The Inner Temple Yearbook 2021–2022
Timeline
TIMELINE 1521 “A serjeant of the law, ware and wise, That often hadde ben at the parvis, Ther was also, full rich of excellence. Discreet he was and of great reverence, He sened swiche; his wordes were so wise, Justice he was ful often in assise, By patent, and by pleine commissiun; For his science, and for his high renoun, Of fees and robes had he many on.” Geoffrey Chaucer, General Prologue – The Canterbury Tales Since the last serjeant-at-law died in 1921, many have forgotten this extraordinary elite group of lawyers who once presided over the English courts, holding precedence over all other lawyers.
A
A writ from the King was required to create a serjeant. The writ was issued under the Great Seal. And the Inns of Court celebrated these prestigious occasions with lavish ceremony, with the serjeants assembling in one of the Inns of Court for a celebratory feast at which either the Lord Chancellor or Lord Chief Justice would give a speech and a purse of gold to the newly created serjeants. As a mark of their station, they were required to wear a closely fitting white coif, which would be placed on the serjeant’s head at the ceremony. Their exceptional status can be demonstrated by their rarity. In total, only 89 serjeants were created throughout the 16th century. In 1521, the Inner Temple was honoured to have four of its members elected to this prestigious rank. The ceremony to celebrate the occasion was lavish and is described in the proceedings of our parliament: “As stated at a Parliament on the 7 July 13 Henry VIII 1521 “Whereas the King lately directed four writs to four members of the society namely, William Ruhale, John Poorte, Baldwin Malett and William Shelley that they in the octaves of St John should receive the estate and rank of serjeants at law, which same William Rudhale, John Poorte and William Shelley on Friday 28 June after vespers bade farewell to the society in the manner following. “First, all of the society who were in the city being warned and being assembled in the hall, the seniors in the upper part and juniors in the lower, two elder barristers were sent for the eldest serjeant, to show him that the members would expect his coming and to accompany him into the hall; and so another two for another serjeant;
94
1621 and so for each of them. Which being done and being come and standing in the chief place of the society almost in the middle of the hall on one side according to their seniority, the serjeant being the eldest member began to deliver to the society a goodly exhortation, to observe the ordinances and rules there before used, as well concerning study as other things, admonishing the younger members to obey their superiors, showing that by so doing he come to the rank of Serjeant declaring to the society his good will and offering them his service as well with his heart, his mouth and by his deeds. And having said these words the second serjeant began his exhortation, and so the third. Which being said the member who was first in seniority and dignity returned thanks to them in the name of the whole society for their good exhortations and for their teachings now past, beseeching them that although they might be absent in body, nevertheless they would not be so in spirt and will, and assuring them with humility of the services of the society which being said those three serjeants proceeded to the door of the buttery where the treasurer delivered to them in the name of the society 10li, in three pairs of gloves provided for the purpose, namely to each of them 5 marks. And if there had been fourth ey would not have had more, and if only two they would not have had any less. And Baldwin Malet after the delivery of the writ, by the special endeavours of his friends was discharged before the rest were sworn, to wit, in Hilary term last. “That those Serjeants proceeded to the House of the Bishop of Ely, in Holborne, the Society following, from the seniors to the juniors to the number of almost a hundred and sixty, and so they came to a certain parlour on the north side of the hall where the rest of the serjeants of the other Inns had assembled, namely, from the Middle Temple, Fitzjames, Brown and Yngrefeld from ‘Lyncoln Yn’ Wylloghby and Norwyche, and from ‘Grey’s Yn’ Fayrfax and Spylman. And after all the Serjeants had come into the hall there and set at the chief table and the elders of the Inn with them, they had spices and many comfits with wine of every sort. And on Saturday they remained there and on Sunday the Chief Justice gave them a goodly exhortion in the great chamber at the end of the hall and then he told them their pleas (narrations) before delivered by the chief notaries. Memo: Rudhall at hys departure lafte a silvour spone for the borde of the benchers for a rembraunze in custodia of the cheif butler.”
Christmas at the Inns of Court and Chancery were celebrated in elaborate and ostentatious style from All Saints’ Eve (31 October) to Candlemas Day (2 February). Alongside the usual religious observances, they included the performance of student-run and written plays, masques, dancing, singing and lavish banquets. The custom of blowing a horn to summon people to dinner was first mentioned in the Inns Acts of parliament, with orders for the horn to “blow for dinner before 11 o’clock and before 6 for supper”. Behaviour during this period was a cause of concern amongst the Benchers of the Inn and, throughout the century, attempts were made to control the “licentiousness and disorder” that tended to prevail at this time, and it was the butlers in the frontline that took the brunt of the drunkenness.
Attempts were made to control the “licentiousness and disorder” that tended to prevail at this time, and it was the butlers in the frontline that took the brunt of the drunkenness. In 1622, there were complaints as to the remissness of the butlers. Interviews with the poor beleaguered butlers revealed that they were being forced to personally serve members in their chambers under the threat of being placed out of commons and losing their jobs, and so dared not inform the Benchers of the barristers’ disorders. Swift action was taken with the order that “if any fellow shall hereafter threaten a butler that he shall be called to the Bench Table and put out of commons or otherwise punished as the cause shall require…and that the butler that shall be so threatened put out of commons or ill used shall be punished if he do not inform the bench thereof”.
