IV. THE CHAPEL AT THE HALL.
It will be noticed from the perusal of the earliest records of
the Fraternity, that a Chapel at the Hall can be traced by payments for Priests and for services celebrated therein. (fn. 1) Where
the Chapel stood is a matter of conjecture, nor can any evidence
be found as to the date at which it was originally built. (fn. 2) The
Bull of Calixtus states the foundation and endowment to have
been made by some deceased faithful servant of Christ belonging
to the Company, but the records of the Company do not contain
evidence of endowment, and when interrogated in the 1 Edward
VI., the Company certified that they had no endowed Chapel. (fn. 3)
The Bull of Calixtus is set out (fn. 4) :—
Calistus episcopus [servus servorum Dei], dilectis filiis
Magistris, Custodibus, Guardianis et universis confratribus
confraternitatis seu societatis Sancti Johannis Baptistæ
Scissorum et linearum ac armaturarum Armurariorum communiter seu vulgariter nuncupatæ, Londoniensis, utriusque
sexus præsentibus et futuris, salutem et apostolicam benedictionem. Sinceræ devotionis affectus quem ad nos et Romanæ (fn. 5)
gentis ecclesiam, promeretur ut petitionibus vestris, illis præsertim quæ salutem animarum ac divini cultus augmentum
respicere dinoscuntur, quantum cum Deo possumus, favorabiliter
annuamus. Exhibita siquidem nobis nuper pro parte vestra
petitio continebat quod dudum postquam per nonnullos
defunctos Christi fideles de Societate seu confraternitate vestra,
in qua ut asseritis quamplures prælati ecclesiastici et nobiles
ac diversæ aliæ utriusque sexus personæ in multitudine copiosa
sunt constituti, ad honorem Omnipotentis Dei et gloriosæ Virginis
Mariæ ac Sancti Johannis Baptistæ, quædam perpetua capella
in Ecclesia Londoniensi pro societatis sive confraternitatis vestræ
personis et presbyteris inibi missas ac alia divina officia pro
eorum ac hominum seu confratrum et sororum vestræ confraternitatis in magna multitudine confluentibus fundata et dotata
extitit, certi alii de eadem confraternitate vestra existentes
Christi fideles, considerantes societatis et confraternitatis vestræ
etiam utriusque sexus personas in tanto numero crevisse quod
dicta capella pro tot personis societatis seu confraternitatis
hujusmodi receptandis minus capax foret, quandam aliam
perpetuam capellam in domo sive hospitio vestræ confraternitatis "Taillours Halle" nuncupata seu nuncupato infra limites
seu emunitatem parochialis ecclesiæ Sancti Martini de Oteswyche, Londoniensis, cum altari in capella, vestræ confraternitatis prædictæ devotione commodius adimplenda consistere
fundarunt et dotarunt; cupitisque inibi missas et alia divina
officia, quotiens opus fuerit, celebrari et decantari, necnon anniversaria Christi fidelium de confraternitate seu societate vestra
nunc et pro tempore existentium, [sedis apostolicæ] licentia
quoad hoc [prius obtenta], singulis anni temporibus juxta morem
peragi posse. Quare pro parte vestra nobis fuit humiliter
supplicatum ut vobis et commoditatibus vestris in præmissis
legitime providere, de benignitate [apostolica] dignaremur.
Nos igitur, vestris in hac parte supplicationibus inclinati, vobis
et cuilibet vestrum ut quotiens opus fuerit per proprios aut
alios presbyteros, etiam vestræ confraternitatis in quotocunque
numero fuerint, quos ad id duxeritis eligendos, missas in dicta
capella "Taillours Halle" super illorum altaribus cum debita
reverentia et honore celebrari, et alia divina officia etiam cam
panis pulsatis decantari, et anniversaria peragi facere libere et
licite possitis, jure parochialis ecclesiæ de Oteswyche prædictæ,
ac cujuscunque alterius semper salvo, devotioni vestræ
auctoritate [apostolica] tenore præsentium indulgemus. Non
obstantibus [apostolicis ac Ottonis et Ottoboni] olim in
regno Angliæ [sedis Apostolicæ Legatorum] necnon in provincialibus et synodalibus conciliis editis generalibus vel
specialibus, constitutionibus, statutis quoque et consuetudinibus
etiam municipalibus civitatis Londoniensis juramento, [confirmatione apostolica] vel quacunque firmitate alia roboratis,
cæterisque contrariis quibuscunque.
[Nulli ergo omnino hominum liceat hanc paginam nostræ
concessionis infringere aut ei ausu temerario contraire. Si quis
autem hoc attemptare præsumpserit, indignationem Omnipotentis
Dei ac Beatorum Petri et Pauli Apostolorum Ejus, se noverit
incursurum.
Datum Romæ apud Sanctum Petrum]. Anno Incarnationis
Dominicæ millesimo quadringentesimo quinquagesimo quinto,
septimo Idus Junii [pontificatus nostri anno primo].
[Translation.] (fn. 6)
Calixtus, bishop [servant of the servants of God] to his
beloved children the Masters, Keepers, Wardens, and all the
brethren of the Brotherhood or Company of St. John the
Baptist, generally or commonly called Tailors Armourers of
the linen armoury of London, of both sexes, present and future,
greeting and apostolic blessing. The feeling of sincere devotion which you bear towards us and the Church of Rome,
deserves that we should favourably consent to your petitions,
as far as God will allow us, especially in those cases which
concern the health of souls and the increase of Divine worship.
Whereas a petition (fn. 7) lately exhibited to us on your behalf,
declared that formerly a certain perpetual chapel in the Church
of London was founded and endowed by some deceased faithful
servants of Christ, belonging to your company or brotherhood
(in which as you assert, very many ecclesiastical prelates, nobles
and divers other persons of both sexes are united, to the honour
of Almighty God, the Glorious Virgin Mary and St. John the
Baptist), for the persons of your company or brotherhood, and
priests meeting in great multitude, to say masses and other
divine offices there for [the souls] of the brothers and sisters of
your brotherhood; certain other faithful servants of Christ of
the same brotherhood now living, considering that the members
of your company or brotherhood of both sexes, have increased
so much in numbers that the said chapel is too small to hold so
many persons of this company or brotherhood, have founded
and endowed another perpetual chapel in the hall or inn of your
brotherhood, called "Taillours Halle," within the bounds or
immunity of the parish church of St. Martin of Oteswyche, (fn. 8)
London, with an altar in the chapel, for the more commodious
performance of the devotions of your said brotherhood. And
you desire that masses and other divine services may be celebrated and sung there, as often as necessary, and that the
anniversaries of the faithful servants of Christ of your brotherhood or company, now and for the future, may be performed
according to custom at the respective seasons of the year,
the licence [of the apostolic see] for this being [first obtained].
Wherefore humble supplication was made to us on your behalf
that we would deign of our apostolic goodness to provide
lawfully for you and your convenience in the premises.
We therefore consenting to your petitions on this behalf,
with [apostolic] authority, by these presents grant you and
each one of you free and lawful permission to have masses
celebrated whenever it is necessary, on the altars in the said
chapel of "Taillours Halle" with due reverence and honour,
other divine services to be sung, with the ringing of bells, and
anniversaries to be performed by your own or other priests also
of your brotherhood, in whatever number, whom you may
choose for this purpose; saving always the right of the parish
church of Oteswyche aforesaid, and any other. The [apostolic]
constitutions [and those] of Otto and Ottobonus, formerly
[legates of the Apostolic See] in England, and others, general
or special, published in provincial or synodal councils; the
statutes also and municipal customs of the City of London,
whether enforced by oath, [apostolic confirmation], or any
other security, and any other thing to the contrary notwithstanding.
[Let therefore no man infringe this page of our grant, or with
rash daring dispute it. If any one presume to attempt this, let
him know that he will incur the indignation of Almighty God
and his blessed Apostles Peter and Paul.
Given at Rome, at St. Peter's. In the year of the Incarnation
of our Lord, 1455, 7 June, in the first year of our Pontificate.