26th March, 1596. A motion was also made concerninge the Demisinge of certen garden grounds at East Smithfield for the wch Mr ffettyplace, Mr Lacock and John Gerard were sevˀall Sutors. Yt was agreed that the same should be let for yerely rent at the pleasures of the masters or governors and none of the said sutors obteyned any graunte. But for as muche as John Gerard’s request was to have yt to make a garden of yt for the ffurtherance of learning in the knowledge and practiqe of the nature and skill of herbes, wch was thought not a place ffytt for that pˀpose, but that a more convenient place should be sought owte and dyvers of the Companie did offer to be contributors for the buying of the same, and Mr ffetiplace and Mr Lacock are to be spoken wthall and thus to be satisfied.
16th June, 1597. At the request of Mr Peck[340] and Mr Gerat yt was agreed at this Corte that those whose names are here after menc͠oned should survey a peece of ground ffyt to make a Garden for to plant all kinde of herbes in routes plantes and suche like as to the saide Mr Gerat being a skilfull Herbalist should thinck meete for the worshipp of this societie, and to relate their opinions and acc͠ons therein to this howse and societie for the further pˀceding therein, vizt Mr John Isard[341] Mr Lewes Atmer[342] Mr Cox Mr Wood[343] Mr Sprignell[344] Mr Borne[345] Jeames Bates[346] Mr Thomas Waren[347] Mr Bovy[348] Mr Byrd[349] Mr Gale[350] Mr Laycock[351] Mr Jo Martin[352] or any viij. x. or the most pˀte of them.
2nd November, 1602. This daye it is ordered that the Committes for Mr Gerrard’s garden shall this aftr noone meet at the hall to consider of the report for a Garden for the said Mr Gerrard.
In August, 1597, John Gerard was chosen Junior Warden (George Baker, the Queen’s Serjeant-Surgeon being at the same time elected Master), and in January following he was appointed one of the Examiners of Surgeons. In 1604, there had been controversies between Gerard and Christopher Frederick (Master 1609), which on the 12th June were referred to a Committee of the Court for settlement. “And if they no ende can make they are to make report at the next Court of their pˀcedinges therein.”
26th September, 1605. This day Mr Jerrard was discharged of the office of second Warden and upper governor of this Company uppon his suite & entreatie for certayne considerac͠ons. And is fyned for the said places at xli which he is pˀntlie to pay to the pˀnte Mrs or governours And is hereafter to take his place as though he had served the place of upper Governor any thinge to the contrarie notwithstandinge.
7th November, 1605. The above order was rescinded, but shortly afterwards Mr. Gerard brought £10 into Court, and left it with the Wardens, when it was ordered that the matter should be further considered, and in the result the fine was accepted.
21st October, 1606. This daie John Gerrard was fyned at vjs viijd for abuseing Mr Peck and it is ordered that from henceforth they shall be freinds, and all Controversyes betweene them are to cease.
20th July, 1607. Mr. Gerard was again appointed an Examiner of Surgeons, and 17th August following elected Master.
Queen Elizabeth is reported to have entertained a high opinion of Mr. Gerard’s attainments, and he was also patronised by her Minister, William Cecil, Lord Burleigh, whose garden he superintended for twenty years. In the dedication of his Herbal to Lord Burleigh, in speaking of the “care and studie” of herbs, he says—
Under your Lordship I have served, and that way imployed my principall studie, and almost all my time now by the space of twenty yeeres. To the large and singular furniture of this noble Iland, I have added from forren places all the varietie of herbes and flowers that I might any way obtaine, I have laboured with the soile to make it fit for the plants, and with the plants to make them to delight in the soile, that so they might live and prosper under our climate, as in their native and proper countrie: what my successe hath beene, and what my furniture is, I leave to the report of them that have seene your Lordships gardens, and the little plot of my speciall care and husbandrie.