The Annals of the Barber-Surgeons of London

by Unknown

Some of the powers executed by the Masters of old and by the Court of Assistants in later times have been those which now are peculiar to Courts of Law, e.g., the settlement of disputes upon every conceivable question, the imposition of fines, and their recovery by distress levied by the Beadle, the summary committal of offenders to gaol, and the issuing of orders for their release, the prohibition of actions and suits at common law (if commenced by a freeman without leave of the Court), the inhibition of members from practising their profession, and the infliction of corporal punishment upon unruly freemen and apprentices.

The Court as now existing, consists of four Masters or Governors and twenty Assistants, appointed under the provisions of the Act 18 George II, cap. xv. By this Act the election of the Masters or Governors is in the Court and takes place on the second Thursday in August, but alas! without the ancient ceremonies of attending Church, crowning with garlands, and—may I add?—the Election dinner for the Livery.

As will be seen elsewhere, there have been frequent disturbances at the Courts, and there are numerous entries of Assistants, Wardens, and Past Masters having been expelled the Court and sometimes dismissed from the Livery as well, for their misconduct or quarrelsome behaviour. Instances of impertinence and abuse by freemen and liverymen before the Court, are also by no means rare, and in these cases condign punishment by imprisonment or fine was invariably meted out.

9th March, 1624. This daye Mr. Warden Thornebury made knowne to this Court y^t one Tanner, a brother of this Companie, hath abused him in words. Whereupon it is ordered by this Court that John Bayard the officer belonging to this Companie shall laye the Lord Maio^rs comaund on the said Tanner and comitte him to one of the Compters of this Cittye And that imediately upon the said comittm^t shall acquaint the M^rs therewith That thereupon the M^rs maye acquaint the lo: Maio^r with the reson of his comittem^t.

19th January, 1626. This daye the letter directed to the Maister Wards and Assistants of the Companie of Barbor Surgions of London from M^r William Clowes Sarjeant Chirurgion to his Ma^tie was here in Courte reade in hec verba viz^t Right worthie Maister and Governors and assistants of the companie of Barbers and Surgions in my true love I wish all health and florishinge goverment of yo^r Company to the glory of God the honor of the Kinge and the good of Gods people Amen. Now whereas I have bin not only by many Brothers advertised but also of yo^r Officer legally by letter and otherwise given to understand that you had chosen me Renter warden of the company from the w^ch Election I desired by M^r Cooper and M^r Thomas Allen I might be freed yett could not, I then knewe well that in duty I owed you an aunswer which might well be seeme my reverent respect to yo^r Authoritye; and my tender regard of the kinge my M^rs honor which in yo^r Chusinge and my acceptinge maye be considered, which as much as in me is I desired to doe, And nowe, not once questoninge the troblesomnes of the place, nor other hinderances w^ch god Almighty did then send I thus aunswer (because I wilbe free of Ambition or pride) that if you can make that appeere upon yo^r Records that any of my predecessors did beare the office of Wardein after he was sworne Serjeant Surgion to any of the Kˀs or Queenes of England I shall humbly serve it, if not, I Crave yo^r pˀdon for I might not soe poorely value the Kinge my M^r as thinke him less mighty, less absolute a Prince then any Kinge whatsoever hath raigned before him, and so as his Servaunt I expect from the Company as good respect as any Sergeant Surgion heretofore hath had, for my M^rs honor I will not give to any other, And further because I am many tymes summoned to yo^r Courts and other meetings, w^ch service I am very willinge to performe, when I shall knowe my place in the Company, which I must leave to yo^r grave considerac͠on, only if you please to take notice how the Colledge of Phisitions and the Company of Apothecaryes of London have rancked the Kingꝭ Phisitions and Apothecaryes, you may thereby guess what place I expect, but howsoever if by the occasion of back freinds wee may not so well agree as I desire, so as I may personally absent my selfe from the Company yett thus much I ingenuously and religiously profess that I will alwayes in harty love be present and ready press either by the Kinge my M^r or any other wayes to doe the Companye any loveing Service I may, And so ceasing further troubling you but desireing to heare of yo^r smoothe acceptance, I rest.

Whereas he was chosen renter warden of this Companie for this yere ensueing w^ch place by reason of this contagious tyme and other respects he is not able to execute, It is thereupon ordered by this courte that he shalbe discharged from the said place of youngest warden and second warden of this Company, And it is further ordered that he shall take place next unto the youngest of our assistants that have served the place of upper warden and when he shall have served the place of upper warden of this Companye then he to take his precedencye and ranck according to that service.

21st August, 1626. Serjeant Clowes was elected Master, but it seems his election was called in question, as it was the turn for a Barber this year, and it was moved that the electors should be fined for breach of the ordinance in choosing a Surgeon, but the Court decided not to do so. There was evidently a dislike to Mr. Clowes on the part of some of the Company, as the Wardens of the Yeomanry were on the 20th September, fined 40s. for refusing, or neglecting to carry the Standing Cups before him and the Wardens of the Livery on the Election day.

1638. Serjeant Clowes was again elected Master.

9th April, 1641. M^r Warden Martin Browne made his complaint against M^r Serjeant Clowes and he did freely declare that he did forgive the Serjeant his personall Wrong, and did referr the Wrong due to the Court unto the Court, And this Court did order that M^r Serjeant Clowes shall acknowledge that in his anger and passion he did speake some words to the wrong of this Court, and this being done this Order to be annihilated.