In their negotiations with the Committees, the Company seem to have been able to impress the Chairman favourably on certain occasions, though there is grave reason to apprehend that this official of the party of purity was open to a bribe, as the following minutes would seem to indicate.
27th October, 1645. The Company having been threatened with sequestration of their entire estate unless an assessment made upon them was paid on Friday following, a Committee of the Court was ordered to wait on Mr. Scawin, the Chairman of the Committee for the Army, to beg his favourable consideration of the Company’s poor estate; the result is seen in the next entry.
14th September, 1648. This Court takeing notice of the greate Love and ffavour of Mr. Scawin Chaireman to the Comittee ffor the Army expressed oftentimes upon severall occasions towards our Company Doth thinke fitt in gratitude and accordingly doth order That the present Governours doe present to him a guift of the value of vjli 13s 4d The quality and price of the guift is left to theire discretions.
1646. To relieve them of their great debts, the Company about this period raised considerable sums by granting annuities; the following are examples in point:—
24th March, 1646. This day Mr Nicholas Heath payd the sum of 200li to the use of this Company and is the purchase money for an Annuity of 26li pˀ añn. for 10 yeares to himselfe and Grace his Wife Whereupon the Deed of Grant of the said Annuity was sealed with the Com̃on Seale and delivered to theire use.
Alsoe this day Mris Elizabeth ffreeman payd the sum of 200li the Purchase money for the like Annuity of 26li pˀ añn. for 10 yeares and the Deed for that purpose was sealed and delivered to her.
On the 30th January, 1649, the King’s troubles were ended by his murder, and very shortly afterwards we find this significant minute.
19th March, 1649. This Court doth order That the Oath conteyned in the Rules and Ordinances of this Company be administred unto every ffreeman upon his admission as before, The ffirst Words which doe concerne allegiance to the King and his Successors only to be left out.
The banners of the Company bearing the late King’s arms were destroyed, and any heraldic insignia at the Hall which contained the Royal Arms were ordered to be defaced. We may readily believe that this was most unwillingly done by the Court, who however, had no option in the matter.
1648–9. Fairfax had filled the City with troops, “billetting orders” being made upon the several Companies for the reception of the soldiers at their Halls. Herbert (Vol. I, p. 181) states that the Merchant Taylors were fortunate enough to procure an order of exemption which cost them £20 10s., and further that he believed their case to be unique, but it seems that the Carpenters by means of “Gratuities ‘to sevˀall men of qualitie,’” amounting to £13 2s. 6d., managed to get free of this imposition, whilst the Barber-Surgeons procured their immunity at a much cheaper rate, for we read in the Wardens’ accounts of the period,