The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-07-07
THE woRsH1prUL BARRIERS.


Between the barber and the surgeon at one
time the distinction was very slight. Ton
serial embellishments applied to the feudal
individual might have rarely been called INTO
requisiiion, because the noble allowed beard
and moustache to grow as they pleased.
Still, they wore their hair cut square across
their foreheads and the men were banged
and not the women. It is quite probable,
however, that for the clerical element which
abounded in early times, the shears, the
razor and iather were quite in demand:
BARRIERS had then another calling. They used
the lancet and bled their clients and per-
formed some slight surgical operations. As
everybody knows, the BARRIERS pole, with Its
alternate stripes OF red and white, is indica-
tive of bsndaged arm.
The Worshipful Company of BARRIERS, form
erly Barber-surgeons, whose motto is: Root
and branch may it flourish forever" (having
no reference. of course, to anything capillary
or the use of hair restoratives,) is one of the
most celebrated of the London guilds, and
Mr.. Charles John Shoppee, a member of the
American Numismatic and Archaeological
Society, has Just written in book form an in
teresting description of the pictures and OBJ
jects of interest in the hall and courts OF the
worshipful company.
1t is famous hail. for Pepys, in his Diary,
tells US that in 1923 he drank health in
grade cup that was there, gift OF King
Henry VIII to the company. Writes Pepys;
Among other observables at Chyrurgeon's
Hall we drank the Kings health out of gilt
cup given by King Henry VIII to the cem-
pany with bells hanging at it which every
man is to ring by shaking after he hath drank
the whole cup" The cup with bells is some
thing which our siiversmiuhs might copy to-
day when they make loving cups.
This cup has run many risks.
In 1915 some thieves broke into the
court and stole the cup. A committee was
at once appointed to ferret out the robbery.
One Thomas Lyme confessed how he was
the plotter for the Robbinge of the Hall, and
how the plate was Carried to Westm'."
Thomas Jones and one Ffoster were impli-
Gated The old record tells how the three
robbers were taken and executed sin April.
1916" and the minute concludes Now
let's pray God to blesse this howse ever from
any more of these damigees. Amen" This
cup was pawned several times and was re-
deemed and has been repaired,
Before the surgeons cut loose from the
BARRIERS, in George IFS time, it was the habit
of the masters of the guild to present silver
cups to the company. Edward Arris Esqre,
barber, surgeon, and master in 1851, gave
cups and his own portrait, as did Sir Charles
Scarborough, who was physician to Charles
II, James ii, and William Ill scarborough
assisted the greatest man of his age Hervey,
and succeeded him as lecturer On anatomy
and surgery 1t seems that her Grace
the Duchess OF Portsmouth was a heavy
feeder, and noticing the gorging OF this
noble lady, Sir Charles said to her, with pro-
fessional frankness you must eat less, use
more exercise, take physic or be sick" But
the great picture of the company Is one by
Hans Holbeiu, representing the Union of
the BARRIERS and Surgeons" an event which
took place in 1541, in Henry Wits reign 1t is
painted on an oak panel, and represents the
King surrounded by all the illustrious bar
bers and surgeons of that time Walpole de-
scribes this picture. declaring it TO be the
4 III 49, =.
tablet above the King full of pleasing fat
terry where scandalous Harry is represented
las the great physician sent by God to dis
pense all blessings"
What would be a company of this kind
without'its sideboard and plate? Here are
cups and 1agons dating back from the six
feenth century. Tankards and covers, loving
cups, bowls-written ''boells' in l6o3-sauce
boats salt-cellars pepper casters, sugar cas-
Tors. ladies, hsh-slicers tea and salt spoons,
soup tureens, wine strainers-aH suggestive
of the banquets the barber-surgeons once de-
lighted in. The bill of fare of dinner given
TO the ladies in 1852 shows the magnficence of
those times. The feast was The Dinner for
ye Assistance and theare Wives at Berbor
Sirgon Hail." Here are some of the dishes
and what they cost Tor four dishes of West
falla hame and six chickings, f3.
For a boock, with sholders, f5.5. A Sir
Loyne of befe and Rebes, 16 shillings. For
dishis of torkis, 2 in a dish, with sage
Ella Four dishes of Teartes, ELS. For
youse of puter, f1.2. For wood and coles,
IS shillings For Cookies and Laborers, e. Is.
For oyle and Vinegar, 1 shilling. The total
of that feast cost f23 los Sd. Up to 1850
skeleton used to be suspended in the hail.
but probably that gave a shock to the nerves
of the ''berbors and sirgions." One can
fancy the little screech OF the comely danes
of 200 years or more ago as they gazed Old
this pendulous anatomy before the grand
H. al. Il.1 G
the shop. SO in 175O it was requested of the
master ito have the skeleton removed" and
in its place was put plaster-cast Of lingo
Jones. There never can be an old company
without its mysterious story. Here is one
apropos of screen. The worshipful COM
pany had the right of the bodies
of four malefactors executed at Tyburn, and
could dissect them; condemned, adjudged
and put to death for felony by due orders of
the King" they entered into 1.-The realms of
anatomy" Once on time, so it was whis-
pered aoout for some centuries in BARRIERS
Hall, poor wretch, apparently stark dead,
was put on the table and some worthy barber
surgeon plunged knife into him. Possibly
he yelled, like did the Able Provost but,
more fortunate than the author OF "Manon
PEscant," he did not die, but came to life
again. The barber-surgeons gave him money
10 leave the kingdom, and. out of gratitude
i'll after years he presented to the company
this screen, A. d. 1712. There is a whole
story which might be written up about this.
BY gift the company is possessed of fine
picture of the Duchess of Richmond, painted
by Sir Peter Lely. There is something queer
in the fact that this beauty the famous Miss
Stuart of Grammonts memoirs, should be
found in such a place, but possibly as she
presides over an honest and modest set of
men to-day she is in better company than
she once was when among the profigates and
ne'er-do-wells of King Charles's court
There are many quaint customs and cere-
monies, which Mr.. Shoppee indicates still
carried out by the BARRIERS. Masters and
Eardens on festal days have their noble
brews encircled with handsomely-w wrought
and chased silver garlands, and in case any