Appendix: Returns of 1389 (138-40)

Parish Fraternity Register: Fraternity of the Holy Trinity and SS. Fabian and Sebastian (Parish of St. Botolph without Aldersgate). Originally published by London Record Society, London, 1982.

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'Appendix: Returns of 1389 (138-40)', in Parish Fraternity Register: Fraternity of the Holy Trinity and SS. Fabian and Sebastian (Parish of St. Botolph without Aldersgate), (London, 1982) pp. 79-81. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/london-record-soc/vol18/pp79-81 [accessed 19 March 2024]

APPENDICES (a) Returns of 1389

138. Return of the fraternity of the Holy Trinity, 1389 (P.R.O. C47/42/ 210).

De ordinacione fraternitatis et fundacione sancte Trinitatis in ecclesia Sancti Botulphi extra Aldrisgate London'. Magister fraternitatis Philippi atte Vyne.

Memorandum quod citra festum Paschae anno regni Regis Edwardi tercij xlviijo ordinata erat quedam fraternitas in ecclesia Sancti Botulphi extra Aldrichesgate London' in honorem Corporis Christi et ad sustentandum tresdecim cereos ardentes circa sepulcrum in eadem ecclesia tempore Paschae adquamquidem sustentacionem dictorum cereorum quilibet frater dicte fraternitatis soluerunt unum denarium. Et postea per quinque annos sequentes videlicet anno regni Regis Ricardi secundi secundo ex gratia divina dicta fraternitas multiplicata erat predicti fratres ordinauerunt et concordauerunt spontanea eorum voluntate quod quilibet frater dicte fraternitatis et eius vxor soluere deberent per annum duodecim denarios ad sustentacionem cereorum predictorum ac cuiusdam capellani in eadem ecclesia celebrantis quolibet die in aurora diei pro operarijs et laborarijs ibidem missam audiendo. Quiquidem capellanus celebrat in dicta ecclesia vsque in hunc diem. Et quia in die Paschae ex causa solempnitatis festi fratres et sorores non potuerunt congregari pro missa ibidem audiendo ordinatus et concordatus erat quod dicti fratres et sorores conuenirent in festo Sancte Trinitatis in ecclesia Sancti Botulphi predicta ad audiendum ibidem missam in honorem Corporis Christi et Sancte Trinitatis et ibidem oblaciones faciendum. Et siquis fratrum vel sororum voluerit habere capucium de secca fraternitatis libenter habebit suportibus suis propriis.

Et predicti fratres et sorores ex elemosina inter eos congregata fieri fecerunt ad seruiendum in ecclesia predicta unum missale et unum calicem qui sunt in ecclesia Sancti Botulphi predicta et valent x marcas.

139. Summary of the rules of the fraternity of SS. Fabian and Sebastian, 1389 (P.R.O. C47/41/196; Chambers and Daunt, 50–3; Toulmin Smith, 9–11).

Masters: John Dancastre, limner, and Richard Spaigne, skinner.

1. Brethren to swear an oath on entry and exchange a fraternal kiss with other members present.

2. Brethren falling into poverty through age, sickness or mishap to receive 14d. a week. Those young enough to work to be helped by charity of the individual members.

3. Entry fee 6s. 8d. to cover man and wife. Quarterage 3d., or 6d. for a married couple. Single women to pay the same rate as men.

4. Brethren to assemble on the following four days, on pain of 40d.: the principal meeting, on the feast of SS. Fabian and Sebastian, for mass and to honour the saints; Sunday after Easter; Sunday after Midsummer Day and Sunday after Michaelmas.

5. On the death of a brother all members to assemble to offer mass for him on pain of 40d.

6. If a brother cannot afford his own funeral expenses, they will be paid from the common box.

7. If a brother dies within 10 miles of London and the wardens are notified they are to fetch his body back to London. All brethren to meet the body outside the city and attend it home on pain of 40d. Wardens' expenses, and the expenses of the deceased if he was poor, to be paid from the common box.

8. Brethren in need may borrow a reasonable sum from the common box against security. No loans to be made to people outside the brotherhood.

9. Seven wax tapers, each weighing 20 lbs. to be lit all day on high feast days, in honour of God, the Blessed Virgin, SS. Fabian and Sebastian and All Saints. On Sundays and simple feasts, two of the tapers to be lit at high mass. The seven tapers are to be set about the bodies of brethren who cannot afford their own. Torches to be provided when any dead brother is brought into church.

10. Wrongdoers to be expelled from the brotherhood.

11. New brethren only to be admitted to the fraternity on days of assembly.

12. Four good men to keep the brotherhood's goods and to give account on SS. Fabian and Sebastian's day before all the brethren or six of the wisest of them. Normally the four should be changed each year.

13. No new rules to be made or wardens appointed except on days of assembly with the assent of all the brethren.

140. Summary of the rules of the fraternity of St. Katherine (P.R.O. C47/41/198; Chambers and Daunt, 47–50; Toulmin Smith, 6–8).

Wardens; Richard Brechforde and Reginald Swetebon, citizens.

1. Brethren to swear an oath on entry and exchange a fraternal kiss with other members present.

2. Brethren falling into poverty through age, sickness or mishap to receive 14d. a week.

3. Entry fee to be fixed according to means. Quarterage 3d., or 6d. for a married couple. Single women to pay the same rate as men.

4. Brethren to assemble for mass in the church on the feast of St. Katherine. Masters to be chosen that afternoon or on the following Sunday.

5. On the death of a brother, all members are to come to the Dirige and mass on the following day.

6. If a brother cannot afford his own funeral expenses, they will be paid from the common box.

7. If a brother dies within 10 miles of London and the wardens are notified, they are to fetch his body back to London. All brethren to meet the body outside the city and attend it home. Wardens' expenses, and the expenses of the deceased if he was poor, to be paid from the common box.

8. Brethren in need may borrow a reasonable sum from the common box against security.

9. Five wax tapers, each weighing 20 lbs., to be lit all day on high feast days in honour of God, the Blessed Virgin, St. Katherine and All Saints. On Sundays and simple feasts, two of the tapers to be lit at high mass. The five tapers are to be set about the bodies of brethren who cannot afford their own. Torches to be provided when any dead brother is brought into the church.

10. On the death of a brother, the wardens to pay the Friars Minor to say a Dirige at the burial place, and on the following day a trental at the Friary.

11. New brethren only to be admitted to the fraternity on the day of assembly, with the assent of the members.

12. Four good men to keep the brotherhood's goods: one the box; one the key and two to collect the quarterage. They are to render account on St. Katherine's day to all the brethren or six of the wisest of them.

13. No new rules to be made or wardens appointed except on days of assembly with the assent of all the brethren.