The Famous Christmas Celebration at Gray's Inn, 1594: Letters go out under Privy Seal.

Gray's Inn (bottom right)

In the Famous Christmas Celebration at Gray's Inn, 1594 series:

• Letters go out under Privy Seal.
• Getting the Money and the Guest List Right.
• the Coronation of the Prince of Purpoole.

Henry Edward Duke's 1912 lecture on Gray's Inn¹ provides us with a bit of the history of the place. Among the information that the Inns of Court were instituted during the reign of Edward I and that Gray's Inn was established on an “ancient manor, which was called the Manor of Portpoole... an endowment of one of the prebends of St. Paul's Cathedral, and then 600 years or more ago passed into the possession of a Chief Justice of Chester, Reginald Le Gray” Duke quotes Lady Bacon, “Nicholas Bacon's second wife”:

In 1594 Lady Bacon, who was a great Puritan, wrote to her son Anthony, who was suspected of not having been a strict Puritan, "I trust they will not mum nor sinfully make revel at Gray's Inn."

What could have possessed her, neither we nor the members of Gray's Inn court of the newly elected Prince of Purpoole might guess. Of course, they intended to do nothing so much and with such abandon as that.

After many consultations had hereupon by the youths and others that were most forward herein, at length, about the 12th of December, with the consent and assistance of the Readers and Ancients, it was determined, that there should be elected a Prince of Purpoole, to govern our state for the time; which was intended to be for the credit of Gray's Inn, and rather to be performed by witty inventions than chargeable expences.

The members of the Inn were generally young sons of wealthy families, therefore expected to pitch-in considerable sums toward making the prince's court respectable.

Whereupon, they presently made choice of one Mr. Henry Holmes, a Norfolk gentleman, who was thought to be accomplished with all good parts, fit for so great a dignity; and was also a very proper man of personage, and very active in dancing and revelling.

Then was his Privy Council assigned him, to advise of state-matters, and the government of his dominions: his lodging also was provided according to state; as the Presence Chamber, and the Council Chamber. Also all Officers of State, of the Law, and of the Household. There were also appointed Gentlemen Pensioners to attend on his person, and a guard, with their Captain, for his defence.

Towards this end, “royal letters” were issued under the prince's privy seal. It is with these that we begin our description of the famous Christmas festivities at Gray's Inn.

The next thing thought upon, as most necessary, was, provision of Treasure, for the support of his state and dignity. To this purpose, there was granted a benevolence by those that were then in his Court abiding; and for those that were not in the House, there were letters directed to them, in nature of Privy Seals, to enjoin them, not only to be present, and give their attendance at his Court; but also, that they should contribute to the defraying of so great a charge, as was guessed to be requisite for the performance of so great intendments.

The Form of the Privy Seals directed to the foreigners, upon occasion as is aforesaid:

"Your friends of the Society of Gray's Inn now residing there, have thought good to elect a Prince, to govern the state of the Signiory, now by discontinuance much impaired in the ancient honour wherein heretofore it hath excelled all other of like dignity. These are therefore, in the name of the said Prince, to require you forthwith to resort to the Court there holden, to assist the proceedings with your person ; and withal, upon the receipt hereof, to make contribution of such benevolence as may express your good affection to the State, and be answerable to your quality. We have appointed our well-beloved Edward Jones our foreign collector, who shall attend you by himself, or by his deputy.

" Dated at our Court at Graya, Your loving friend, the 13th of December, 1594. GRAY'S-INN."

Duke's lecture describes the daily routine in the Inn:

'...the men must be in Commons and keep their chapels; there was daily chapel, morning and afternoon ; there were the meals in common, dinner at 12 o'clock and supper at 6 or 7 o'clock; there were moots and bolts and exercises day in and day out and week in and week out throughout great part of the year. 

*

There were moots in term time, and then on the first Monday in Lent and the first Monday after Lammas there began the learning vacations. In term time there were moots in which the Benchers were seated as judges and an Outer Barrister and an Inner Barrister were assigned on each side as advocates. An Outer Barrister of the Society stated a case and thereupon the Inner Barrister, who was the junior, stated, of course in Norman French, the appropriate pleading for the plaintiff, and the Inner Barrister who was on the other side stated the appropriate pleading for the defendant. Thereupon issue was joined and the two men who were the leaders, and were practising in anticipation of the time when they should take charge of people's interests in Westminster Hall, set to and conducted an argument before the Bench of the Society.

Those were the exercises of the more advanced students ; but when the Outer Barrister was not engaged in that way he was conducting what were called bolts for the Inner Barristers. I suppose he was "bolting," that is sifting, the knowledge of the Inner Barristers. He set questions for argument, and it was the business of every man from time to time to propound a "case." '

This was the regimen of six days a week, every week. Chapel, breakfast, legal exercises; chapel, lunch, legal exercises; supper, burning the midnight oil, bed. Repeat. Working vacations passed with the Vacation Reader daily reading law text to students who generally remained at the Inn.

This was the regimen of six days a week, every week. Of course, they were going to attend chapel twice daily and to do the 1594 version of Animal House the rest of the day during the high holidays.

And this Christmas season (2024) we will follow along and enjoy watching the fun.

1 Six Lectures on the Inns Of Court And Of Chancery (1912). 186-219.

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