Artillery Company

Analytical Index to the Series of Records Known as the Remembrancia 1579-1664. Originally published by EJ Francis, London, 1878.

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'Artillery Company', in Analytical Index to the Series of Records Known as the Remembrancia 1579-1664, (London, 1878) pp. 19-24. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/no-series/index-remembrancia/1579-1664/pp19-24 [accessed 25 April 2024]

Artillery Company.

IV. 24. Copy of Petition of Captain Edward Panton (fn. 1) to the Lords of the Council, reciting that about five years previously, at the request of divers Citizens, he had undertaken the leading and exercising of the Society of Arms practising in the Artillery Garden, (fn. 2) which, at his great charges and labour, he had reduced to its present condition, having first obtained the Council's leave for the number of 250; that the Lord Mayor and the rest, to testify their grateful acceptance of his services, had made him a Freeman of London, and granted him a yearly pension of 40l. out of the Chamber, promising, on further approbation of his services, to increase it. Since their last musters the Court of Aldermen had themselves applied to the Council to increase the number, whereupon the Council had authorized 500 of the better sort of citizens to be trained by the Petitioner in or near the City. The Court of Aldermen had since declined to pay him the 40l. any longer, or any other satisfaction. The Council, by their letter of the last of November to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, concerning the training and mustering of 6,000 citizens, had willed and advised them to use the assistance of some man of experience in furnishing the Companies with fit arms according to the modern use of other nations. The Petitioner therefore prayed the Council to nominate and commend him as an officer to that purpose, willing the Lord Mayor and Aldermen to establish him therein with such fee as the Council should think for an officer of that quality.

IV. 25. Letter of the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen to the Lords of the Council, in reply to the petition of Captain Panton, stating that such as were trained in the Artillery Garden were voluntary scholars, and followed the practice of Arms only for their pleasure. But every man of his Company (as they were informed) respected his pains more or less with some consideration, which by the increase of 500 had become doubled. The Court of Aldermen had also been benevolent to him out of the City's purse, but never gave him any yearly pension; nor had they any occasion to charge the City either with any pension to a Captain, or to employ any officer to oversee the City's arms; for in times past, on all necessary occasions of levies of soldiers, their predecessors had always carefully performed the will and pleasure of their Sovereigns and the orders of the Council without such assistance; and now that by the Council's approbation they had quartered the City, and appointed Colonels over the several City Captains, who would take the whole care on themselves, and see that their Companies were furnished with serviceable and fit arms, they hoped the Council would conceive there was much less cause to burden the City with any such officer, nor would the citizens be content to have any such over them.
4th April, 1615.

IV. 29. Letter from the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen to the Lords of the Council, forwarding a petition presented to them from the Society of Citizens of London, practising arms and military discipline in the Artillery Garden, complaining that William Hammond, the King's Master Gunner of England, had lately restrained their use of that place, and would not suffer their servants and armourers to repair there to their Armoury to mend and clean their arms without paying him a great rent for the use of the ground, which had never been demanded before, not had they been interrupted until lately Hammond had obtained a grant of the said ground from the King, which grant, though intended by Hammond to be for the use of the Society, for which purpose he had cautiously moved the Petitioners to join with him in Petition, and to make a Certificate under their hands on his behalf, yet now having obtained it, he pretended the whole property of the estate and right in the ground was in himself. The Petitioners had complained to the Barons of the Exchequer, who on sight of the grant (from which it appeared upon any controversy he was to submit to the order of the Barons) and certificate of Sir Francis Bacon, (fn. 3) Attorney-General, had required him to forbear to interrupt them in the use of the said ground until. upon a Bill to be exhibited by him in the Exchequer, other order should be taken; yet notwithstanding such order he remained obstinate. The Court of Aldermen commended the Petition to the Council's consideration, because they had, by their order of the 3rd July, 1602, approved and allowed the said Society and their exercise of arms in any place in or near the City, and the Court of Aldermen knew no place so fit as the Artillery Garden. They therefore requested the Council to direct that the Petitioners might use the same as formerly, till the difference between them and Hammond should be determined in the Exchequer Court.
3rd May, 1616.

V. 5. Petition of Captain Edward Panton to the Lords of the Council, stating that having for seven years past, by authority from the Council, exercised and trained the Society of Arms in the Artillery Garden, the Court of Aldermen had suspended him from the execution of his place as Captain, and praying that they might be directed to allow him to continue his duties until they should show to the Council good cause to the contrary.
Sans date.

V. 6. Order in Council reciting the foregoing Petition, and requiring the Lord Mayor and Aldermen to answer the same immediately, and to show the reasons for their proceedings; and further directing that Captain Panton should be permitted to remain in his place till their answer should be returned, and the further order of the Council given thereon.
Whitehall, 5th January, 1618.

VII. 29. The King's Order upon the controversy between the Lord Mayor and Aldermen and the Company of the Artillery Garden. The King, according to the true meaning of his orders for the first institution of the Company, and to the voluntary submission of both partics, had resolved to take the election of the Captain of the Company into his own hands, and therefore declared the elections made by the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, and by the Company, of the Captain and all other officers void;—further, he had determined that the election of President and all other officers should be in his own hands; but because he would not at all times be troubled to Choose officers, he commanded the Lord Mayor and Aldermen now and hereafter to choose them, save the Captain, except when he should himself think fit to take the pains therein. The Treasurer's place, however, being a particular trust, was to be left to the Company. As it appeared that orders for the government of the Company had not been made, the King, with the advice of his Council, would take steps for the framing of such orders as should be requisite. Lastly, as the King, with the advice of his Council, held it just and reasonable that the authority of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen should be countenanced and upheld in the government of the several parts of the City under His Majesty, and would always approve their fitting endeavours to vindicate the same, so he could not approve the expressions used by word of mouth, and in some petitions by the Company, intimating a consequence of disbanding if their desires were not yielded to, nor the disorders and contentions which appeared in their proceedings.
Dated in margin, April 18th, 1630.

VII. 83. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen, reciting that the King had reserved to himself the choice and nomination of Captain, to instruct and direct the Company of the Artillery Garden, and that the Captaincy was vacant by the death of Colonel Hacklewite; and informing the Court that the King had appointed Serjeant-Major Taylor to the said office, and requiring them not only to cause him to be admitted and. received, but to be treated with all courtesy and respect, and further directing that the Company should be called together as speedily as possible, and His Majesty's pleasure signified to them.
Whitehall, 23rd January, 1632.

VII. 121. Order in Council for settlement of all contentions with respect to the Company of the Artillery Garden, stating that the King would reserve to himself the appointment of the Captain; that the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen should appoint the President; and that all other officers should be chosen and appointed by the Company; that the Captain should be paid 50l. per annum out of the moneys quarterly paid by each of the Company, and that all other officers who formerly received pay should have their accustomed salaries.
4th July, 1634.

VIII. 14. Letter from the Lords of the Council to the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen with respect to the complaint made against Captain Panton of the Artillery Company, and recommending the withdrawal from office for a time of Captain Panton and Captain Bingham; and further requesting them, with the assistance of the captains of the City's companies, to select one Captain for the Company in the Artillery Yard from Captains Panton, Bingham, and Brett.
5th March, 1615.

VIII. 37. Letter from Sir Henry Montague (fn. 4) and Sir Horatio Vere (fn. 5) to the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen with respect to the matter of Captain Panton, and recommending him for some recompense in respect of his seven years' service, "because the Lords may take no further knowledge of his grievances and cause of complaint."
24th January, 1619.

VIII. 91. Order in Council for repressing the mutinous and disorderly conduct of sundry persons of the Artillery Yard who had assumed to themselves the right of choosing their own captains, &c., and had disobeyed warrants sent by the Lord Mayor, and other matters; and directing that the whole ordering of that body should rest in the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen, and that the Lord Mayor should cause examination to be made as to the originators of the disorders, and inflict such punishment as he should think fit by imprisonment or otherwise, reporting his proceedings to the Council.
2nd March, 1631.

VIII. 92. Order in Council for settlement of the controversy between the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen and the Artillery Company (the same in effect as No. 29, Vol. VII.)
18th April, 1632.

VIII. 131. Order in Council, copy of No. 121, Vol. VII.

Footnotes

  • 1. According to Stow (Strype's Stow, edition 1720, Book v., p. 457), he was the first Captain of the Artillery Company. Cauldfield (in his 'Remarkable Persons,' p. 238) says he was a common adventurer, who finding the trade of evidence so successfully carried on by Titus Oates, Bedloe, and others, determined not to remain idle while so much good employ might be obtained at the trifling expense of a few false oaths, but, being unsuccessful, he turned to gambling, and won a sufficient sum to perpetuate his name by building Panton Street and Square, Haymarket.
  • 2. The Company was incorporated by Henry VIII., August 25th, 1537. They first met at the old Artillery Garden, at the top of Artillery Lane, Bishopsgate. King James I. issued a patent to the Company for the maintenance of Archery and Artillery, especial provision being made for preserving the marks in the common fields for shooting at, February 1st, 1607. This was confirmed by Charles I., December 20th, 1632; and in Ogilby's Map of London, 1677, the site of the Old Artillery Garden is shown, as well as the New Artillery Garden at Bunhill Fields.
  • 3. Called to the Bar, 1582; married Alice, second Daughter of Alderman Benedict Barnham, Draper; Sheriff in 1591. He was Knighted, July 16th, 1603; made SolicitorGeneral, June 25th, 1607; Attorney-General, October 27th, 1613; Lord Keeper, March 7th, 1617; Lord Chancellor, January 4th, 1618; Baron Verulam, July 11th, 1618; Viscount St. Albans, January 27th, 1621; deprived of the Great Seal, May 1st, 1621; died April 9th, 1626. —His uncle, Alderman James Bacon, Fishmonger, was elected Alderman of Aldersgate, April 24th, 1567; Sheriff, 1568. He was the third son of Robert Bacon, of Drinkston, Suffolk, and younger brother of Sir Nicholas Bacon, Lord Keeper, the father of Sir Francis Bacon. He was thrice married: his first wife was Mary, daughter of John Gardner, of Grove Place, in the county of Bucks; his second was Margaret, daughter of William Rawlins, of London, Grocer, widow of Richard Goldston, Alderman and Salter, to whom he was married at St. Dunstan's-in-the-East, August 14th, 1565; his third was Anne, widow of Alderman Jackman, and daughter of Humphrey Pakington, Esq., second brother of Sir John Pakington, of Hampton Lovett, Worcestershire, the ancestor of Lord Hampton. Alderman Bacon died before arriving at his Mayoralty, on the 5th June, 1573, and was buried at St. Dunstan's-inthe-East. His epitaph is given in Stow, edition 1633, p. 139; see also Murray's 'History of St. Dunstan's-in-the-East,' p. 24; Machyn's 'Diary,' pp. 280 and 389; 'Heralds' Visitation of London,' 1568, p. 9.
  • 4. Elected Recorder upon the recommendation of James I., May 26, 1603; M.P. for the City of London, 1604–1611; appointed Lord Chief Justice of the King's Bench, Nov. 16, 1616; Lord Treasurer, Dec. 14, 1620: he gave 20,000l. for the office; made Lord President in Council, 1621; created Earl of Manchester by Charles I., Feb. 1626. Upon his resignation of the Recordership he was presented with two hundred double sovereigns by the Corporation, as a thankful remembrance for his many careful endeavours for the City. A biographical sketch of him is given by his descendant, the Duke of Manchester, in his 'Court and Society from Elizabeth to Anne,' vol. i.
  • 5. Youngest son of Geoffrey De Vere, third son of John, fifteenth Earl of Oxford. He accompanied his brother, Sir Francis Vere, in his expeditions. Created Baron Vere of Tilbury, July 25th, 1625; made Master of the Ordnance, March, 1629. He died May 2nd, 1635, and was buried in Westminster Abbey.
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