8th August, 1596. “Yt was agreed that the som̃e of £xxxti shalbe lent unto the Cytty for the payenge of Souldiers wages and other charges diffrayed about the Spanishe voyage.” This was an Expedition of certain ships (furnished by the City) under the Earl of Essex and Sir Walter Raleigh “to annoye the King of Spaine.” The English then sacked and burned Cadiz, burnt the Spanish navy, and on their return home, says Stow, “great triumph was made at London for their good successe.”
18th August, 1598. At this Court came a precept from the Lord Mayor, commanding the Company in Her Majesty’s name to “lend” £100 to the Queen for six months, for suppressing rebels in Ireland. The demand was, as usual, of a most peremptory nature, and the Court ordered £100 to be paid to the Treasurers appointed by the City.
6th August, 1599. A precept came from the Lord Mayor in the Queen’s name, commanding the Master and Wardens to deliver to the freemen the Company’s armour in “suche order as it maye be, in safetye readie for her Maiesties service,” whereupon the Master took for his own use “one muskett fflaske and tuche boxe one headepeece and one rest.” Eleven other members of the Company had armour delivered out to them, as “one caliver fflaske and tuche boxe, sworde and dager girdle and hangers and headepeece.”
1599. A precept was received on 11th November, commanding the Company to be in attendance on the Queen in her progress from Chelsea to Westminster, which is not only curious for the quaintness of its description of the persons who were to be appointed, but affords a glimpse at the magnificence of Royal processions three hundred years ago.
To the Maister
and Wardens of
the Companye of
Barbor-surgeons.
By the Maior
Where her Mats moste gratiouse pleasure and comaundement is this pˀsente daie signified unto me the lorde Maior from the right ho: the lorde Chamberline of her Maties moste honorable householde that myselfe and my Bretheren thaldermen with a conveniente number of the beste and moste graveste Cittyzens of this Citye shoulde uppon Tewesdaie nexte in the Afternoune wayte and attende uppon her highnes royall pˀson from the Towne of Chelsey unto her highnes princlie pallace at Westminster in as honorable and statelye sorte as conveinentlye maye be pˀformed. In accomplishment of wch her highnes said comaundement, These shalbe to chardge and comaunde you in her Mats name to pˀpare not onlye your selves, but alsoe provide and have in a readines the full number of eighte pˀsons of the moste graveste talleste and comliest pˀsonages of your saide Companye, everye of them to be well horsed and appareled in velvet coates and chaynes of goulde And that not onlye your sealves but alsoe everye of the saide eighte pˀsones maye have one footeman with twoe staffe torches to waite and attende upon him, and to be all in a readines well and substancially horsed appareled and appointed as aforesaide in Cheepeside by twoe of the clocke of the saide afternoone to attende uppon me and my bretheren thaldermen to waite upon her moste excellente Matie from Chelsey aforesaide to her highnes saide pallace of Whitehall, Whereof see you faile not at your pˀill and as you will answere the contrarye if throughe your negligence any parte of this service shall not be thoroughelye pˀformed. Guihalde the ix of November 1599.
Sebrighte.
In pursuance of the above precept the Master with seven other Members of the Court were appointed to attend, and eight freemen were nominated as torchbearers.