } | ||
| i | rake | } | ||
| vij | candlestickes | iijs. | iiijd. | |
| i | table and | } | iiijs. | vjd. |
| ij | tressels | } | ||
| i | caudron in a furneys in the kechen | vijd. | ||
| i | pʳ bed bords in the chamber | xxd. | ||
| i | water tankard | xxijd. | ||
| i | cheste in the boterye, bounded wᵗʰ yron | ijs. |
And the same accounts tell us that “the alderman and the bedill at ye possessyon takyng” received 2s. 6d. “For brede and ale at our possession takyn” 22d. was spent, while “barge hyre at twoo tymes” cost 14s., but there is no evidence what for, or where to the barges were so employed.
It must not be said that the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers commenced incorporated existence extravagantly. And we shall be able to show in our next chapter that, as they began so they continued, careful in the management of their charity trusts, and frugal in all matters pertaining to their government.
A Sixteenth-century Cocoa-nut Cup or Hanap.