VII. THE RELIGIOUS PRIVILEGES OF THE MERCHANT TAYLORS' COMPANY, AS RECORDED IN THE EARLIER ORDINANCE BOOK. (fn. 1)
1. For asmoche as amonges all werks medefull, most meritory
is in this oure lyfe, naufrage and perilous, the allectyfes of
goostly helth deryvied from the moste mercyfull and plenteous
founteyn of oure moder holy chirche to be publysshed, ministred
and declared to all Cristen people as the perfite preparatyfes
guydyng mannes soule to eternall salvacyon; Therfore it ys that
we—John Prynce, late Maister, Thomas Pye, Richard Sutton,
John Martyn and Thomas Burgeys, late Wardeins of the
ffraternitee of Seint John Baptist of Taillours in the Citee of
London beyng possessed of goostly tresoure and willyng all
Cristen people to be partiners of synguler and all suche Indulgences, Pardons and Remissions by oures of blessed memory
precessours and predecessours of entier charitee purchased long
tyme secrete: now of oure goostly mocyon to meve the reders
and herers to devocyon of all & singuler such Indulgences,
Pardons and remissions in oure moder tonge as is in this table
ensuyng, have made a declaracyon. First, this reverent ffraternitee stablisshed in hymself to have that blessed prophete
Seint John Baptist for their patrone, thurgh (fn. 2) theire deservyng
were admitted to be partiners of the right holy hospitall house
of Seint John in Jerusalem (fn. 3) after the tenoure here ensuyng.
"Frere John Pavely, of the holy hospitall house of Seint
John in Jerusalem prioure of th'ordoure in England, and all the
brethern of the same hospitall, to oures welbeloved in Crist, all
and singuler Taillours in the Citee of London which are of the
ffraternitee of Seint John Baptist in the saide Citee of London
and to all other of the said ffraternitee brethern & sisters, helth
in our Lord Jesu.
"Advertisyng & brynging to mynde the grete zele and right
many benefyttes by you don to oure religion and trustyng to be
don, we, yelding love for love, have receyved & receyve you all
and singuler into oure ffraternitee and of th'ole religyon we
admitte you withouten ende, (fn. 4) grauntyng you to be partyners of
masses, mateins and other houres of prayers, fastynges, almesdedes, hospitalitees, abstynences, watches, pilgrimages, goostly
laboures and of all other goode dedes by the brethern of oure
religyon don or to be don worlde withouten ende."
This graunte is confermed by Robert Malory late prioure of
the saide religion in England.
2. This devoute ffraternitee willyng th'encrease of Godde's
honoure by lowly supplicacion, (fn. 5) were admitted of theire right
reverent fader in God, Symon (fn. 6) the Bisshoppe of London, to
have in theire moder chirche of Powles a Chapell which is
halowed in th'onoure of Seint John Baptist atte North syde of
Powles where they have ordeyned, by graunt of theire said right
reverent fader, preestes to the grete laude of God, specyally to
sey masses dailly and to praye for the sowles of brethren and
systers of the said ffraternitee deceased from oure mortalytee,
and dayly contynued ys in goodenes for the preservacyon of
theym that are or shalbe of the said ffraternitee. (fn. 7)
3. Oure [ (fn. 8) moste holy fader in God Bonyface pope the sixth
of that name] hath of his mere mocyon to cause people to devocion, to all Cristen people that wyll putte to theire helpyng
handes to the makyng of the said chapell or to the mayntenaunce
of Goddes service in the said place and to all theym truly
penitent and shryven that visyt the said chapell in the ffeestes
of Cristmas, Circumcisyon, Epiphanie, Easter, th'Ascencyon,
Pentecost, Corpus Christi, th'adnunciacyon, Purificacyon &
th'Assumpcyon of our blessed Lady Saint Mary, and in the
ffeest of the Nativitee of Seint John Baptist the ffest of Peter &
Paule and in the ffeest of the dedicacyon of the said chapell, hath
mercifully for eche of these ffeestes graunted vij yeres and vij
lentes of remissyon, and whoso within th'utasses of Cristmasse,
th'Epiphanie, Easter, th'Assencyon, Corpus Christi, the Nativitee
and th'Assumpcyon of the blessed Virgyn Mary, the Nativitee of
Seint John Baptist, the ffeest of the blessed Apostels Petir &
Poule and of the vj dayes immediatly ensuying the ffeeste of
Pentecost, are willyng devoutely to visyte the said Chapell or
to put to theire helpyng handes for every daye within th'utasses
hath mercyfully graunted [c dayes of indulgence]. (fn. 9)
4. Also the right reverent faders in God Symon th'archebisshoppe of Caunterbury, William of London, William of Wynchestre, John of Lincoln, Robert of Coventre & Lychefelde,
John of Bathe & Welles, Thomas of Excestre, Thomas of Ely,
Rauf of Salesbury, John of Herforde, Henry of Norwych,
William of Chichestre, Adam of Seint Davyd, Thomas of
Rowchestre, John of Bangor, Roger of Landaffe and William
of Seint Asse, (fn. 10) Bisshoppes, have graunted to all theim that put
to theire helpyng handes to the laude of God in this Chapell
to be mayntened to exorte Christian people to devocyon eche
of theim [xl dayes of remissyon]. (fn. 11)
5. Also right reverent faders in God, first Garsias Martyn
of Savoy Channon and proctour generall of the Convent of
th'ospitall of oure Lady of Roscydevale (Rounceval), (fn. 12) Maister &
keper of the Chapell founded atte Charyngcrosse, hath receyved
this worthy ffraternitee into theire ffraternitee, grauntyng theym
to be parcyall of the benefyttes in theire religion don or to be
don of all indulgies graunted or to be graunted confermed or
to be confermed by holy faders worlde withoute ende.
This graunte ys confermed by the priours in the generall
chapitre by name "Examinacion De Aynore."
6. Also William Wardon, Abbot of the monastery of oure
Lady nygh the Toure of London (fn. 13) hath receyved this saide ffraternitee into the brotherhed of theire religyon ever to be
partyners of theire suffragies perpetually.
7. Also William, (fn. 14) the Prioure of the Monastery of the Trinitee
in London, hath admitted this notable ffraternitee in breder of
theire religion and to be prayde fore perpetually.
8. Also William Hesperby the prioure of th'ospitall of oure
Lady Withoute Bisshoppesgate of London hath graunted to this
saide ffraternitee to be partyners of theire suffragies for ever.
9. Also Robert Draycote, prioure of the hospitall of oure
Lady of Elsyngspitell (fn. 15) within Crepilgate of London, hath
graunted this saide ffraternitee to be partyners with theym in
all theire goode werkes goostly for ever.
10. Also William Gedney, prioure of the monastery of Seint
Barthilmewe (fn. 16) in Smythfelde of London, hath by th'assent and
consent of his brethern admitted this right devoute ffraternitee
into theire all & singuler suffragies don or to be don in theire
religion withoute ende.
11. Also all these places of religion have graunted that
whan any brother or sister of this devoute ffraternitee shall
decease from this mortalitee, that than they of the name certefied shall do and make to be done in all thynges as is or shall
be don for any brother of the saide religion.
12. Also all they that are or shalbe of this blessed ffraternitee
by the privilege of Roscydevale to them graunted ben released
of the vijth. parte of theire penaunce by oure most holy faders
in God Nicholas the iiijth. and Innocente the vjth. popes of
blissed memory confermed.
13. Also Elizabeth, abbasse, and Thomas, generall confessoure and all the congregacion of sisters & brethren of the
holy monastery of Seint Brigitte (fn. 17) of Syon, have graunted unto
this saide ffraternitee to be partiners with theym, as wele in
this lyf as after, of all masses, prayers, prechynges, fastynges,
abstynencies, watches, disciplynes, almesdedes and all other
good dedes don or to be don by theym and theire successours
for ever.