28th July, 1555. It was ordered that the Masters should have a yearly allowance of £7 for the Election dinner, and that none should be at the dinner but Liverymen.
22nd July, 1556. This allowance was increased to £13 6s. 8d.
20th February, 1567. Henry Smith, yeoman to Lord Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, was admitted to the freedom, and because he had been frankly and freely admitted to the freedom of the City at the suit of the Duke of Norfolk, the Marquess of Northampton and the Earl of Leicester, he paid nothing but 3s. 4d., and 4d. for entering his name—
but the same daye the saide Henry Smythe gave the Mr & govˀnorrs and assystentˀ a dynar at his owne pˀpr coste & charges franckely and gratefully and also he hath forder more pˀmysed and graunted to geve one boock[285] of season to serve at the dynar upon the daye of the Electyon.
28th July, 1593. No greate dyner was agreed upon but a smale repast wth the allowance of xls and nether wemen nor children to come to or hall upon the daie of the newe ellec̃ion.
25th August, 1600. There having been abuses at the feasts, an order was made for their reformation which stated—
that the bodye of this Company hath susteyned much disparagement by reason that some of the livery and others noe white at all respectinge the worshipp of this Company have not onely by themselves but alsoe by their servants and apprentices disfurnished the tables att ffeastes whereat they have sitten to pleasure their private frendes contrary to all modestie and good government. Doe therefore order for reformac͠on thereof by the aucthoritye aforesaid That noe pˀson of the Lyvery of this Companye beinge not of the Assistaunce of the same, shall not att any tyme hereafter suffer any of his children frendes servants or apprentices to staye or attende uppon him or his wiefe att any ffeaste to be kepte in the saide Comon Hall [under a penalty of 6s. 8d.].
An order was also made that no Assistant should have more than one servant or apprentice to attend upon him and his wife at any feast.
21st January, 1601. Whereas by the death of Robert Gray late Cooke to this Company the house was unfurnished of a Cooke to serve the said mistery And therefore divers Cookes became this daie shewters to this Courte for the place of the said Robert Gray beinge then voyd, yet notwithstandinge forasmuch as Margaret Grey wiefe to the said Robert Grey became an humble Suter to the said Courte for the same place, it was ordered by the whole consente of this Courte That the said Margeret Grey be admitted Cooke to this Company duringe the tyme she shall well and honestlie and sufficientlie behave her selfe therin And she to receave such fee and salary therefore as at any tyme heretofore hath beene graunted to the said Robert Grey Provided allwaies that she finde all vessells belongeinge to a Cooke And that she execute the said place by a sufficient deputy beinge such a pˀsonn as the Mrs of this Company for the tyme beinge shall like well of and shall thinke fitt.
Margery, however, does not seem to have “honestlie and sufficientlie behaved her selfe,” for as appears by an entry—