The Common Paper: Ordinances made 18 April 1450

Scriveners' Company Common Paper 1357-1628 With A Continuation To 1678. Originally published by London Record Society, London, 1968.

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'The Common Paper: Ordinances made 18 April 1450', in Scriveners' Company Common Paper 1357-1628 With A Continuation To 1678, (London, 1968) pp. 10-11. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/london-record-soc/vol4/pp10-11 [accessed 18 March 2024]

Ordinances made 18 April 1450

[p. 15 transcript] This is the orden[a]nce advice and appoyntment made in the tyme of John Grove & Rob't Bale Wardeyns of the Craft of Scriven[ers] of Courte l[ett]re by the Will assent & aggreement of the hole felauship' & company of the same Craft assemblid' togidere in the Chirche of seint Thomas of Akres in London' the xviijth Day of the moneth of Aprill the xxviijth yere of the Reigne of oure sou[er]aigne lord' kyng henry the Sixte as foloweth that is to wite.

The lyu[er]ey of hodyng in the saide Crafte fro hens forth tobe of oo [i.e. one] coloure and' tobe used' in the fourme as hit hath' been of tyme passed accordyng to the Act therof made.

Also to the Worship' and pleasire of god' A masse be note of the holy goste yerely to be holden & kept from hens forth' on the Sonday next after Midsom[er]day at Paules if hit may be hadde goodly or elles at a nother place conuenyent Where as the Wardeyns of the Craft for the tyme beyng will lymet & ordeyn' and a dyner' the same day to be hadde for the same felauship' & Company at suche place as shall be aduysed and assigned by the said' Wardeyns. And' the same masse & dynere tobe gynne & be holden the Sonday after Midsom[er]day next nowe comyng. And' so to contynue forth yerely. And that eu[er]y man of the same Craft & Felauship' aswell he that is absent from the said masse or dyne[r] as he that ther[e] at is p[re]sent paie at eu[er]y tyme to the Supportacion therof. xij.d'. that is to Wite. vijd'. tobe applied for the quarterday as hath been used & hadde afore tyme and iiij.d' toward' a part of thexpenses of the costes tobe doon at the said' masse & dyne[r]. And also eu[er]y man of the said' Company to offre atte the masse, j.d' and to be attendannt at place & houre to him therof by the Wardeyns for the tyme or ony other' in theire name assigned. And ther' to abide att the masse & no p[er]sone in ony wise to absent him thens without that he have a resonable excuse be his othe. And the forsaid xij.d' tobe leveed' & hadde atte all tymes by the Wardeyns for the tyme beyng of eu[er]y man of the said' Craft & Company Prouyded alwey that eu[er]y man' of the Craft and Felauship' abouesaid' paie atte eu[er]y of the iij quart[er] Daies folowyng the vij.d' due as hath been vsed & is enacted' afore. And the Wardeyns for the tyme beyng therof to spend' by theire Discrecions to the use of the said' Company as hem best semyth.

Also it is affermed' assentid' and g[ra]nntid' by the said Felauship' and Company that from hens forth theire Act of xij.d'. conteyned in this boke amonge the Articles of the Craft Whiche is cessed' vpon euery p[er]sone of the said' Craft that geueth not his attendannce atte houre & place by the Wardeyns or ony in their name to him assigned' be put in execucion' & leveed accordyng to thentent of the said' Act for thencrece & availle of the Co[mmo]ne Boxe.

And for the more suretee and euydence of the said orden[a]nces appoyntmentes & accord' to be establisshed & contynued' the seid' Company therto subscriben' Whoos names folowen that is to sey.

[Edited transcript] I John Grove (and) Robert Bale, William Brampton', Thomas Clerk, Andrew Joye, William Olov' (and) William Styfford g[ra]nnte & p[ro]mytte to obs[er]ue the same to my power subscribed by myn' owne hand the moneth and yere a[foreseid, torn away]. I Thomas Froddesham to all that is aboue Writen except the colour of the hodyng' I consent & aggree.

I Robert Shodewell g[ra]nnte and p[ro]mytte to obs[er]ue the same to my power &c.

I Thomas Plumer g[ra]nnte and p[ro]mytte to obs[er]ue the said' rule & orden[a]nces to my power Writen' with myn' owne hande. (fn. 1)

I Robert Spayne (and) (fn. 2) Richard Pumfrey, John Parker, Peter Bonauntre, John Geton' (and) Edward Noreys grannte and promytte to obs[er]ue the same to my power subscribed by myn' own hande the moneth & yere aforseid.

I Henry Assheborn' to all that is aboue Written' I consent aggree and it I p[ro]mytte to my power to kepe and observe.

[p. 16 transcript] I Walter Culpet grannte to obs[er]ue the said rule and orden[a]nce to my powr Wretyn' With my owne hand'.

I Thomas Tanner grannte and promytte to obs[er]ue the seid rule and ordena[u]nnces to my power Writen' wt myne owen' hande the xij Day of Juyn the yere aboueseid.

Footnotes

  • 1. Here is a paraph, the only instance of any form of signature on this page.
  • 2. The subscriptions of the five other men have minor variations.