Excerpts from the London Haberdashers’ Company’s Court of Assistants minute books

Vol. 1 (1582/3 – 1652), FHL BRITISH 1551003 item 3, LMA Ms 15842/1

Transcribed by Conrad Terrill, 2 Nov. 2010

These are the minutes for the period around the death of Roger Terrill, who was buried in St Mary, Whitechapel parish on 14 July 1625. DOR-Terrill was hoping to find mention of his death, or mention of his widow, in order to determine that it was Roger Sr., and not Roger Jr., who was buried that day. From these minutes, we see that the Court of Assistants met on 11 Mar. 1624/25; 4 July and 18, 20, and 30 Nov. 1625; and 24 Jan. 1625/26. We include the entirety of the 4 July 1625 minutes because of the mention of the name Richard Terrill, which might turn out to be important for us. Neither Roger nor his widow are mentioned in the minutes after 14 July 1625. It is beginning to seem likely that Roger Terrill, although a haberdasher in 1618 (and thereafter, we assume), was actually a member of the Vintners’ Company, to which he had apprenticed. If that’s the case then there might be no reason to expect any mention of him in Haberdashers’ Company records. We haven’t yet been able to find any records like this for the Vintners’ Company, for the year 1625. The transcription of the underlined parts below is uncertain, and anything is curly brackets is my own addition.

Click here to view the original court minutes (PDF, 6.7 MB)

=================================================

{from middle of 1st page}

At a Court of Assistants holden the eleaventh daie

of march A^o Dni 1624 by his wor: m^r Bond M^r

of this Companie, ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

About ye Lady Welds Guift Accepted

~~~ {untranscribed} ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ...

Charles the 1^st Reign commenced March 27, 1625

At a Court of Assistants houlden the fourth daie of Julie An^o Dni 1625 by the wor{shipful}: M^r Martyn Bond M^r of this Company, M^r Palmer M^r haselfoot M^r Andrewes and M^r harris wardens M^r Daveis M^r Geoffries M^r ffisher M^r Ashton M^r Underhill M^r Wickering and M^r Willmore Assistants It was ordered as followeth

Guift to the poore by the wardens for not having a Quarter dynner

ffirst the Acts of the last Court of Assistants being openly reade were by this Court Confirmed. Next the M^r {Master} & Wardens are about this tyme to make a great dynner But in regard of the great sicknes that is nowe at this present in this Cittie it is thought fitt by this Court {2nd page} that the same shalbee for[(saken)?]e and that the money w^ch should bee therein expended sho[uld be g]yven to the poore To w^ch M^r & Wardens did most willingly condiscend and are willing to gyve xvj^li {26 pounds} in leiu thereof that is iiij^li apeece w^ch by this Court is ordered shalbee gyven to the poor of this Companie and otherwise and M^r Warden harris & M^r Daveis wth the Advice of our M^r shall think fitt. The Wardens of the Yeomanry made suite to this Court to bee freed of their election dynner and promised to pay the ordinarie fine of xxx^li in lieu thereof w^ch is is accepted of and assented unto by this Court. The said Wardens of the Yeomanry did p{re}sent to this Court the names of dyvers p{er}sons of the yeomanry for choise of the wardens of the yeomanry to succeed them, out of whome this company did elect and choose John Bradley ffranc Goddard, John Thompson Hillarie Mempris Richard Tirrell & James Barnard to bee wardens of the yeomanry for the yere ensuyng : Afterwards at the suite of the said John Thompson and upon consideration had of the causes showed by him whie hee cannot take upon him the said place This Court is pleased to dispence and free him from bearing the office of warden of the yeomanry of this Company and doe order that at the choise of the next liverie hee shalbe taken into the same in the place hee stood in this ex {?} election of the wardens of the yeomanry as if he had served the same hee paying to M^r Wardens that nowe are xij^li x^s and a like xij^li x^s more at his taking into the said lyverie And in the steed and place of the said John Thompson this Court have elected and chosen Steven Conper to bee one of the wardens of the yeomanry of this companie for the year now next coming.

At a Court of Assistants holden on ffryday

the xviijth day of November Anno Dni 1625

by the wor^ll M^r Marton Bonds Master of this

Company, Mr Alderman Rainton, Mr Palmer

Mr haselfoote Mr Andrews & Mr harris Wardens

Mr ffen Mr Daveis Mr Ivatt, Mr Acours

Mr Smith Mr White Mr Jeffreis Mr

Pickering Mr Underhill & Mr Wilmore

Assistants It was ordered as followeth

ffive of the Nyne pencens of viij^li a yere a peece appointed

by Mr William Jones deceased to nyne pore men of this

Companie being now void by the death of George Terae

huntley fflynt Ambroy &

Ward, are by this Court granted to John Allen humfrey

ffleetwood Thomas Sherby Richard Wrench & William

Payne fyve pore old Decayed men of this Company.

The place of Butler to this Company being now void by the death

of Robert Chapman This Court are pleased to graunt the said

place to Thomas Tudname w^th the like fees as were allowed

to the said Robert Chapman.

{3rd page}

The pencon of xij^s a weeke lately given to Thomas Sherby

being now paid by his p^~{re]ferment to one of of Mr Jones his

pencens It by this Court graunted to John Paycard

a pore old Decayed man of this Companie /

The pencon of viij^d a weeke, w^th the quarterly allowance late

given to Widow Waller one of the ten Alms ffolk being

now void by her death, Is by the Court graunted to

Widow Roberts a poore old widowe of this Companie –/

And whereas there is resting in the Renter Wardens hand six

pounds pcell of the pencons given to three of the foresaid fyve

penconers of Mr Jones above mentioned to be deceased, and

they having neither wife nor children to bestowe the same

upon, It is ordered that the five shalbe given as followeth

To widow Olson x~^s Widow Chacrosse xx^s Thomas

Briscoe xx^s John Anosten xx^s, Andrew ffox xx^s all

pore people of this Company. /

The day of Cleccon of nen Mr and Wardens of this Company

is by this Court appointed to be Teusday the xxixth of

this p’sent November And the Mr and Wardens have

freely offered of their Costs no^thoub any allowance from the

Company, or the Crowne money from the Lyverie, to have

a Sermon on that day accordinge to vsuall manner And

also to make a Convenient Dynner for the Assistants and

Lyverie, w^ch their kinde and liberall offer was thankfully

accepted and approved of by this Court - /

The _^ ^{pencon of} xij^d a week now void by the death of Widow Cloueper

Is like graunted by this Court to James Barnes a

pore member of this Company - /

At a Court of Assistants holden on Satterday

the six and twentieth day of November Anno Dni 1625

by the wor: M^r Marten Bond M^r of this companie

M^r Palmer M^r Haselfoote M^r Andrewes M^r Harris

Wardens, M^r Davies M^r Ivatt M^r Smith M^r

Geoffries M^r Wickerings, M^r Ashton, M^r Underhill

and M^r Wilmore Assitants It was ordered as

followeth

Mr Alderseys Gift desposed of —— Choice of Beadles – Mr Jones his Lecture to bee in Walbrook

ffirst the Acts of the last Court of Assistants being openly read were by this Court Confirmed. At the humble suite of William Smart Elizaberh Ripp Mary Pendergill Henry More Henrie Bird Anne Ball Thomas Stile Thomas Eagles Martha Jones Richard Plummer Widow Hamerton Raph Bond Widow Watby Widow Lockwood and twenty pore people of this Company This Court have graunted then ten shillins a peece to be paid them on the Tuesday next being the day of Cleccon of M^r & Wardens according to the gift & appointm^t of Mr Robert Offley deceased -/ {4th page} At the like suite of John fflorey Richard Bover Dorothie Wilson Widow Haulsey Anne Linge Roger Gold and William Ashton seaven pore people of this Company This Court have graunted them xx^s a peece to be paid them on Wednesday next being the morow after the electon day of M^r & Wardens according to the gift & appointm^t of M^r Thomas Aldersey deceased And it is ordered by this Court that the aforesaid pore people shall not have the said gifts the next yere ensuinge -/ And whereas there are divers other somes to be given to the poore of this Companie viz^~ of Alderman Tourneys gift x^li, of M^r Bucklands gift iiij^li of M^r Henses gift of xl^s, of M^r Bramleys gift of the yeres rents - vij^li xij^s ix^d and of his gift out of the encrease of his loane moniy vi^li This Court have ordered that the same shalbe distributed by the M^r {&} Wardens in such sort as they shall soe need amongst the pore people of this Company w^ch have now made suite for releif And because the number of those pore people are very great and the tyme exceeding hard It is ordered, That to these somes shalbe added xx^li to be taken out of the stock of this Companie, and to be in like manner distributed by M^r {&} Wardens w^th the said other somes amongst the said pore people -/ Whereas the place of Beadle of the Liverie of this Company is now void by the death of Gilbert Sheppard Now att the humble suite of William Squire Beadle of the yeomanrie of this Companie and of ppeter hutchinson servant to this Company and upon Consideration had by this Court of both their services It is ordered by this Court that the said William Squire shalbe Beadle of the Liverie of this Companie, and the said ppeter Hutchenson shalbe Beadle of the Yeomanry of this Companie, Provided alwaies, and it is further ordered by this Court, that the said Wm Squire shall (so long tyme as theie shall both exercise and enioye the said plans of Beadles) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ of the Beadle of the Yeomanrie, in the same manner as he did or should doe if he were Beadle of the yeomanrie And the said ppeter Hutchinson shall attend on the M^r and Liverie, except in the tyme of their walkinge abroad at w^ch tyme the said Willaim Squire shall waite on the Liverie, and shall receive the wages and benefitt of the Beadle of the Liverie -/ {5th page} Upon the moton of Mr Warden Andrenus & Mr Underhill to have the Lecture of Mr Jones gift now preached by Mr John Downame in St Bartholmews p{ar}ish neere the Exchange, to be removed to the p{ar}ish Church of St Stevens in Walbroke, This Court being given to understand that there be two Lectures besides this preached everie weeke in the foresaid Church of St Barthomew, Doe therfor hold it verie Convenient to have the same removed to another p[ar]ish where there is no Lecture, It is therefore ordered by this Court that the said Lecture shall —— ymediatly after the ffeast Day of the birth of o^r Lord god now next ensuing be preached in the said p[ar]ish Church of St Steven in Walbroke -/ The wor: Mr Richard Ven was by this Court Chosen to be Master of this Companie for the yere next ensuing, and the wor^ll: Mr Henrie Haselfoote Mr Henie Wood, Mr Nicholas Dickens & Mr Thomas Hicks were chosen Wardens of the same Companie for the yere ensuinge -/

At the like Court of Assistants holden on

Wednesdaie the xxx^th daie of November 1625

It was ordered as followeth

mr & wardens sworne

ffirst the acts of the last Court of Assistants being openly read were by this Court Confirmed. At this Court the wor: Mr Richard ffen o^r new elected M^r tooke his place, and also Mr Henrie Haselfoote Mr Henrie Wood Mr Nicholas Dickens and Mr Thomas Hooke or new elected Wardens tooke theire oathes for the due extention of theire places & office afpresaid, and had the Charge of the plate ~idems specialties and such like apperttyning to this Company delyvered unto them according to the usuall Course & order in that behalf.

At a court of Assistants and quartre daie holden on

Tewsdaie the xxiiijth Daie of Januarie Ao Dni 1625

by the wor: Mr Richard ffen Mr of this Company Mr

Alderman Hamersly Mr Alderman Paynton Mr Haselfoote

Mr Wood Mr Dickens and Mr Hicke Wardens Mr Bond

Mr Daveis, Mr Ivatt, Mr Aconet Mr Glanty Mr Palmer

Jmd Mr White Mr Hanes Mr Ashton Mr Pickering Mr

Underhill Mr Wilmore Mr Andrews & Mr Harris Assistants

It was ordered as followeth

About the Lady Weld her businis ~~ {untranscribed} ~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ffirst the acts of the last court of assistants being openly read were be this Court Confirmed. It is ordered by this Court that if thexecutors of the Lady Weld shall not paie unto M & Wardens the legacie of 2000^li given by the said Ladie for the p^~{ur}chasing of ympropriations and offered to this Company by the said executors, That then the wardens shall take Course against them for the same by bill in Channcerie or otherwise as they shalbe advised by learned Counsell. ~~~ {untranscribed} ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~