XIX. SERCHE MADE AT THE VIGIL OF ST. BARTHOLOMEW.
1. This fair (fn. 1) was instituted by a grant of Henry II. to the
Priory for three days,—"the eve, the day, and the morrow,"—to
which the Clothiers of England and the Drapers of London
resorted. It was proclaimed (fn. 2) by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen on Bartholomew's Eve, in the afternoon, at the great gate
going into the Cloth Fair, and then commenced, lasting, by
sufferance, 14 days.
The search after those who, as foreigners, infringed the
rights of the Company was exercised from a very early period.
Entries of money spent for meat and drink, "sur le serche faitz
par les gardeins," occur in 7 Henry VI. (fn. 3) Thus,—
"Paie as dyvers foitz sur lez serchez del Mistier et autres
hommes pour warnyng de dyvers foreins overantz en musset,
6s. 8d."
And in 13 Henry VI.,—
"Espendu (fn. 4) divers foitz en viaunde et boire sur lez gardeins
pour le serche et gaderyng dez revenuz, xxs."
Again, in 14 Henry VI.,—
"Spent in mete and drynke (fn. 5) whan the Meister went to serche,
sur luy et lez gardeins et le serjaunt, et autres, iij daies, xxjs.
Item, Paie a Holgrave Serjaunt, pour son labour delserche, xld." (fn. 6)
2. The right of search was specifically granted by the Company's 4th Charter, and its exercise over the traders of St.
Bartholomew is shown in an entry which also embraces the
expenses of obtaining the Charter. Thus (1443–4),—
22 Henry VI., William Auntrus, Master. (fn. 7) —"Thise been the
paiementz and costz made by the Meistre and Wardeins upon
dyvers men for the serche of Barthilmew faire. First spended in
mete and drinke and horsmete to Dogmansfeld and home, and
fro London to the kynge's hous for a letter fro the kyng, and
a nother tyme to Penycoke's place, xxiiijs. Item, paid to
Lowthe's clerk for writyng of the charter and certein writtes,
vjs. viijd. Item, paid to Gedeney, under secretarye for
devysyng and writyng of a letter fro the kyng to the Meir
of London, vjs. viijd. Item, paid to Lowthe of the Chauncerie
for his labour, dyvers tymes rydyng fro Dogmansfeeld to
London and to the kynge's hous and other places for our
mater, xls. Item, paid to men of our crafte and other that
wer in Newgate, vjs. viijd. Item, spended in horshire, horsmete
to Eltham, and bothire dyvers tymes to Westminster for that
matter, ijs. vjd. Item, espended in dyvers tymes at dyners
and sopers upon Lowthe, Gedeney, and other men of lawe for
the serche forseid, xxxvijs. Item, paid to Lakyn and Wolston,
men of lawe, for seyng of our charter, vjs. viijd. Item, spended
in horshire and horsmete whan Jeorge rode to Shene and fet
Thomas Davy and the clerk another tyme, ijs. iiijd.=vjli.
xijs. jd."
3. In its continuance it appears to have been a convivial
meeting, for the next entry is:—
23 Henry VI. (fn. 8) —"In expensis for the Wardens, the clerks
and bedill, with other drynkynges, in the serchyng tyme and
aboute gaderyng yn of the money for prentises, and at other
tymes with consell and suche other necessary and nedful for the
craft, xxxvs. ijd."
4. The search made in 1567 is noticed in the Court Records,
thus:—
"Serche made in the Vigill of St. Bartylmewe th' Appostle
Ano 1567 et anno Regni Reg: Elizabeth: nono, in the Ffayre
kepte wthin the Pcyncte of Greate St. Bartylmewes and
Smythfielde in London, by the Right Worshipfull Wm. Sylierde,
Robert Hulson, William Heton and Arthure Dawbney, Wardens
of the Right Worshipfull Companye and ffelisshippe of
March'nnttayllors of the Ffraternitie of St. John Baptyste in
the Citye of London, and of others the Righte Worshipfull of
the sayde Companye (that is to saye) ffrancys Pope, John
Sperck, Willm. Hodgson and Thomas Wylford, in the presens
of Thomas Underhill, S'geant at Mace to the Lorde Mayo', and
also com[m]on hunte of the sayde Citie, and of the Clerck and
Bedyll of the sayde Company among all the Ffreemen of
there sayde Company beinge in occupiers in the sayde Ffayre,
and kepinge Bothes and usinge any measures as yeards or ells
wthin the sayde Ffayre, to see that they occupye none but
suche as were good and lawfull, whereby the Queen's people
thither resortyng to buye shoulde not be by any of suche
dyssaved: And the names of the sayde Ffreemen of this
Mysterie then keepinge Bouthes at the sayde Ffayre were these
whose names are hereunder fellowith wrytten viz.:—
"John Harryson.
John Artor.
Thomas Hawes.
Humffrey Walsingame.
Francys Bradborne.
Edwarde Whyte.
Roger Myllington.
Harry Nycoll.
Andrew Armorer.
Robt. Reynolds.
Edward Bennett.
Robert Albany.
Xpofer Whitlock.
Rycharde Monnoxe.
Steaphen Prowde.
Nycholas Tetlowe.
Henry Hemlock.
Baldwin.
Robte. Maxfielde.
Willm. Mason.
William Newton."
[12th August 1567.]
5. In 1609, this right was apparently questioned by the
Drapers, and settled by reference to the Company's records,
thus:—
"Whereas information is given to this Court of great wrong
offred unto or Company by the Wardens of the Company of
Drapers, in searching one of the Brothers of our Company in
Bartholomew fayer last, and their Clarck also offering that our
Company had not any right or authority to make any search in
the same fayer. It is therefore ordred that the Clarck of this
Company shall resorte to the Drapers Hall at their nexte Courte
of Assistants with this message, 'To understand whether they
did mistayke him that they serched, not knowing that he was
a Marchaunttailor or whether the Drapers will justify the doing
thereof, to th'end that such further order maye be therein taken
as shalbe thought fitt for the preserving and mayntayning of the
right that this Companie have to theire Searche and which they
have quietly enjoyed sithence the seven and twentieth yeare of
King Henry the Sixt, being above one hundred and threescore
yeres past. And many yeres before that time, as by the Recorde
of this Company, wherein is mencioned a long sute betweene
the Drapers and this Company about the same question of
Search, and a sentence passed for this Company as in one of
the Company's Register Books being marked with the letter B,
Fol. 62, may at large appeare.'" (fn. 9) —[28th August, 1609.]
6. Preceding the search in later years the Wardens usually
dined together, as this record shows:—"Whereas it hath
alwayes ben accustomed for the newe Wardens and the olde
to meete on Bartholomew Eve, and to dyne togeather at the
charge of the two Rentor Wardens, and after to make their
search in Bartholomew ffayer, and forasmuch as this yeare
both the Renter Wardens wilbe absent, the one not yeat taken
his oathe being as farr as Yorke, and the other in Ireland about
the Cittie affaires. It is therefore at this Courte ordered and
agreed that three of the Wardens which served the last year,
ioyned with Mr. Boothby, present Warden, and the fower
Wardens that were in the place the yeare before shall meete
for the said search, and the dynner to be provided by the
Comon Clarke at the Hall, and the money to be paied for the
present out of the stocke of this howse, and required agayne
of the two Renter Wardens when they come to take their
several place and charge."—[9th August 1613.] (fn. 10)
7. The search was made annually until the proclamation of
Bartholomew Fair was discontinued in 1854.