Folios 213 - 220: Oct 1485 -

Calendar of Letter-Books of the City of London: L, Edward IV-Henry VII. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1912.

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'Folios 213 - 220: Oct 1485 - ', in Calendar of Letter-Books of the City of London: L, Edward IV-Henry VII, (London, 1912) pp. 227-234. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/london-letter-books/voll/pp227-234 [accessed 24 March 2024]

In this section

Folio 213.

Eleccio Joh'is Hawgh in unum subvice com' Civitat' London'.

At a Common Council held on Saturday, 1 Oct., 1 Henry VII. [A.D. 1485], there being present the Mayor, the Prior of Christchurch, Thomas Fitzwilliam the Recorder, John Broun, William White, John Mathew, Ralph Astry, John Swanne, and John Tate, Aldermen—John Hawgh was elected one of the Under-Sheriffs by the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Common Council (fn. 1) loco John Watno, deceased.

P'sentacio d'ni Joh'is Nor hander ad cant' in capella b'te Marie juxta Gui hald.

Letter from John Warde, the Mayor, and William Purchas, the Chamberlain, to Thomas [Kempe], Bishop of London, presenting John Norhander, chaplain, for admission to one of the five chantries founded in the Guildhall Chapel by Adam Fraunceys and Henry Frowyk, vacant by the death of Sir John Cotes Dated, under the seals of the Mayoralty and the Chamberlain, 5 Oct., A.D. 1485.

Eleccio Maioris.

Thursday the Feast of St. Edward [13 Oct.], 1 Henry VII. [A.D. 1485], in the presence of John Warde, the Mayor, the Prior of Christchurch, Thomas Fitzwilliam the Recorder, Robert Drope, Richard Gardyner, John Broun, Robert Billesdone, Hugh Brice, Robert Tate, Richard Chawry, John Mathewe, William White, William Martyn, Ralph Astry, John Swan, and John Tate, Aldermen, and an immense Commonalty summoned to the Guildhall for the election of a Mayor for the year ensuing—Hugh Brice was elected.

Afterwards, viz., on the Feast of SS. Simon and Jude [28 Oct.], he was sworn at the Guildhall, and on the morrow was presented, admitted, &c., before the Barons of the Exchequer.

Folio 213 b.

Q'd valecti Maioris et Cam'e possint eligi in ser vientes Maioris.

8 Nov., 1 Henry VII. [A.D. 1485], ordinance by Hugh Brice, the Mayor, and the Aldermen that the Yeomen of the Mayor and the Chamber may be elected Serjeants of the Mayor for the time being, or of the Chamber, any ordinance to the contrary notwithstanding. (fn. 2)

Q'd Maior et Aldr'i ac Concil' Civitatis dummodo sede rint in Cur' interioris Cam' re non disco operiant capit' sua nisi etc.

Also, in order to avoid infirmities which daily occur from uncovering the heads of the Mayor, Aldermen, and Council of the City when they sit in Court, as well as to save trouble and time (quam alia tedia et dispendia temporum), it was agreed the same day by the Mayor and Aldermen that neither the Mayor, Aldermen, nor any of the Council, so long as they sat in the Court of the Inner Chamber, should uncover their heads (except for paying respect to strangers) under penalty of forfeiting one penny as often as they acted to the contrary.

Q'd duo cus tod' assignen tur pro conduct' de Flete strete et Alder manbury.

21 Nov., 1 Henry VII. [A.D. 1485], ordinance by the Mayor and Aldermen that two Wardens be assigned by the Mayor for the time being for the conduits of Fletestrete and Aldermannebury, viz., one for each.

Eleccio Thome Butside in Coronatorem.

At a Common Council held on Friday, 16 Dec., 1 Henry VII. [A.D. 1485], Thomas Butside was elected Coroner of the City loco John Grene, (fn. 3) deceased.

Exon'acio Dionisii Burton ab assisis.

17 Dec., the same year, Dionisius Burton, tailor, discharged by Hugh Brice, the Mayor, and the Aldermen from serving on juries, &c., owing to his infirmities.

Custodia pueror' [sic] Will'mi "Thompson'.

19 Jan., 1 Henry VII. [A.D. 1485-6], came Richard Dunce, John Broke, Richard Noneley, Benedict Trotter, grocers, before the Mayor and Aldermen, and entered into bond in the sum of £100 for payment into the Chamber by the said Richard Dunce of a like sum to the use of Robert, son of William "Thomson," at the age of 24, the said money having been bequeathed to the said Robert by John Parys, late "peautrer".

Folio 214.

Custodia pueror' Ric'i Dunce.

The same day came Richard Dunce, John Broke, Richard Noneley, and Benedict Trotter, grocers, and entered into bond in the sum of £100 for payment into the Chamber by the said Richard Dunce of a like sum to the use of John and Margaret his children when they come of age or marry.

Folio 214 b.

Proclamacion for Nettes.

False nets condemned to be burnt by "my lord Maire (fn. 4) and my Maisters Thaldermen" as a warning to those fishing in the Thames with unlawful nets. [No date.]

Proclamacion for Cole sackes.

Coal sacks deficient in measure condemned to be burnt "by my saide lorde Maire and my Maisters thaldermen." [No date.]

Custod' pueror' Joh'is White Carpenter.

4 April, 1 Henry VII. [A.D. 1486], came Katherine White, widow, Henry Somer, haberdasher, John Devereux, "plommer," and William Grey, fuller, and entered into bond in the sum of £30 for payment into the Chamber by the said Katherine of a like sum to the use of Agnes, Elizabeth, and Johanna, daughters of John White, late carpenter, when they come of age or marry.

Folio 215.

For clensyng of stretys.

6 April, 1 Henry VII. [A.D. 1486], ordinance by the Common Council that thenceforth distresses taken for non-payment of fines imposed for negligence in cleansing the streets, &c., should be sold by the Chamberlain if not redeemed within a year and the fines paid, the Chamberlain retaining out of the proceeds the sums due, and keeping the residue to the use of the owners of the distresses.

Folio 215 b.

An ordenaunce by Co'en Councell that the gownes of sergeauntes shuld be a foote above the hemme [sic].

"FORASMOCHE as the Sergeauntes and yomen bothe of the Maire Shireffes and Chamberleyn of the Citee of London yeerely have their lyverey at the Festes of Cristmas and Pentecost and thereof make their gownes soo longe and so syde (fn. 5) that they may not do service in this Citee if nede required as they shuld doo Therfor it is ordeigned in this Comune Councell that no sergeaunt nor yoman of the said Citee shall make any lyverey gowne geven unto hym by the Maire Shireffes or Chamberleyn of the same Citee any sydder, but the hemme of the same gowne be a foote above the soole of the Foote upward uppon peyne of losyng of their offices.

"ALSO it is ordeigned and enacted in the same Comune Counceill that no Freman be made by Redempcion freely without any thyng payng within the Citee of London at the Request of any persone, (fn. 6) but it be by thassent of the Comune Counceill".

Custod' pueror' [sic] Thome Pelham.

11 May, 1 Henry VII. [A.D. 1486], came Simon Stephenson, Richard Stukeley, John Hylle, drapers, and Roger Barlowe, tailor, before the Mayor and Aldermen, and entered into bond in the sum of 100 marks for payment into the Chamber by the said Simon of a like sum to the use of Johanna, daughter of Thomas Pelham, late "sherman," when she comes of age or mariies. (fn. 7)

Folio 216.

For takyng of Fisshe in Thamys.

Tuesday, 23 May, 1 Henry VII. [A.D. 1486], ordinance by the Common Council prescribing the size of various kinds of fish (fn. 8) to be taken in the Thames and exposed for sale, and ordering that immature fish taken be put back into the river.

Custod' pueror' Ric'i Elys.

The same day came Hugh Acton, John Stodard, Henry Clowgh, and John Spereman, tailors, and entered into bond in the sum of 80 marks for payment into the Chamber by the said Hugh of a like sum to the use of Johanna and Agnes, daughters of Richard Elys, late tailor, when they come of age or marry.

Folio 216 b.

Custod' pueror' [sic] Rob'ti Hudgrave.

13 June, 1 Henry VII. [A.D. 1486], came John Atkynson, "talughchaundeler," Thomas Colyn, fishmonger, Thomas Watt, draper, and Nicholas Partriche, before the Mayor and Aldermen, and entered into bond in the sum of £16 19s. 5d. for payment into the Chamber by the said John Atkynson of a like sum to the use of Richard, son of Robert Hudgrave, late scrivener, when he comes of age, the said money having been bequeathed to the said Richard by Johanna Hudgrave his grandmother.

Folio 217.

Custodia pueror' Rob'ti "Froston".

27 June, 1 Henry VII. [A.D. 1486], came Matilda "Frosten," widow, Roger Mone, Henry Clough, tailors, and Hugh Colstonsok, fuller, and entered into bond in the sum of 400 marks for payment into the Chamber by the said Matilda of a like sum to the use of Robert, John, Grace, and Agnes, children of Robert "Frosten," late "stacioner," when they come of age or marry. (fn. 1)

Folio 217 b.

18 June, 1 Henry VII. [A.D. 1486], the guardianship of William, Martin, Katherine, and Johanna, children of Martin Blundell, late fruiterer, and of Johanna his wife committed by the Mayor and Aldermen to William Robynson, "bruer," together with a certain brew-house and contents in the parish of St. Mary Somerset, to the use of the said orphans, pursuant to their father's will.

Folio 218.

Schedule of utensils belonging to the above brew-house, (fn. 10) viz. :—

A 'bruyng ketyll of coper with a courbe of waynscot''; a "masshe fatte (fn. 11) with a lowse (fn. 12) botom and a tappe trowe (fn. 13) of ledde"; a "wort fatte"; two "kelers (fn. 14) for wort"; three gutters of Tree; three "stotyng Baskettes of wykers and vj Roders of Tree"; (fn. 15) three "hande ketils" of brass; two "sesterns of ledde for licoure"; a "fyrehoke," a "rake," and a "pyke" of iron; twenty little "Tubbes" for yeast, a little "messhe Tubbe," a "water Tubbe," and a "Flete"; (fn. 16) a "clevyng axe"; a "Fanne"; a "stepyng sestern' of lead; twenty-four "kilderkyns"; a malt mill with all apparel; a "Bere dray" with two pair "wheles"; and a "Blacke haire for a kiln." (fn. 17)

Folio 218 b.

2 July, 1 Henry VII. [A.D. 1486], the guardianship of Thomas, Henry, Margaret, and Elizabeth, the surviving children of John Sygar, (fn. 18) late fishmonger (his wife Margaret and his son William being dead), together with tenements in the parish of St. Mary Magdalen at the old fish-market, at the corner of the lane called "Lamberdesham" (fn. 19) and elsewhere, committed by the Mayor and Aldermen to Philip Payne, fishmonger, on his entering into a bond in the sum of £100.

Folio 219.

Brocage money.

Thursday, 6 July, 1 Henry VII. [A.D. 1486], ordinance by the Common Council that thenceforth no stranger should make any bargain in the City without paying brokerage for the same to the Fellowship of Brokers under penalty.

Presentacio Joh'is Beneakir etc.

Letter from the Mayor and Chamberlain to the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's presenting Sir John Beneakir, chaplain, for admission to the chantry of Henry Guldeford, vacant by the resignation of Sir John Chesewright, the last chaplain. Dated 4 Aug., A.D. 1486.

Exon'acio "Joh'is" Fil berd ab assis'.

29 Aug., 1 Henry VII. [A.D. 1485], "Henry" Filberd, tailor, discharged by the Mayor and Aldermen from serving on juries, &c., owing to deafness, &c.

Ordinacio de Marbelers.

31 Aug., 2 Henry VII. [A.D. 1486], came good men of the Craft of Marblers, and presented a petition to the Mayor and Aldermen praying that certain ordinances for the better government of their Craft might be approved, among them being the following :—

"That every persone occupying the said Crafte within the Fraunchise of the saide Citee that maketh any Stone-werk of Marbyll, laton' werke or coper werk belongyng or perteynyng to the same Crafte not sufficient wherethurgh the same werke of Stone laton' or coper is or shalbe by the Wardeyns of the same Crafte for the tyme beyng presented and forfaited to the said Chambre shall pay and make fyne in money the iiij part of every stone so forfaited after the rate of the price that it coste as the byer thereof shall confesse and also shall pay and make fyne for every pounde of laton' or coper werke forfaited as it is aforesaid iiijd. to be applied and devided in maner and fourme abovesaide".

Their petition granted.

Folio 220.

Ordinacio de Fruterers.

The same day came the Wardens and Fellowship of the "Fruterers" of the City, and prayed that the "Fruterers," freemen of the City, may be allowed to stand with the foreign fruiterers in the market-places as freely as they did before the making of the ordinance anno 3 Edward IV [A.D. 1463], temp. Thomas Cooke, Mayor. (fn. 20)

Their prayer granted.

Folio 220 b.

Custodia pueror' Eliza beth' Denys.

7 Sept., 2 Henry VII. [A.D. 1486], came Thomas Parker, "iremonger," John Smert, grocer, Roger Bartlot, "iremonger," and Thomas Stone, "wexchaundeler," and entered into bond in the sum of £137 6s. for payment into the Chamber by the said Thomas Parker of a like sum to the use of Richard, Sibil, Stephen, and Henry, children of William Abell, late "irmonger," when they come of age or marry, the said money having been bequeathed to them by Elizabeth Denys, widow, mother of the said children. (fn. 21)

Footnotes

  • 1. Cf. supra, pp. 35-36 n.
  • 2. See ordinance of 1483. Supra, p. 191.
  • 3. John Grene is recorded as having been appointed City Coroner by the Con mon Council on the 1st October, 1485 (Journal 9, fo. 88 b), and appears to have been the first Coroner ap pointed by that body since the office fell into the hands of the civic authorities, pursuant to the charter of Edward IV., dated 20th June, 1478, after the execution of Anthony Woodville, 2nd Earl Rivers, and Chief Butler of England A vigorous attempt had been made in 1435 to assert a right to the Coronership by the City by refusing to admit the King's nominee for the deputy coronership, but it was of no avail. See 'Cal. Letter-Book K,' pp. 186-7.
  • 4. This is an earlier instance of the use of the title "Lord Mayor" than hitherto supposed Cf. 'Cal. Letter Book K,' p. 243 n.
  • 5. "Side," applied to dress, also means long "side coats"=long coats worn by children, "side sleeves"= hanging sleeves (Nares).
  • 6. The custom of nobles and courtiers soliciting the freedom of the City for their humbler friends and servants became a great abuse. See 'An alytical Index to Remembrancia,' s.v. 'Freedom'.
  • 7. Margin. 22 May, 7 Henry VII. [A.D. 1492], came Robert Frende, skinner, who married the above Johanna, and acknowledged satisfaction.
  • 8. The fish specified are barbel, flounder, roach, dace, pike, and tench.
  • 9. Margin. 27 Oct., 11 Henry VII. [A.D. 1495], acknowledgment of satisfaction by William Marsam, who married the above Agnes, and on 14 April, 23 Henry VII. [A.D. 1508], the above John acknowledged satisfaction for his patrimony at the house of the Blackfriars, being pre vented from coming into Court for fear of arrest. The above Grace is recorded as being dead anno 23 Henry VII.
  • 10. A similar schedule of utensils of a brew house is recorded, under date 1335, in Letter Book E, and is set out in Riley's 'Memorials,' p. 194.
  • 11. Mash vat.
  • 12. Loose.
  • 13. Tap trough.
  • 14. Coolers.
  • 15. Wooden rudders.
  • 16. Float.
  • 17. The schedule of 1335 contains one "heyr" for a kiln (pro torell') In the treatise of Walter de Bibles worth (thirteenth century) we find (in connexion with brewing) the phrase pur ensechier au toral (kulne). Riley mistakes torell' for tonell', and trans lates the word "tuns," suggesting that "heyr" may mean high (hey). This is wrong. The true explanation of the connexion of a "blacke haire" with a kiln has been discovered by the kind assistance of Mr John Hodgkin, to whom the editor had occasion to acknowledge his great indebtedness in the previous Calendar. He has pointed out that in two Vocabularies of the fifteenth century the Latin term cilicium is translated "hayre" or "hare"; and that both terms denoted a hair or felt cloth, placed in this instance in a kiln for malting purposes. See Wright's 'Vocabularies,' pp. 200, 233. That "heire" or "heyre' by itself may signify a hair cloth or hair shirt is seen furthermore in Langland's 'Piers the Plowman' (ed. Skeat, i. 130, 131): "She shulde unsowen hir serke and sette there an heyre To affaiten her flesshe."
  • 18. His will, dated 22 Dec., 1455, enrolled in the Court of Husting. See 'Cal. of Wills,' ii. 534.
  • 19. "Lambardes Hill" (Stow).
  • 20. Supra, pp. 32-4.
  • 21. Margin 7 Feb., 5 Henry VII. [A.D. 1489-90], came William Matlowe, alias Clerke, who married the above Sibil, and acknowledged satisfaction for money bequeathed to his wife by Elizabeth Abell, alias Denys, her mother.