The Beadles for many years had a most disagreeable duty to perform, namely, the procuring and bringing home from Tyburn the dead bodies of malefactors. By the Act 32 Hen. VIII, the Company were empowered to have yearly the bodies of four executed felons for “anatomies,” and the practice was for the Beadles to attend at the gallows and select such bodies as they pleased. Their opponents were generally the hangman, who himself trafficked in these uncanny goods, the relatives of the criminal, and the populace who were incited by the relatives to resist the Beadles. Many were the unseemly fights which took place over these bodies, and oftentimes when the Beadles had secured a “subject” and were driving off with it in a coach, they were attacked and beaten, and the body rescued from them. The hangman appears to have been entitled to the dead man’s clothes, for on more than one occasion the Company gave him compensation for them, they having been torn to pieces in the brutal struggle for possession. Moreover the Company had often to satisfy the Coachmen for personal injuries and for damages to their coaches, as well as to give special gratuities to their Beadles by way of solatium for the beatings which they underwent. Frequent prosecutions and convictions followed the interference with the Company’s Officers at these times, and even the Sheriff’s Officers were on one occasion dismissed by the City for having sided against the Beadles.
The hangman came to the Hall regularly for his Christmas Box and gave a receipt for the same, sometimes affixing the title “Executioner” after his signature. Many curious particulars relating to the above will be found elsewhere. (Vide [Wardens’ Accounts], [Surgery], etc.)
The Beadle is elected annually by the Court, and resides at the Hall. The two Silver maces pertaining to his office are as handsome and massive as any in the City and are always carried before the Master on Court days.
14th May, 1530. The earliest reference to the Beadle in our Records is to be found in the Ordinances signed by Sir Thomas More, where it is directed that the Members shall take their seniority “according to the trew entrance therof in the Bedyllꝭ Rolle.”
6th November, 1550. Richard Wilson was Beadle at this time.
6th July, 1552. Thomas Appulton, Beadle, vice Wilson deceased.
19th September, 1552. It was agreed that Appulton “shall have his messe of meate on the feaste dayes.”