The Annals of the Barber-Surgeons of London - Unknown

paid to the Butler for Lynnen and plate & Attendauc̃e	v^li
paid to the Pewterer for hire of Pewter then	v^li
Given to M^r Cooper the Princes Cooke that dressed the Lords dynner	v^li
paid to two Upholsters for the hier of stooles and chaire		xl^s
paid to the Vinctner for wine then	viij^li	iij^s
paid to the princes Cooke for soe much disbursed by him for the Lords diett as to the Butcher Poulterer hearbewoomen fruiterer Grocer fishmonger and Under Cookes as by bill appeareth the som̃e of	lviij^li	viij^s
paid to Stacke for a bushell of flower xj^s vj^d and 2 dozen of stale bread ij^s		xiij^s	vj^d
paid for faggottꝭ and Charcoales as by bill		xxvj^s	vj^d
paid for stronge beare and six shillings beere by bill xxxv^s and for carryinge in j^s iiij^d		xxxvj^s	iiij^d
paid for hire of Venice glasses and pottꝭ &c. and for those pottꝭ and glasses that were broaken		xxxiiij^s
paid for 4^li of double refined sugar		viij^s	iiij^d
paid for 3 dossen of french bread		iij^s
paid to the Waterman and Porter that brought the beere in Bottles from the Lord Chamberlaines		v^s
paid for the hier of two Close stooles		vj^s	viij^d
paid to the porter that brought a dozen of silver dishes from the Lord of Hollands			xviij^d
paid to Tryman Payne his Scullery man		ij^s	vj^d
paid to John Bludder of the Kings Wardrobe for bringinge and hanginge the great Parlour w^th Tapestry		xx^s
To John Bare my Lord Chamberlaynes Pantryman		x^s
And to one of his Scullery men		x^s
And to the Lady of Devonshires man that brought the silver dishes		v^s
Paid for bread when the Lords dined there		xij^s
Summ̃.	lxxxxiij^li	v^s	iiij^d

20th June, 1638. Upon the complaint of the losse of a silver spoone the last dinner in the Hall and diver other times napkins & pewter dishes this Court doth order that when dinner goes in, the outer Wickett doore shalbe alwayes locked & the key thereof brought in and layed by o^r M^r for the time being till dinner be ended & the plate naperye & dishes gathered up & soe discharged.

The next entry would seem to indicate that some previous gift for the purchase of books had unhappily been diverted into a wrong channel.

2nd March, 1640. £6 given by Mistress Napkin & Mistriss Eaton is absolutely ordered to buy bookes & not disbursed or dispended in Drinking.

The following circumstance is significant, as exactly one hundred years later the separation which Mr. Foster desired, and for which he got into trouble, became an accomplished fact.

6th November, 1645. Mr. Ralph Foster was complained of for refusing to make his dinner to the Court on his election as an Assistant, and he thereupon uttered certain speeches “tending to the separation of the Barbers from the Surgeons,” for which he was reprimanded, whereupon he promised to make his dinner and to say no more about disunion.

23rd October, 1649. Upon reading the precept requiring the Livery to attend the Lord Mayor Elect to Westminster in their Barge, it was ordered that the Livery should be warned to perform that service in accordance with old custom, and “that there be a ffeast at the Hall on that day for the said Livery, But in respect of the hardnes and troubles of the times this Court doth consent that there be noe second course and noe Woeman at the same ffeast.”

Among the Company’s archives are four books containing many details of the feasts held between the years 1676 and 1790. They appear to have been kept by the various cooks, probably under the direction of the Clerk, and the following gleanings from them will be found to be replete with interest.

The first entry is as follows—