Volume II 1603-1660 - The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple

1635] INNER TEMPLE RECORDS. 221
in the county of Essex, nephew of Sir George Croke, knight, one of
the justices of the court of King's Bench, at the request of the said
Sir George Croke.
Whereas at the parliament held on 23 November last (without
any intention of taking away the privilege of Christmas commons in
future time) it was, for the preservation from danger of sickness and
infectious diseases, ordered that there should be no commons during
Christmas, and whereas afterwards by reason that divers gentlemen
of the society and others in and near the House were visited with
the small pox and other sickness, the commons were, about io
December, dissolved, and the hall doors, buttery, and other offices
thereabouts locked up, notwithstanding which, certain fellows " having
associated with them divers other persons, as well strangers as others
that were discontinuers or had been formerly expelled the House, did
afterwards about 17 December cause the hall doors and other offices
to be broken open, and did there afterwards until the morning of
2 1 January last, being about five weeks, contrary to all ancient
custom and divers express orders of this House in that behalf, in a
disorderly manner, continue the possession of the said hall and offices
to the great scandal and dishonour of the Society." It is therefore
ordered that Henry Cholmley and William Hare, who appear to be
the principal actors in the disorder, be absolutely expelled and
William Thomas and Richard Lloyd for being likewise actors therein
be put out of commons, and each of them to pay a fine of 511. and all
other duties before they be admitted to make suit for being restored
into commons. And the same committee is desired to inquire what
other persons were concerned in the said disorders.
Middlemore and Garfoot are put out of commons and fined 40s.
each for coming to the reader's table uninvited and returning into the
hall after being put out of commons. And whereas it is observed
that certain fellows have lately in the time of reading come to the
reader's table without being invited " which is a thing most undecent
to be done by gentlemen of civil breeding," it is ordered that no
fellow shall come to the reader's table without being invited under
pain of expulsion.
" It is ordered for the better performance of the exercises of the
House hereafter, that if any utter barrister of this House, being a
vacationer and in commons in the time of reading or vacation, shall