15th April, 1709. Upon complaint made against one Henry Drudge for exerciseing Barbery & Surgery w{th}in the City not being ffree he attended and alleadged that he haveing been a Soldier in the late Warr thought himself intituled to keep his Shoppe without takeing up his ffreedome, by Virtue of the Act of Parliament made upon the disbanding the Army which gives liberty to disbanded soldiers to exercise any trade within the Corporations or places where they were borne, althoˀ they had not served seven years to it But the Court believing that act did not extend to Drudge by reason he was not borne in London, ordered that in case he did not shut up his Shop in a month’s time he should be prosecuted. 21st July, 1709. In consequence of the great expense to which the Company had been put in the repairs to the Hall, the Court determined to call thirty-one freemen into the Livery, and the fine being £10 each on admission or £20 on refusal, a considerable sum was realized. It having been suggested to the Court that the yeomanry objected to pay 20_s._ for “corn money” when called to the Livery, the Clerk was directed to enquire into the origin of that tax, and finding that it had been originally levied on each member taking his livery, to satisfy the precepts made in 1633, and afterwards for providing a stock of corn for the City; and for that at the present time the Company had no Granary or stock of corn to provide, and “being out of debt,” it was ordered that in future this fine should be discontinued. 18th August, 1709. At the Election, ten of the Livery who had attended without their gowns, were severally fined and paid 1_s._ each, and there are other references to Assistants being fined for not appearing in their gowns. 4th October, 1709. A complaint being made against Richard Stockwell for being copartner with a fforreigner & the fact being made appeare pritty plain against him the Court fined him five pounds being the penalty imposed by the By Law, But upon his promise to discharge his said partner the Court were pleased to remitt his ffine. 18th April, 1710. M{r} John Booth a Surgeon at Warrington in Lancashire applying to this Court to be admitted a fforeign brother & he being examined in Surgery & approved It was ordered that upon his payment of ten Guineas he should be admitted a fforeign brother of this Company, But the said M{r} Booth refusing to take that part of the fforeign brothers oath whereby he was sworne to be true to the Queen he was not for that reason admitted. 1st June, 1710. It is ordered that the Members present at this Court shall be excused from wearing their gowns in regard to the heat of the weather.