Regulations of the Honorable Artillery Company

[These are likely very close to the earlier versions of the early Seventeenth Century]

ORDERS Made by the Court of Assistants of the ARTILLERY-COMPANY, And confirmed by

The Whole Society, at two General Courts, holden in the Armory in the Artillery (Ground), viz. the First Court on the 8th of February 1658, and the other Court, on the 7th February, 1659.

By which Orders the Company is to be governed.

IMPRIMIS, It is thought fit, and so ordered and agreed upon, that, as for the present, the Company is now ordered and governed, so it shall continue and be governed by a President, a Deputy President, a Treasurer, and Four and Twenty Assistants, whereof four of the Assistants shall be Field-Officers, or Captains of the Trained-Bands of the City of London, that do pay Quarteridge, and shall continue to be of the Company, and shall be annually chosen there by the whole Body of the Company, in manner following.

II. Item, It is ordered and agreed upon, The whole Company shall be summoned once every Year, to meet at the Artillery-Garden, on the next Tuesday after Candlemas-Day; and there to nominate Three sufficient Citizens, being Freemen of London, and present Members of this Company, whom they shall think fit, to stand in order to Election for President, and out of them, they, or the greater Part of them, shall choose one, by holding up of Hands, to be President for the Year ensuing.

III. Item, It is ordered and agreed upon, That at the same General Meeting, the Company shall every Year, in like Sort, nominate and choose, by hoIding up of Hands, out of such of the said Society as are Citizens and Freemen of London, a Deputy-President and a Treasurer, for the Year next ensuing, in Manner and Form following; that is to say, out of three Members of the said Company to be nominated, shall elect and choose one of them for a Deputy-President; who, if he refuse to hold the Place, shall pay, for a Fine to the present Treasurer, for the Use of the Company, Three Pounds. And out of three, to be nominated as aforesaid, shall elect one of them for a Treasurer, to keep the common Treasure of the Company for the Year ensuing. In which Nomination and Choice, it is hereby declared, that Respect is to be had to the Antientest of the Company, if they be otherwise fit: Which Treasurer so chosen, shall at the next Court of Assistants, to be holden for the Company, after his Election, put in two sufficient Sureties, such as the Court of Assistants, or the greater part of them, shall approve of, to render a true Accompt at the Years End, to such Auditors as shall be chosen by the Assistants, of what Money he shall receive and pay for the Company's Use that Year; and to pay what shall be resting upon the Foot of his Account to the succeeding Treasurer, at the Time of his Audit. And if any Treasurer, so chosen, shall refuse to hold the Place, or give Security as aforesaid, he shall pay, to the present Treasurer, to the Use of the Company, Forty Shillings. And for the rest of the Assistants, It is ordered and agreed, That the Treasurer for the Year past, shall be one of the Assistants for the Year ensuing; and the Company shall also choose of the Assistants that were of the last Year, Six of them, for the Year ensuing; And that the Eight Stewards, that served the presedent Year, shall be Eight other of the Assistants, for the Year following; and the rest to be elected out of the Company, until the Number of Twenty-four be made up; and if any so chosen an Assistant, shall refuse to hold the Place, he shall pay for a Fine to the Treasurer, for the Use of the Company, Twenty Shillings.

IV. Item, Upon the Nomination of Persons for Leaders, It is ordered and agreed, That the Company exceed not the Number of Eight; which Number of Eight is to be reduced, by most Voices, to Four; out of which Four to elect Two to lead, and exercise the Company in the Absence of the Captain for the Year following; the First to begin the next Training Day after the Election,and to continue till Midsummer following; and the other to begin the next Training Day after Midsummer, and to continue till the next Election. And out of Eight, as aforesaid, shall elect Two, to serve as Lieutenants for the Year following; the First to begin the next Training Day after the Election, and to continue till Midsummer following; and the other to begin the next Training Day after Midsummer, and continue till the next Election. And out of Eight, as aforesaid, to be nominated, shall elect Two for Ensigns for the Year ensuing, to bear the Colours for that Year; the First to begin the next Training Day after Election, and continue till Midsummer following; and the Second to begin the next Training Day after Midsummer, and to continue till the Second [election?].* And shall also choose Four Surveyors of Arms, who shall look to the Arms, to see them clean kept, and in good Order; and to see that Arms be brought in according to the Order of Arms: and shall give a Note to the Treasurer, at, or before the Audit of his Accompt, what Arms be in the Garden, and whose they be, and what Arms there shall be remaining to the Company. And if any so chosen a Surveyor, shall refuse to hold the Place, shall pay for a Fine to the Treasurer, for the Use of the Company, Ten Shillings. And out of Two or more, shall elect One, to be Marshall for the Year ensuing. And out of Six to be nominated, shall elect Three, to be Serjeants, to supply those Places and Offices for the Year ensuing.

V. Item, It is ordered and agreed upon, That the rest of the Officers and Attendants, belonging to the Company, viz. the Clerk and the Beadle, &c. shall be annually chosen upon the same general Election Day, as other Officers are.

VI. Item, It is ordered and agreed upon, That upon the next Court of Assistants, after the General Election Day, the Leaders, the Lieutenants, the Ensigns, the Treasurer, the Stewards, and Assistants, shall give their Answer, whether they will hold their Places, or not; and if any refuse, then the Assistants, or the greater part of them, to choose others in their Places.

VII. Item, It is ordered and agreed upon, That any Gentleman, or Citizen, that shall desire to be admitted into this Society, shall be recommended by one or more of the Company, to whom he is known, and presented to two or more of the Assistants, and after to the Court of Assistants, and there shall be confirmed of the Company, if no just Exception be against him; and every one so admitted, if he be a Freeman of London, shall pay to the Treasurer, for the Use of the Company, Twenty Shillings, and Twelvepence to the Clerk for registering of his Name, and Sixpence to the Beadle for entering him into his Book; and if he be not a Freeman, he shall enter a Pike, and pay according to the rate of a Pike, and Two Shillings to the Clerk, and Twelvepence to the Beadle.

VIII. Item, It is ordered and agreed upon, That Every one entering himself, and using a Pike, shall pay to the Company's Use for his Admittance into the Company Forty Shillings, and Five Shillings a Quarter; and Every one entering himself, and using a Musket, shall pay for his Admittance into the Company Twenty Shillings, and Two Shillings and Sixpence a Quarter.

IX. Item, It is ordered and agreed upon, That no Apprentice or Covenant Servant shall- be admitted into this Society, not any Person that is not known to be well affected in Religion, and not inclined to Popery; nor any that is a Bankrupt, or hath compounded for his Debts, or not of sufficient Means or Ability to spare his Time, or bear the Charge of the Company: And if any such Person now admitted, or at any Time hereafter shall be known to be such, he shall be admonished by two of the Assistants to forbear the Company; and in case he shall refuse, he shall be expulsed the Company by the Court of Assistants, if they shall think so fitting.

X. Item, It is ordered and agreed upon, That every Member of the Company, that is already admitted, shall before the first Day of July next; and that every one which shall hereafter be admitted into the Company, shall within two Months after his Admission, bring into the Armory in the Artillery-Garden, there to be kept for his Use, such Arms of his own, as shall be thought fitting by the said Captain or Leader for the Time being, his Stature considered; viz. Every one entered to Exercise with a Pike, to bring in his Gorget and Pike, and every one entered a Musket, to bring in a Musket with a Match-Lock and Rest.

XI. Item, It is ordered and agreed on, That every Musket, which shall be brought into the Garden, which hath not been tried by the Gunsmith of London, shall be tried by the Gunsmith of the Company, in the Presence of the Owner, and one Surveyor of Arms for the Time being, at the charge of the Owner, before the same Musket be used in the Garden, upon pain that Every one that shall offend herein shall pay, to the Use of the Company, every Training Day that he shall use it before it be tried, Twelvepence upon Demand, by the Treasurer or Collector, for the Time being.

XII. Item, It is ordered and agreed upon, That the next Tuesday after Election Day shall be a General Training Day, and so forward every second Tuesday after through the whole Year, upon which General Training Day every Member of the Company, being summoned to appear at the Garden, shall appear there by Two of the Clock in the Winter, between the Twenty-ninth day of September and the Twenty-fifth of March, and by Three of the Clock in the Summer Season, betwIxt the Twenty-fifth Day of March and the Twenty-ninth Day of September.

XIII. Item, It is ordered and agreed upon, That every Officer belonging to the Company, that hath Salary, shall make his Appearance at the Garden every General Day of Training, at the Hour of One of the Clock in the Winter, and Two of the Clock in the Summer; and if in Case any of them shall come after the Hours aforesaid, he shall pay for a Fine, to the Use of the Company, Sixpence; and if he comes not at all that Day he shall pay Twelvepence, except in case of Sickness, or that he hath acquainted the Leader or Captain before-hand with his Business, and hath leave from him to be absent.

XIV. Item, It is ordered and agreed upon, That if any Member of this Company, being in the Garden, shall be required by the Marshal or Officers to arm himself, and shall not be armed upon any General Training Day, he shall pay for a Fine, to the Treasurer, for the Use of the Company, Sixpence, unless they can give reasonable Satisfaction to the Leader for the Time being; and if any of the Company do, upon any General Training Day of Exercise, bear Arms without a Sword or Rapier, he shall pay to the Treasurer Threepence for the Use of the Company, except he hath such as the Leader approves.

XV. Item, It is ordered and agreed upon, That upon the General Training Day every Member of the Company, whether he use Pike or Musket, shall be ready before the third Beat of Drum, which shall be at the Hours aforesaid, to be drawn into a File by the Officers, and shall take such Place as he shall be appointed unto; and, if any refuse to march forth in such Place as he shall be commanded, he shall pay to the Company's Use Sixpence.

XVI. Item, It is ordered and agreed upon, That during the Time of Exercise, there shall be a general Silence, so as no Man's Voice be heard but the Officers, and Every one offending herein to pay Twopence to the Use of the Company.

XVII. Item, It is ordered and agreed upon, That no Member of the Company, during the Time of Exercise in the Garden, or in marching forth into the City-fields, or to Funerals, shall go forth of his Rank or File to shoot off his Musket, or shall do it in his Rank, without Command; and if any do so, he shall forfeit for every Time he shall offend herein the Sum of Sixpence.

XVIII. Item, It is ordered, &c. That no Member of this Company, being in Rank and File, shall depart from his Colours before they be lodged, without Leave of the Leader, and Every one so offending, shall pay Sixpence.

XIX. Item, It is ordered, &c. That no Member of this Company shall abuse any of his Fellow-Soldiers, by taking away his Powder or Match, or by shooting off his Musket, whereby any Quarrel may arise, and that the Party offending herein, shall pay for a Fine to the Company's Use, Twelvepence.

XX. Item, It is ordered, &c. That no Member of this Company shall, upon any General Training Day, call the Captain-Leader, Lieutenant, Ensign or Serjeants by any other Name than the Name of his Place, upon pain of Forfeiting for every Time they shall offend therein, to the Company's Use, Sixpence.

XXI. Item, It is ordered, &c. That if any Member of this Company shall wilfully or negligently hurt any of his Fellow-Soldiers, and be thereof convicted, he shall submit himself to pay such Fine as the Court of Assistants shall impose upon him; and if, in such cases, he shall refuse to do it, he shall be expulsed the Company.

XXII. Item, It is ordered, &c. That if any Member of the Company shall, at any Time, challenge any of,his Fellow-Soldiers to shoot at a Mark for any Wager, without leave of the Captain, or Leader, for the Time being, he shall pay for a Fine, to the Use of the Company, Five Shillings.

XXIII. Item, It is ordered, &c. That if any Officer or Member of the Company shall, at any Time of their accustomed Meetings in the Artillery-Garden, or elsewhere, abuse the Name of God, by Swearing or Cursing, for every Time it shall be proved that he offends therein, he shall pay, to the Company's Use Twelvepence, which shall be put into a Box in the Court-House; and once in the Year shall be distributed to the Poor by the Court of Assistants.

XXIV. Item. It is ordered, &c. That if any Officer or Member of this Company shall abuse himself, by drinking too much, or urge any of his Fellow-Soldiers to drink immoderately at any Time, or by ill Words or other Misdemeanours, shall breed any Quarrel or Disturbance, and shall be thereof convicted at a Court of Assistants, he shall submit himself to such Penalty, as the Assistants, or the greater Part of them, in their Discretions, shall think to impose upon him, not exceeding Five Shillings; and in case any shall refuse to submit himself, he shall be expulsed the Company.

XXV. Item, It is ordered, &c. That if any of this Company shall come to the Garden upon any of the usual Training Days, being overseen in Drink, he shall not be suffered to bear Arms that Day; and if he shall bear Arms notwithstanding, and shall be convict of Drunkenness at a Court of Assistants, he shall pay for the first Offence Three Shillings and Fourpence, for the second Offence Five Shillings, and for the third Offence he shall be expulsed the Company; and if any Officer that taketh Salary or Gratuity of the Company, and shall offend herein, he shall pay for the first Offence Five Shillings, for the second Offence Ten Shillings, and for the third Offence he shall be expulsed the Company.

XXVI. Item, It is ordered, &c. That if any Officer or Member of this Company shall draw any of his Fellow-Soldiers, on any of their accustomed Training Days, or after their Training is ended to Dice, Cards, Tables, or any other unlawful Game, and shall be thereof convicted at a Court of Assistants, Every one so offending herein shall pay, for his first Offence, Ten Shillings to the Use of the Company, and for the second Offence, he shall be expulsed the Company.

XXVII. Item, It is ordered, and agreed upon, That if any Members of this Company shall be turbulent or factious, or a Stirrer-up of Dissension, or factious against the Peace or Welfare of the Company, and shall thereof be convicted at a Court of Assistants, and shall refuse to submit himself to the Order of the Court, he shall be therefore expulsed the Company.

XXVIII. Item, It is ordered, &c. That if any Difference or Quarrel shall arise betwixt any of the Members of the Company, concerning the Affairs of the Company, each Party shall submit himself to such Orders as the Court of Assistants shall set down; and if any refuse to stand on such Order, he shall be expulsed the Company.

XXIX. Item, It is ordered, &c. That the Company shall not be summoned to go in Arms to the Funeral of any Member of this Society except the Party deceased hath, by his Last Will or otherwise, given Ten Pounds at the least, to the Use of the said Company.

XXX. Item, It is ordered, &c. That if any Member of the Company shall go out of the Land, beyond the Sea, and shall give Notice thereof to the Captain-Leader, Treasurer, and Collector, for the Time being, or any one of them, he shall be freed from paying of Quarteridge all the Time of his Absence out of the Land, and at his Return, paying his Quarteridge, he shall hold his Place of Antiquity upon the Roll which he had before.

XXXI. Item, It is ordered, &c. That no Member of this Company shall take his Arms out of the Garden upon any Occasion, untill he hath paid all his Duties there; and if he continue of the Company, he shall bring them into the Garden again, within two Months, or else he shall pay for every Month he shall keep them forth longer, the Sum of Twelvepence, to the Treasurer, for the Use of the Company.

XXXII. Item, It is ordered, &c. That if any Member of this, Company shall refuse to pay his Quarteridge to the Treasurer or Collector of the Company for the Time being, it being demanded by either of them, he shall pay such Fine to the Company's Use, as the Court of Assistants shall think fit to impose upon him, so as such a Fine exceeds not the double Sum of the Money then in Arrear for such Quarteridge; and any that shall be behind in Arrearage Six Months, and it being demanded, if he shall refuse to pay it, he shall, if the Court of Assistants think fit, be expulsed the Company.

XXXIII. Item, It is ordered and agreed upon, That once every Year the whole Company shall meet at the Artillery-Garden upon such a day, as the Court of Assistants shall think fit, and from thence shall go in Order and decent Manner, in their Cloaks, with Sword and Feather, to a Sermon, and so to Dine or Sup together; and every Member of the Company shall pay the Stewards, for the Time being, Two Shillings and Sixpence, Eight Days at the least, before the same Day of Meeting, whether he come to Dinner or Supper, or not; and every Captain that is at present in command of the Trained-Bands of London, that holds himself of the Company, shall pay to the Stewards Five Shillings, and this shall be paid by every of the Captains, whether he come or not.

XXXIV. Item, It is ordered, &c. That the Preacher, that shall preach on the said General Day of Meeting, shall be chosen by the Court of Assistants, and shall be paid, by the Treasurer, for his Sermon, Forty Shillings.

XXXV. Item, It is ordered, &c. That at the same General Day of Meeting, the Eight present Stewards shall choose out of the Company, such as shall be nominated to them by the Court of Assistants, to be Stewards for the Year following; and the Stewards so chosen shall give their Answers at the next Court of Assistants, whether they will hold the Place, or not; and if any so chosen shall refuse to hold the Place, then he shall pay to the Treasurer, for a Fine, to the Use of the Company, the Sum of Three Pounds Sterling, and the Court of Assistants shall have Power to choose another in his Place.

XXXVI. Item, It is ordered and agreed upon, That the Assistants, or the greater Part of them, shall, at the next Court before the General Day, yearly, for the Election of Officers, make choice of six or more of themselves to audit the Accompt of the present Treasurer and Collector.

Reproduced from: G. Goold Walker, The Honourable Artillery Company 1537 - 1947, Gale and Polden Ltd, 1954.

BACK TO DOCUMENTS