Internal Affairs of the Company. 159 



A curious custom, and one which also obtained 

 with other Companies, was In vogue with the 

 Saddlers' Company. This was for the junior 

 members of the Livery to wait upon their seniors 

 at all feasts and dinners, a custom which, doubt- 

 less, had Its origin In the early Christian Church. 

 The following excerpts from the minutes are 

 adduced In Illustration : — 



1 61 7. August yth. 



" At this Court it was fully concluded that there 

 should be a Masters Dynner kept att our Hall on 

 Tuesdaie the xix"' daie of this p'sent month. There 

 were appoynted to be wayters at the same dynner 

 Thomas Hall, Will"^ Collins, Robert Dowgill, and Will'" 

 AUat." 



1 6 19. October yth} 



" This daie Robert Dowgill, Nathaniel Forman, 

 Thomas Goodale, and Henry Eleoch were appointed 

 Whiflers to waite on the Companie on the Lord Maiors 

 daie next." 



1 63 1. September i/^th. 



"At this Court upon the request of Mr. Warden 

 Burt his sonne Nathaniell Burt is to be taken into the 



^ The records of the Vintners' Company show that the practice 

 with that and other Companies was " for the youngest of the 

 Liverye at the chief feasts and solempnities at the Coen Hall 

 to have caryed the dyett to all the tables, and afterwards sett 

 themselves according to their places." See paper read by the 

 late Mr. W. Overall before the London and Middlesex 

 Archseological Association, entitled "Some Account of the 

 Vintry, and of the Vintners' Company." 



