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1

I

2

GILDA CARPENTAR LONDON

3

DATE: 1389.

4
5    This is þe boke of ordinaunces of þe brotherede of Carpenteres
6of London made on þe first day of Septembre in þe
7ȝer of þe Regne of our Lord Kyng Edward the thirde after þe
8Conquest vij
9    In worshepe of our Lord ihu crist & of his moder seint
10Marie, & in þe name of seint Josep & of seint John Baptist,
11þe gode men Carpenteres han ordeined a Fraternite to be holden
12in þe chirche of seint Thomas of Acon be-syde þe Conduyt
13of London, & in þ^e chirche of seint John Baptist of Haliwelle
14by-syde London, þat is to witen for to fynde a tapur brennyng
15in certeyn tymes to-for oure Lady & seint Josep in þe forseyd
16chirche of seint Thomas, & anoþer in þe worschepe of god &
17oure lady & seint John in þ^e chirche of Haliwell, whiche schal
18be holden & ruled in þe manere þat folweþ.
19    And first is ordeined þat alle þe bretheren & sostren of þis
20fraternite schul vche Twelfday þe Midwynter be all to-gedere at
21þe masse in þe forseid chirche of seint Thomas, & heren
22deuoutelich þilke masse, & offren þer-at in þe worschepe of god, of

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23our lady & seint Josep, eche man a peny, and on midsomer
24day in þe forseid chirche of haliwell at þe hye masse eche man
25a peny, & who so is absent at þilk masses wiþ-oute verry cause
26schal paie to þe brotherede a pound wex.
27    Also is ordeined þat vche brother & soster of þis fraternite
28schal paie þe helpyng & susteynyng of seke men, whiche
29þat falle in dissese, as by falling doun of an hous, or hurtyng
30of an ax, or oþer diuerse sekenesses, twelfe penyes by þe ȝer.
31    Also is ordeined þat, whan any brother or soster of þis
32fraternite dyeþ wiþ-inne þe cite of london or in þe subarbes,
33þat alle þe bretheren & sostren schul hem gadere to-gedere at þe
34hous þer þe ded body is, & bring þe body to chirche, & ben at
35eue at þe Placebo & dirige & o morwe at þe masse, & offren,
36eche man a peny, & abide þer til þe cors be buried, & who so
37is absent at eue oþer on morwe withoute verrey cause paie a
38pound wex.
39    Also is ordeined þat, if any brother or soster dyeþ & haue
40nouȝt of his owen for to be buried, he schal be honestliche buried
41at þe costages of þe brothered.
42    Also is ordeined þat, if any brother or soster dieþ honeste
43deth ourout of London þ^e mountaunce of twelue myle & he haue
44nouȝt of wher-of to be buried of his owen, þan schul þ^e
45wardeynes of þe brotherede wenden þyder & burie hym on the
46comune costages of þ^e broþered.
47    Also is ordeined þat, if any broþer ofor soster falle in to puertpouert
48by goddes sonde, or in sekenes, or in any oþer dissese, as it is afore
49seyd, so þat he mowe not helpe hym self, þan schal he haue of
50þe brotherede vche woke fourtene penyes duryng his pouert,
51after he haþ lyne seke a fourten nyght. And þat he schal be
52so tymelich vesited & holpen þat he ne schal nouȝt, for defaute
53of help, be brouȝt to nouȝt, ne be vndon of his astat or he be
54holpe. And also he schal haue duryng his pouert clothyng as an
55other brother hath of þe brotherede on þe comune cost.
56    Also is ordeined þat, if þe comune box ne may nouȝt perfourme
57þis fyndyng of suche seke breþeren, þan schul þey

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58gadere þat þat lakkeþ of þe bretheren, after þat hem nedeth, more
59or lasse.
60    Also is ordeined þat, if any brother go idel for defaute of
61werke & anoþer broþer haue werke wher-on he may werken his
62broþer, & þat werk be such þat his broþer conne wirche it, þan
63schal he werche his broþer to-fore any oþer þing, & ȝif hym als
64an other man wold take of hym for þe same werk .
65    Also is ordeined þat alle þe bretheren & sostren schul come
66to-gedere foure tymes aȝer be warnyng of þe maystres, at þe
67forseid chirche of seint Thomas for to paie her quartrages,
68& to ordeine & byspeke þing þat is nedful & profitable for þe
69brotherede & helpyng of seke men.
70    Also is ordeined þat alle þo þat schul be receiued in to þis
71fraternite, þey schul be receiued by þe brotheren þat beþ at þilk
72assembles, by here aller assent, & non oþer tyme, & be charged
73to holden alle þese poyntes on amendement.
74    Also is ordeined þat no man ne woman be receyued in to
75þis fraternite bot onliche men & women of gode fame & of gode
76name.
77    Also is ordeined þat if any brother or soster, after þat he be
78receyued in to þis Fraternite, by-come of euel fame oþer of euel
79name, as thef, or comune barettour, or comune questmonger, or
80meyntenour of quereles, or be atteint of any falshede, þat anon
81he be put of þe fraternite & neuermore come þer-jnne in no
82manere.
83    Also is ordeined þat what brother þat ne comeþ nouȝt atte
84somons of þe maistres atte forseid four tymes of þe ȝer, þat he
85paie a pound wex bot if he haue verrey excusacion of his
86abscense.
87    Also is ordeined þat vche ȝer þer schul four wardeines be
88chosen to reule þe fraternite þat ȝer, & to ordeine it & redresse
89it in þe beste manere.
90    Also is ordeined þat, if any debate be bytwene any of þe
91brotherede, þat non of hem schal folwe aȝen oþer in none
92maner, til þe wardeines & þe bretheren han asayed wheþer þey

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93mowe accorden hem in gode manere, & if þey nulleth nouȝt
94accorden in þis maner, vche do his beste by þe lawe, & þat no
95broþer meynteyne eyþer of hem preuelich ne apertliche in
96none manere.
97    Also is ordeined þat, what tyme þat any of þe bretheren or of
98þe sostren dyeþ, þey schul haue a trental of messes out of þe
99comune box of þe forseid fraternite , þat her soules mowe þe
100better be holpen.
101    Also is ordeined þat vche soule mesday schal be seyde a
102trental of messes at þe place þe bretheren wil assent for þe
103quike & for þe dede of þe fraternite & for all cristen soules.

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104

IV

105

THE GILD OF ST. FABIAN AND SEBASTIAN,
106ALDERSGATE

107
108    These ben þe poyntes & þe articles ordeigned of the brotherheed
109of seint Fabian & sebastian in the Cite of londone þe
110whiche is founden in þe chirche of seint Botulf with oute
111Aldrichesgate.
112Johannes Lancastre lymenour
113Magistri Fraternitatis
114Ricardus Spaigne pelliparius.
115
116    The furste poynt is this; that whan a brother or a suster schal
117be receyued, þey schul be swore vpon a book to þe brotherhede
118for to holde vp & meyntene the poyntes & the articles þat
119be write after folwynge, eche man to his power, sauynge his

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120estat; and þat euerich brother & suster, in tokenyng of loue
121& charite & pees, atte resceyuynge schul kisse oþer of þo þat
122ben þer.
123    Also, ȝif it so bifalle that any of the brotherhede falle in
124pouerte or be anyentised thurwȝ elde, that he may nat helpe
125hym self, or thurwȝ any other chaunce, thurwȝ fyr or watir,
126theues or syknesse, or any other hap, so it be nat on hym-selue
127along, ne thurwȝ his owne wrecchednesse, he schal haue in þe
128wyke xiiij.d. And ȝif it so befalle þat he be ȝong ynowȝ to
129werche, and he falle in meschef, & þat it may be take þat he ne
130hath nouȝt of his owene to helpe hym self with, that the bretheren
131helpe hym, eche man with a porcion, what his wille be, in wey
132of charite, sauynge his estaat.
133    Also þat eueri man schal paie atte Furste comynge in to the
134brotherhede half a mark, & iij.d. eueri quarter, to meyntene þe
135liȝt of þe brotherhede & þe almesse, & ȝif þe man wil haue his
136wyf a suster þan schal þat paiement stonde for hem bothe, &
137ȝhe to paie in þe quarter other iij.d., that is two shillinges in þe
138ȝeer for hem bothe. And ȝif a sengle womman come in to the
139bretherhede ȝhe schal paie no lasse þan a brother doth.
140    Also þat euery brother & suster schul be boxom, & come
141whan þey be warned to a certeyn place whider þat þey be
142assigned, four dayes in the ȝeer, vpon the oth þat þey haue
143maad & on þe peyne of xl.d. to paie to þe box; & þis schal be
144peyne for alle maner defautes þat þe breþeren falle inne. And
145þese ben þe four dayes of our assembles: - The day of seint
146Fabian & sebastian principaliche, herynge a masse of þe foreseid
147seintȝ & offre in worschepe of hem, on þe peyne forseid; The
148seconde day, þe sonday next after Pask, & þe sonday next after
149missomer day, & þe sonday next after Micheles day, vpon þe
150peyne afore-said, but he haue a verrey encheson wherfore þat
151þey mowe be excused.
152    Also what tyme þat a brother is ded, or a suster, that they
153come & offre with hem, whamwhan þey be warned to come, vpon þe

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154foreseid peyne, but ȝif he haue a verrey encheson to be
155excused.
156    Also ȝif any brother dye þat hath nouȝt of his owene to be
157beried with, ȝif it mowe be so ataken, þanne þat he be beried
158of þe comune box.
159    Also ȝif it befalle þat any of þe bretherhed falle syk .x. mile
160eche weyes aboute london & deyeth there, that, ȝif þe wardeyns
161of þat ȝeer ben sent after, þat they schul wende & fecche þat
162body to london, & that alle þe bretheren be redy at here
163warnynge, & go aȝens þe body withoute þe citees ende for to
164bringe þe body in-to þe place with worschepe, þider as he schal
165be brouȝt, vpon þe foreseid peyne. And þat þe costages aboute
166hym be mad good of þe box, ȝif he were nouȝt of power to paie
167þerfor hym selue, ȝif he were of power, lat his executours
168paie þerfore hem self; but how so it falle, þat þe costages of
169þe wardeyns be mad good of þe box.
170    Also, ȝif caas falleth þat any of þe breþeren haue nede to
171borwe a certein of seluer, that þey go to keperes of þe box, &
172take what he hath nede of, so þat þe somme be nat so moche
173þat on may be esed as well as an-other, & þat þey leye a suffisaunt
174wed, or elles fynde suffisant borwes of þe broþerhede; &
175þat non oþer borwe non þerof but of þe same brotherhede.
176    Also þat þer schul be founde vij^e tapres rounde, the wighte of
177xxj li wex, for to be liȝt on heiȝe Feste dayes, alle seuene at alle
178houres of þe day, in worschepe of god & his moder Marie,
179& seint Fabian & Sebastian, & of alle halwes; & on sondayes &
180on other symple Festes two to be liȝt of þe taperes at þe heiȝe
181masse. And ȝif it so befalle þat a symple broþer dye, þat may
182nat fynde hymself no liȝt, þanne þo vij tapres schul be mad newe
183& set aboute þe body, & þe torches also; & whan any broþer deieþ,
184þat þey haue þo torches redy to bringe hem to chirche ȝif nede be.
185    Also, ȝif any of þe breþeren be alosed of þefte, or a comune
186contecour, or of any oþer wykked fame, wherfore þat þe companye
187is apaired by, þat withoute any delay þat þey be put out
188of þe breþerhede.

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189    Also þat no broþer schal be resceyued but on þe dayes of our
190assembles.
191    Also þat four gode & trewe men schul kepe þe catel longynge
192to þe companye, & trewely ȝiue vp here acounte þe day of seint
193Fabian & sebastian, byfore alle þe breþeren, or elles sixe of þe
194wiseste of þe same bretheren; & eche ȝeer þo foure schul be
195chaunged, but it so befalle þat þey be þe more profitable to þe
196companye.
197    Also þat þer schal non wardeins make non newe statutȝ ne
198newe ordinance with-oute assent of alle þe bretherhede, & þat it
199be don on on of þe foure dayes afor seid.

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200

V

201

THE GILD OF THE ANNUNCIATION AND
202ASSUMPTION, ST. PAUL'S

203

PRO MISTERA DE POUCHEMAKERS LONDON

204

DATE: 1389.

205
206    In the worschepe of our lord & of our leuedy seinte Marie,
207& in the honour of þe Festes of þe Anunciacion & of þe holy
208assumpcion of her, þis brotherhed is begonne in london of
209godemen of þe craft of powchemakeres, in norisching of loue
210& charite amonges hem, & in helthe of here soules by werkes of
211almesdede to hem þat falle pouere þurwȝ auenture of godes sonde,
212& in Fyndyng of liȝt þat is ordeyned in honour of þe Festes
213foreseid; & was begonne in þe ȝeer of our lord .m.ccc.lvj^e. Atte
214begynnynge we schul fynde ij tapres square, þat on to stonde
215in þe chirche of our lady at Bedlem with-oute byschopesgate of

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216þe wiȝte of .x. pound, And þat other taper to stonde in þe
217chirche of seint poul in london byfore þe ymage of our lady
218in þe bowk of þe chirche, of xv li. of wiȝte, þe whiche tapres
219schul be renewed fro ȝeer to ȝeer aȝen þe Festes foreseid.
220    And also in sustenaunce of þe foreseid liȝt & in help of
221almesdede we wil haue an almesse Box, to whiche box eueri
222broþer schal paie eche quarter vj.d. ob. also longe as he is of
223power; & ȝif any brother falle in non power by auenture of
224godes sonde, & he haue paid to þe almes box his afferaunt, he
225schal haue eueri wyke of þe box to his sustinance xiiij d, til god
226ȝiue hym grace of recouerance, he to preye & bidde for alle
227breþeren & alle cristne.
228    And also we wile þat alle þe breþeren, aȝens þe dayes of þe
229Assumpcion of our lady, be in our lyuere of sewte after þe
230ordinance of þe wardeyns, eche brother at his owne costag, the
231whiche lyuere he schal kepe ij ȝeer, in peyne of vi li. wex to þe
232same liȝt.
233    Also ȝif any man desire to come in to our bretherhede to
234ben a brother þanne schul þe foure Wardeynes, & he þat is
235chose mene for þe comune of þe breþerhede, þey schul come
236to-gyder & enquere by examinement of þe breþeren of his condicions,
237wher he be worthi of good name & able or non, & ȝif
238it is founde þat he be of good name & able þat þe companye
239may be worscheped by hym, he schal be resceyued, & elles
240nouȝt; & he to make an oþ with his gode wil to fulfille þe
241poyntes in þe paper, þer whiles god ȝiueþ hym grace of estat
242& of power; & he to paie a curtesie to þe almes, as þe wardeyns
243& he mowe assenten, & also by þe siȝte of hym þat is chose mene
244for þe companye, & in þis maner he schal be resceyued & elles
245nouȝt.
246    Also we wile þat þe foure wardeynes be chose fro ȝeer to ȝer
247to be rewelers of þe bretherhede, to bigge liuere, & make her
248assembles, to resceyue hem þat schul come in to þe breþerhede,
249to make good acord to here power, to make liȝt, & ordeigne
250enteremens whan any falleþ, & make warnynge to þe breþeren

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251whan it nedeþ, & don alle þing þat is for to done toucheng her
252offys.
253    Also, ȝif any brother dye, or his wyf, they schul haue at here
254enterement Fyue tapres rounde the wiȝte of .l. pound, þe whiche
255tapres schul be renoueled to euery enterement, & vj torches of
256wiȝt of lx pound, þe whiche torches schul be renoueled after þe
257thridde enterement. And þat eche brother be warned by þe
258wardeyns to be atte dirige in his laste lyuere, & on þe morwe at
259þe masses, & offre as well to pour as to Riche; & ȝif any brother
260be founde þat he be nouȝt at þe enterement, as it is foreseid, &
261be warned, he schal paie ij li. of wex to sustenance of þe liȝt afore
262seid; & ȝif any man be vnwarned, by þe defaute of þe maystres,
263The maistres schul paie þe same peyne, & to whom it euere
264falle it schal be payd, but he mowe fynde a verrey encheson.
265    Also, ȝif any discord falle betwene any of our breþeren, as
266god forbede, þe parties schul come to þe wardeynes & schewe
267here gref, & þe wardeyns schul do here diligence to bring hem
268to a fair acord; & in whom þe defaute be founde to stonde at
269award of þe four wardeins, so þat it schal be no nede to make
270non rancour, by þe grace of god.
271    Also we schole, at þe day of þe Anunciacion, come in to
272þe chirche of Bedlem with-oute Bischopesgate, in our laste
273lyuere, by vij of þe clokke, & þere here a masse, & offre in þe
274worschepe of þe holy feste; & who þat is founde þat he be nat
275þer, & he be warned, he schal paie a pound of wex to þe liȝt
276foreseid, but he mowe fynde a verrey encheson.
277    Also at þe day of þe Assumpcion þat we come in to þe chirche
278of seint poules, & þer be ensembled in our lyuere of þat day by
279vij of þe clokke, & þer here a masse, & offre in þe worschepe of
280þe holy feste; & who þat is absent paie þe peyne, þat is to
281witene a pound of wex, but he mowe fynde a verrey encheson.
282And ȝif any of þe breþeren be vnwarned, be þe defaute of þe
283maystres, þey schul paie þe selue peyne for hem þat be
284vnwarned.
285    And also we wile, on þe sonday next after þe Feste of seint

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286Michel Archaungel, haue our general assemble þere þe foure
287wardeins wile ordeigne; & þerto make a dyner by þe ordinance
288of þe wardeyns, eche man payenge his afferant of þat is despended;
289& at þat selue tyme þe foure wardeyns schul chese oþere foure
290newe for þe ȝeer comynge, be settyng of foure gerlaundes; &
291þere þe foure wardeynes schul delyuere hem of her offys & of þe
292catel, the whiche þey hadde in kepyng, to þe mene, & of alle
293þinges touchyng her offys & the breþerhede to make a Final ende
294& a rekenynge.
295    And after þat, we wile þat þe mene bringe forþ þe catel & þe
296box, & schewe þe catel byfore alle þe breþeren, and þere certefie
297to alle þe breþeren what haþ be resceyued and despended in alle
298þing touchynge þe Fraternite in þe ȝeer bifor, so þat it be knowe
299to alle þe breþeren þat alle þing be do riȝtfully & wel.
300    And also, whan alle þe breþeren witeþ what þe catel is in al,
301by her alder siȝte, we wile þat it be departed in fyue, and þe foure
302deles be itake to þe foure newe wardeyns in her kepynge, by þe
303deliuerance of þe mene, vpon the maner bondes as it haþ be vsed
304beforn, that is to witene þat eche of hem be bounde, and hese
305borwes, in þe double of þat he receyueþ to hym þat is chose
306mene, þat is to witene to bring it aȝen þe sonday after þe Feste
307of seint Michel Archangel next sewynge.
308    And also we wile þat þe catel þat leueþ be put in-to þe box
309in kepynge of þe mene, þat, ȝif caas falle of terementes makyng,
310oþer of almesdede ȝyuynge, of biggynge of wex, or eny salarye
311be ordeyned to prest, or what þing þat nedeþ touchyng the
312bretherhede, it schal be take of þe box holiche by þe delyuerance
313of þe mene, & alle maner ornementȝ touching þe breþerhed,
314what þinges þat þey be, schulle be vnder his kepynge þerwhile
315he is in þat offys.
316    And also we wile þis: þat ȝif þer be any of our breþeren
317þat witholdeþ quartrage, oþer wex to þe liȝt, þat is ordeyned to
318be payd, or any oþer dettes touchyng þe Amesse Box, & is with
319holden ouer a ȝer, he schal be put out of our breþerhed & he be
320for no broþer, vnto þe tyme þat he haue restored of alle maner

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321dettes touching þe breþerhede, & make amendes of his trespas,
322vp þe ordinance of þe foure wardeyns & of þe mene, & in þis
323maner he schal be receyued aȝen & elles nouȝt.
324    And also we wilen þis: þat alle þese poyntes ben wel & trewely
325holden among al our breþeren, withoute any withseyeng, eueri
326brother in his degre, with his gode wyl, þer whiles god ȝiueþ vs
327grace of stat & of power.
328    And also we wile, ȝif þer be any of our breþeren þat conne
329ordeyne by her gode wit ony oþere gode poyntes þat be to godes
330worschepe & nedful to our breþerhede, we wile þat it be writen
331in our paper, & iholde ferm & stable as þe poyntes aboue
332wryten.
333    And also we wile þat none of her breþeren make no sengler
334conseill by hem self, þat is witeneto witene to none of þe maystres, ne
335þe maystres to non of hem, as it miȝte falle in cas for mede or
336be senguler profit, falle in affinite for to haue alwey, by her
337sotilte, þe catel in her hond, as who so pleieþ by assent, as ho
338seiþ 'I may chese þe & þ^u me fram ȝer to ȝer'; be swich
339collusion, & be fraude ordeyned byforn aȝens good feiþ & riȝtful
340trewþe, and in þis maner it miȝte falle; but naþeles þus wil we
341nauȝt. For þey it be so, it schal not holde, & who so is
342founde in þis defaute he schal neuere after bere offys.
343    And also ho þat schal ȝyue any gerland, þat he ȝyue it to
344swiche on þat is able, & hym self to be a borwh an aventure
345whom he chese after hym self.