Memorial XXII: Ceremonies upon the election of Masters and Wardens, 1573

XXII. CEREMONIES UPON THE ELECTION OF THE MASTER AND WARDENS, 1573.

At this Daye the Maister, Wardens, & Assistants, accordinge to the effecte of dyvers and sondry Graunts made and graunted to this right Wor^ll Company, as well by the Queenes, Maj^ties noble Progenitors, Kinges of this Realme, as also by her Maj^tie, our most gracious Sovereign, did procede to the secret Elec[i]on or Nominac[i]on of one M^r and fower Wardens to rule and govern this mystery for the yeare now nexte ensuinge, and after the four severall Bills made by the Olde M^r and Wardens for the Elec[i]on of the four newe Wardens were redd in ev'y of ye which the M^r & Wardens had nomynated, and caused to be written four sundry names of the whole Brethren of this Mystery, the whole Assistants considereth of them, & altereth the Bills, puttinge of them oute and puttinge other into the Bills, observinge the number at their pleasure until the Bills be fully agreed upon.

And then the ffirst p'cede to the Elec[i]on of the Fourth Warden or Puisne Warden, and after to the third Warden, which two Wardens be called Warden Rentors, to whose Elec[i]on all of the Assistants do pryck & so p'cede to electe the second and first Wardens, and then all such of the Assistants as be named in those Bills dep'te oute of the howse, the rest make the Elec[i]on by scrutinye and pryck after this manner.

The first Warden taketh the Elec[i]on Bills in his hande, and the c[i]oen Clerke a bodkyn, and so they go from one to another begynning at the youngest of th'Assistants, as is usually done in all matters which passe by voyces in this house, and p'ceedinge upwardes until they come unto the Olde M^rs, and then they go to the youngest Warden and so to the reste, and after the Wardens to the youngeste and laste Maister, and so upwarde from one to another until they come unto the p'sente M^r, the said upper Warden shewinge or the Clarke readinge their names which be in the Bill in scrutyne, and everyone hathe his pryck which he setteth to whose name he woulde have in Office, and if it happen that after the M^r hath given his pryck there be two havinge moste and yet even nomber of prycks, the Maister of Prerogative maye pryck agayne to fynish the Elc[i]on w^ch resteth on him w^ch hath the most prycks.

And after the lyke mann^r the M^r is chosen, savinge that there be but two men named in the Bill made for the Elec[i]on of the M^r, and that the newe Maister is chosen onlye by the scrutyne and pryck of the Old Maister and Wardens then beinge, with the olde M^rs (all other Assistants being put assyde).

Accordinge to the lawful orders of this Mystery, the saide Elec[i]on this pnte daye restinge upon theis persons hereunder written (viz.), M^r Rich^d White, M^r, Tho^s Kyrton, Rob^t Hawes, and Cha^s Hoskins, Wardens, was solemply and openly in the c[i]oen Hall of this mystery put into Execuc[i]on by the saide Olde M^r and his Wardens in this Cōen Hall of this Mystery before the Right Hon^ble S^r Lyonell Duckett, Knight, Lorde Mayor of London, and many other Worshipfull persons then and there p'sente towards the latter end of the Dynner and before Waifers sved in accordinge to the right laudable and ancyent custome of this Mystery in that behalf yerely used & accustomed.

The mann^r of the Publication of the w^ch Elec[i]on, howe yt is to be used, I have thoughte good for memory sake, noother Booke expressing the same, and that one uniforme Order maye be obsved therein to set yt here in writinge as followeth.

The manner howe the Secrete Elecion is published in the Coen Hall.

After the Hall is served w^th the seconde Course, the M^r and his Wardens accompanyed w^th Officers do at evry Table chere their Gests, w^ch beinge done the M^r preparinge to make solempn publicac[i]on of the said secrete Elec[i]on havinge before him, firste, the Wayts of the Cytie playinge, then the Beadill and Clarke followinge together, the Beadill having a Verger of Sylver in his hande and the Clerke a Scrole of Paper which importeth the names of the Brethern, after whome followith the youngest Warden goinge alone, havinge one of the Elec[i]on Cupps in his hande and his Garlande on his hedd and in like mann^r appoynted, all the other Wardens followinge accordinge to their places, so that the ffirste or M^r Warden goinge hindermost next the M^r carrieth the M^rs Cuppe w^th Ipocras, (fn. 1) whom the M^r ffolowith, havinge onely his Garlande on his hedd, being accompaned w^th two olde M^rs, thelder of whome goeth on his righte hande and the yonger on the M^rs lefte hande.

The Officers, Wardens, &c., in order aforesaide p'cede righte ove^r the herthe (w^ch is then fynely set w^th flowers) to the chief Geste sittinge at the Highe Table, to whome after the Officers have rendered dutie and be with the Wardens declyned to the syde of the North or Liv^ry Table, the M^r pffereth hym his Garlande who chearefully accepteth it and putteth it on his hedd, and after, giveth yt agayne to the M^r, who from one of his Gests to another setteth yt upon so many of their hedds as he lyketh at that Table.

Afterwards the Waits, Officers, and Wardens descende alonge by the Lyv^ry Table, leavinge comodious place for the M^r to sett his Garlande on the Olde M^rs hedds with certen of the Assistants sytting abowte the newe M^r or where he should sytt, yf he be absente one, whose hedds he setteth the Garlande twyse yf the M^r Electe be presente, and when he setteth his Garland the seconde tyme on the hedd of the M^r Electe he letteth yt stande, and taketh his Cuppe of the M^r Warden and drynketh to him whom he publisheth to be M^r of the Company for the year ensuinge.

But yf the M^r Electe be absent (as yt happened this yeare), The Waits, Officers, &c., in Order, as aforesaide cross ov^r the Hall nere by and above the Scryne, and yf there be a Gest Table, they go upwards betwene the Geste Table and the M^rs Table towards y^e chief Geste, and then at the Geste Table the M^r dothe also yf yt be his pleasure pffer his Garlande to his deare ffriende there, and thenn fynally, dothe go to the chiefe Geste at the upper Table and drynketh to the Maister Electe being absent whom he then nameth and leaveth before the chiefe Geste his Cupp and his Garlande, and taketh his ease, w^ch being done, the Waits, Officers, and Wardens descende, and come aboute the Scryne at the nether ende of the Hall where the fower Wardens Substitute attende to receive theire Cuppes w^ch they do beare afore them, viz., The Warden Substitute for M'chaunttaillo's Hall Quarter before the youngest Warden [..]tor, and the Warden Substitute for Flete Streate Quarter before the thirde Warden, the Warden Substitute for Candilwicke Quarter beareth the Seconde Warden's Cuppe, and the Warden Substitute for Watling Streate Quarter beareth the Maister Wardens Cuppe, who then p'cede and go righte over the hearthe towards the Chief Geste where dutye being rendered they goe unto the Livry Table, where evry of them pseth lyke ceremonyes w^th their Garlands among suche as have not bene Maisters as the M^r dyd before among the Maisters, and soe publishe the Elec[i]on of the Newe Wardens one after another by mutuall courses, viz., The M^r Warden and the most ancient Warden ov' ffirste after the like forme, as is described the manner aforesaide when a Maister Electe psente or absente is published untill all be done, and then the Hall is served with Wafers.

After Dynner the Lyvery repayreth into the Counsell house where they paye theire Brotherhood money to the M^r Warden, to the M^rs use (the Clerke nothing), who do paye accordingly: And then every one drynketh a Cupp of Ipocras and deptheth, save such as be of the Assistants who do tarry to give Othes unto and to place the Newe Maister and Wardens, and appoynte Audytors to audyte the Olde M^r and Wardens Accompts before they departe, according to the laudable custome of this right Worshippfull Companye.

And accordynge to this Order Tho^s Haile, late chosen M^r Warden of this mystery was sworne and placed by Xpofer Marler, his laste p'decessor in the saide Office.