The Annals of the Barber-Surgeons of London

by Unknown

To the Wardens
of the Companie
of Barbor
Surgins.

By the Maior.

Thyes shalbe to will and require yo^u and in her maiesties name streitlie to charge and comaunde yo^u that w^th all convenient spede yo^u appointe and pˀvide the number of twelve hable and sufficient pˀsons being Iournemen appnˀtices or others wc^h are fremen of this Cittie and inhabitinge w^thin the same beinge of agilitie and honest of behavio^r betweene the age of xix yeres and xl^ti w^ch are fitt to be trayned for harquebus shott, evˀy one of them havinge a murrion, a sworde and dagger, and a caliver w^th sufficient furniture for the same, and one half pounde of powder, besides touche powder whereof Three of the same pˀsons to be house holders and free men of yo^r saide Companie, and that yo^u certyfie me the saide Maior the names and sir names of all yo^r saide number where and w^th whome they dwell, of what Companie they be free, and what Captaynes or other skilfull men that be of yo^r saide Companie or whome yo^u knowe inhabitinge w^thin this Cittie fitt to trayne or leade the same men of there names and dwellinge places. And that they be all in a redines furnished as aforesaide to muster in there hose and dublets onlie, or dublets hose and jerkins w^thin xiiij^en daies next ensuinge the date hereof. And for the levyenge of monie for the saide furniture And for the charge of powder yo^u shall collect suche reasonable somẽs of monie as yo^u shall finde mete for the saide pˀporc͠on, by waie of reasonable assesment of evˀy sevˀall welthie and hable pˀson of yo^r Companie. Wherein we require yo^u in anie wyse to spare the powrer sorte of ffremen although yo^u somewhat more largelie burden the ritche. Yoven at the Guildhall of this Cittie of London the xv^th daie of Marche 1577.[115]

Sebright.

In pursuance of this precept a levy was made upon ninety freemen, who contributed £19 17s. 11d. (in sums ranging from 1^s to 6^s 8^d) and upon ten “foreins” who paid in all £3. The Expenses of the soldiers, and their arms, powder, etc., are all set out in detail (see [Appendix D]).

1585. It was agreed “that o^r Companie by reason of the often and earnest preceptes from the Lorde maior to move unto some liberall puttinge in of monie into the Lottery for Armo^r, that o^r Companie should put in x^li yf that might satisfie for all the Companie viz^t the Clothinge vj^li xiij^s iiij^d and the yeomanry v m’kes.”

29th September, 1586. The Lord Mayor had issued sundry precepts to the Company for the “buyeinge of certein goune powder amountinge in waight to       of one Mr. Henry Dale Hab’dassher at the price of x^d le ɫi. and yt was agreed the saide powder should be bought and that Mr. Swaldell [Master, 1593] should go to chuyse it, and he to have the same powder for viij^d the pounde.”

10th March, 1589. It was ordered that the gunpowder directed by another precept to be provided by the Company, should be bought and that it should be kept “in the Armorie howse in convenient place for feare of daunger of ffier.”

29th March, 1596. It was ordered that £40 “ship money” should be “lent” by the Company to the City, which is the earliest mention of this obnoxious tax in our books.