The Annals of the Barber-Surgeons of London

by Unknown

22nd November, 1610. Great difficulty having been experienced in collecting these assessments, an order was made that any person neglecting to pay, should be forthwith dismissed out of the Livery or Court as the case might be.

18th January, 1611. A precept from the Lord Mayor having been read and debated, the following answer to the same was ordered to be sent—

Whereas wee the M^r and Wardens of the Company of the Barbors & surgeons of London have receaved a Preceptt of the 14^th of this present moneth from the right honˀable the Lord Mayo^r of this Cittie requiring thereby to call together the Assistauntꝭ of o^r said Company and to consider whether wee will accept a proportion of Landꝭ in the province of Ulster in liewe of o^r moneys disburssed and thereon to buyld att our owne chardgꝭ as by the printed book of plantac͠on is required or ells to refeir the lettinge of the same Landꝭ unto the govˀnor & assistauntꝭ of the Companie: Soe ytt is, that accordingly we have called together o^r Assistauntꝭ & consideringe the pˀmisses wee fynd that the payment of the taxac͠ons for this intent have been soe burthensome unto the body of o^r Company that we are not able to take upon us any further chardge, having not as yet levyed the ffowerth pˀte of the paymˀtꝭ ymposed upon us, neither have we any hope to gather the same, And therefore rather chuse to refeir the lettinge of the said Landꝭ & committinge the business for o^r pˀtꝭ to the discretion of the said govˀnor & assistauntꝭ for that purpose appoynted, hopinge by their good endeavo^rs to receave such reasonable satisfaction for o^r moneys alreadye disbursed as maye gyve good contentment to such of o^r Company whoe have been chardged by o^r Collections. And this have our Court of Assistauntꝭ fully agreed in such mannˀ as wee have before certified Given att o^r Hall this xviij^th of January 1610 (i.e., 1611).

23rd April, 1611. The Company paid in £30 to the Chamber of London, making £120 in all to this date.

18th July, 1611. A precept having been received from the Lord Mayor, calling upon the Wardens to pay £60 more, or else to lose the £120 already paid, the following answer was sent—

Whereas we the M^rs & govˀno^rs of the Company of Barbo^rs & Surgeons of London have receaved from the right honˀable the Lord Mayor of this Cittie a preceptt of the xj^th of this Instant moneth thereby comaundinge us to call together the Assistauntꝭ of o^r said Company And then & there to tax the bodye of o^r s^d Company with the payment of 60^li more towardꝭ the payment of 10000^li for a new supplye for the plantac͠on in Ireland, And that we should advise thereupon and certefie in wrytinge to the govˀno^r & assistantꝭ for the said plantac͠on on Saterdaie the 20^th of this Instant month of July whether we will willinglie yelde to the said supplie of 10000^li or we wilbe content to loose all such moneys as we have alreadye disburssed towardꝭ the said Plantac͠on and soe passe over o^r right therein to those as will undertake this paym^t and all other taxac͠ons & paymt^s touchinge the same, Soe yt is we have called together o^r Assistauntꝭ & we thinck that o^r poore Company is put to a very hard choyce seeinge the collection of the formˀ paymˀtꝭ of 110^li[295] have been soe burthensome unto us that the greatest nomber of o^r Company have been readye to growe mutynous about the collection thereof neither cane wee as yett gather the same (we beinge out of o^r owne purses for the last paym^t w^ch was disburssed) and nowe to loose all, except we will undergoe this newe taxac͠on of 60^li the povˀtie of o^r Company cannot beare ytt neither will yt stand w^th o^r Credytts to gyve awaie the moneyes we have collected from soe maney poore men who hoped (and the rather by o^r pˀswasions) the company should receave in tyme great pˀffytt. And they themselves to be pˀtakers thereof to w^ch intent they dide more willinglie undergoe the former taxac͠ons. And againe to drawe them to a chardge of a new taxac͠on when they shall understand the offer pˀposed in this pˀcept we thinck yt unpossible, neither can we tell howe to drawe them to paie any further taxac͠on then they shall willinglie consent unto because we have noe lawfull authoritie to compell them. Therefore rather then to be any further burthensome to the bodye of o^r Company in any further taxac͠on towardꝭ the last supplie of 10000^li we must be forced (yf there be lawfull authoritie to take awaye & compell o^r Company) to loose the moneys we have alreadye disburssed & to leave our Interest unto such as wilbe contentede to undertake to dischardge o^r Company of those paymˀtꝭ & taxac͠ons w^ch we shall be hereafter chardged w^thall, and shall gyve unto our Company such assurance for pˀformaunce of such condyc͠ons as we shall agree upon and our Counsell learned in the lawes shall devise & requier, whereby we may gyve some contentem^t to those of our Company whoe have been herein chardged for we feare we shall never collect these moneyes w^ch are yet behinde & unpaid for the last paym^t when they shall here the money alreadye disburssed is lost & gyven awaie And to this have our Court of Assistantꝭ agreed Gyven und^r o^r hands the xix^th of Julye 1611.

16th November, 1611. At this Court motion being made touching what answere this howse should gyve unto the Court of Aldermen about the payment of their money for the Irishe plantac͠on yt was ordered & decreed that the Company should not willinglie undergoe the paym^t of any further taxac͠on but that rather they should loose all their moneys alreadye disbursed and thereupon yt was thought fitt the pˀnte M^rs & govˀno^rs together w^th M^r. Peck M^r. Mapes M^r. ffenton & M^r. ffoster should goe againe before the Court of Aldermen to see yf they can gett the Company dischardged And if yt shall soe fall out that they or any of them shalbe comitted or shalbe put to any chardgꝭ touching this busynes this howse shall & will beare & dischardge the same.

2nd February, 1612. At this Court it is fully concluded that M^r. Recorder shalbe dealt withall to construe our answere according to the Courtꝭ meaninge And that on tewsdaie next the M^rs & Govˀno^rs together w^th M^r. Peck M^r. Mapes M^r. ffenton & M^r ffoster shall goe before the Court of Aldermen to intreat favo^r in respect of their genˀall povˀtie of the Company w^ch if the same will not prevayle then the Company shall bring with them their Councell to certefie that their answere is absolute & if that maye not be graunted then that they maye have a monethes lybertie either to provide some undertakers for them or ells by that tyme the Company will bring in their money w^ch this Court doth agree unto that the howse shall beare ytt.

2nd July, 1612. This daye yt is likewise ordered that touchinge the paym^t of the 30^li w^ch is to be paid for the Irishe plantac͠on That the present M^rs shall demaund of the Comittees for the Irish plantac͠on what assurance this howse shall have for their money already disburssed & to disbursse and thereuppon to stand hardlie for that this Court thincketh yt not reason to pay there money for nothinge as yet assured. And if it be soe that the M^rs shalbe threatned to be comitted to prison they shall rather be comitted to prison then to pay the money And if they be comitted then this howse dothe order that presentlie[296] uppon their comittment the M^rs shall pay the same 30^li out of the stock of this howse.