Internal Affairs of the Company. 165 



161 1. May lOtJi. 



" It was ordered at this Courte that M'' John Hall 

 shall have a Lease of his newe Dwelling house in West- 

 chepe knowen by the signe of the Broode Hen and black 

 beare for the terme of one and thirtye yeres to begyn at 

 Mids'" next for the yearly rent of eight pounds and a 

 bucke of season being a fallowe Deere or iij^ in money 

 for not delyvering the same. The first paym* to begyn 

 on August next and to resyne his olde lease." 



Another quaint custom in connection with the 

 granting of the Company's leases was the pre- 

 sentation by the tenant of gloves to the Assistants 

 when the lease was sealed. 



The ordinances, ratified 21 Charles II., appoint 

 twelve Courts to be held during each year, i.e.^ 

 four quarter days, and two other Courts in each 

 quarter at convenient times. Every member of 

 the fellowship, without a reasonable excuse, failing 

 to attend a meeting of the Company at the hour 

 for which he was duly summoned, usually 9 o'clock 

 in the morning, was liable by the ordinances of 

 Elizabeth to a penalty of five shillings, and if he 

 absented himself altogether, to a penalty of forty 

 shillings. Any more serious offence committed 

 either against the State or the fellowship was 

 punishable by any fine the Wardens might choose 

 to inflict, in addition to imprisonment at the dis- 

 cretion of the same body : — 



On 7th February, 16 10, we read that — 



" Robert Christie (a member of the Court) for disobe- 

 dience against the whole Company was this Court day 

 committed to the Counter in Wood Street." 



