The ancient practice was for the whole body of the livery to be summoned to the Hall in their livery gowns, hoods and caps on the Monday at 8 o’clock in the morning “at the furthest” to whom the Masters, sitting in Court, declared the cause of their assembling; this done, the Masters retired, and the livery, sitting there, chose twelve of their number to be “Electors,” of whom six were to be “expert Surgeons,” and four at least must never have served the office of Master or Governor. The Clerk then called the twelve Electors out (the rest of the livery remaining in the Hall). The Masters then delivered to the Electors the “Bills of Election,” each Master nominating two Barbers and two Surgeons, so that sixteen in all were nominated, and, after administering to them the oath prescribed, the Electors retired to a private room apart to make their choice. Should the Electors deem that one or more of themselves ought to have been put in nomination, they were to send for the Masters who were bound to withdraw such person or persons, and choose others in their place. The Bills were to be made out in accordance with seniority, but the Electors were not bound to choose by seniority. Having made their choice, the Electors sent for the Masters and delivered to them a Bill with the names of the four persons selected, and these names were (under a heavy penalty) to be kept secret until after the “dener.” The whole Company then proceeded in state to the Church of St. Olave, Silver Street (after the Great Fire to St. Alban, Wood Street), maids strewing the way with flowers. At Church there was a “goodly masse” celebrated, and in later times a “devyne sˀrvice,” which, being ended, the parson and some of the church officials had customary fees and returned with the Company to the Hall to celebrate the Election dinner. The feast over, the outgoing Masters, according to “auncient order,” walked about the table, each bearing a garland and placing it on the head of the member who had been chosen to fill his place in the year ensuing. If anyone elected happened to be absent, his garland was placed on the head of one of the Ancient Masters as proxy, and the newly-elected Masters were sworn on the Holy Evangelists to the due execution of their offices, absentees being sworn at the next Court. The Election dinners were held at any early hour in the afternoon (1 or 2 p.m.) and were generally followed by a play or a dance, sometimes both; the wives of the livery and Assistants were present at the dinner, and the latter had their apprentices in attendance waiting at table. In 1633 the mode of choosing the Electors was varied as follows: a “fair ballating box” with two cells therein, one labelled “Surgeons” and the other “Barbers” was placed upon the table, Into _each_ cell the Master put the names of two Ancient Masters, and drew one out of each 2