The Common Paper: Order, Oct 1601, regarding Wardens, Master and Assistants

Order, Oct 1601, regarding Wardens, Master and Assistants

[p. 194 transcript] An order, for the Contynuance, of the anncient use and custome, for the election of the wardens of the Mistery of the writers of the Court Vre of the City of London, and for the establishing of the Choyce and election of the M^r of the saide socyetie, and also for the admytting of the Assistantes of the same socyety, 6. Octobr' 1601, a° 43 RR'ne Eliz:

Whereas the anncient order and Custome for the election of the wardens of the Mistery or Socyety of the Wryters of the Court 1're of the City of London, Hath byn tyme oute of mynde at ev'y two yeares end, to nominate Choose and appoynt Two wardeyns, that is to say: For the upper warden, one that had byn Warden before, and the other, of the younge men, being an assistant, w^th before tyme had not byn warden/And wherealso, scythence (that is to say) a° primo R Rne Marie upon good considerac'on then had and for that the nomber of the elder sort of the assistantes, were worne oute, and only three then lyving (besides the wardens then lyving) It was ordered that at ev'y two yeares end, two should be Chosen oute of the younger sort w^th had not byn Wardens before, to be wardens of the saide Company, and that the elder warden should be no'iated and Chosen by such as had byn Wardens before and such as for the tyme being, were Wardens; and the puisne warden, by a generall election of the saide Company according to the old order and custome, Which saide late order, should contynue no longer then till the nomber of eight anncient men should be lyving, besydes the wardens for the tyme being, and afterwardes to cease:

Scythence w^ch tyme, that is to saye) the Nyneth day of Julie, a° D'ni 1583, (upon good considerac'on then had) It was agreed that a Mr should be chosen, to be assocyate w^th the other two wardeyns for two yeares, and to be accompted M^r, or governo', of the saide Company, to be taken and chosen oute of such; and by such only, as had byn upper Wardens before, Afterwardes, that is to wytt the xxvj^th day of July 1597 (upon div's considerac'ons) it was then thought mett & ordered That the election of the Mr and Wardens, should be ev'y yeare yearely. As by the sev'all actes & orde' in this behalf made, more plainly app'eth. Nowe forasmuch as by the observac'on of the last menc'oned order; of the yearely choosinge of the M^r and wardens, of the saide socyetie, the nomber of Anncientes of the said Company are at this p'nte growen to be Nynetene yet lyving, w^th are a sufficient and a competent nomber, and that in fewe yeares, (if such yearely Choosing should Contynue) the yerely charge of the dynner or banckett at the choosing of the said M^r and wardens would growe so greate (the stock of the Company litle or nothing) as yt would not in any sort support the same—For remedy whereof and for the avoyding of dyvers other inco'venyences w^ch would thereby growe to the saide Company It is ordered and agreed by the M^r, wardens and assistantes, assembled together at a quarter meetynge the day and yeare abovesaide, That the anncient order & custome, of the nomynating and election of the said M^r and wardens shalbe revyved and put in use (that is to say) That the M^r or Governo' and the two Wardens now being, shall contynue for the space of two yeares from the tyme of their elections And that the M^r and wardens of the saide company from hensforth shalbe elected & chosen once in ev'y two Yeares, as hath byn accustomed, which M^r shalbe first elected & chosen by such of the saide Anncientes and elders, as have byn M^rs before, The second or upper warden by such as have byn before tyme M^r and wardens, and the puisne Warden by the Whole Socyetie or generally of the saide Company To w^th generality the names of Three of the assistantes that have not byn Wardens shall be presented, that oute of them three one (whome they shall like of) may be elected & Chosen puisne Warden or Accomptant Warden for the space of Two Yeares following:

[p. 195] And whereas, the nomber of Assistantes of the saide Company are at this present lyj in all yet lyving accompting both Anncientes and the younger sort altogethers, w^ch nomber shall be sufficient for dyvers yeares to come Itt ys thought good, ordered, and agreed, that no p'son or p'sons, shall be admytted into the Company of Assistantes, during the space of vij yeares next ensuyng unlesse the nomber of those that be nowe lyvinge, shall be decreased to Twenty or xxiiij^or at the most. And that afterwardes when any shallbe receyved into the said Company of Assistantes, the same, shall be don by the M^r and wardens, and by the whole Company of assistantes or the greatest p'te of them: