Internal Affairs of the Company. i6i 



was paid to the Renter Warden, who was required 

 to hold the feast himself therewith, and the Court 

 usually allowed the Wardens of the yeomanry, 

 or Stewards, £/\. towards the cost, which was 

 not Infrequently supplemented by a buck. As 

 time went on the Court appear to have Introduced 

 their ladies to these feasts, as we gather from a 

 minute of 8th August, 1677 : — 



" This day Mr. Robert Johnson and Mr. John Randall, 

 late chosen Stewards for the Bartholomew feast, appeared 

 and declared as formerly they would hold the Feast but 

 not treate the women. The Court ordered them better 

 to consider of it." 



The Court appear to have ''better considered 

 of It " shortly afterwards, for we find that in March 

 of the following year they agreed to allow the 

 Stewards ^15 towards their charge. This 

 liberality appears to have been discounted by a 

 resolution at the same time, requiring the Stewards 

 to provide music and wine and victuals, according 

 to a mmu appointed by the Court. ^ 



1 From a MS. by the late Mr. W. C. Humphreys, Master of 

 the Company in 1863, which has been placed in our hands, it 

 appears that it was formerly the custom at the Stewards' Feast 

 for the newly elected Stewards, wearing crowns of laurel and 

 tinsel, to parade the Hall, accorapanied by two members of 

 the Livery next in rotation to serve the office, and preceded 

 by the Beadle and Under Beadle in gowns, with their maces 

 and by a band of music. The procession would halt at the 

 chair of the Master, who would drink to the Stewards' health, 

 and address them in felicitous terms. The custom is in the 



