It was a common practice of the Companies to put in their money under mottoes, and some curious ones are recorded, many being composed with a quaint sarcasm on the probability of prizes being obtained.
Herbert (Hist. of the Twelve Livery Companies) gives some interesting particulars of the State Lotteries, and quotes a motto used by the Merchant Taylors which pretty clearly indicates their opinion of the business;
One byrde in the hande is worth two in the wood,
If we get the great lot, it will do us good.
Some of the prizes were ridiculously small, e.g., 1s. 2d., 2s. 1d., etc., and great dissatisfaction was expressed at the principal prizes remaining unpaid to the winners.
1573. The Company received a precept from the Lord Mayor for a “loan” of money to make provision of wheat for the City, and the same was by the Court ordered to be complied with. This “corn custom” is very fully treated of by Herbert, and was virtually a tax upon the companies, who were each rated and compelled to find a certain proportion of corn to be stored by the City, and sold at such times as when, there being a scarcity, the markets would otherwise rise, were it not for the immense stock kept by the City. This custom survived for many years under certain modifications; as we shall see hereafter, our Company built a granary in 1633, and stored their own corn.
The precept above referred to was as follows—
Forasmuche as all comon polecye requyreth the prevenc͠on of extremities, and consideringe as you knowe the urgent and present necessitie, and the lacke of provision of wheate and other grayne for furniture of this so great and populous citie, of the want whereof the queenes matie and her most honorable coñsell are not ignorant; but havinge spˀcial regard to the same, are not a lytle offended and displeased, with some grefe that there bene no better pˀvision heretofore made, and that presentlie the cittie shoulde be no better stored, by reson wherof the prices of corne and grayne is now muche dearer in this cittie than in any other parte of this realme, have not only at sundrye times and gentle meanes, but also wth some terror, as welle in the Starre-chamber as in other places afore the counsell, given us admonicion that the same her maties cittie and chamber may not be unfurnished for lacke of good pˀvision. And we, as our duties is, havinge great care and especial consideracion of the same, and pˀcevynge by order of the harvest past, and the unkynd season of the yeare, sith that the prices of corne is verry likely to encrease and be advanced to a greater and higher price than yet is, have thought good and verrye necessarye for the avoyding of greater inconvenyences, to make immediate pˀvision of a great masse and quantity of wheate and other grayne, as well wthin the realme as beyond the seas for the provision aforesaid, wch cannot be done wthout a great some of money presentlie to be defrayed, wch is not to be levyed but by the good assestens of you and others, good coustomers and cittezens of this cittie; have therefore assessed your Company of Barber Surgeons at the some of[114] which is agreed upon by acte of coˀen counsell, wch some of we do not only require you, but also streaghtle charge and comande you, immediatelie upon the recept hereof, calling your companye together in your comon hall, you do forthwth tax, levy, and gather of the welthiest and most able persones of the same the sum aforesaid, in such wise that you fayle not to pay the same, and evrie pˀcell thereof, to the hands of George Helton, of the cittie of London, wth all expedicion, and wthout repayment thereof to you. Fayle not hereof, as you tender the mytigac͠on of our sovereigne ladye the queens majesties displeasure already conceived, and do tender the com̃on weale of this cittie, together wth your private condytte, and as you will answer for the contrarye.
The next entry would seem to indicate some contemplated State interference with the Company’s property, and the answer was probably not in exact accordance with the truth, for on the 28 May, 1576, a precept in the Queen’s name, having been received, calling upon the Master and Wardens to return to class="tal plhir"nt of the revenue of their lands, and of their goods, “the answere was that the true revenewe of the landes was xxti markes whereof the most pˀte went forthe and is disbursed in peñcons, and that we had no goods.”
1578. A precept was received as follows,