6th May, 1602. This daye Margery Grey late wyef to Robert Grey was dismissed from being any more Coocke to this Company for speciall causes to the Mrs best knowen.
The Plague was raging severely in London in 1603, and the following precept was addressed to the Company, who however seem to have disregarded it, as the Election and Audit dinners were held this year. It is only fair, however, to state that the Court disbursed considerable sums of money amongst the poor stricken people.
13th April, 1603. By the Maior.
To The Mr and Wardens
of the Company of
Barbor Surgeons.
Whereas I and my Brethẽn thˀaldrẽn duely consideringe wth our seṽe had, the present infecc͠on of this Cittie liberties and Suburbs & the greate multitud of poore people wch by reason of the said infecc͠on have theire howsees shut upp and restrayned as well from goeinge abroad as theire daylie trads and labors wherewth theie were accustomed to mayntaine themselves theire wieves and families and doe at this pˀsent by reason thereof endure greate wante and extremities Have thought fitt that all publique feastinge and com̃en dinners at every the severill Halles and Comˀn metings of corporac͠on and Companies wthin this Cittie shall duringe the tyme of gods visitac͠on amog̃e us be wholely forborne and left of. And that one third parte of the chardge and expenses intended to be bestowed and spent uppon the said feastinges and dinners shalbe whoelie bestowed and geven for and towardes the reliefe of the most miserable poore and needie pˀsons whose howse it shall please almighty god to visit Theis therefore in all xp̃ian Charitie shalbe to praie and desire you yt you take pˀnte order that from hencefort & duringe this pˀnte infecc͠on you wholely forbeare to keape any Comẽn feastinge or dinners at youre Hall orells wheare for the like purposes And that you take pnˀte order wth the Wardens of youre Companye and all such other of youre Company as should be at any chardge or yeald any contraᵬn[286] to any Comẽn feastes and Dinners for youre Companie duringe the same tyme to paie and contrabute one thirde parte thereof in readie money to some one honest and discrete person of your Companie whom you shall appoynte to receave the said some of money and to paie it ovˀ to one Robert fflecton Grocˀ noiãted and appoynted by mee & my Brethẽn the aldrẽn to be receaved from the Companies of such somes of money. All wch somes of money shalbe from tyme to tyme wholelie and truelie distributed by order of mee and my Bretheren the aldrẽn amongst the most nedie and poore infected pˀsons Yeoven at Guildhall this thirteenth daie of Aprill 1603.
Sebrightt.
6th January, 1609. This daye it is ordered that none of the officers wyves shall at any tyme hereafter followe the Mrs to places where they dyne wthout the Mrs consentꝭ uppon payne of the Mrs displeasures.
1609. The dinners were usually held on Election and Audit days, on Lord Mayor’s day, and after all public dissections, besides Committee dinners (which usually were at taverns), and this year it was ordered that a dinner was to be held on “Gunpowder Day.”