1312. The earliest admission of a Surgeon (not a Barber Surgeon) to the freedom is that of “Magister Johẽs de Suthwerk cirurgicus,” who was sworn on Friday before the feast of St. Barnabas, 5th Edward II, and who paid nothing for his freedom, being admitted at the instance of Hugh de Waltham, Town Clerk.
Among the Archives at Guildhall are various entries relating to early Barbers, which, although not touching upon the history of our Company, may properly be preserved in these pages, and I shall therefore give translations of a few of them.
1315. On Monday next after the feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the 8th Edward II, by common assent of the Mayor and Aldermen in the Hustings of pleas of Land, there was granted and demised to William de Dounesheued, Barber to Sir John de Sandale, Chancellor of our Lord the King, a certain house belonging to the Bridge of London, to have and to hold to the said William for his whole life, he paying yearly on the usual days two and a half marks to the keepers for the time being of the said Bridge, which said house is situate between a house belonging to the said Bridge in which John Mew now dwells towards the West, and a house belonging to Thomas le Maderman towards the East, in the Parish of Saint Dionis Backchurch London. And the said William, the said house and its appurtenances in all needful manner shall sustain, and against wind and rain cause the same to be defended during the whole term of his life.
And there was a proviso that if the rent should remain unpaid for a whole year that the Bridge Keepers should re-enter. (Letter-Book E. 28B.)
1319. On Thursday after the feast of St. Valentine, 13th Edward II, there was enrolled an obligation by which Roger the Barber (servant to John de Dallinge, Sheriff of London) and Margaret his wife, were bound to pay £100 to Sir John de Laugecombe, Rector of the Church of Laumaz Heys (sic) before the feast of Easter. (Letter-Book E. 85.)
1320. On Wednesday next after the feast of Saints Fabian and Sebastian, 13th Edward II, Lawrence the Barber, one of the men sworn to keep the Poultry Market on Cornhill, laid an information against John Bakon that he the said John was a forestaller of the Market. (Letter-Book E. 96B.)
1320. In the same year among the names of the Citizens assessed to contribute to a fine of £1,000 to the King, occurs that of Thomas the Barber. (Letter-Book E. 106B.)
1320. On Monday next before the feast of St. Margaret the Virgin, 14th Edward II, the Wardship of Alice, Joane and Agnes, children of John de Wynton, Barber, deceased, was given to Joane his widow; several shops and houses in the City belonging to the deceased are scheduled as for the benefit of the Wards, and Robert de Lamyngton, John de Bristolle, Barber, and Roger de Croidon were bound as sureties. (Letter-Book E. 114.)