40. THE FRATERNITY OF THE HOLY TRINITY AND OF THE SIXTY PRIESTS IN LEADENHALL CHAPEL
Simon Eyre, who built a granary for the City
in Leadenhall, left by his will in 1459 3,000
marks to the Drapers' Company to establish
within a year of his decease in the Leadenhall
Chapel a college of a master, five secular priests,
six clerks, and two choristers, and to found a
school for teaching grammar, writing, and singing. (fn. 1) For some reason unknown the terms of
the will were not carried out either by the
Drapers' Company or by the prior and convent
of Holy Trinity, who became legatees on the
same conditions on the default of the company. (fn. 2)
In 1466, however, Edward IV, at the request of
Queen Elizabeth, granted licence to William
Rous, chaplain, and John Reseby and Thomas
Asheby, priests, to found in the Leadenhall
Chapel a fraternity to be called the Fraternity
of the Holy Trinity and the Sixty Priests of
London. (fn. 3) If the rules of the Pappey were drawn
up (fn. 4) at the time of that hospital's foundation in
1442 the brotherhood of the sixty priests must
have been in existence before it was connected
with Leadenhall, as it is there mentioned.
The City in 1512 seems to have attempted to
carry out Eyre's wishes to some extent by granting to these priests the use of the chapel on condition that they prayed for the souls of Simon
Eyre and his wife. (fn. 5)
There is no account of any endowment except the small bequests often made to them by
will; such as the legacy of 20s. left to them in
1507 by John Overton, priest of St. Thomas of
Acon, (fn. 6) 20s. to their common box by a chantry
priest of St. Mary-at-Hill in 1509 (fn. 7) ; 10s. for a
trental of masses in 1510 by the priest of St.
Peter's Cornhill. (fn. 8)
The fraternity was suppressed at the general
dissolution of chantries and gilds in the reign of
Edward VI.
There is a fine example of the seal of this
society, of fifteenth-century date. (fn. 9) It is a pointed
oval and bears a representation of the Trinity in
a niche with tabernacle work at the sides. In
the bases, under a double arch, are two priests in
the act of elevating the host. The inner edge
is engrailed. Legend:—
S'BPE FRAT'NIT' SCE TRINITAT' ET .
SEXAGINTA SACERDOTE LŌDŌNI . . . .