The History and Antiquities of London, Westminster, Southwark, and Parts Adjacent, vol. 4
Allen, Thomas
1827
Sergeants' Inn.
According to Sir Edward Coke, the order of sergeants at law is | |
410 | upwards of years standing. We find mention made of them in a statute of the d Edward I. In the reign of Henry VIII. they were so numerous that of them received at time the honour of knighthood; and yet, in the following reign, the number had been so much diminished, by various casualties. that sergeant Benlowes described himself
The degree of sergeant is the highest taken at the common law, as that of doctor is of the civil law. The call to it is by royal mandate, issued on the recommendation of the judges. The Court of Common Pleas is their peculiar sphere of practice; but they may and do plead in any of the courts. The judges are always selected from this body, the members of which they continue to distinguish by the friendly appellation of
When a barrister is raised to the rank of a sergeant, he is sworn at the Chancery bar, to
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It was in ancient times customary for the whole body of sergeants to proceed on the day following the swearing in of a brother, in public procession to Westminster-hall, in order to present him to the judges of the different courts. And having had their coifs of white linen or silk put on without any black ones over, and being clothed in robes of colours, they walked to Westminster-hall, accompanied by a great number of gentlemen of the long robe, of several houses of court and chancery, the warden of the Fleet, Marshal, &c.; and attended by clerks, of each sergeants, immediately following him, &c.; also, by the stewards, butlers, and other servants to the houses, all bare-headed and clothed in short party-coloured vestments. On the appearance of the new sergeant the judges were wont to exclaim, The brother presented a ring, with his motto engraven on it, to each of their lordships, in token of his union to the fraternity. All the others serjeants had also rings given to them. When this ceremony was finished, the brotherhood returned sometimes to Ely House, at others to the Middle Temple Hall, where a grand feast was given on the occasion, to which the most distinguished personages in the state were invited. From the description of an entertainment of this sort, given in , at Ely House, they appear to have been at times of extraordinary magnificence. The feasting on this occasion, continued from Friday, the , till the following Tuesday.
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The presentation of the rings, and perhaps a private merrymaking, among the fraternity themselves, are now the only relics of these showy and expensive customs. | |
Sergeant's Inn, situated at the bottom of , consists of courts, of rather mean appearance. As formerly observed, it was anciently called Faryingdon's Inn, after the same person who gave name to the ward, in which it is situated. The hall is neat and commodious; and its windows are filled with the armorial bearings of various members of the fraternity. It has several portraits, and on the front is the date of erection, . | |
The ARMS of SERGEANT'S INN, , are Or, a stork proper. | |
Footnotes: [] Vide ante vol . i. p. 215. |
