CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY ALBERT & CHARLES HULL MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT ^°'^lliii?i?lrflHRL,?LP,?riSD..,c!erka. more espe olln 3 1924 029 343 302 Overs DATE DUE IitTctWp m '^nor GAYLORD PRINTED IN U.S A. \ Cornell University Library The original of tinis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029343302 PARISH CLERKS. SOME ACCOUNT OF PARISH CLERKS, MORE ESPECIALLY OF THE ANCIENT FRATERNITY (BRETHERNE AND SISTERNE), OF g. NlCHOI^ftg, NOW KNOWN AS THE WORSHIPFUL COMPANY OF PARISH CLERKS. Compiled for the Company by JAMES CHRISTIE, Chaplain to the North Eastern Hospital, Tottenham, formerly Curate of S. Bartholomew, Cripplegate. privately printed, 1893. BV CT3+- /\in Mi LONDON: Printed for the Worshipful Company of Parish Cierks by JAIVIES VINCENT, Parish Clerk of St. Botolph, Aidersgate, 18, Little Britain, E.C., Printer to the Company. 'Q3wJ-:i3v%u ci' I'^nvsVi Cje.irW^ ic^Act'r~, v TO JAMES GEORGE WHITE, Esq., Deputy for the Ward of Walbrook, Parish Clerk and Organist of St. Swithin's, London Stone, MASTER, AND TO THE WARDENS AND COURT OF ASSISTANTS, OF THE PARISH CLERKS' COMPANY, this volume is dedicated by the compiler. PREFACE. This compilation was undertaken at the request of members of the Parish Clerks' Company. Its bulk is considerably greater than was at first intended, but as different items of information bearing on the subject came to hand, it was thought best to embody them in the volume so as to form a permanent record of what had been collected on this subject. What is new deals chiefly with the Charters and Ordinances of this ancient Fraternity (see pp. 23 — 30) ; with the numbers and rank of those who were associated with or joined the Fraternity as shewn in the old Bede Roll belonging to the Company (see pp. 30 — 56) ; with the property held by them before Act i. Ed. VI, seizing the property of Fraternities (see pp. 76 — 98 and pp. 113, 114, 120, and 121). Pages 76 to 98 shew also the difficulty which constantly cropped up when a Fraternity had no license to hold property. The later history of the Company is principally derived from the Company's Minute Books which begin in 1610. The Compiler returns his thanks to the Library Committee of the Corporation for permission to examine the records under their care, and to R. R. Sharpe, Esq., D.C.L.,, Records Clerk for his kindness in pointing out where information was to be found, and his ready help in deciphering some of the older Preface {continued). records, to the Court of the Parish Clerks' Company for their allowing ready access to the different records and gifts under their charge, and to Mr. Richard Perkins, Parish Clerk of S. Augustine and S. Faith, Sub. -Librarian of Sion College, for many helpful suggestions and for many references both as to Clerks in General and Parish Clerks in particular. As the volume is intended for members of the Company, many particulars are inserted in the latter part which are of more interest to members than to the public generally. Yet the Compiler is not without hope that this account of the Clerks may be found to possess a certain interest for others as well, and may be found of use as repertory of facts concerning Clerks and their office such as has not hitherto been available in a collected form. CONTENTS. WHO WERE THE CLERKS? Pages. English Ordinal — Rise and Names of Minor Orders — Derivation of Clerk — Clerks in the early English Church — Order for setting apart the Minor Orders and their duties from Egbert's Pontifical — Tonsure the mark of the Clerk — Age of Admission . . i — 7 LEGISLATION AS TO CLERKS. Canon of Merida — Hincmar of Rheims — Walter of Orleans — Leo, Bishop of Rome — Married Clerks — English Canons of 1232, 1237, 1281, and 1287 — Cardinal Bona on decay of Minor Orders 7 — 14 QUALIFICATIONS AND DUTIES OF THE CLERKS. Aqu£e-Bajulus — Knowledge Required — Vestments and Duties — Maister Parish Clerks — Conducts — Application of discipline to Clerks — Duties of Clerks from Parish Records of S. Stephen, Coleman Street . . . . . . . . 14 — 18 APPOINTMENT AND PAYMENT OF PARISH CLERKS. Offerings for Parish Clerks — Theory and Practice of Appointment — Institution — Notarial Instrument of Institution — Difficulties in Recovering Dues — Arrangements for Dues in S. Margaret's, Lothbury .. .. .. .. .. .. 18—23 PARISH CLERKS AS A FRATERNITY OR GUILD. Purpose, Kinds and Charters of Guilds — Probable Origin of Parish Clerks' Guild — Charter of 1442 — Petition to King from ' Maister Parish Clerks ' — Amended Charters of 1449 and 1475 23 — 30 Contents {continued^. THE BEDE ROLL OF THE FRATERNITY. Description and Date of Bede Roll — Names of Kings, Princes, Nobles, Gentlemen, Bishops, Abbots and Abbesses, Priors and Prioresses, Deans, and London Priests, Heralds, City and Provincial Dignitaries — Admissions and Deaths — Honorary Titles — Bede — Bede Roll — Bidding Prayer — Analysis of Bede Roll and Names of Masters of the Fraternity 1447-1523 .. 30 — 56 ST. NICHOLAS, PATRON OF THE GUILD. St. Nicholas — Boy Bishop's Service — Parish Clerks at Skinner's Well and Clerkenwell — Bartle Fair — Boy Bishop's Services Forbidden and Resumed .. .. .. .. 56 — 65 ORDINANCES OF THE GUILD OF PARISH CLERKS, 1529. Masters' Election, Account and Charge — Wardens Election and Charge — Variance between Officers — The Dinner Day — Auditors — Quarterage — Quarterly and other Assemblies — Parish Clerks not Members of the Fraternity — Disobedience to Rules — Admission to Brotherhood — .\lms and Almshouses — Oath on Admission to Fraternity . . . . . . . . 65 76 THE PROPERTY OF THE FRATERNITY. Summary of Deeds from 1274 to 1472 — Property in Bishopsgate — In S. Leonard, East Cheap — In S. George's, Botolph Lane — Whitecross Street Property — Enfield Property — Difficulty in holding Property without License — Curious Justification of a Father after Death — Bonds on Property — Seizure of Property under i Ed. VI — Dispute and Decision — Sympathy of City — Site and Description of Hall — Toulrain Smith on i Ed. VI. Appendix of Documents from Augmentation Office, &c. . . 76 — 98 Contents (continued^. WILLIAM ROPER, ESQ., AND HIS GIFT TO THE PARISH CLERKS. Account of Roper — Offer of Gift to Merchant Taylors' Company — Offer Declined, but Accepted by Parish Clerks . . PARISH CLERKS AND THE FREEDOM OF THE CITY. Certain Number Admitted under Conditions — Exemptions — Refusal of Admission (1524) — Clerks "Free" and Clerks " Forein " before the Court of Aldermen — Agreement — Result of i Ed. VI. — Ordinances of 1 5 5 3 — Clerks as Clerks Deprived of Freedom of City — Appendix of Extracts from City Records illustrating this Chapter .. .. .. .. .. -. 103—120 CHARTERS AND ORDINANCES SUBSEQUENT TO 1608. Ordinances of 1610 (?) — State of the Company — New Charter — Charter of 1636 — Charter and Ordinances of 1640 — Expenses. . 120 — 126 PUBLIC DUTIES IMPOSED BY THE CORPORATION. Service at the Guildhall Chapel at Election of Lord Mayor — Election of 1553 — First notice of this Service — Election of 1554 — Order of 1624 — Clerks' expenses— Ordinances of 1640 — Re- turns of Deceased Freemen— Order of 1546, of 1553, of 1555, of 1614, of 1626 — Difficulty in complying with order after tire of i655 — Suspensions of payment and fines — latest notice 1732. 126 — 132 BILLS OF MORTALITY. Reference in Ordinances of 1553 as to these returns being made heretofore— Weekly Bills of 1528 (?) 1532 (?) 1535 and 1537— Ordinance of 1553— Order of 1555— Plague of 1563— Order to Contents {continued'). Clerks as to burying ground — Alteration in form of 15 7° — Christenings added 1579 — Plagues of 1582 and 1592— Bill of 1603 — 1604 eight out-parishes added — 1609 to be delivered to the Lord Mayor, &c., by eight o'clock on Thursday morning — Captain Graunt on Bills of Mortality. How were the bills drawn up — Parishes subsequently added — Bills at first tempo- rary — Act of 1653 — Difficulties in obtaining correct returns- Attempts to improve them 1735, 1751, 1753-55, 1758, 1789 — Agitation for more correct bills — Dr. Burrowes — Secretary of State — Bill of 18 19 — Registration Committee — Bills cease 1858— The Infant Poor Act, 2nd and 7th George III — Returns cease in 1844 132 — 148 PARISH CLERKS AND FUNERALS. Clerks and Funeral Pageants — Rules of 1553 — Divergencies on accession of Elizabeth — Stricter party prevail — Cripplegate fight over Clerks — Clerks' place taken by Christ's Hospital Boys, afterwards by Charity Children of Paiish . . . . 148 — 1 56 PARISH CLERKS ELECTION AND OTHER DINNERS. Ordinance of 1529 as to Election Dinner — Of 1553 — Processions of 1554? I555i 15561 1560 and 1562 — Ordinance of 1610 and 1640 — Orders as to dinners 1626 and 1789 — Charter Day Dinner — Church Procession and sermon — Ceased in i865 .. .. 156—165 PARISH CLERKS SINCE THE REFORMATION. Clerks Rights not interfered with—Clerks in English Prayer Book 1549 and 1662 — Visitation Articles of Hooper, Grindal, Sandys, and Aylmer — Patent to appoint Parish Clerks — Whitgift's comments on it — Canon 1604 — Clerks Wages in Charters 1636 and 1640 — Clerk of Bishopsgate and Churchwardens — Petition to Parliament — Irish Canon 1634 — Visitation Articles of Williams and Wren — Clerks' Ales — " Office " of Parish Clerks not a "Service" or "Employment" — Parish Clerks "Vest- ment" — Conflict between Temporal and Spiritual Courts — Act of 1844 .. .. .. .. .. .. 165 — 177 Contents {continued'). PARISH clerks' hall AFTER 1562. Broad Lane Vintry lease renewed 1628 — Carpenter, Joiner, Brick- layer and Cook — Burned to ground in l556 — New Hall off Wood Street — First Meeling in Hall 1671 — Fire ot 1765 ... 177 — i8r TENANTS OF THE HALL, AND ALTERATIONS SUBSE- QUENT TO 1825. Tenants — Basketmakers, Fruiterers, Tinplate Workers, Porters, Stewards of Religious Societies, Fanmakers — In 1761 let for commercial purposes till 1848 — Dispute as to lights in the Golden Shears or Izaak Walton— Present state of Hall ... 181 — 187 PRINTING PRESS. License of 1626 for Printing Press — Successive Printers, Hodgkinson, Cotes, Cotes, Cotes, Clarke (Story of the Cophin maker), Motte, Humphreys, and Rivington 187 — 193 ORGAN AND PSALMODY. Organ of 1664 and 1671 — Mr. John Playford — Clerk of S. Laurence Jewry — Mr. James Clifford — Payne's " Parish Clerks' Guide " — Organists Moss, Magnus, Gethin (new organ provided by Bridges, 1737) Hussey, Gilding, Lester, Light — Weekly prac- tice of Music by Clerks— Ceased in 1822 192--199 GIFTS, PLATE, AND ITEMS FROM WARDENS' ACCOUNTS. Inventory of Plate, 1637— Sale of Plate, 1645— War Charges, 1641 and 1645— Clerks petition to be continued in their places under Act of 1645— Sale of Plate— Inventory of 1671— Wreaths for Masters and Wardens and Funeral Pall— Sale of old silver and pewter— List of Gifts 199—207 Contents (continued'). THE company's poor. Pensions from 1624 — Assisting a Scholar at Oxford — Number of Pensioners — Gifts for the Poor 207 — 210 ADMISSION AND QUARTERAGES. Admission Fees — Power of Arbitration— Fines — Composition of Court 1 71 5— Quarterage increased 1737 and 1786 — Admission Fees 1800, 1825 — " Parish Clerlis in Orders " — Decisions as to Quarterages and Counsel's Opinion as to whether one ceasing to act as Parish Clerk might remain a member of the Court and Company ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 2lo — 214 CLERKS TO THE COMPANY. Wigley, Hinton, John Bell, sen., John Bell, jun. — London Remem- brancer and Disputed Bill of 1603 — Plague years — Plague of 1665 and Parish Clerks — Edward Bell, Bushell, Jackson, Comyns, Baynbridge — Weekly Practice of Music — Mackie, Davis, Edge, Fisher, Smith, Wheeler (Sen.), Wheeler (Jun.), Higgs, Bilby — " New remarks on London as collected by the Company of Parish Clerks" — -Services in ... ... ... 214 — 2ig INDEX. Almes men and women Arms of Parish Clerks' Company... Aquas-bajulus Askatyne, John Assessments (War 1642-45) Assistance or Assistants first named Numbers from City and Out-Parishes Angustine of Canterbury ... Augustine of Hippo , Aylmer, Bishop of London : Visitation Articles. 37, 67, 73, 92, 95, 97- 180, 184, 185. 14. 82, 83, 87. 201. 106. ...201. 14. 6. B. Banquel, John de Banquel, Thomas de Basketmakers Bede Roll Analysis of Description of Titles in Classification in ... Names of Kings and Nobles in „ of Bishops in ,, of other Ecclesiastics ,, of Heralds ,, of City Dignitaries „ of Masters of Fraternity ... Beme Light Bethlem Church Bethlem Burying Ground Bills of Mortality , Early Bills Ordinances of 1553 .. 108, 78- 79(2)-8o- 214. 30-56 45-56. 30 30,42- 31- 32-36. 36-37- 37-40- 40. 40-41- 44-56. 20. 92- 134- 122, 123, 127, 128, 133, 146. 133, 134- 133—134. xiv. Index {continued'). Orders as to (1570 and 1578) I35- „ (1604, 1607 and 1609) 136 „ (1608) 108, 119, (1624, 1636) 137 Bill of 1603 (disputed) 136,215 Bills preserved in Hall since 1603 135 Bills, price of 139. 211 Grant for Bills 108, 134, 135, 136, 187, 145 Company's Order as to False and Untrue Bills ... ... ... 136 Difficulty of obtaining Full Returns 139, 140, 141, 142, 144, 145 Attempts at Remedy 142, 143, 144, Captain Graunt on Bills ... ... ... ... ... ... 138, 215. Form of Bills 135,138,139 Mode of Collecting Returns 138,139 Searchers 135, 141, 145 Bills for the Lord Mayor 132, 133, 136 „ I, Aldermen in each parish 132, 134, „ „ King, Queen and Lord Chancellor 136, „ „ Archbishop of Canterbury 140,141 Act of 1653 and Clerks 140, Company's Collection of Bills now in Guildhall Library 145 Birch, Dr. Thomas ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 205 Boy Bishop's Service 58, 59, 62, 63 Brewers' Hall and Parish Clerks 25 82. Cardinal Bona on Minor Orders 12, 13. Carthage, Council of (?) 3^5. „ Clergy of. 6. Catworth, Thomas, Mayor 108,110. Chaplains of Parish Clerks' Fraternity 25,28,29,81,109. Charters of Fraternities ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 23. Charters and Ordinances, Registration of 25. Charters of Parish Clerks, Henry in. (1233) 24. „ „ Henry VL (1442) 25. „ „ Petition of Clerks as to cost of 26. „ „ Henry VL (1449) 27. „ ,, „ „ „ costs of 28. „ Edward IV. (1475) 28. „ ,' „ ,, ,, costs of ... ... ... .... 29, Index {continued'). Chartersot Parish Clerks, James T. (1612) 122 „ „ „ ,, Charlesl. (1636) 122, 123, .. :. n ), .. I, (1640) 123, 124, 125, Clerk, derivation and application of word 2, 3, 8 „ in the Early English Church 3^9 Clerks' Admission to and Duties of Office ... 4, 5,8, 9, 13, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20. „ Tonsure ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... .5 g ,, age for Admission ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...; 6 „ under Augustine at Hippo ,.. 6 „ Canon of Council at Merida 7, „ Hincmar's Capitulary „ marriage of 9,10,14. at Funerals and Marriages Ij^ 16, Clerk Ales ... 174 Clerk of Parish Clerks' Company 201,214 217, Clerkenwell ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 61 62 Cotton, Walter 79,80,81,83,85 „ William 84^85 „ „ justification of his father 84 Coverdale Matthew, Bishop 152, 154. Crowley Robert 152,154, „ ,, dispute with Clerks ... ... ... ... ... ... iji. Durward John, co. Essex... Egbert's Pontifical , j. Election of Lord Mayor, service at 126, 127, 128, 129, 157, 192, 195. Ellon, Aberdeenshire ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... jg. Everard, Alan 77^ 80, 81, 83. F. Fanmakers' Company 182. Fees Admission 116, 210, 211, 212. Freedom of the City 103-120, Agreement as to Admission to (1443) 103, 104, 108, 109, 119. Exemption from certain Public Duties 103,104 109,110,116, Index {continued'). " Free" and "forein" Clerks, dispute between Agreement of 1546 Ordinances of 1553 Appentices Freemen, returns of deceased Fresh, John ,, „ his will Freshfield, Dr. E Fruiterers' Company „ „ their Yeomanry Feast Funerals and Parish Clerks „ ,, ,, ,, Ordinances as to Funerals of Brethren Pall for 105, 110-113, 133. 105, 106, 107,117. 106, 114, 115. 103, 107 (2), 118, 119. 126, 127, 129, 132. 79- 80. 16. 181, 182. 181. 148-156. 149. 150- 71, 204. 204. Gifts to Company ... Golden Shears or Izaak Walton ... Grindal's, Archbishop, Visitation Articles Graunt, Capt. John Guilds Guild of S. Nicholas of the Parish Clerks H. 182, t84, 203, 204-7, 217. 183, 197- 168. 138,215- 23. 23, 24, 30, 120. Hall off Bishopsgate Street ,, in Erode Lane, Vintry „ off Wood Street „ Tenants of Harry Beauclerk ... Hincmar of Rheims Holy Water Clerk Hooper, Bishop of Gloucester, Visitation Articles Hynden, John of Bray 92, 93, 94. 95, 96, 97 ...177, 178, 202, 214, 179-80, 183-6, 216, 181,183, 9, 8 ... 14, ... 167, ... 80, I. Infant Poor, returns of 146, 147. Jewel, John, Bishop of Salisbury 16, 152, 154. Index [continued'). K. Killespeckerill and Kilmacronack ... ... ... ... ... ... 19. KnoUes, Thomas, Mayor 79. Laud, i William, Arch-bishop of Canterbury 122, 124(2), 125(2), Leo IV., Bishop of Rome London Churches and Parishes — S. Alban, Adell Lane 10, All Hallows the Great 47, 50(2), 52, 55 „ „ Lumbard Strete 49, „ „ Barking 54 „ „ on the Wall 152 S. Alphage, Cripplegate 10, 52, 152, 153 S. Andrew Hubbard, Eastcheap ... ... ... ... ... ... 53 S. Andrew Underschaft ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 48 S. Anne Aldersgate 48 S. Anthony, Watling Street 20, 52, 153, 154, S. Augustine, Old Change 104, no. S. Austin Pavy 76- S. Bartholomew the Little ... ... ... ... ... ... .» 5° S. Benet-le-fink 49. S. Bride, Fleet Street 48, 51, 55, 131 S. Botolph, Aldgate 15, 49, 50. S. Catherine Cree 52, 54, 153 S. Clement, Eastcheap ... ... ... ... ... ... l5, 51 S. Clement beyond Temple Bar 53 S. Dionis 47, 50, 51 S. Dunstan-in-the-East 53 S. Dunstan-in-the-West 49, 152 S. Edmund, Lumbard Strete ... ... 16 S. Ethelburga .-. 76, 77, 87, 158 S-;Faith 20, 50 S. Giles, Cripplegate 33,42,52,55,83,84,85,86,154 S. Helen, Bishopsgate 49 121 122 49' 122 S. James, Garlickhythe S. John in the Savoy S. John Zachrie S . Katherine by the Tower Index (continued) . S. Lawrence, Jewry I29> 194, 195- S. Leonard in East Cheap 55. 76, 8o, 85, 86, S. Magnus, London Bridge 55 S.Martin leOrgar 52,53,152 S. Martin, Ironmonger Lane 52, 53 S. Martin, Ludgate 153) 218 S. Martin, Vintry 9 S. Margaret, Bridge Street 51 S. Margaret, Lotlibury , 20,21,152,186, S. Margaret, Moyses 48, 51 S. Margaret-in-Southwark 53 S. Mary, Abchurch 20, S. Mary, Aldermanbury 10, S. Mary, Aldermary 152 S. Mary-at-Hill , 52 8. Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside 55 S. Mary, Stratford-Ie-Bow 141 S. Mary-in-Lumbard Strete 51, 54' S. Mary, Woclchurch 20, S. Mary Magdalene, Guildhall ... 27, 28, 104, 108, 109(2), 118, 126, 127 S. Mary Magdalene, Fish Street ... 16, S. Mary Magdalene, Milk Street 49. S. Matthew, Friday Street 49,54 S. Michael, Bassishaw ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 10, S. Michael, Cornhill 51, 52 S. Michael, Crooked Lane 48 S. Michael, Queenhythe 9,53 S. Michael le Querne , 16, 20, S. Michael, Wood Street 49, 50, S. Mildred, Poultry 16 S. Nicholas, Aeons 55 S. Nicholas, Fleshschamylis 50, S. Olave, Silver Street .., 10, S. Olave, Southwark 55, too, 152 S. Pancra'6, West Cheap ^g S. Peter-in-Cheap ... .. 51 S. Peter, Cornhill 52^ 121 S. Stephen, Coleman Street 16 17 S. Stephen, Walbrook 48,49, Stepney 170, 173 S. Swithin, London Stone g6. Index {continued'). XIX. S. Thomas Apostle ... S. Vedast, Foster Lane London Churches, Services in 1714 and 1732... „ Clergy, Assessment for „ New Remarks on , ,, Remembrancer Lyndwood 49 SI- SI- S4- 218, 219. ... 24. 217,218. ... 214; 9, 14, 18. M. Merchant Taylors' Company Muckearne ...100, loi. 19. N. Newington, Walter Nicholas S., Bishop and Confessor „ ,, Altar of .,, ,, ,, Guild of ... Nuns of S. Helen 70, 80 (2), 8i (4), 8 25, 56, S7. 103 24, 120, 77,78,88 Ordinances of Fraternity (1529) „ „ „ (ISS3) (1610?) (1640) Organ Organists 65, 104, 106. no 106, 114, 117, 149, 150, 133, 114, 116 120, 121 124, 125, 160 192, 193, 195, 197, 198 196, 197 Parish Clerks,-Appointment of 12, 18, 19, 20, 168, 169, 170, 171. Dispute as to right of Conflict as to removal Act of 1844 Dinners .,. Ordinances relating thereto, .Charter Day Dinners and Services Duties, Aquse-Bajulus ... 18, 19, 20, 170. 175. 175. ii5, 156, 160, 161, 156, 157, i5o, 182. 160, 162-164, 208. 14- XX. Index {continued). Parish Clerks in Divine Service 15, 165-167, 168, l6g, 170, 173, 174, 175. „ „ in Private Masses or Chantries 15. „ „ Publish Banns 16. „ „ at Marriages 15, 148, 155. 11 I, at Funerals ... ... ... ... .., ... ... 15. 1, ,1 in S. Stephen's, Coleman Street 16, 17. „ ,, Election of Masters, etc., 25, 27, 31, no, iii, 113, 115, 117, 157, 158, 160, 210. ,> „ Garlands or Wreaths for 203, 204, 206. 11 ,, Institution of ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ig. n ,, Instrument of ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 19. u ,, Legislation ... ... ... ... ... ... 7-14. ,, „ Inquiry as to FitnessJ 10. ,, ,, Married Clerks ... ... ... ... ... g, 15. ,: „ Canons (1237) 10. >, ,. ., (1281) II. ., „ „ (1287) II. V 11 ,, (1604) 170. „ Payment 12, 18, 19, 123, 124, 171, 173. M ,1 J, Difficulties as to ... ... ... ... ... 20. 11 11 ,, in S. Margaret's, Lothbury ... ... ... ... 20. „ „ Processions (1554-1562) 157, ijg. .. „ (1821) 163. „ „ Vestments 15, 16, 20, 156, 159, 160, 175. „ „ State of (1610) 120. „ „ Minute Book 120. „ ,, Guide 194^ 195. „ ,, Ability to sing Psalms of David 122. „ „ Knowledge of Music 9> I5, 126, 127, 166, 194. „ „ Practice of Psalmody 192,197,216. .1 .. Plays 60, 61, 64. Park or Perk, before High Altar 20 Perneys, John, Mayor ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... jgg Pilkington, Bishop of Durham ... ... ... ... 152 10 Plague of 1512 -, 1563 „ 1582 ... 1592 ... 1665 ... Plate of Company 134- 135- 135- 215- 122. Inventory of (1637) igg. Index {continued'). Plate of CoRipany, Sale of „ ,. Inventory of .(1671) Play ford, John Poor Brethren or their Wives, pension for „ , „ „ „ Fines given to » „ „ Gifts for „ „ Harrison Benjamin, the Oxford Scholar Porters' Society Printing Press Printers - ,, Appointment of ... Property of Fraternity to 1st Edward VI. in S. Austin Pavy ... at Enfield in Eastcheap in S. Ethelburga in Whitecross Street, Cripplegate bonds on value of Confiscation of in S. Swithin's, London Stone decision of Court of Augmentations as to sympathy of City on disputes and difficulties after of Company after 1st Edward VI. Brod6 Lane,Vintry „ Wood Street 200, 202, 205. 203. 193,194. 207, 208, 209. 210, 211. 208, 209. 207. 182. 187, 188. ..188, 189, 190, 191. 188, 190, 191. .. ... 76,98- ,.. 76. ... 76,80,82,85,86. 76, 77, 87, 94. 95> 96, 97. ... 76,83,84,85,86. 81,82,87. 81, 83. 90> 94. 106. 96. 96. 97- 91.92- ... 113, 114, 120, 121. 177, i«o- 179. 180. 100, 102. 100, 102. 70, :o6, 114, 115, 117. 121. 160, 211, 212, 213. 182. „ „ „ „ Bermondsey „ ,, „ „ Candlewick Street Quarterages Religious Societies Richard the Lion Heart 9- Roper, William (account of) 98- Russell, William (cophin maker) 189. Sandy's Bishop of London and Parish Clerks' Tolerations 107. Squery, John, senr 81,82,83,84,85,86. Squery, John, junr 82. Squery, Thomas °5- Subsidies 177,200.201. Sudbury, John 84. 85 (2). Sybill or Sibille, John 79.88. „ Nicholas 79. 88, 89. Index {continued^}. Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury Veron, Rector of S. Alphage Vyner, Sir Robert Walter of Essex, Clarke Walter, Bishop of Orleans Welsh Baptists White, Sir Thomas Whitgift, Archbishop, on appointment of Clerks Williams, Bishop of Lincoln, Visitation Article Wire Workers' Company Wren, Bishop of Norwich, Visitation Articles ... Wryth or Wriothesle Yeo, Nicholas, Sheriff 14- ... 152, 153- 104, 179 77. 8. ... 182. , 107 117, 126. 169. 173- 181. 174. 40, 42, 105. 85 ,86. E R RATA Page vi line 12, "repertory" read "a repertory." xvi „ 4, " appentices " read " apprentices." 14, " especially," and by name delete ' ,. 27, " Richards II " read " Richard II." 6, "1558" read " 1585." 16, "Ires" read "Ires." 16, " As Katyned " read " As Katyne." 2g, "freemen" read "freeman." 20, "1658" read "1758." 3, "Pauls" read "S. Paul's." 24 61 64 84 87 130 205 219 Parish Clerks' Almshouse Society and Almshouses. Added at the end of the Book. as an Order. In 900 in the Nestorian Church, Doorkeepers are mentioned apart from those in orders, and were not counted as a separate order in the East. Exorcists were persons who had a special gift for calming, quieting, and curing those possessed of evil spirits, and were not at first one of the grades or orders, though they were often admitted to orders, and thus in time became recognised as one of the grades. From the sixth century in the Galilean Church Index {continued) . Theodore, Archbishop of Canterbury Veroii,. Rector of S. Alphage Vyner, Sir Robert Walter of Essex, Clarke ... Walter, Bishop of Orleans Welsh Baptists White, Sir Thomas Whitgift, ArchbishoD. on.aDDoin,tment of r.lf-rlro Wi Wi Wi Wi Ye. ... 14. 152,153- 104, 179 ... 77- ... 8. ... ... 182. 99, 107 117, 126. "^ijo wcve tJte ©ktrksf* The Church of England in her ordinal says, " it i's evident, to all men diligently reading the Holy Scriptures and ancient Authors that from the Apostles' time there have been these orders of Ministers in Christ's Church — Bishops, Priests and Deacons." The earhest addition to these three appears to have been that of Readers. These four form the nucleus of every organization in the East and West, and they are sometimes the only grades that are recognised. They are now found in all branches of the Church except in England and Abyssinia. As the duties of Deacons became more complex. Sub-deacons vi^ere added. This made five orders, and so it stands now in the Greek, Coptic, and Nestorian Churches. Singers vi^ere in some places a branch of the Readers, though in the Syrian Church they are counted as an Order. In 900 in the Nestorian Church, Doorkeepers are mentioned apart from those in orders, and were not counted as a separate order in the East. Exorcists were persons who had a special gift for calming, quieting, and curing those possessed of evil spirits, and were not at first one of the grades or orders, though they were often admitted to orders, and thus in time became recognised as one of the grades. From the sixlh century in the Galilean Church Parish Clerks. the privileges and immunities of Clergy were conferred by- giving the tonsure without any special office in the Church. These immunities were, first, freedom from public burdens; second, exemption from trial in the civil courts; and third, support from the state or from the communities to which they belonged. These different orders were spoken of as holy or sacred orders, at first as distinct from the orders of widows or virgins, and were conferred irregularly ac- cording to the special gift apparent in the individual. They soon came to be conferred regularly by different grades or steps from the lowest to the highest, and by the eighth century it was considered irregular to ordain except from the one to the other. These grades were : "Doorkeeper," (Ostiarius); "Reader," (Lector); "Exorcist," (Exorcista); "Acolyte,'^ (Acolyta); Sub-Deacon, Deacon, Priest, and Bishop. In the Roman Church the two latter came to be accounted as one order. The first four are spoken of as minor or lesser orders, the last three as major or greater orders. By order is meant power granted to perform a special act, and as the act of celebrating the Holy Eucharist was considered the highest in the Church, Bishops and Priests were classed as one order. To which theory Bishop Andrewes replied "that they who are most against it — that is — against Bishops and Priests being distinct orders, though they will not grant it a sacrament of orders (the whole force whereof they bound within the Eucharist), yet an order they grant it, since an order is nothing else but a power to a special act as, namely, to ordain; which is compatible to Bishops only." Though these seven grades or orders may not have been in every country or in every church complete; there is to be seen underlying the theory that all who were to be employed in attendance on the sacred offices of the Church, were to be set apart for that service in a special manner. Who were the Clerks. and were thus held to belong to the kleros, or that portion of the Church to which a special designation to official duties therein was committed. This word kleros is specially used in Acts i., 17, 25, 26, to imply a share, a part, a lot in the service of the Church. Its derivative klerikos became in Latin, Clericus, whence in English, Clerk and Clergy. The term Clerk in Holy Orders is the technical name for a Clergyman in the Church of England, while the term Clerk is now applied to the official whose duty it is to take part m the singing, or to see under the direction of the beneficed Clergyman, or his assistant, that all necessary arrangements are made for the due performance of any of the Holy Services. The Clerk as a special officer in the old English Church is met with in the early part of the seventh century, where, in the laws of Ethelbert, the first Christian King of Kent, it is ordained, that for wrong done to Ecclesiastical property, the satisfaction to be made in the case of property belonging to God and the Church was twelvefold, in the case of a Bishop's, elevenfold, in that of a Priest's, ninefold, of a Deacon's, sixfold, and of an inferior Clerk's, threefold. The Clerk is here among the recognised servants of the Church. Egbert, Archbishop of York (732 — 766) a friend of the Venerable Bede, compiled a pontifical for his Church, that is, a book of offices for ordaining or setting apart individuals for certain duties in the Church. In it are found special rules for admission to the different orders, based upon tijose of a supposed council at Carthage, about 398, though some scholars are of opinion that these rules were made by a council in France. A singer could be admitted into the Choir by the sole order of the Priest, after being instructed in his duties by the Archdeacon. Parish Clerks. The Bishop's sanction was not necessary. The formula of admission was " See that what you sing with your mouth you believe in your heart, and what you believe in your heart you practise in your life." The duty of the Door- keeper was to lock and unlock the Church for Divine Service, to ring the bells or to give whatever was the agreed signal for meeting for the Canonical hours or for the public Divine Service. He had also to be examined and tested as to his fitness for discharging the duties of his office. The Bishop handed him the keys from the Altar with the injunction, "So discharge the office entrusted to you as one who will render account to God for those things which are kept in security with these keys." Prayers followed that the Doorkeeper might be found faithful in his office. The Reader's duty was to say or read those lessons which came in the various Services of the Church. These lessons were not merely as now, in the Church of England, Readings from Holy Scripture, but also Readings from the Fathers or Doctors of the Church in explanation of Holy Scripture, lives of the Saints on the days of their commemoration, devotional or practical readings suited for the season of the Church's year. The number of lessons varied with the dignity of the festival. In a will of 1436 there is a provision for payment of i6d. to eight Clerkes for reading eight lessons. When admitted to office, the Bishop announced "Thee thy brethren choose to be a Reader," and enjoined him "to be a trustworthy bearer of his word, to fulfil his office of Reader with steadfastness and diligence, and both in Reading and in acting endeavour to forward that Word." The Exorcist received power for casting out evil spirits from persons possessed by any of their many-sided forms of wickedness. The Bishop bestowed on him a book of exorcisms, with the order to learn them by heart, and " Receive authority for the laying on of thy hands on persons possessed, whether already baptized or IVko were the Clerks. Catechumens." The Acolyte's duties were, more especially, attendance to the lights of the Church, as well as atten- dance at the Altar Services as server. When appointed the Bishop explained to him his liturgical duties. He then received from the Archdeacon's hands a candlestick with its taper and an empty cruet ; the candlestick to imply how unto him was more especially entrusted the care of looking after the Church's lights, the cruet that his part was to carry to the Altar the bread and wine required for the Holy Eucharist. The Sub-Deacon, though not set apart by laying on of hands, was reckoned to belong to the higher orders. The Bishop placed in his hands an empty paten and an empty chalice, and the Archdeacon a bason with a ewer and a towel. His duty was to set for Con- secration as much bread out of the offerings as would be sufficient considering the number of people who came to communicate, to wash the Altar Cloths, keep the Altar Linen in proper order, and generally to serve the Priest at the Altar. The tonsure was the mark of all Clerks of whatever degree, that is, the crown of the head was shaved, so that the remaining hair might resemble a circlet of thorns round the head in commemoration of the crown of thorns placed in mockery on the Saviour's brow immediately before his crucifixion. Individuals were admitted to the office of Reader at a very early age. Instances are given of ordination to that office at five or six years of age. Chaucer in the Prioress tale speaks of "A litel scole of Cristenfolk " wherein they "lered to synge and to rede as smale childern doon in her childhede,'^ and adds : — Among these children was a widow sone A litel clergeoun that seven yer was of age." Parents dedicated their sons to God from their earliest Parish Clerks. years, and in such cases they were often committed to the Bishop's charge, and special rules were enacted that as soon as they received the tonsure, they were to be trained and taught under the eye of the Bishop, by one specially ap- pointed for that purpose. They lived in common, so that they might spend those years of life, in which men are most liable to fall, not in luxury, but in Church training, under the charge of a well-approved Elder, whom they were to esteem as their master in learning and a witness to their life. Under Augustine of Hippo, all the Clerks of the Church were fed and clothed in one house, at one table, and at the common expense. In the Vandal persecution in North Africa, the whole of the Clergy of Carthage were cut off either by starvation or slaughter, more than five hundred in number, of whom a very great number were Readers, yet children. The Emperors Theodosius in the East, and Justinian in the West, fixed the age for Readers at i8. The Council of Trent fixed the age of admission at seven,, but required them to remain in that degree till the agt of twenty. g^^x$lixix0xt rt» to ^Uvh^. In a Council held at Merida in Portugal (666) a canon was passed as follows : — "Whatever is arranged by the assent of all in the Holy- Church of God ought to continue to be carefully observed by Parish Priests. Now as there are some who have means in abundance for their churches, and yet have no care for having Clerks with whose assistance they may perform the offices of praise due to Almighty God, this Holy Synod decrees that henceforth every Parish Priest shall, out of the household of his own Church, furnish himself with Clerks, whom of his own goodwill he shall cherish and support, so as to perform the holy offices with due honour, and have persons suitable for that service. These also will deserve, at the expense of the Priest, food and clothing, and ought to be faithful to tlie Lord, their own Priest, and the good of the Church. Should they, however, appear to be useless or inefficient, let them, according to their fault, be chastised with the correction of discipline. If any Priest shall keep this in the letter and not in the spirit, and shall not duly fulfil the requirements, let him be corrected by his own Bishop, so that he may keep in all its extent what, out of due regard to the dignity of the service, is thus ordered." Parish Clerks. In a capitulary of Hincmar of Rheims in 852, " Clerks simply" are defined to be those spoken of in the Council of Merida as "Clerks of the Parish, and more frequently as Scholar Clerks, who in the sacred offices act as servers to the higher orders and keep schools." The same Bishop in his visitation queries, asks "is there a Clerk who can keep school and is able to read the Epistle and sing." Walter, Bishop of Orleans orders, "that every Presbyter have his own Clerk, let him also take care to have him religiously trained, and if it be possible, let him not neglect to have a school in his Church." Leo IV., Bishop of Rome (855), in his pastoral care, says: "Let every Presbyter have a Clerk Scholar to read the Epistle or lesson, make the due responses at Mass and with whom he may chant the psalms." It was not required that every Clerk should proceed to the higher orders, persons well fitted for particular offices, some- times remained in these to the end of their days. In the capitu- lary of Hincmar the Parish Clerk acts as server to the Priest, and trainer of the younger Clerks. Many of those thus trained would be, by their training, better fitted for discharging other peaceable duties of citizens. Many did so, and so long as they wore the tonsure, they were entitled to all the privileges of Clerks. The character of the clerk was indelible ; as when the soldier entered the service of his king, the king's mark, sign (character), was impressed on his arm or hand, and was indelible, so the character impressed by ordination, was held to be a virtue impressed as by a tool on the soul which never could be effaced, in this differing from grace which might be lost, lessened, or increased, but the character or impress of ordination could never be effaced. Once a Clerk always a Clerk. Yet though a Clerk, his early training fitted him for discharging duties in the world for which scholarship was required. He was able to read, write and keep accounts, to become the recorder of the decisions of courts, of the Legislation as to Clerks. resolutions of meetings, and of all the different transactions of life of which a record was required, hence the origin of the term Clerk now used somewhat indefinitely. The Clerk was recognized in the time of Ethelbert ; rules and directions for appointment to the different offices, having their ■origin either in Gaul or Africa, were recognized in Egbert's pontifical ; laws therefore of a similar import to those quoted may reasonably be believed to have been in force in the English Church. Henry Beauclerk, the good Clerk or Scholar, was the third Norman king. Richard the Lion Heart used to take his place among the rulers of the choir in directing the singers. And so with the revival of discipline in England, in the thirteenth century, there occurs frequent legislation as to Clerks. In 1229 " if any one under the degree of Sub- deacon, have entered into the holy estate of matrimony, let him and his wife on no account be separated (unless with mutual consent they wish to enter on a religious life, and there to remain in God's service), but while living with their wives, they are not on any account to share in the offerings of the Church." To this order, Lyndwood two centuries later adds the following gloss: "This office is not to be conferred on a married Clerk, because such a Clerk has to serve the Priest at the Altar, to sing with him, and to read the Epistle, but if an unmarried Clerk cannot be had, a married Clerk may fitly be permitted to discharge the duties, so long as they have not been twice married, and still continue to wear the clerical dress and tonsure." Such Clerks would seem to have been by no means uncommon. In Dr. Sharpe's calendar of wills these occur : — 1332. Robert de Barsham, Clerk, leaves to Sarah his daughter houses, rents, and reversions in the parish of S. Martin VinJ;ry and S. Michael de Paternoster Church, and to Alice his c^aughter a shop in Fenchurch Street. 10 Parish Clerks. 1343. Nicholas de Bath, Clerk, leaves bequests to Isabella his wife, to Nicholas, Robert, Thomas, Katharine and Alice his children. 1336. Robert de Charwelton, Clerk, leaves bequests to his wife, son and daughters. 1361. John Brian, Parish Clerk of the Church of S. Mary de Aldermanbury, leaves directions for his burial in the priory of S. Mary de Elsing Spital, within Cripplegate, near the tomb of William, its founder. "To the said priory, he leaves a girdle fastened with two silver shillings ; a sixth book of Decretals with gloss of John Andrew and a book of Decretals which had been lent to him ; to Alice his wife all his tenements in the parish of S. Michael in Bassingshaw, S. Alban in Adell Lane and S. Alphage in Philip Lane within Cripplegate, charged with the maintenance of a lamp ; remainder to Mar- garet his daughter for life, remainder for pious uses ; his tenements in Silver Street, parish of S. Olaves, to be sold for payment of debts." Similar bequests are to be found in 1361, 1363, 1364 and 1382. In 1232 it was ordered " that due inquiry be made as to the fitness of the candidate for discharging his duties as well in the Minor Orders as in Holy Orders. No one is to be admitted to any order until he have been examined according to the Canons, and have fit persons to represent him and on whose testimonial he is admitted to Orders." In 1237 Alexander, Bishop of Coventry, orders " that they to whom it appertains should see that in every place where there is an established school, there be such as know how to instruct others in doctrine and are willing to train them by the example of a good life, but as some scholars, by whose skill many by the grace of God might be edified, want the means necessary for their support, we will, that such scholars as are candidates for higher offices, and are in need, carry the holy water through Legislation as to Clerks. u the country villages." In 1281 a Canon of John, Archbishop of Canterbury, says : " Since according to Catholic doctors, the service and duty of the Clergy, is fortified by seven orders, the special gift of each order being impressed on the soul receiving by each an increase of grace, unless those ordained undertake the duty of the order with a false heart, or have been entangled in the meshes of iniquity ; it is in the highest degree expedient to receive, as seldom as possible, those orders at the same time one on the top of the other, since such heaping one on the other lessens reverence, and as a conse- quence also the grace which, through irreverence, recoils from the unthankful. It is therefore clearly acknowledged to be opposed to the dignity of so reverend a sacrament to confer on any one person, Holy Orders four or five at a time, some not Holy at the same time with one Holy; whence in some other provinces a difficulty is put in the way of conferring the four Lesser Orders at one time, so that the Clerks ascending to Christ's mysteries, singing as it were a song of degrees, when approved in the Lesser, may progress step by step at length to the Higher. As therefore we are bound in each Church to choose whatsoever things are holy, whatsoever things are religious, whatsoever things are of good report, and to bind these as it were a posy (fasciculum) in the minds of the English people, let the Bishops in this respect follow the Canonical requirements. Minor Orders, when it can be done in a proper manner with due reverence for the Sacrament, or from necessity, may be conferred, at least sometimes altogether, and let those receiving them, whether at one time or at different times, be instructed in the vulgar tongue as to the dis- tinction of order, duties and character, as well as to the access of Grace which is contained in each order and is increased to those who worthily approach them." A Synod held at Exeter in 1287 resolved, "We have often heard from our forefathers that the holy water T2 Parish Clerks. offerings were, at their beginning, instituted with the charit- able intention of providing from their proceeds, exhibitions for poor Clerks in the Schools, that there they may make such progress as may render them more proficient and better qualified for the higher offices. In order, therefore, that this institution, hitherto attended with good results, may not by lapse of time fall into abuse, we decree that in Churches not beyond ten miles from the City or Burgh Schools in our Province of Canterbury, the holy water offerings be bestowed on poor Clerks. And forasmuch as we have heard that disputes arise between the Rectors or Vicars of Churches and their Parishioners, as to the right of bestowal of this sort of offerings, of which disputes we ought, as it is our hearty desire , to cut off the causes, let those same Rectors and Vicars, to whose office it more particularly pertains to know who in their Parish is fit for such an office, strive to appoint such Clerks as to the best of their belief have sufficient knowledge, and are otherwise qualified to serve them suitably in the Divine offices, and are willing to obey their commands. Should the Parishioners in an evil spirit of malice wish to withdraw the accustomed alms let them be discreetly warned to con- tribute liberally, and should necessity require, let them be more strictly compelled by such ecclesiastical censures as are available." In reading these later canons one cannot but feel that the real meaning of them is to secure that the emoluments arising from the Clerk's office are to be bestowed on young scholars, as a help to them while pursuing their studies for the higher orders, and that there is implied in them a tacit condemnation of a custom which Cardinal Bona (i6og — 1674) in speaking of the minor orders laments. " There have ceased also the offices of the Lesser Orders, which are now in most cases discharged by boys and men engaged at a Legislation as to Clerks. ij salary and not entered in orders. In early times no one was ordained a Clerk unless appointed to some special Church. The boys thus admitted into the fellowship of the Clerus, were wont from the first to be taught letters, singing, and the due meaning of the rites of the Church. Then they were admitted as Doorkeepers, then as Readers, and so they rose step by step to other orders, as they duly discharged first the duties belonging to the lower. The consequence was they became very expert in the Church's rites, in which almost from their infancy they had been trained. This discipline began to give signs of decay about 500 years ago, until little by little, it has come to those customs which we now use, and under which we now live." Holy water, water and salt mixed and blessed, water emblematical of purifying, and salt of preservation, was used, not merely in sprinkling those who attended the Divine Service, but also in the homes of the people. When the question was put to Pope Gregory by Augustine, the British missionary, as to whether the heathen temples were to be pulled down, he was advised not to do so, but to clear them of the symbols of heathen worship — purify them and sprinkle them with holy water. Archbishop Theodore, who united England into one great ecclesiastical state in the seventh century, says : " Let all sprinkle their houses with holy water as often as they will." The privilege of carrying this holy water round the country parishes, as well as at the head of processions, seems to have been claimed for the younger and more needy Clerks, who were still prose- cuting their studies, whence the term " aquse-bajulus Clericus," "Holy Water Clerk." This was not the only duty of the Clerks, however. Lyndwood (1423 — 1466) says : "They must not be twice married and they must have no bodily ailment or impediment. They must have sufficient Qualifications and Duties of the Clerks. 75 knowledge, that is ability, to read the Epistles and Lessons, to sing Responsals, Grails, and other parts of the Service, of this character, in order to be able to assist at Mass, Matins, and Canonical hours." He also gives an order of date 1312, " No Clerk was allowed to serve at the Altar unless clad in a surplice, and when the offices of Mass are celebrated let him light two candles, or at least one," and adds the gloss, "No Clerk," "No Parish Clerk." The utmost care was taken that only those who were Clerks should have any part in cleaning the Sanctuary, the Vest- ments, or Sacred Vessels. To them also, under the direction of the Priest, fell the duty of making out the arrangements of the Services. They also attended to the due proclamation of Banns, issued and signed the Certificates, and spread and held the pallium over the newly-married couple. They rendered the musical parts of the Divine offices, and, as the body of the Christian was, as a temple of the Holy Ghost, esteemed holy, they were often employed to bear it to its last earthly resting place. In Churches where there were many Altars and frequent Chantry Services, there were many Clerks, one of whom was Chief or Parish, as the Clerks of London style them- selves in 1441, "Maister Parish Clerk," who had the superin- tendence and training of the younger ones, and under whom also were the "Conducts" or hired Clerks, who probably had no claim on the Parish Clerk's offerings, but were, as their name implies, hired assistants. In wills relating to Chantries in S. Botolph's, Aldgate, from 1335 to 1349, the Clerks are described as "Greater" and "Less" "Master" and "Under," and bequests for attendance vary from 3/4 to 6d. for the Chief Clerk, and from 3/4 to 2d. for the Under Clerk, whose share is usually one half that of the i6 Parish Clerks, principal. As Private Masses inrreased more Clerks were required in connection with the different Altars. Bishop Jewel's translation of Thomas Aquinas' definition of what was necessary for a private mass is "in private masses it is sufficient if there be one present, I mean the Clerk, who standeth instede of the whole congregation." In 1496 the Clerk of S. Mildred, Poultry, is cited in the Archdeacon's Court for giving a certificate to the Curate of Bow Parish Church, that the banns had been thrice proclaimed in that Church, when, in reality, they had only been twice. The marriage was celebrated in Bow Church without dispensation. The Clerk of S. Mildred, Poultry, had to do penance. In 1502 the Clerk of S. Michael's, Le Querne, is cited for not attending and going in the usual processions, as is the custom after the ancient fashion. In the same year the Clerk of S. Clement, Eastcheap, told the Curate, "Go forth, fool, and set a cock's comb, on thy crown," for which he was cited, compeared and is discharged, "because they had agreed." The Clerk of S. Magdalene, Fish Street, was charged with not obeying the Rector. He pleaded that he had always obeyed the Rector and any Curate, as was his duty when he stood serving as Parish Clerk. He would be obedient to the Rector of the Church and the Curate in all lawful orders according to the Constitutions and the King's injunctions. In 1508 the Clerk of S. Edmunds is cited because, on two week days, he did not put on his surplice. He was admonished to perform his office due to the Rector as is due from his office. In 1540 a Parish Priest complains in the Arch- deacon of Colchester's Court, "That there is neither Clerk nor Sexton to go with him in time of visitation, nor to helpe him to say Masse, nor to rynge to Service." The following extract from the books of S. Stephen's, Cole- Qualifications and Duties of the Clerks. 77 man Street, quoted by Dr. Freshfield, in the Archaologia, gives what was required of the two Parish Clerks there : — "They shall be ready to ring to all manner of Divine Service at due hour assigned of the Curate or his Deputy, after the use and custom of London the Citie of, and not to ring the last peal until the Curate or his Deputy be present. They shall sweep all the images and glass windows of the Church two times in the year." " Item. — They shall be ready every Sunday, after Matins be said, to order water and salt, and to cut the holy loaf." " Item. — They shall make no contention, nor bate, nor heavy- ness between the Curate and the Parishioners, nor of no other Priest, and if they hear any confederate or imagi- nation, or slander of malice against the Curate, or of any other Priest that longs to the said Church, in all haste they shall in confession tell it to the Curate, and the names of the persons that so imagine." " Item. — They shall be obedient in all lawful things to all the parishioners, and courteous in bearing and behaving themselves in answer to high and low as servants and members of the Church of God, asking their quarterage, their casuals, and other things that belong to them by right, amiably, and if any man or woman contrary and will not pay their duty, to inform the Curate and Church- wardens, and they shall set remedy with the Grace of God, and if any person be breaker of this good and Godly ordinance the indignation of Almighty God fall him on. Amen." Lyndwood(i423-i466),says: "The Parish Clerks maintenance is to be levied and collected by them according to use and wont. His special offering was a loaf from each house at Christmas, eggs at Easter, and certain sheaves in harvest, yet (he adds), they were not such as the Clerk could claim as a fixed offering, or look upon as an endowment, but each householder was expected to give every Lord's Day, according to his means and position. The dues were to be collected according to use and wont, for the Clerk ought not to serve at his own charges; and every Priest in charge ought to have the services of a Clerk. In a Canon formerly quoted it is asserted that it appertains to the duty of the Priest to know who in his Parish is best fitted for the office. The theory of appointment seems to have been that, in a Parish Church, the Rector, Vicar, or Curate in charge should appoint; in Churches dependent on Monasteries, the Abbot; in Private Chapels, the Patrons; but in practice in those Parishes, where the salaries were collected quarterly, and paid by the Churchwardens, the Parishioners appointed. This state of things is illustrated by a story told by Lyndwood in explaining and illustrating Canonical disobe- dience. "Lately," he says : "a. dispute, between the Parish Clerks' Payments and Appointment. /p Parishioners and Rector, occurred as to the right of appoint- ing the Clerk. Each made an appointment. Both Clerks ap- peared to serve and assist at the Service. The Priest on duty ordered the Rector's Clerk to read the Epistle for the day. The people's Clerk snatched the book containing the Epistles out of the hands of his rival and in so doing threw him on the ground with violence and drew blood." Was he liable to excommunication? He answers "No, it was not his own quarrel, it was the maintenance of another's rights." "The institution of the Clerk as of other Officers of the Church ought to be in the power of the Rector, or Curate of the Parish, and by no means in the power of the parishoners." The term Curate is here used of the person responsible for discharging spiritual offices in the parish as it is still used in the prayer book, in the petition for Bishops and Curates, not in the sense in which it is now commonly used, viz. :— one who is really Assistant Curate in the Parish. In churches belonging to religious houses, the institution was in the hands of the Abbot. A curious document has been printed by the Historical MSS. Commission relating to the Institution of a Parish Clerk. It is a' notarial instrument dated i2th March, 1541, on the election of Duncan, son of Odo MacDunlewe, Clerk of the Diocese of Dunkeld, to the Parish Clerkship of Killespeckerill and Kill- macronack, in Muckarne. The election was made by the parishoners assembled in the Church of Killmacronack for hearing Divine Service, and in token thereof symbolical pos- session was given to Patrick, son of Finlay, son of Alexander Glass, as procurator for Duncan by means of the water bason or vase containing in it holy water with the sprinkle. The said Patrick, son of Finlay, son of Alexander Glass, followed the Curate in charge round all the Church, and served him while celebrating High Mass, as procurator for the said Duncan, in token of his election and due institution to the same. Another bequest in the parish of Ellon, Aberdeenshire, of some landy 20 Parish Clerks. illustrates how necessary Clerks were held to be in the Parish. The land was bequeathed under condition of providing for the Parish Church of Ellon, four Clerks with copes and surplices able to read and sing sufficiently, one part of the land being bound to furnish a house for the scholars, another to furnish twenty -four candles for the park, or perk, before the high Altar, and a third to find a smithy at Ellon. These dues of the Clerk were not always recovered without trouble ; from Archdeacon Hale's Precedents in the year 1480, a parishioner of S. Michael Querne is cited for refusing to pay for the heme light and the Clerk's wages. In 1481 the Clerk of S. Anthonys had been admitted without consent of the Rector by whom he was cited to appear on October 4th. The court discharged him. In 1493 certain parishioners of S. Mary Wool Church are brought before the Archdeacon's Court for not paying their dues for the stipend of the Holy WaterCIerk and for the heme light. In the same year another from S. Mary Abchurch is cited for being in arrears three quarters of a year with the Clerk's salary, and for disturbing the Priest and Clerk while singing the Divine Offices on Christmas Day, and for calling the Wardens bad names. In 1509 a parishioner of S. Faith's refused to pay the Parish Clerk's salary for three years, as it had been taxed by the Churchwardens and Parishioners. He deducted it from his other assessments and refused to pay. On 5th September he was ordered to pay it within eight days. On the Monday after All Saints' Day it was certified as paid and he was discharged. In connection with Clerks' wages the following document from the Commissary Court of London is interesting. An arrangement had been made in 1434 for the parish of S. Margaret's, Lothbury. It is probable there had been a dispute as to how far the agreement then come to was binding twenty- two years afterwards.if "her sensyng decesyd" mean, as it Parish Clerks' Payments and Appointment. 21 seems to do, that the two clerks, for whom the arrangement was made, were since dead. " This is the Ordenaunces and the settyng that the pryncipall Maysters and Wardeynes and aller the hole Parichouners hathe ordenyde and sette unto the Clerkes wages of Seynt Margaretes in Lothbury, to have quarterly a quarter and, her sensyng decesyd, theye to hold hem to theyre quarterage. " John Coster and William Denam then being Churchwardens — John Coster, being dead, did not give evidence, but William Denman being now present, did. " Be hit hadden in mynde that the 7th day of Fevereller, in the yere of our Lorde, 1434, that Robert Large, Alderman of London, and Sir John Hockle, Parson, withe alle the pryn- cipall Maistres and Wardeynes, with alle the comontie of the Pariche of Seynte Margaretes, in Lothebury, hathe ordenyde and chosyn foure honeste men of the same Pariche, to sette every house of the Pariche after his quantite that he beryth of his howse hyre ; first, a howse of 3/4 be yere, one halfpenny a quarter to both Clerkes; also a howse of 6/8 be yere to both Clerkes one penny a quarter ; also a howse of 10/- be yere to both Clerkes one penny halfpenny a quarter; also a howse of 13/4 be yere to bothe Clerkes two-pence a quarter ; also a howse of 16/8 be yere to bothe Clerkes two-pence halfpenny a quarter; also a howse of 20/- be yere to bothe Clerkes three-pence a quarter; and also a howse of 23/4 be yere to bothe Clerkes three-pence halfpenny a quarter ; and so goying upwarde every nobyll one penny, the whiche was ordened and sette be thes foure men and thes been here namys ; Thomas Babthorpe, Thomas Eston, Watir Adam, John Coddam, and whan these foure men had wrytyn and sette this quarterage in this maner they browte yt up to all the principalles and all the comonte Parish Clerks. of the sayd Pariche forsayd; and all they were accordyd thereto. " William Russell and William Gegge, now being Church- wardeynes, deponed personally before Mr. Thomas Caas that the bill above written had been peacefully observed from the day of the aforesaid settlement without interruption, and it is therefore registered in the Book of Wills of Mr. Robert Gylbert, lately Bishop of London, and the same bill was laid before him on the 8th of October, 1456, in the absence of Mr. Henry Sharp." 0v (•Huiltr* Gilds reach back to the time of the Anglo-Saxons. The gild was the payment made by each member. The two words gilde, a brotherhood, and gelde, a fixed payment at stated times, run side by side, and are now found in the words "gild" and "yield." They were associations for mutual self-help, and were often established by members of the community, when they found support or assistance in any special manner required of each other. It was not necessary to be incorporated. They were self-appoiated Communities for brotherly help and social charity without any formal recognition from outside authority. They existed without Charters. Charters merely record the fact of their existence, and declare their form or shape. The King's license was not necessary tq the formation of a guild ; it only became- necessary when they ■yvished to acquire lands or tenements,- or take out a license in mortmain. Gilds were of two cla.ss^s. Social or Religious and Craftgilds. The first were brotherly., and open to all ; the second were for the benefit of members as craftsmen and for the regu- 2^ Parish Clerks. lation of the Crafts. To the first of these belonged the Fraternity or Gild of S. Nicholas of the Parish Clerks of London. Stow says that the Company of Parish Clerks stands registered in the Books of the Guildhall and was incorporated in 17th Henry III., 1233. Other authority for this date has not been found ; but it was a time of great revival of discipline in the Church. A few years before it had been arranged by the Bishop of London and sanctioned by the King, " That all and every the citizens and inhabitants of London should pay and offer to God and the Church of such Parish where any house, hostelrye, or shop, by any of them occupied did stand, and to the Rector or Parson of the same, upon every Sunday throughout the year, upon every solemn and double feast especially, and by name upon the Holy Apostles, whose eves were fasted, for every 10/- of yearly rent, one farthing ; for every 20/-, one halfpenny ; and so ascending to whatever sum the said pension shall arise, as had been afore of long time accustomed, and lawfully prescribed by the said Parsons and Curates." Certain ad- ditional festivals were afterwards added, making the annual offering amount to 2/9 per ■£ of rent, and this was the foundation of the assessment for paying the London Clergy. In 1229 a canon had been passed which required that no married Clerk should have a share in the offerings of the Church, and the tendency of legislation was to make the Clerk's office a stepping stone to the higher orders. Are we to suppose that the Clerks obtained this charter to enable them as a body to protect theniselves, to assist each other in the safeguarding of their gifts, and to resist their being deprived when married, and their offices bestowed on young candidates for the priesthood? Lyndwood, while insisting that unmarried Clerks only fulfil the conditions of Canon Law, yet allows that a married Clerk, where no other can be had, may be admitted to perform the duties of this office. Among tlic returns from Guilds to the Court of Chancery Parish Clerks as a Fraternity or Guild. 2^ made in 1390, while there are many relating to other London Social, as opposed to Craft Gilds, there is no return pre- served from that of Parish Clerks. But in 1422 the Parish Clerks' Company are found renting the Brewers' Hall for their meetings. In 1437 an Act of Parliament was passed requiring all Fraternities to bring, between this and the ensuing Michaelmas day, returns, and cause to be registered all Charters and Ordinances ; probably in consequence of this a Charter was on January 22nd, 1442, granted to the Chief or Parish Clerks of the City of London by Henry VL for the honour and glory of Almighty God, and of the undefiled and most glorious Virgin Mary, His mother, and on account of that special devotion which they especially bore to Christ's glorious Confessor, S. Nicholas, on whose day or festival we (the King is made to say) were first presented into this present world, at the hands of a mother of memory ever to be revered. In this Charter, it is stated that the Clerks had maintained a poor brotherhood of themselves, as well as a certain Divine Service, and divers works of charity and piety, devised and exhibited by them year by year, for forty years or more by past, understanding, however, that this said Fraternity, which up to the present time has nowhere taken a beginning in a due and legal foundation, although it had existed piously and devotedly in a continuous succession, they were afraid it could not continue to last [without incorporation]. This Charter confers on them the right of a perpetual Corporate Community, having two Masters, capable in law of suing or being sued, of holding lands and tenements, and receiving from those willing to give, gifts to the value of forty pounds a year in London ; to appoint two Chaplains to celebrate the Divine Offices every day, for our welfare both while we live, and when we depart from this life, and for the souls of all faithful departed, for ever. In accordance with Act of Parlia- ment, an account had to be rendered to the Court of Chancery, so that these things may be seen to be done without loss or 120 Parish Clerks. prejudice to the King and his heirs. In the proceedings and ordinances of the Privy Council of England by Sir Harris Nicholas, Vol. V., p. 182, there is a petition addressed to King Henry by the Parish Clerks of London, on 14th December, 1441 (a few blanks in the text caused by decay of the document, have been conjecturally supplied). To the King our Soverain Lord. Besechen mekely youre pore and continuell bedmen the Maisters Parisshe Clerkes of your Citie of London, that where ye of youre speciale grace [to the Mother of our] Lorde and for the special devotion which your said besechers hath to the glorious Confessor Saint Nicholas by your letters patentz have [founded and established] a fraternitie of a guilde of them and of all other Cristen people willing to be in the same guilde or fraternitie, with other special [privileges] of the which letters patentz youre said besechers may have no deliverance oute of your hamper in your chauncerie without fyn and [fee] which they have no power to do : lyke it to your hieness considering the good love the whiche they have to the said glorious con- fessor [Saint Nicholas] aforesaide to pardon them the said fyn and fee and thereupon to graunte your letters of privie seal direct to your Clerk of the Hamper of [Chauncerie allow- ing] hym to deliver to your said besechers the said letters patentz of the said guilde, any statute act, or ordenaunce, or provision in contrarie made [notwithstanding] and they shall praye God for you. Endorsement. The King at Elyngdon, on 14th December in the XXth year, has granted the. present request as asked, and has given instructions to the Keeper of his Privy Seal to issue a warrant to the Clerk of his hamper as is desired below. Present Viscount Beaumont, Edmund Hungerford, Esq., John Seynlow, and me Adam Moleyns [afterwards Dean of Salisbury and Bishop of Winchester]. Parish Clerks as a Fraternity or Guild. 2!};. Seven years after on 28th January, 1449, a second charter was granted, the first having been surrendered by the Masters John Henley and Thomas Hunt, with the brothers and sisters of the fraternity, who showed that for certain evident reasons the former Charter was by no means sufficient. In it the guild is described under the same name, and as consisting of the Parish Clerks of the Collegiate and Parish Churches of London, and any Christians whosoever who are willing to belong to this guild or fraternity. Its objects were: ist, to maintain two chaplains to celebrate Divine Service every day for the King's and the Brethren of the Guild's welfare while living and for their souls, and those of all the faithful departed from this light, and, 2nd, to maintain seven poor persons to offer up prayers at the same time for ever, for the welfare of the living and the souls of the faithful departed, in the Chapel of Mary Magdalene by the Guildhall. The guild or fraternity was to be and to be known as the guild or fraternity of the principal or chief Parish Clerks of London, the brothers and sisters to be a perpetual corporation in reality and name, and to have a perpetual succession, the brothers and sisters to have power to admit as brothers and sisters any willing, in a devout spirit, to join them for carrying out the objects of the fraternity. The brothers and sisters of the Guild to have power to elect from their number, two masters or governors from year to year, and as often as may be expedient for the advantage and honour of the Gild to remove and expel them from office and to elect new ones in accordance with ordinances made by the nobler and more worthy part of the same brothers and sisters and their successors. The masters, brothers and sisters and their successors, in the name of the masters, brothers, and sisters, and their successors in all time coming, are to be able and sufficient in law to acquire and receive in fee and per- 28 Parish Clerks. petuity, lands and tenements and other possessions, whatso- ever, to be held for them and their successors for ever, and under the same name to have power to sue and to he sued in all the King's or other Courts in all matters, as any other of the King's lieges ; to have a common seal for business for ever ; to hold lawful and honest meetings : to make statutes and ordinances for the sound adminis- tration of the Guild as circumstances arise as often as need may require, without let, hindrance, or molestation, on the part of the King's officers; to nominate and appoint Chaplains through the masters for the time being, and if the Chaplains cease to perform the duty as provided for above, to appoint others, to hold lands, tenements and services in the City of London, and anywhere else in the Kingdom of England, excepting lands held in Chief of the King to the value of £40 yearly of any persons willing to give, grant, or assign them without fine or fee to the King, Statutes of Mortmain not- withstanding and provided the lands are not held on condition of military service. The Charter was delivered on 8th February on paying five shillings into the Hamper. Probably the resources of the, Clerks suffered as well as the whole country from the Wars of the Roses (1455- 147 1) for on loth July, 1475, the Charter of 1449 was amended by EdwardlV'. The Fraternity showed to the King that to their great grief through fewness of numbers and poverty, they were now unable to maintain two Chaplains, and consequently they do not appoint two. The result is they are anno3'ed and disturbed many times by divers persons in the habit of resorting to the same Chapel (at Guildhall). They there- fore ask the King to graciously condescend to take upon him to refound the Guild in the matter aforesaid, and to free them from one Chaplain, as well as the expense of main- taining two, and to grant that the remaining Chaplain for Parish Clerks as a Fraternity or Guild. 2g the time being be empowered to celebrate the Divine Service, and the aforesaid poor men to pray for the living and the faithful departed before the Most High, in the same manner for ever in the aforesaid Chapel, or in any other consecrated building at the pleasure of the Masters or Governors of the Guild for the time being. The King granted their request, refounded the Gild, and granted of his special and certain knowledge to John Cooper, and Stephen Pond, the present masters and governors of the Gild, and brothers and sisters of the same, that they and their successors should be entirely freed of one Chaplain, as well as of the expense of one as against the King and his heirs for ever, and that the remaining Chaplain for the time being should celebrate the Divine offices, and the poor folks offer up their prayers before the Most High in that Chapel [Guildhall] or any other consecrated building at the pleasure of the masters or governors. That they and their successors have power and authority to call upon all or any of the principal Parish Clerks of London and its suburbs, now or in the future, to undertake the duties in connection with the Gild, in accor- dance with their statutes and ordinances now made, or to be made, so far as concerns the interests and advantage of the said Gild, and to superintend, rule, and govern them, and each of them, and to correct and punish, or cause to be corrected and punished, any of their shortcomings in these respects as often as they please, and as the case itself requires. Power granted to all Mayors, Aldermen, Sheriffs, Freemen, and Constables, and other Officials within London and its suburbs to favour and assist the Fraternity in putting these powers in due force. Power to accept lands and holdings anywhere within the King's dominions to the value of ;^20 a year. Witness to the Charter is Edward, eldest son of the King, Prince of Wales [a month over 5 years old], Warden of England, at Westminster, loth July. For the Charter thirty-one shillings were paid in the Hamper. ®t^^ §0h0 ^uU of tij^ ixaUvnxi^* The Bede Roll of the Fraternity is contained in a folio volume of parchment twenty and a half inches long by eleven and a half inches broad, now carefully rebound. It consists of sixty leaves or half-leaves of parchment, and on these are inscribed in beautiful Gothic letters, with, in most cases, ornamental headings, the names of the masters for the year, the names of those admitted members during the year, and the names of those who, being still members, died during the same period, or rather, perhaps, of those whose deaths were reported during the year. The volume seems to have been begun in the year 1449, immediately after the amended charter of February, 1449, was obtained. The first two leaves are devoted to what seems to have been intended as a complete table of all the members then alive. The names of those who were entitled to have the title " Dominus " or " Magister " prefixed, occupy nearly the whole of the first page. The names of those who had no prefix or title, are arranged in an alphabetical order of Christian names, but this table ends in the middle of the letter K. The fourth page of what might probably have The Bede Roll of the Fraternity. jr completed the table is blank. In many cases a christian name only is entered and no surname ; in some the surname is added, evidently later, in a different handwriting. Some of the original surnames are erased, as if the individual had ceased to be a member of the Fraternity, and the space left free for some other who had the same christian name. The first intention, probably, was to keep the two leaves as an alpha- betical list of the names of living members of the Fraternity. But in 1455 the names of new members for the year are given in one roll, and the names of the departed in another. The original plan had evidently broken down. In 1458 a new classification — Priests, Clerks, Laymen and Laywomen — is adopted, and in 1471 the same classification is applied in the case of the departed, but not carried out with the same thoroughness as in the case of the living. The names of members departed before 1448 occupy one page (5) and part of another (6). Those of 1448 and 1449 are marked off by a red line in the margin. The christian names of the masters for these two years are written on the margin, but have, except the final letters, been cut off in the process of re-binding the volume. The names John Hunt and Thomas Henley are known from the charter of that year (1449) and hes, hos, the remainder of Johes and Thos still remain. Those of 1449-50 are not known, unless some one can restore them from what remains. In the rules approved in 1529 the election of the master took place on Ascension Day. All books, accounts, and the register of members had to be made up before Relic Sunday (the third Sunday after Midsummer Day, Nativity of S. John Baptist), and handed to the new masters. The names of the masters would therefore fix the date of the Bede Roll. On page 7 is an entry, " These are the names of Clerks belonging to the said Fraternity now departed." On comparing the entries at the bottom of this Roll with the hand- writing on the page before, it will be seen that the liames J3 Parish Clerks. corresponding to the years 1449- 1453 of deceased Clerks are entered in the different handwritings of each of these years, corresponding to entries of new members on the previous page. From this it would seem that the first intention was to have three Rolls, one for living members, another for deceased members, and a third specially for the deceased Clerks so that from the very beginning the names of the departed Clerks were kept in a special Roll by themselves. The heading on page i is : " Let us pray specially and by note for the good estate of all brothers and sisters belonging to the Fraternity of S. Nicholas, London, all whose names are con- tained in this table." The first name on the Roll is that of " Henry VI., King of England, France, and Lord of Ireland; " the next, "John Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk" [died in 1461, " a specyal aider of the King" (Edward IV.) Fabyan says]; then " Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury " [created 1442. He was beheaded by the Lancastrians after Wakefield Green in 1460, and was succeeded in his titles by his son, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick, better known as the Kingmaker]. It is interesting to see here the names of two whose after careers were in such deadly antagonism to Henry. Then " Robert Neville, Bishop of Durham" follows, who died in 1457. The analysis of the Bede Roll shows the number of titled and untitled which follows. On page 5 the Roll of the departed begins, headed by the name of " Henry V., King of England and France, and Lord of Ireland." Then follow the names of his three brothers, uncles to Henry VI., and of the great Chancellor, tutor of Henry's father, all well-known to readers of English History ; "Thomas, Duke of Clarence" (died 1431) ; "John, Duke of Bedford" (died 1435); " Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester and Cardinal of England " (died April 11, 1447) and Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester" ("the good Duke Humphrey," died The Bede Roll of the Fraternity. jj February 25, 1447). "Richard Muntage, Viscount or Sheriff of " ? and Mr. Richard Fleming, Bishop of Lincoln [died 1431]. There is no mention, in either of the two letters patent granted to the Fraternity, of any special remembrance of the King's father or uncles, although in one granted in 1442 to the Fraternity of S. Mary and S. Giles without Cripplegate, provision is made for a special mass for the soul of Henry V. to be celebrated on the eve of S. Giles, the anniversary of his death. At the head of members alive for 1460 is an entry which shows that the Parish Clerks shared in the London feeling of loyalty to the Duke of York. " King Edward IV., son and heir of the illustrious Prince Richard, Duke of York [who was] the true and just heir of the kingdoms of England and France and Lord also of Ireland, and of the noble princess his wife;" " Cecily, Duchess of York ;" " George, Duke of Clarence ;" (up to this the writing is in brilliant red ink ; those after follow in black ink), " Richard, sons of the said Duke and Duchess ;" " Anna, Duchessof Exeter ;" "Elizabeth, Duchess of Suffolk;" and " Margaret, as yet unmarried," "daughters of the same Duke and Duchess of York." At the head of the list of the departed for the same year is " the illustrious and noble well remembered Prince Richard, the afore-named Duke of York " [in red]; "Henry"; " Edmund, Earl of Rutland," "John;" " William ;" " Thomas ;" " Ursula, daughter of the same Duke and Duchess ;" "Sons of the aforesaid Duke and Duchess of York" [in black]. Here is a full list of the whole family, wife, sons and daughters of Richard, Duke of York, whose death and that of his young son, the Earl of Rutland, took place at Wakefield Green in 1460 ; Anna, Duchess of Exeter, who is said to have divorced and despoiled one husband and caused the death of her second ; Elizabeth, Duchess of Suffolk, whose children, the De la Poles, were so unfortunate in after times^ owing to their near relationship to the Crown ; Margaret, jj Parish Clerks. as yet unmarried, but to become, in after years. Duchess of Burgundy, the support of Edward IV. in his adversity, the protectress of all Yorkists, and the patroness of Perkin Warbeck. King Edward was proclaimed King on 4th March, 1461 ; he was crowned at Westminster on S. Peter's Day, 2gth June, in the same year. His brother George was created Duke of Clarence at the time of the coronation. Richard was created Duke of Gloucester upon Allhaloen (All Saints) Day in the same year. This entry in the Bede Roll must therefore have been made after the end of June and before end of October, 1461, This corroborates and shows that the rule as to the election and succession of masters was the same as in 1529, viz., that the P>.oll for any one year, say for 1460, that is from Ascension Day, 1460, to Ascension Day, 1461, was formally entered on the record after the masters for that year had been elected, and before they had given place to their successors. In 1462 there joined the Fraternity the fourth " Duke of Norfolk (died 1475), John Mowbray" and "Elizabeth his wife " [daughter of Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury ; their daughter Anna was contracted to be married to Richard, second son of Edward IV., but died before the marriage could take place] ; " Eleanor, Countess of Northumberland " [widow of Henry, Earl of Northumberland, who had been killed at Towton in 1461] ; " Henry Gray, Codnore " [the name of his territorial possessions in Derbyshire]; " Sir John Fogge and Alicia his wife," a supporter of the Woodvilles, the Queen of Edward IV., whose dealings in her behalf with an ex-Lord Mayor of London may be read in Fabyan, and whose after career may be found in the histories of Richard III. In connection with this year (page 17) the list of the de- parted is to be found on page 12 preceding, written on what had been a blank page. On this page there is a unique entry. The Bede Roll of the Fraternity. jj Two names stand by themselves under the title " Defuncti " departed. They seem not to have been on the Roll during life, but to have been put under this heading on the Roll after death. To assist in procuring this (probably unusual) favour the widow of one, her daughter, and husband's sister are all three entered the same year on the Roll of the living. Between this year (1462) and the year 1469, after which the dates are regularly added, the entries for one year are amiss- ing. Whether a leaf has been abstracted and carried off, as happened to the last leaves of the Bede Roll, or whether from some cause it was never entered is not known. In view of what is said in the preceding paragraph the entry for 1463 is the one probably wanting. In 1476 appear among the deceased : " Anna, Duchess of Exeter," the King's sister, and in 1478 her brother, the weak, restless, and unfortunate " Duke of Clarence," who in that year met his fate in the Tower with the butt of Malmsey wine in his cell. In 1480 are entered on the Roll of the living, " Elizabeth, Queen of England," in beautiful letters of gold; in blue, "Anna, Duchess of Bokyngham" and "Margaret, Countess of Richmond," mother of Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, afterwards Henry VII. In the following year, " Anna, Duchess of Bokyngham " is found among those who have passed away. She was a sister of the Nevilles whose names are entered at the opening of the Roll, and of the King's mother, Cecily, Duchess of York. Her husband, the Duke of Buckingham, was slain at Northampton in 1460. She married, as a second husband, Walter Blount, Lord Mountjoy, aad is said to have died on the ides of September, 1480. In 1504 among the deceased is " Lord Weleby," Richard Hastings, who married Joan, the heiress of Lord Willoughby j6 Parish Clerks. de Eresby, and next year his wife, "Lady Johanna Willoughby," follows. In 1508 " Johanna, Lady Aburgayny," whose name, though referred to as the ist wife of Lord Abergavenny, is not found in the peerages, and in 15 10, " My lady the Kingis modir Henry VIL" In this year in the same Roll is " my Lord of Deynshire," William Courtney, Earl of Devon, grandson of Edward IV., and cousin of Henry VIII., who died on gth June 15 II, at Greenwich. His body was cered and lay in his chamber at the Court at Greenwich till the 12th, when, in the afternoon it was conveyed, accompanied by many noblemen and gentlemen, in a barge to Paul's Wharf, where it was met by four orders of friars, and conveyed to Blackfriars. Among the deceased in 1507 is "Lord Hastings" and "Maurice Berkeley, Lord Barkeley." His elder brother. Lord Berkeley, made over all the family property to Henry VIL, and left to Maurice only the title, because he married Isabel, the daughter of a Bristol Alderman. In 1515 "William Blunt, Lord Mungy," Lord Mountjoy, fellow-scholar of Sir Thomas More, Master of the Mint, joins along with his brother-in-law, " Sir Thomas Tyrrel"; in 1518 "My Lord Cobham " and in 1520 "my Lady Anne S. Leger and her daughter." In the Roll maybe found the names of many Ecclesiastical dig- nitaries. In 1482 "Magister Johannes Gigglys, Collector Pape" joins, an Italian who had come over to England as Collector of the Pope's dues. He was afterwards Canon of Wells and Archdeacon of Gloucester. He resided mostly at Rome, acting at the Papal Court as procurator for King Henry VII. He was appointed Bishop of Worcester in 1497, and died at Rome in August, 1498. Four Italians after him held in succession the See of Worcester. The last of these was deprived by Henry VIII. as a foreigner, and the Bishopric bestowed on honest Hugh Latimer, who, whatever other qualifications he might possess, was certainly an Englishman. Among the departed in 1492 is " Thomas Milling, Bishop of Hereford." The Bede Roll of the Fraternity. 27 He was Abbot of Westminster when Edward's queen, Eliza- beth, found protection in the Sanctuary at Westminster on her husband's flight from the Lancastrians to the Continent in 1470. Here, and at this time, her eldest son, afterwards Edward V., was born, and Milling and Elizabeth's mother, the Duchess of Bedford, stood sponsors at his baptism. In 1474 Milling was appointed Bishop of Hereford, and on his death in 1491 was buried in the Chapel of S. John Baptist in West- minster Abbey. In 1501 is "John Alcock, Bishop of Ely," probably the " Master John Alcock " who joined the Fraternity in 1467. He was Master of the Rolls in 1462 ; Bishop of Hereford, 1472 ; Bishop of Worcester in 1476, and Chancellor of England. He was also appointed President of the Council for the management of the affairs of Edward, Prince of Wales, till he should attain the age of 14. In i486, when Henry VII. was on his first procession through the kingdom, Alcock preached before him at Worcester, and publicly announced the bulls that had come from Rome, confirming Henry's title to the throne, and granting dispensation for his marriage with Elizabeth of York. He founded Jesus College in Cambridge. In 1513 "Thomas Skeughton [Skeffington] Bishop of Bangor" joins. He was Abbot of Beaulieu in Hampshire, which he held in commendam with the Bishopric of Bangor (1510-1534). In 1475, " Hugh, Abbot of Stratford " ; in 1495, " Marma- duke. Abbot of (Fot?)"; in 1501, "George Fassit, Abbot of Westminster"; in 1519, "Avery Gile, Lord Abbot of Bukfast," join the Fraternity, and in the last year " John Marten, Abbott of Barmsey" is enrolled among the departed. In 1479 "Joanna Barton, Abbess of the Minoresses," joins, and " Elizabeth Bygg, late Abbas of Syon,'' is added to those deceased. In 1458 four priors join; in 1473, "William Sutton, Prior of S. Mary, Spetyll"; in 1485 three priors; in 1511 "Mr. Peter Laurence, warden of the Grey Friars at Northampton," and "Mr. Thomas Home, Sub-Prior of the Order of S. Austins" at the same place. j J498, 1501, 1505— in which 42 Parish' Clerks. the number of members on the Deceased Roll is larger than on the Admission Roll. Many who joined must therefore have ceased to be members during their lives. The rules of the Fraternity of 1529 do not fix any payment for members other than Clerks, but in other Fraternities the failure to keep up their regular instalments otherwise than from poverty or misfortune brought membership to a close. Strype says many joined this Fraternity for the purpose of cultivating music. Possibly when those, who were students of music or patrons of the musical art, got vv'hat profit or advantage they hoped to obtain from membership, the membership was quietly allowed to drop. But as it was in the power of the masters for the year to admit such as will require to be admitted other than Clerks, the numbers admitted may have depended on the personal influence of the masters for the year. On the three occasions when the admissions for the year exceed 200, two are years in which the Clerk of Cripple- gate Without was a master, and one in which the Clerk of S. Bride's, Fleet Street. In 1507, the first year of service of Lincoln of S. Giles, who is entered as a subclaricus in 1462, three at least joined the Fraternity from his parish, the Vicar, and the two Wryths, Garter king-at-arms and his brother Rouge Croix. The Wryths lived at Garter House, afterwards Bridgewater House, the name of which is still continued in Bridgewater Square. It must be remembered, however, that their father had joined the Fraternity in 1487. In respect to titles in the Bede Roll. In the case of Priests the Roll generally gives precedence to the "Magister" over " Dominus." There are probably not over a score and a half of Priests in the Roll who have no title prefixed. Sometimes Magister and Doctor are prefixed. Sometimes Doctor is annexed. In the case of Laymen, again "Dominus" seems to have precedence of "Magister," and " Domina " of The Bede Roll of the Fraternity. 43 "Magistra," but the rule is by no means unbending. It is difficult to appraise the value of these titles. Dominus is applied equally to a prince of the blood royal, and to an unbeneficed Priest. The title Magister in the case of Priests is said to imply Master of Arts in some University. Selden in his treatise on titles of honour says " How Dominus was usually held to be the title of every Curate added to his christian name and is now familiar for Sir to every Bachelor in the schools all men know. The title Domina belonged to those who were Wards of the King, whether married or unmarried, either for lands or still of the King's bestowing in marriage, as the services for the King must be done by the husband. But when this wardship was abrogated, the first use of the word was lost, and the title used as a mere honorary prefix." In the Bede Roll in two cases in 1461 does the title Syr occur, and in both cases apparently Priests, Syr Rafe of Bow, and Syr William Strode. A few words may here be added as to the words Bede, Bead, Bede Roll, Beadle. The word " Bede " meant prayer, and as small globular, perforated bodies placed on a string were used for " telling beads," that is for counting the prayers said, the title "beads" became transferred to these bodies themselves. The term " bidding prayer," sometimes applied to the prayer before sermon, is another use of the same word, and in the formal bidding prayer referred to in the Canons of the Church of England, special remembrance is to be made of "founders or benefactors of the Church, or place where the prayer is used." The "Bede Roll" con- tained a list of persons who were to be specially commemo- rated, or prayed for. In this Roll, they are the persons referred to in the ordinances as " either Parish Clerks or any other person that will desire to be a brother or sister," or in the Charter, as "any willing in a devout spirit to ioin them in carrying out the objects of the Fraternity." 44 Parish Clerks. The names in the Bede Roll were read out after the Gospel, and before the offertory, and the prayers of those assembled were requested on their behalf. The mention also of the names of such as had already conferred benefits on the Fraternity would, it was hoped, stir up in the hearts of others a generous rivalry in good works. In the Charter the election of masters is spoken of as belong- ing generally to the brothers and sisters ; practically it was really restricted to "the more noble and worthy part of the brotherhood," that is, as interpreted by the later ordinances, to certain of the former masters. The result was that the management of the Fraternity was practically vested in the older and more experienced brothers, no Parish Clerk being eligible as master, till he had been seven years a member of the Fraternity. In the following Analysis the classification of the Bede Roll itself is followed, with one exception ; those in certain years classed as "Religiosi" and "Canonici" have been reckoned as Priests. The following is the order of the analysis : — I. Members admitted — II. (I)- Priests. Magistri ] Domini I [ Total. (2). Clerks. (3)- Laymen. Domini 1 Total. Magistri Untitled J 1 (4). Lay Women. Clerks' Wives DominsE Magistrae - Total. Virgins Untitled (5). Gross total of members admitted. Members departed — (I)- Classification same as preceding whe: re the classification is carried out in the Bede Roll itse If. (2). Gross total of members deceased. The accuracy of every number in the analysis is not guaranteed, but is believed to give a fair representation of the statistics of the Fraternity as found in the Bede Roll. The Bede Roll of the Fraternity. 45 Si 4-> S >, ^S Sk s ■D S <0 ^ ■o ^ ;? 3 CiJ ^»- ■2 g s m .s lij sj 1 ■>-, O "^ r !< n •^ « s ?< Z « •^ c ^ 1» -1 s S _-y 4- ^ ^>4 s o ' Sf 13 CO 1 s. Ll. o \ ^ -^ 1 ". s 4- O 1 "^ ^ N _ Q. , n [ -Ho s q: :^ 0) \ ^ ^ 1^ -SS +j <1 ^ 4- o ^ m -^ (0 < •^ Q H < Ph w Q ■ROXT •paiipun •joisi3ep\[ ^" 1 M M n •EUQ M 1 M M M •SUQ (^ -ij- tn M 1 ii-» M M rj- t > < •I^'OX S.M M M M ■paijijun >3-M 1 M M 1 •j3}s;3bj^ SI MM 1 ■EUQ '^M II II M •SUQ ^1 II 1 1 M 1 z o Z Hi M « . §5 gS < b O ul Id <: Names on Roll previous to 1448 1448. John Hunt and Thomas Henley 1449. Not known, Names cut off 1450. John Beby and Thomas Boteler 1451. John Ledston and John Trelon 1452. William Idersey and William Gierke 1453. Henry Smyth and Thomas Derby Names of Clerks (Departed) 1454. John Farley and Edmund Schewen 46 Parish Clerks. •1«50X ■psunun ■j3isi3ej^ •UUQ •sua •psMlUipE ■5"n •EUQ •[Blox •jaa •j3w •sua a p ?-.< a O ? 1 — T) -a a o (U O c rQ ^ I— > '— V vovo »n ^ H- H <: Q _m2i_ •panpun ■J34SISB(\I •EUQ "U •psniaipE iBjox s •I^JOX •j"a •°^.A ••Eg TO "a SSAJM.S^IO •|^?°x •j"n •■■^w •sug •ssaaiQ ■\^°L C<1 li-) O M f^ j j ^ hS hH Cl M 1 1 -"I 1 1 1 II « \Ci j i>- ro r^ iJ-> N Tj- in I I II I I I II II I II I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I "I I I I OO a\ »J-»ii3 u-» i>. "^ w u^\o vn -a- I CiO O OO "^C» W e^ 'sug . Lnoo CI r>. ■jSre I " I 2 ^ : •^ '^ ..-. _ T3^ ^ ^ O CIS '^'L a is . o . -j^ >» ^ •f^ ;:S :|3 8 ^ o « H a ^ a'-' c-o 2^ 2 ^ S .a -o c *, T3 " t^ « , c "■ ■" c « a C W l- BI TJ ^ o ^ vD J= _2 .^ ir^co o^ o >-< w CO vi-iio r--. vn \r\ vTwa \0 "O O vo VO 'sD The Bade Roll of the Fraternity. 47 •psjisdaa l^iox •I«^"X •lun -o^.A •BJ3JV ■Eon •S3AljV\ S.^jlO \n vo oo •Igwx •i"n •-■gw •sig •s^lJ^TO •F^°X •sun •■■^w •paniuip^ 113J0X &4 •inoj. •i"n •p^.A •Ejgt\[ •Bug sa^iM.s^IO •l^^oX •fg •jgw •sug ■S'HaaiO •I«J°X •sug ■•■Sw I I I I I I I I I I 1 I I M 1-1 i-i \D M I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I I ""III CO t-t w I " I I I I I I I " I I I I I II I I I I I I I I y-t ry-) I I I I I I I I " ON H X^ 00 o o lo en xr, ■O w M t^ « MD ^ r^ j>. X^ Tj- O OO \o l>- oo o HI vO KO ^u^ ^o ^ ^ M r "1 c =: § «i I c eK •■«.2 .-< CSC O u rl §•« =^ s & : _ t. ^ £ ■ S s " « a C 1 c 5"- OO ON O »-' o :rj ■tJ8T3 m C.2 3 -fi M ^ >, ■" ■SO- ^, C^ ■!-■ N c Ik ibm CI CO ■* vOVO t-^ t^ t-. r^ t^ Tt- Tl- '^ ^ Th o oo Parish Clerks. •paiJBdap jEjox in »/N t^ 00 QO ^rioo CT* \D t^ •i, a S o < -J ■|B}OX •papijun yD i-H c^ 00 to Ch n 1 vo to M 1-. 1-1 W w 1 1-1 ►-. •03.A II II 0. 1 •Ej3f\[ II 1 1 ^ 1 •EUQ hH 1 1 " 1 1 -^ si 1 S3At^,S!,lQ 1 1 1 1 *" .e - 1 2 •F?oX O i_( I-, CO r< CO M IX •paHpnQ ON t-H l-l CO N CO W t-t ■■^Vi M 1 1 1 1 1 " ^1 •SUQ 1 1 1 " " 1 1 1 " •SNsaio l-H « ^ 1 in en I- en « •l^iox J^ UD to CO 00 CO o> ^ •SUQ (M c*-> CO CO in N vn -^ m CO 1 1 COM - -^ 1 •psnjmpB ib;ox vO cocon"-^r^m kO 00 O >> < •JEJOX {^ x>- r^ vD coijD -rh 00 >o cq i-H n covo CO w « ■pai;!;un rj- Ci01^Mi>.00CO !>. t^ ON •o3,A I 1 1 1 1 " II 1 ■Ejai\i 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 •EUQ 1 1 C^ « CO CO M 1 S3A!M,S5110 CO ON 1 c^ N in -^ -^ 1 1 >-< 1 Id a >• ■< ►J ■1«10J, l-i c» iHNM.r. Tt-cq CO •panpun ^ ON»aNI-^00'< < ►-1 •piox 1 •psupun 1 ■°^,A 1 1 •ejBw .-r 1 ■Eua ■^ 1 ssAiM.s^IO 1 z S < •,EJOX \a •paUjiun ■at u3w W H- CO 1 •sua en w " " 1 •ssnaio en ■F?ox •SUQ •jSm •psnimpE lEjox MM CO W -1- O CO »^ CO CO « 1-1 2 u S o •I^3ox vn !>. 00 C^ V£) u-1 H. W t~^ cr\ •o3,A 1 1 1 -^ 1 1 •ejSw 1 1 " 1 ■EUQ M 1 saAiMS.IlO CO CO -^ lo OO iJD 2 w S <; ►J •lElox »-. W CO Tt- ^ •pan^un CO T^ O t^ »-.»-« CO ••J^ra 1 1 1 1 •sua W C^ CI " •ssjiaio c» 1 t^ en 1 r^ in w w 1 i-i 1 WW in •|E,OX en vo r^ fn ■<*• \o ■SUQ l-l l-H •jSm l-H -^ -^ « W -^ 1491. \'yillia!n Burton (S. Helen's, Bishopsgate) and William Powell (S. Botolph without Aldgate) 1492. William Wolaston (S. Thomas Apostle) and Wil iam Colson (S. Michael in Wood Stret) 1493. William Norfolke (S. Mary Magdalene, Milk Stret) and Peter AUeyn (S. Pan- cras by West Chepe) 1494. William Appulby (S. Benet- le-fynk) and William Knyghtcote (S. John Zach- rie) 1495. John Deynys (AH Hallows, Lumbard Strete) and Gabriel Doble (S. Stephen's, Walbroke) 1496. John Sellars (S. Dunstan in ye West) and John Hutter (S. Matthew iin Friday Streete) 50 Parish Clerks. •ps^jBdsa 113J0X ^o o ^ CO CO •i S o < •F10X VO \-\ r-1 ■panpua CO w oo 00 •o3,A 1 1 1 •lEJ^lAl CO 1 1 ■EUQ CO 1 w " 1 S3AIM.S>1I0 1 1 " 1 " 1 s < •IE10X C< < ►J ■l^iox 1-- u% S OO 00 •pappun yp ^ r->. U3 ^ ■o3,A M •i3j3];^ W . . •BU0 '-' i-i : 1 S3A!AV,S31I0 1 CO w r) z >< •li!;ox H; O o^ ■papnun O oo o •jSw 1 i 1 II •SUQ 1 1 '-' 1 CO •saaaio "^ ^ MD H •[i!lox vo 00 !>. CO \r\ •sua li-i vo 1>- CO -^ •iSw •- 1I0 < •FJO.T. •paHiiuQ •j3M •suQ ■SMMalQ •FJOl •sag -J^W •p3}i;iupE ib;ox < •IB}OX ■pappun •o3,A ■EjSlAI •tiUQ SSAJAV.S^IQ •I^wx •pgpnun uSpM •s"a •SHHSIQ •JEJOX •sua •-■sw E 3 o ^^T : Ui I +-• c ^ 5 "^ 5 rt oj % y S ?el • . a%' ^ .2 o '■5 5- en 5 tn'oT tJc^, O bjoWSO 5^ Parish Clerks. •psiJBdaQ i^PX CO \£> 00 CO z o < 1-1 •IKIOX 00 CO CO CO ■paHiluQ u-j CO CTi CO ■o2,A 1 1 11 II •BiSw 1 CO ^ "O CO •■EUQ 1 - ^ OO •pSpiiUQ l-l CO IN yD •oa.A 1 1 1 1 II •u-iSW J>- 1 t:l CTi 1 •i!ua 1 1 . II S3A!M,S1I0 ri i-i yD « CI w s -1 ■inox OO O T CO vn ■p3H!3un ■§. OO ■^ * ^ !>. •j3W o\ ir^ CO i-i O •sua 1-1 1 1 1 1 ■saaaio ^ Ol 1-1 i-O en H to M S ■F?oX ro o\ CI CO CO •sua C-1 r>. in OO •jSjm ^D '^ »n OO m gcjSg. O 1-1 KPi g J. ri3 : o 1 — 1 ' CO o 14-1 •Sc-^ : 01 s g \^^ i so : y c! * ^ = :s o it"' O m (U ; « ■SOS' ffi S 13 3 oj o „to o 6 ir> S s ^i; co^ „ : > S g The Bede Roll of the Fraternity. 53 •p3}JEd3a lEJOX w O z s O >• < •I1!10X •psnnun w o •o^.A 1 1 •EJ^W 1 •EUQ « fo ss'^iM.snir) 1 z Id S < ►J •IE}0,T iri i/-i •p3H!iun 1-. ri •j3w 1 •SUQ 1 •SHaaif) i£> w s ■Roi ^ 1 •sug 1 ■J^Ht M i-i •pajjiuipE jEjox CO -H r^ o z w S o < H-I •1«?0X ■psnijun •o3,A 1 1 •ElSp\[ 1 1 •EUQ M 1 S3A!A\,S5U0 1 2 S >■ ■F50.L Oi Th ■p3ppun 00 ^ •j^w 1-1 o 1 1 •SUQ •ssHaio Oh •FloX fO o ■SUQ CI un •jSk n vrj - 1512. Robert Colyns (S. Andrew Hubbard in Estchepe) and John Papworth (S. Michael at Quenehythe The said John died at the end of the first quarter, and in his place was elected andsucceededXhomas Pinkey, Clerk of S. Clement's beyond Temple Bar. This Thomas also died in the end of the said year after he had been elected. Then William Wear, Clerk of S. Martin, in Ironmonger Lane, who held the office of Master in the byegone year was associated with the above written in place of the said Thomas and served. 1513. James Rowe (S. Dunstan-in- the-Est) and John GiUon (S. Margaret in Southwark) 54 Parish Clerks. ■psjiEdaQ i^iox 2 o 1-1 "I'^to.I. •psnijun •o^.A •gJ^IAl ■BUQ '3A!M,s^lO •|«J°X •psUi^ufl •■'^W "Q •SHaj-IQ 1- •l>=101 ■sufl ■psilimp^ F?oX •ROX •psupug s.A •nj3re -EUQ !i!^!M,?1IO •I^i°X •paiiijuf •■latM •SUQ •s;aHaio •I«?ux •sup •■■aw en 3hJ s o M ana's 5:= It Ok? s £ c V- O M 2 P3 m -^ « S K «,? — J30 '^ o — j3 J3XI -^ t* G in jp 0! [£ „ b *- iiz; G a> -Ml- ,— 4j -o aJ ■ •o I- J : O T3 J3 ew's ^ ^ i^ 2 « oS in The Bede Roll of the Fraternity. 55 •psyudaa ie}ox C^ l-l 1 CO \D 1 u S o si ■I^IOX CO CO •panuun l-( o ■o3,A 1 1 ■•ejaw r-^ 00 •BUQ 1 SSAJAV.SJIIO 1 s < •inox •panijun ^ O C<1 « •jsfv \0 -vn •sun 1 ■ssaaio t^ CO 12 w s •Fiox Tl- CO •SUQ CO w •jSjM M W ■paniuipB i«}ox O O w S o >• <; •I^JOX (M CO 1 OO CO 1 •panimn O CO 1 •o^.A 1 1 1 •Ej3p\I M XO •EUQ h-l l-l ^3A!M,S3tlO r^ w z Id s >< •I^jox CO r^ y3 ■psijijun OO Jr^ O r^ xn <-< •jSjv' in 1 •SUQ 1 1 •ssaaio O fO ^^ (-1 •I^iox t^ 1^ ^ •SUQ ■^ CO r^ •j^w rD Tl- r^ 1519. John Lyncolln (S. Giles with- oute Crepulgate) & Thomas Gye (S. Leonard's in Est- chepe) 1520. John Barker (S. Nicolas de Aeon) and William Bryght S. Mary-le-Bowe in Chepe- syde) 1 521. Roger Robyns (S. Brigid in Flet Stret) and Thomas Stafford (All Hallows the Greater in Temstret) t^ fO ffi B 13 IE T) in > >s M M T3 ^t* ^ici)0ia», ^atvon xrf i^e mnilb. St. Nicholas, the patron of the Fraternity, was born at Myra, a city on the south-east coast of Lycia, a province in the south of Asia Minor. This city is mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles in the account of St. Paul's journey to Rome (Acts xxvii. 5.), as the place where the centurion transferred his prisoners from the ship in which they had sailed from Coesarea to a ship of Alexandria which was sailing into Italy. His parents were wealthy and had considerable influence in the city,- of which his uncle also was Bishop. Tradition represents Nicholas as another Samuel given in answer to his parents' prayers. Some curious stories are told of his infancy. When still at his mother's breast he observed Wednesday and Friday fasts, — only once on these days, and that towards evening, did he draw the ordinary nourishment from the breast. As he grew up, his life was one of singular piety and devotion. He visited Alexandria whose school of Clergy was then the most famed for learning in the world, and the Thebaid in Upper Egypt, where the famous Antony was laying the foundations of that monastic system, which in after ages became such a power in the Church. He visited Antony himself. From this he went' on to visit the Holy City W" St^Nt'cholas, Patron of the Guild. 5; Jerusalem. During the voyage to Egypt, the ship in which he sailed was overtaken by a severe storm, which the Saint had fore-told, and in which, in answer to his prayer, both ship and sailors were preserved. Hence sailors claim Nicholas as their protector. His parents were both cut off in one of those plagues which so often devastated the cities of Asia Minor. The property he thereby inherited was devoted to the assistance of young persons whom he tried to keep in the paths of purity, honesty, and virtue. A gentleman of the city, who from affluence had fallen into poverty, was no longer able to provide for his three daughters, who ran great risk of falling into evil ways. For these, the Saint provided dowries in such a way as to avoid publicity, by throwing the dowries in at an open window at three different times. On the source whence the gifts came, becoming known, his kindness proved the means of the father's conversion. Two youths sent by their parents to Athens for their education, were ordered to call on the holy man for his blessing. Instead of doing so, they fell into evil company on their way to Myra. Hearing of this, he rescued the young men and sent them on their way, bettered, it is to be hoped, by their sad experience and his good advice. A third story is told of his recalling three youths to tjie paths of virtue while on his way to the Council of Nicoea. Such deeds caused him to be looked on afterwards as the special protector and patron of virgins and boys. He is said to have been appointed Bishop of Myra by Constantine the Great, who is reported to have said that the three pillars of the world were, after righteous Abraham, Nicholas of Myra, Antony of Egypt, and James of Nisibis. It IS also said he was present at the Council of Nicoea (325), and there showed his orthodoxy by giving Arius the Heresiarch a box on the ear. As Bishop he made the instruction of the younger portion of his flock the chief part of his pastoral care, and this chiefly, because, in his own person, he had always retained the virtue and mediness, the 5i5' Parish^. Clerks. simplicity without guile or malice, and the humility of this tender age in which he had devoted himself to God by a heroic piety. The day of his commemoration is the sixth of Decem- ber. When Asia Minor fell under the sway of the followers of Mahomet, his tomb was opened by some Italian merchants, and his remains translated to Bari in Italy. Such was the patron of the Clerks under whose name and protection, and in whose honour the Fraternity or Gild of St. Nicholas of the Parish Clerks of London was founded. As has been said before, the Clerks were at first trained under the special direction of the parish priests. The offerings bestowed on them as holy water bearers or sprinklers, were intended for use as a help for their support while at school. In those days when books were few and readers fewer, religious instruction was given orally, and the religious service was symbolical, or, if we may so say, dramatic, in order to impress on the minds of the people the facts and doctrines which had been orally communicated. In these services the Clerks had their place and share. And not merely in the usual services, but on certain special occasions such as the feast of S. Nicolas, the patron of the Clerks and Schoolboys, S. Katherine, the patron of School Girls, and the feast of the Holy Innocents, they were encouraged to make a public display of their powers of acting. On S. Nicholas Day and on Holy Innocents, the boy bishop chosen by his fellow Clerks or Schoolboys, was, for the time, supreme ruler over his comrades. He went through all the services of the Church except the " secreta missae," that is except the more solemn part which follows the offertory anthem, and was encouraged in his performance by liberal contributions from those attending. And after service was over they went round the parish levying contributions for their common fund, and were in most cases favourably received. Gifts for the boy bishop are of frequent occurrence St. Nicholas, Patron of the Guild. ^g in the entries of the King's household accounts, and in those of the wealthier nobility. S. Paul's Cathedral had its " mitre, all ornamented with broidered flowers for the use of its boy bishop" ; York Minster " its cope of tissue" ; Lincoln " its cope of red velvet for the ' barne ' Bishop "; All Soul's, Oxford, " a chasuble, a cope, and a mitre " for the same ; and St. Mary's, at Sandwich, " a lytyll chesebyll for St. Nicolas, Bishop." There were also copes for the boy attendants. Arrayed in their robes, and with burning tapers in their hands, and singing the first verses of Revelations xiv., they walked in procession from the choir to the altar. Before the altar they all joined in the anthem, and one recited the history of the Holy Innocents. Going back to the choir they took possession of the Upper Canons' stalls, and these dignitaries themselves had to serve in the boys' places, and carry the candles, the thurible, the book like acolytes, thurifers, and lower Clerks. Standing on high and wearing his mitre and holding his pastoral staff in his left hand, the boy bishop gave a solemn benediction to all present, and while making the Sign of the Cross over the kneeling crowd, he said " With the Sign of the Holy Cross I sign you. May He who purchased and redeemed us with the price of his own flesh be your defence." These services were at one time continued during the octave, but Archbishop Peckham in 1279, forbade their continuance longer than the one day. About the same time the Bishop of Salisbury allowed the boy bishop's ceremonies as usual in Church, but forbade any special banquet, or going from house to house, beyond allowing any of the Canons to invite the boy bishop to his table. The boy bishop and his attendants must confine themselves to the School or Church. Crowds seem to have come to see the ceremony, but the order is " that the procession is to be allowed free room to go forward, and not to be hindered in any way by the pressure of the crowd under pain of the greater excommunication." How necessary such a restriction would be, may well be conceived. Dean Colet in 6o Parish Clerks. founding S. Paul's School, (151 1?) madespecial provision for the scholars attending the boy bishop's service, and ordered each to offer a special offering. Erasmus, Colet's friend, wrote out a special address for the boy bishop, However useful such an institution may have been for keeping up the boys' interest in the service, and the due performance of their part, for teaching self restraint, and the power of commanding and restraining others, it was surely liable to abuse, not merely from irreverence, but also from the licence which must follow from such processions, especially round the parish. Shake- spere's line, "Sir, if they meet not with S. Nicholas Clerks, I'll give this neck," implies that the tradition of the processions as equivalent to those of roysterers, robbers, or bandits, was not a happy one. But acting of all sorts, plays, and such spectacles, seem to have had a strong hold on the English people. Fitz- Stephen, who died 1191, tells us the Londoners were fond of all sorts of theatrical exhibitions, and had holy plays, or the representation of miracles performed by confessors, and of the sufferings of martyrs. Matthew Paris speaks of such as are commonly called miracle plays, and a contemporary of his mentions plays of the crucifixion and of the resurrection, and complains of their effect as being irreligious, rather than religious, acted as they were in the streets, cemeteries and churches. When it is kept in mind how closely connected with the church the training and practice of the Clerks was, what an • instrument of training was the eye of the worshipper in the services of the church, how the mass of people were indebted to this for their instruction, there need be no surprise at finding the Parish Clerks of London engaging in plays for the instruction and amusement of the populace. Not only in London, but all over the country these mysteries or moralities were frequent. The great scripture play at Coventry in which each of the St Nicholas, Patron of the Guild. 6r different Fraternities of the city had its part, occurs to the mind. The mysteries or miracle plays were for the most part Scripture stories. In the moralities, different individuals personified different virtues and vices. In the first charter of Henry VI. to the Clerks, is this clause, " una cum diversis charitatis et pietatis operibus per ipsos annuatim exhibitis et inventis," "as well as divers works of charity and piety, year by year by themselves, exhibited and invented [devised]. Whether these words refer to their plays, or to plain deeds of piety and charity, it is difficult to say, but the words " year by year exhibited and invented [devised] " seem to lend themselves easily to the first interpretation. Fitzstephen speaks of the Fons Clericorum, Clerkenwell, and Stow tells of the yearly performance at the Clerks' Well. He says " the said Church took the name of the Well, and the Well took name of the Parish Clerks of London, who, of old time, were accustomed there yearly to assemble, and to play, some large history of Holy Scripture. For example, of later time, to wit in the year 1391, the 14th Richard II., I read that the Parish Clerkes of London on the i8th July, played interludes at Skinner's Well, near to Clerkenwell, which plays continued three days together, the king, queen, and nobles being present. Also in the year 1409, the loth of Henry IV., they played a play at the Skinner's Well which lasted eight days, and was of matter from the creation of the world. There were to see the same the most part of the nobles and gentles in England." The issue rolls of 14 Richards II. (i 391), confirm this partly ; " nth July, to the Clerks of the Parish Churches and to divers other Clerkes of the City of London, in money paid to them in discharge of ;^io which the lord and king commanded to be paid them of his gift on account of the play of the Passion of our Lord, and the creation of the world by them performed at Skynner Well, after the Feast of Bartholo- mew last past. By writ of privy seal among the mandates of 62 Parish Clerks. of this term, £1.0." This brings the true date of the play to light. It was at Bartle Fair. The Clerks certainly chose a suitable spot for their out-door theatre. Even now one standing below Clerkenwell Church, just by the railway, and looking towards the church, can imagine how tier upon tier of spectators could stand or sit on the slope of the rising ground, and view the performance. Just on the out-skirts of Bartle Fair, on the banks of the little stream then wending its way to the Fleet, with the crowds collected, some for business, some for pleasure, the Clerks were acting their play in the presence of their king, let us hope not merely for the £\o, and what they could find in addition among the crowd assembled, but also with a hope of arresting the attention of some among that motley throng, to the great truths which ought to have been embodied in such a play, and to the responsibility attached to each spectator from the themes therein pourtrayed. It was a counter attraction for the Londoner who had passed for his holiday outside the city wall, set up to draw away the pleasure- seeking holiday-makers from the follies of the fair. At the beginning of the century, a tablet was put up in Rae Street to mark the spot of the Skinners' Well, but railway makers, like vandals, have no feeling for ancient, landmarks of the past. There are also entries from time to time in the bills of the City Companies, of the Clerks after dinner playing a holy play. In July, 1541, an order was issued by Henry VIII., "that whereas heretofore, dyverse and many superstitious and childyshe observations have been used, and yet to this day observed, and kept in many and sundry parts of this realm, as upon S. Nicholas, S. Katherine, and S. Clement's, the Holy Innocents, and such lyke, children be strangely decked and apparelyd to counterfeite priests, bishops, and women, and so ledde with songs and daunces from house to house, blessyng the people, and gatheryng of monye, and boys do sing mass and preach in the pulpit, the king's majestie willeth and StS Nicholas, Patron of the Guild. 6j commandyth that from henceforth, all such superstition be lost and clearly extinguished." What effect the proclamation had, is not very clearly known. Edward VI. had his Lord of Misrule, and on the accession of his sister the processions re-appear with all outward appearance of being popular. The companies and parishes resumed their processions as before. On 13th November, 1554, "was commanded by the Bishop of London to all Clerks in the Diocese for to have S. Nicolas and to go abroad, as many as would have it." Yet for what reason, or from whom, " on the 5th December which was St. Nicolas Eve, at evensong time came a commandment that S. Nicholas should not go abroad nor about. But, notwithstanding, there went about these S. Nicholases, in dyvers parishes as S. Andrew, Holborn, and S. Nicholas Olave, in Bread Strete." Two years after, "on 5th December, 1556, S. Nicholas Eve, S. Nicholas went abroad, in most part in London, singing after the old fashion, and was received by many good people into their houses, and had much good cheer as ever they had in many places." In the same year is a notice of " S. Katharine's procession." In 1554, on the Rogation days, gangdays as they were called, there " are notices of processions of the Fish- mongers' Company, of the Hackney, Islington, and S. Clement's, with Priests, Clerks, Lord Mayor, and Aldermen." Down to our time these have continued in the perambulation days still kept up occasionally in the parishes of London. Grindal in the time of the plague of 1563, urged the discon- tinuance of plays, not merely from the danger of infection, but on general grounds; yet they continued to be acted on Sundays in the early days of Elizabeth by the choristers of S. Paul and of the Chapel Royal. Plays on the great festivals seem to have retained for a time their old popularity, tor in 1584 at the "Whitsunday Spital Sermon, by reason no plays were the same day as there used to be, the city was quiet." 64 Parish Clerks. The Clerks plays seem to have been common all over the country, for in 1575, the Scotch General Assembly forbade them, "because the playing of Clerks playis, comedies, or tragedies on the Canonical part of Scriptures, induceth, and bringeth with it a contempt and profanation of the same," and in 1558, " bainfires, farseis and Clerke playis are again for- bidden." [Approved, in accordance with Act of Parliament 25th January, xix. Henry VII., by Sir Thomas Moore, Lord Chancellor, the Duke of Norfolk, Treasurer, and two Chief Justices, in the year 1529. Entered on the records of the Corporation of the City of London, 8th February, 1530.J The Election of the Maysters First. " That the two maysters of the said Fraternity for the time being, and two of the most ancient men that have been twice maisters, and [the] most ancient and first persons of all and syngler suche persons that have been ones mayster of the said Fraternitie, and six other persons which were last maysters before the last election, shall and may assemble together in their Coen Hall yerely upon Ascension Day, or at any other time when neede shall require, for the election of two persons to be elected maysters of the said Fraternitie for the yere follow- ing ; the seyde two maisters to be sworn either before other, and every person of the said other persons to be sworn before the maysters, to keep secret the saide election, and all manner 66 Parish Clerks. of communications then to be hadde concerning the same election, until suche time as the said election of the eleven persons of the seyde two new maysters by them then elected, shall be openly published in the Coen Hall of the said Frater- nitie, which said two persons so to be elected and chosen shall be masters of the seyde Fraternity for the time being, forseen always that no person to be elected nor chosen to be mayster, but if he be a Parish Gierke or Fellowe Gierke within the City of London, or suburbes of the same, and that he hath been seven years complete a broder of the same Fraternity, and that no person that hath been two times mayster of the said Fraternitie shall be in election afterwards ; and what person or persons of the said Fraternitie that is disobedient to the election aforesaid or dystonding things concerning to the same contrary to the forme aforesaid, until the same be published in the Gommon Hall, shall forfeit for every time of so offending 40/-, that is to say, to the Almes box of the said Fraternitie, 20/- ; and to thuse of the Ghamber of London, 20/-." The Masters Accompt. "That the masters of the said Fraternitie for the time being yerely shall give up their accomptes in particular sums to the wardens and auditors of the said Fraternity for the time being before Relique Sunday [3rd Sunday after Midsummer Day, June 24th, Nativity of S. -John Baptist], or within two days next following, and then and there to make a true account and delyverance of all suche money and goods as have come to their hands to thuse of the said Fraternitie or appertaining or belonging to the same, and what person shall do to the contrary shall pay to the said almes £$ to thuse aforesayd. And incontinent as the said accompt shall be fully made and determyned the wardens shall discharge the aforeseyde old Ordinances of the Guild of Parish Clerks. 6'j maisters and swere the newe maisters in presence of the auditors in manner and form ensuing. That is to say — The Maysters Charge. We admit you, mayster of the Fraternitie of Parish Clerkes of London for this present year following, and ye shall swear to be true to our Sovereign Lord the King and his heyres, Kings, and maynteyne and indifferently execute to your power all and every article and ordinance to you appertaining in this booke expressed. Also ye shall bring in your accompts in particular sums at the yeres end according to the ordinances above said. Also ye shall pay the weekly alms to almspeople hereafter specified every Saturday or before. Also ye shall content and pay quarterly to the prest and beadle, their wages or salary. Also ye shall distinctly oversee the almes people that they do use themselves devoutely in prayer as they oughte to do or else to withdraw the almes till they amende. And what person, being mayster, offending against this present article, shall pay to the use of the said Fraternitie lo/-, the moyetie thereof to the almes box, and the other moietie to the Chamber of London." The Election of Wardens. "^The maysters for the time being with thassent of the Auciitors yerely withyn 28 [days] next after the Feast of the Purification of our Lady the Virgin, shall yerely elect and chuse two persons to be wardens for the yere next following. 68 Parish Clerks. and that no person to be chosen warden within two yeres next ensuing after he hath been mayster of the said Bretherhede, and that the masters yerely for the time being in the presence of the auditors shall give the wardens new elected and chosen their charge, after the manner as hereafter followeth. The Othe of the Wardens. Ye shall swere to be true to the King our Sovereign Lorde and to his hyeres, Kings. Ye shall assyste the masters for the time being concerning the causes and business of the said Fraternitie. And in their absence ye shall kepe, assemble, and execute the ordinances in this book conteyned, as ofte as need shall require, to your powers and witte. Ye shall quarterly keep a general assemblaunce at every of which assemblance the masters and you shall cause to be redd openly to the Brethren Clerks of the said Fraternitie all such ordinances as shall by you be thought most necessary to be redd. Ye shall mayntayne and repair the hall, the almeshouse, and the tenements belonging to the said Fraternitie. Also ye shall bring up in particular sums, a true accompt of all things that shall come to your hands touching or appertaining to the said Fraternitie, and make delyrerance thereof to the masters in presence of the auditors for the time beyng, and all and every article in this present booke specified to your powers and witte ye shall reely and truly kepe (So help you God and all Saints). And what person warden doo anything contrary to this present article shall forfeit at every time so doing lo/-, the one half thereof to the use of the Chamber of London, and the other half to thuse of the Coen Box of the said Fraternitie.' Ordinances of the Guild of Parish Clerks. 6g For Varyance between the Officers. " And if there be any varyance from' henceforth between the two maysters concerning their office which might hurt the Brotherhode, then the wardens with the counsel of the ancient persons, shall agree them, or else set a penaltye on hym that will not be ordered at 40s. to the uses aforesaid. And thereupon to dismiss him out of his mastership and to elect and chuse a new mayster or maysters as the case shall require. And of any of the wardens fortune to be at variance within themselves concerning their office, then the maisters shall agree them, or else set a penalty on him that will not be ordered at 40s. to the uses aforesaid, and discharge hym or them of their wardenship, and make and elect new warden or wardens in form aforesaid." The Dinner Day. " That all Parish Clerks, Collegiate Clerks, and Conducts, within the said City of London and suburbs of the same, shall yerely come to the Guildhall College within the said city, upon Sonday immediately before Whitsonday, evereche person in a surplis at evensong, and upon the morowe at masse, and there to offer each person a half-penny, and after mass to were a cope in procession from the Guildhall to the Clerks' Hall within the said City, and there to tarrye Dinner and every of the said Clerks to pay for his dinner, whether he be present or absent, eightpence. And what Clerks or Conducts be absent from evensong, shall pay fourpence to thuse aforesaid. And every person being from mass shall pay eightpence to thuse aforesaid. And every Clerk or Conduct that offereth not shall paye twopence to thuse aforesaid. And every person aforesaid that wereth not a cope in procession, shall pay to 7o Parish Clerks. thuse aforesaid twelvepence unless a reasonable excuse for him then be herd and allowed by the masters and wardens for the time being." The Auditors Election. " That the masters and wardens yerely for the time being, the days of the said accompte to be given by the wardens, shall chuse twelve of the said Parish Clerkes to be auditors of the said Fraternitie for the space of one hole yere ensuing, and that the said auditors so chosen then and there be sworn before the said maysters, to be indifferent to their knowledge in all causes concerning the said Brethered, and to keepe all the secrets of the same audit and accompte, and every person doing the contrary, shall paye to thuses aforesaid, at every time so doing, 13s. 4d." The Payment of the Quarterage of every Clerk AND Conduct. " Every Clerk and Conducte within the said City of London and suburbes of the same from the tyme beyng takying wadges or advantages yn eny Parische Church or Colledge within the said city or suburbs of the same shall pay every quarter to the masters towards the sustentacion and main- teyning of the Prest, Bedell, and Almespeople of the said Fraternitie threepence, and what Clerk or Conduct denyeth or with-holdeth the payment of the said quarterage of three- pence shall pay at every time so doing to thuses aforesaid 3s. 4d. for the assemble at the Guildhall and for all other assembles to be had for the quarters diriges." Quarterly Assembles. That all Parish Clerks, Fellowes Clerks, Collegiatt Clerks, Conductes, within the City of London and suburbes of the Ordinances of the Guild of Parish Clerks. 7/ same, four times in the year shall come to the Guildhall Chapel, and then and there shall solemnize by note, a dirige and mass of requiem for the sake of our saide Sovereign Lord King Henry VIII., our Sovereign Lady Queen Katharine his wife, and for the soules of the sayd our late Sovereign Lord King Henry VII., and for the brethren and sistern of the said Fraternitie, and for all Christen soules and every of the said Clerks or Conducts being absent at the said dirige and mass, shall pay to thuse of the said Chamber of London eightpence, and to thuse of the sayde almes box other eightpence." Other Assembles. " And that every person admitted to the said Brotherhood in the name of a Parysch Clerk, shall be redye, when he shall be warned in the name of the said maysters and wardens, to come to every assemble in their Coen Hall, or in any other place convenient, as well for the good order and maynteyning of the said Fraternity [as] for the keping and maynteyning of all laudabull custumes, diriges, and masses, processions, obits, buryinges, and all other causes resonable concernynge the said Fraternitie. And every Clerke aforesaid when he shall be appointed by the saide maisters and wardens to here a corpus to any buryinge of any brother or sister of the said Fraternitie shall be obedient to the same, and to do any other acte lawful and reasonable unless licence be asked and obtained of the said masters and wardens to the contrary in that behalf, and what Clerk, that disobeyeth any of the premisses contained in the present Act, shall paye at every time so offending to thuse aforesaid, eightpence for the kepying of masses, anthems (?) and processions." Parish Clerks not members of the Fraternity to be KEPT severely TO THEIR OWN PARISH CHURCH. " That no Clerk ne Conduct yn Parish ne College shall take upon him to keep any masses, evensong, anthems, and pro- 1^2 Parish Clerks. cessions, within the City of London or the suburbs of the same, but only in the parish or place where he hath his principal servyce, but if so be a broder of the said Fraternitie, and be obedient to the ordinances in that book expressed; and what Clerk or Conduct doth the contrary, shall forfeit and pay to the Chamber of London for every time so offending 3/4, the moietie thereof to the use of the foresaid Chamber of London, and the other moietie thereof to the use of the said box. And every Clerk or Conduct being a broder of the said Fraternitie, helping any Clerk or Conduct not being a broder of the said Fraternitie, shall pay to the said almes twelve pence to thuse aforesaid, for every time so doing. And what Clerk or Conduct being broder of the said Fraternitie shall take any Clerk or Conduct not being broder to help him at any of the said dyvyne service, and may have his own broder of the said Fraternitie to help him in the same service, shall pay to thuse aforesaid, for every time so doing, twelve pence. And what Clerk or Conduct being a broder in the said Fraternitie, whatsoever he be that laboreth any brother out of his servyce and due perquisites (?) shall pay to thuse aforesaid 20/-, that is to say, to thuse of the alms box, 10/-, and to the said Chamber of London, 10/-." For Disobedyens against the Masters and Wardens. " If any Clerk or Conduct hereafter be found disobedient in word or deed against the masters or wardens for the time being, or causeth any unlawful assembles to be made for any matter or cause concerning the said Fraternitie, that then every of them so offending shall pay at every time so doing 20/- to thuses aforesaid, and that every person so offending to be punished by the discretion of the Lord Mayor of London and the Aldermen of the same for the time being." Ordinances of the Guild of Parish Clerks. ^j Admission of Parish Clerks and others to the Brotherhood "Also if there be any Colledgiat Clerk or Conducte of good conversation which will desire to be admitted in the name of a Parish Clerk, or any other person that will desire to be a broder or syster of the said Fraternitie, yt shall be leful to the said maisters for the time being, at their pleasure, to receive and admit them, into the said Fraternitie for a brother or sister, that will require it. And that the maister of the said Fraternitie for the time being shall regester the names of all such persons as by them so shall be admitted brethren and sistren, before they give up their accompts. Forseen always that the masters shall not admit any person brother in the name of a Parish Clerk, but only at their Common Hall upon days of assemblaunce, ne to cess, levy, or take any penaltie of any person but in the hall, yn the presence of the assemblaunce, to voyde parcyalitie and wilfulness, on pain of forfeit for every time doing the contrary, to thuse aforesaid 20/-, the moietie thereof to the common box, and the other moietie to the use of the Chamber of London." Admission of Bredren and Sistern to the Almes of THE Fraternity. Also what Clerk that hath been master of the said Fraternity, and continually hath done his duty to the same, and fallith in poverty, yt shall be lawful to the masters and wardens of the said Fraternity for the time being, to admit such persons, as so shall happen fall in poverty, to the alms of sixteen pence by the week and his house, if any room then be voyde, or as soon after as any almes room shall be voyde, and if his wife be a sister and surviving him, being in poverty, she to have the 74- Parish Clerks. same house, and every week ninepence for terme of her life if she lyve without husband. And what Gierke being in povertie that hath been a broder and never master of the said Fraternity, truly doing his duty according as a Parish Clerk ought to do, that then it shall be lawful to the masters for the time being, with assent of ancient persons, such as have been masters, to admit such persons as shall so fall yn povertie to almes of ninepence a week and a house to dwell in, if any such room be voyd, or else to have the next avoydance of the said almes, and what person or persons having thalmes of the said Fraternity use not themselves vertuously in prayer, and continue in good and honest conversation, yt shall be lawful for the masters to give them two monycyons for amendment, and at the third mony- cyon clerely to discharge them of the said almes if they amend not themself '' The Othe of any Parish Clerk that shall be made A Broder and a Fellow Clerk of the Fraternity. " Ye shall be true to the Sovereign Lord the King and his heyres, Kings, and obedient to the masters and wardens for the time being and ye shall come to all leyful summonings at all and every time that shall be warned in their names to their Common Hall, or other places convenient for causes necessary and needful concerning the honesty and profit of this Brotherhood without sickness or other reasonable let or excuse shall be to the contrary. Also ye shall not know any unlawful congregations, counsells, assembles, or confetresses to be made by any person of the Brotherhode against the masters or wardens, but ye shall shortly give the masters knowledge thereof that they may seeke remedye for the same. Ordinances of the Guild of Parish Clerks. 75 Also ye shall use yourself honestly to the masters and wardens for the time being, and to all them that have borne charge df maistership in the Brotherhood. Also ye shall obey and meynteyne all and every article of the ordinances in the book expressed to your power. (So help you God and all Seyntes). Certificate of Approbation. "Approved as having nothing prejudicial to the King's prerogative, nor to the hurt of the common people, nor contrary to any grant of the King or his predecessors to the City of London. Yet if it shall be shown at any time by any one that there is any thing prejudical to any of these three, then three of the judges of the King's courts shall be sufficient to cause it to be expunged." ^^e ^V0psviu <^f tij^ gvaUvniiu* A volume of copies of old deeds in the possession of the Parish Clerks' Company gives some interesting details as to the property of this old Fraternity, The introduction to the volume is as follows : — " Here followeth the table of all the writings belonging to the lands and tenements with the appurtenances of the fraternitie or gild ot Seynt Nicholas byssope and Confessoure founded by the paryssch Clerkes of London, which seyde landys and tenements with their appurtenances be set partlye in the parysshes of Seynt Albordes and Seynt Augustin Pavy within Bishopsgate Strete of London, in Whitecross Strete without Creplegate of London, in Seynt Leonard's parish in Estchepe and Seynt George's by Estchepe, and the parish of Enfield in the County of Middlesex, whyche seyde writings were begone to be copyed out and so fynyshed ; — ^James How and John Harrison beyng Maisters, Wm. Wollastole and Edmund Serjeant being Wardens of the seyde fraternitie ;■ — which seyde table goeyth by the ordre of the letters of the Abseye till ye come to this letter G of the which The Property of the Fraternity. 77 seyde letters each letter conteyneth v. levys so A conteyneth v. levys and so forth of eych tyll ye come as I seyde unto the letter G. ii° — by which ye may knowe in what lefe any wrytynge begynethe and in what lefe it dothe ende. Wrytten the xiii. day of March, beyng Wensday the year of our Lorde God MVxxi. and the xiii. year of the reigne of King Henry viii." [1522 counting the year to begin on ist January.] Then follows an index to the deeds, showing in what part of the book any particular deed may be found. These references are given in the text. From this volume property of the Parish Clerks may be traced from the year 1274. In that year a property (B 3 and 4) was acquired by Walter of Essex, Clarke, from John the son and heyre of Alfrede, citizen and Braellar of London, situated " near to the King's highway in the parish of S. Ethelburga, extending from the west side of the garden of the Nuns of S. Helens to near the stone wall of Bishopsgate on the north, in breadth from the East side of William the White Tawyer's to the King's Highway on the South. The chief house of this tenement extended in length from a tenement belonging to the Hospital of S. Mary without Bishopsgate on the South, to the tenement formerly belonging to Nicholas of Bishopsgate on the North, near the King's Highway." The two highways spoken of above are what is now called Bishopsgate Street, and that in front of London Wall, now Camomile Street. The yearly charges were : I. — One pound of Cummin at Easter to John's heirs or assignees. 'j8 Parish Clerks. 2.— Twelve pence of silver at the tv/o terms Michaelmas and Easter to the monks of Christ's Church, Canterbury. 3. — Two shillings, 12 pence at Michaelmas and 12 at Easter to S. Giles' Hospital (probably the lazar-house at S. Giles in the fields.) 4.— Twelve pence of silver at the said two terms to Thomas Le Perer, his heirs and assignees. 5-— Three-and-a-quarter pence of silver to the Bishop of London as socage fee, to be paid on Easter Eve before sunset. 6. — Ten shillings and sixpence sterling yearly at four quarterly payments of 31^ pence quarterly to the nuns of S. Helens. 7.— One halfpenny to Alice le Blonde and her heirs at Michaelmas, in name of service without any action at law or meslemungya (?) Walter paid 50 marks sterling as Gersuma. On Walter's death, Radulf Bygot, Knight, of Essex, Walter's executor, transferred the property (C. 4) to John de Banquell, Citizen of London, and Cecilia his wife, —This John de Banquell was Alderman of Dowgate, from whom Backwell Hall is said to have derived its name,— "which deed for the greater security of the matter I have, handed to the said John and Cecilia, and which tenement the said testator left in his last will to be sold, as in his last will proved in the full Hustings of London, so far as articles relating to laicale feodum are concerned, is better and more fully contained," to be held by the said John and Cecilia, the heirs and assignees of John himself, duly paying the same charges as in the former deed. This was in 1287. The only The Property of the Fraternity. 79 difference in the description of the property is that to S. Ethelburga parish is added that of S. Austin Pavy. His wife Cecilia died in 1320, and his son Thomas in 1333. (See Dr. Sharpe's Calendar of Wills). In the volume are also copies of the Deeds relating to an adjoining property (A. i & 2.) which in 1384 is transferred from Thomas Medland and John Sandewich to Thomas Goodsyre and Custance his wife. It is described as " a messuage in S. Austin Pavy situated between the King's Highway on the North (Camomile Street?), the tenements of Thomas Banquel's heir on the South and East (compare description of boundaries of former property) and those of Domine Ada Franceys Militis on the West. John Fresh was this year Sheriff, of whom more bye and bye. In 1385 a transfer was made to Thomas Gorton, fishmonger and citizen, and Katherine his wife, and in 1390 by them to John Sibille, citizen and mercator, and Margaret his wife. Except in the various descriptions of No. i Property as bounded by the property of John Sybill, &c., instead of William the White Tawyer, no more is heard of this property till the year 1461 (F. 2 & 3) when it is transferred to the Parish Clerks' fraternity by " Nicholas Sybil, heire of his father John." In the year 1397, ,on the death of John Fresh, who had been Lord Mayor in 1394 the property (A. 2) spoken of as (No. i) is transferred by John Wakering, Thomas Middleton, Clerks, Walter Newington, and Walter Cotton Citizens, and Robert Newton Clerk, as they held it along with John Fresh now deceased, and which they received from Henry Jolypas, John Manning, Clerks, and John Bedington, infested with John Fresh for ever, to Thomas Knolles, Grocer (Lord Mayor in 1410 ?) and Alan Everard 8o Parish Clerks. Mercer, Alderman of Brede Street, (of which he was discharged in 1418 by reason of dulness of hearing and other infirmities), citizens, and to John Warmington, Cleric, heirs and assignees, and if the dues are not paid THE TRUSTEES MAY ENTER IN AND DISTRAIN till the arrears are paid. John Fresh in his will had left his trusteeship to his sons-in-law, Walter Newington and Walter Cotton. In that will CA. 2, 3, 4, 5) the chief house of the tenement becomes the Dragon on the Hope. The Executors of the will were Walter Newington, Walter Cotton, Alan Everard and Robert Newington, Clerk, and their overseers John Haddelee and Thomas Middleton, Clerks. Bequests are left to John Hadlee of £20 [was he the Mayor in 1393?] to Dominus Robert Newington, Clerk, £,10, to Thomas Middleton, ^^lo, to Alan Goodall and Bessie, Thomas's servants, 20/- each, and to any other servant of Thomas, 6/8. This transfer was probably made for the purpose of disentangling the trust property from personal property for in 1400 (B. 4 and 5) it is again transferred to John Warner, Mercator^ Robert Colney, Draper, John Hynden of Braye and Philip Cook, Clerk. In this deed is mentioned (i) a property in S. Leonard, Estchepe, and also the transfer of this property from Thomas de Bakwell (of whom above) to Adam de Killingworth, Citizen and Butcher ; (2) the property mentioned above as (No. i) ; (3) one in S. Georges by Estchepe, Butolf Lane, as well as (4) all other tenements held by the co-trustees of John Fresh, probably referring to certain annuals which John Fresh in his will says "he is wont to draw." In 1405 (B. 5 and C. i) these trustees with the exception of John Hynden of Bray — who is now dead — make over the properties to Walter Newington alone. The Property of the Fraternity. In 1407 (C. I and 2) it is re-conveyed to the same Waltei Newington, from whom they had received it, by William Chicheley, Alderman, and Thomas Burton, Grocer — on the following conditions : — " That if the said Walter Newington or his executors pay to the said Thomas Burton or his executors ;£i5 of the legal English money within fifteen days next after the feast of S. Michael next coming, and -£2,0 of English money on the feast of S. Michael then next coming or within 15 days, and £,2,0 of English money at Easter then next following or within 15 days, and ■£ip of English money on the feast of S. Michael Archangel then next following or within fifteen days, then this chart and seisin will stand good, and if there be failure in paying the said sums or the payments not made in the observed forms, then it shall be lawful for us, W. C. and T. B. or our heirs to re-enter on the property." The property must have been of fair value to be taken as security for ;£95 payable within three years when the value of money then is compared with its present value^ for as the deed is dated on the Thursday after the assumption of the B. V. M. in the middle of August, the Michaelmas next coming was not far off. But it was paid off, for on the 8th of November, 1412 (C. 2 and 3) Newington transfers all the property to John Squery, Gentilman, Walter Cotton, Alan Everard, Citizens and Mercers and Thomas Elsyng and Henry Jolipas, Clerk, and Nicholas Adam, Chaplain, and on the 15th of the same month the property is leased (E. 2) to Walter Newington and his executors for his life and a quarter of a year after his decease. This John Squery is described as of County Essex, probably of Little Thurrock. The name Squery is found there in 1398 and S2 Parish Clerks. 1425. Walter Newington had evidently some claim on the fraternity for good service done for them. And now another, John Askatyne, comes to the front who is credited with good and laudable service done, and a deed is made on his behalf on 27th November, 1426, (C. 4 and 5 and D. i) by which he receives out of the property at the corner of Bishopsgate Street and Camomile St. (?) an annual pay- ment of 40/- to be paid quarterly during his life, ist. payment at the feast of Pentecost next ensuing, with power of distraint over the property saving only that if he at any future time assign this payment or part of it to any one else the present agreement comes to an end. From this deed what appears formerly as the Dragon on the Hope and gardens has become the Dragon on the Hope and four tenements, (probably the money above referred to was for improvements and building tenements) — one situated to the North of the " tenement or hospice called le Dragon on y^ Hope " between it and John Sybill's property formerly mentioned and reaching at one corner to Camomile Street and three on the South of the Dragon, abutting on Bishopsgate Street. Was the Dragon on the Hope the rendezvous for the Clerks ? and had it been fitting up for that purpose when in 1422 they hired for their meetings the Brewers' Hall ? — as the other four tenements are to be distrained upon for Askatyne' s annual payment and only in case they should prove insufficient is the Chief tenement, the Dragon, to be touched (D. 4). John Squery the elder of Co. Essex, leaves, by his will dated 6th August, 1426, all his goods and property to John Durward, County Essex, Armiger, John Everdon, Clerk, William Goldynge, Clerk, and John Squery the younger. Was this John Durward of Booking, High Sheriff of Essex in 1425, and Speaker of the House of Commons in Henry V.'s reign? The Property of the Fraternity. 8j Before parting with John Squery, Squyer, an introduction IS had to other property (D. 5) belonging to the Parish Clerks' fraternity. This property was situated as may be found from a roll of Finsbury Manor of 1567 printed in Stow, just outside the freedom, the second in the Lordship of Finsbury, now S. Luke's, and there described as lately belonging to the Parish Clerkes, on the East side of Whitecross Street. It was conveyed on 15th June, 1412 (D. 5) by William de Askham, Clerk, to John Squery, William Walderne, Walter Cotton, Alan Everard, Thomas Elsyng, Nicholas Adam, Clerk, Richard Hull and Laurence Walsh. Walter Cotton, Thomas Elsyng, and Nicholas Adam^ Clerk, the other Trustees being now dead, transferred on 4th July, 1429, their rights in this property to John Squery, very probably with a view to its improvement, as in the case of the Bishopsgate property. He on the 25th August, 1429, grants to our old friend John Askatyne and his assignees for the whole term of his life two adjacent tenements therein formerly the brewe house, while he retains for himself the tenements on the North. The boundaries of this property cannot now be traced so well as the property in Bishopsgate Street, as Whitecross Street on the one side is the only definite mark. In the next document (D. 5 & E. i) some light is thrown on the value of the tenements to which reference has already been made in No. i property. The one lying on the north of the Dragon on the Hope, in this deed styled the Angel on the Hope, is leased for 20 years at a yearly rent of 40s., payable quarterly at the usual terms. The tenement and appurtenances to be kept in good repair when required, wind and watertight, as well as the pavement in good order, fire from another's premises and horrible tempest only excepted, eight days for payment, 8/^ Parish Clerks. if beyond a month, distraint, if not sufficient to distrain upon, re-entrance and lo marks fine for breach of covenant on either side (1429). On the death of John Squery senior, a dispute in connection with the Whitecross Street property arose out of the grant of 4th July, 1429. An action at law was raised against Walter Cotton, the sole surviving Trustee of 1412, he says without his knowledge, to compel him to transfer the property to other Trustees. This was successful, he says, in default of answer, because the rightful evidences of the said tenements were with- holden and kept from him. The document issued by his son William in justification of his father, is added as it is the only English paper (E. 2 and 3) among these old Deeds relating to the Parish Clerks' property and a specimen of English of the period. " To alle tho that these Ires shall come or elles shall see or here Willin Cotton Squyre, son and heir of Waltier Cotton late citizen and Alderman of London sendeth gretyng ; for as muche as hyt is merytorys and nedefuU to witnesse and record trouthe, knaw yee that the sayde Waltier late my fader wt John Squery Squer and othyr, to the use of the same John Squery, were enfeeofed in a tenement with thappurtenances in Whitecrouche Strete in the parish of Seynt Giles wtoute Crepulgate in the subarbes of London of the gifte and feoffment of William Askham, as in a dede whereof the date is the xv, day of the moneth of Juyn in the xiiith yere of the reigne of Kynge Henry the Fourthe, more playnely may appere; and aftefwarde the saide Waltier my fader wyth oon Thomas Elsyng by a dede of relesse under their scales lawfully made and delyvered to the said John Squery beyng in possession whereof the date is at London the fourthe day of the moneth of Juyl in the vii. yere of the Reigne of Kynge Henry the Vlth, relessed to the said The Property of the Fraternity. 8^ John Squery alle the right that they had in the saide tent wt thappurtenances as by the saide relesse it apperthe. And after that relesse so made, the said John Squery died. After whose dethe dyvers accions were sued by con Symond Sely ayenst the saide Waltier as for the right of the said tent wt thappurtenances of the which accions so taken and sued ayens the saide Waltier, the same Waltier never knew nor knowlach had nor was wetyng thereof unto the tyme that the said tent was wrongfully recorded ayenst the saide Waltier for defaute of answer to grete hurt of John Squery son of the foresaide John Squery because at that time his rightful evidences of the saide tent with thappurtenances were witholden and kept from him like as like as the [said] Waltier in his life openly declared and saide to me and others. And hereupon the same Waltier my father charged me upon his blissing that I shulde recorde at all tymes the saide dede of relesse to be his true dede under his seal and lawfully delyvered like at is aforesaide. And for more witnesse of trouthe of these matiers afore specified and rehersed, I the saide William Cotton in discharge of the soule of the saide Walter my fader to these presents letters have sette my seal yeven the xixth day of the moneth of Feuerer in the xxivth yere of the reigne of King Henry the VI." In consequence on 20th September, 1434, Walter Cotton (D. I and 2) made over all his rights in the Bishopsgate Street property with that in S. Leonard, Estchepe and S. George's, Butolf Lane and also in Whitecrouch Strete to Nicholas Yeo, Draper and John Chesham, Writer of Court-Letter, Citizens of London, and on the same day gives a letter of attorney (D. i) to Stevy Somer to deliver these properties to the new Trustees. On the i6th October Thomas and John Squery, Parish Clerks. sons and heirs of John Squery (E. i and 2) make over their rights in the same properties to the same Trustees. This seems again a transfer for disentangling property. This is the last reference to the S. Leonard, Estchepe, S. George's, Butolf Lane, and Whitecross Strete proper- ties in the volume of old Deeds. As mentioned before this last property is referred to in a Survey of Finsbury Manor of 30th December, 1567, as certain lands and tenements of late belonging to the Parish Clerkes of London, on east side of Whitecross Street, of annual value to the Lord of the Manor of ^i 4s. 4d. No trace of it has been found in the Augmentation Office Records under Act i, Edward vi. — but the probability from this reference is that it had continued in the possession of the parish Clerks, as well as that of S. George's, Butolf Lane, and S. Leonard, Estchepe, till 1547. Four years later on 20th May, 1438, Yeo and Chesham transfer (D. 2 and 3) the Bishopsgate property to Thomas Squery of Co. Essex and John Burbeyn, Citizen and Brewer, their heirs and assignees. This same year Nicholas Yeo was one of the Sheriffs of London, and must have been possessed of some means, for in the Exchequer rolls of 27th January, 1441^ Nicholas Yeo, Citizen and Draper of London, delivered by the hands of Richard Dewe one of the Ushers of the King's Treasury to the Treasurer and Chamberlain of the said Treasury for safe and secure custody " une haut coup d'argent ennorrez, appelez I'anaper de les pinacles " (a tall silver cup embossed, called the Hamper with pinnacles) weight seven pounds troy, price per pound 40/-, in all ;£i4. The Bishopsgate property on 24th July, 1438, is transferred (D. 4) to John Sudbury, Clerk, John Patrich, Citizen, 'and John West, Clerk, and on 2nd August, 1441, the Squerys (D. 3 and 4) renounce all title thereto, The Property of the Fraternity. Next year the Parish Clerks got their Charter of 1442, which enabled them to hold lands in London to the value of ;^40 a 3^ear, and the next transfer in 1445 (E. 2) is made to Trustees who are all Clerks. William Cosyn, Richard Barnet and John Gode, Clerks, devise to John West and Robert Normaville, their heirs and assignees, the whole right in the lands and tenements in S. Ethelburga and S. Austin Pavy, which they held in connection with John West and Robert Normaville of the gift and infeftment of John Sudbury, Clerk, now dead. John Sudbury's name " Magister John Sudbury," appears on the second page of deceased members on the Bede roll. Others who had claims, whether as heirs or assignees is not known, assign all claims they may have on the property to the same two Trustees (E. 4) on 8th July, 1446. :0n nth July of the same year, John Askatyned lately of London, now of Dorking in the Co. Surrey, Gentleman, gives power of attorney (E. 3 and 4) to Richard Pollard, Thomas Ward and William Idersey, conjointly and separately to receive from the possessors of the four tenements, during my lifetime the annuity of 40/- and as my seal is little known, the seal of Stephen Forster, Alderman of London, is appended. On the same day he makes over all his rights and claims on the four tenements and the Dragon (E. 4 and 5) to John West and Robert Normavyle now holders thereof. Askatyne's name appears on the list of living members of the Fraternity in 1448. John Patrich, Citizen, who had been co-trustee with John Sudbury, sur- renders his rights (E. 5) on i6th July, and on the 21st of July (E. 5 and F. i) John West and Robert Normavyle make the property over to Thomas Ward, Richard Pollard, William Idersey, Thomas Hatfield, William Child, John Estonn, John Stannard, John Greene, Henry Smyth, William Gace, John Pakwode, James Bradley, Henry Waterman, Citizens and Clerks of the City of London. But in order Parish Clerks. that they may now know what they are doing, they get a formal receipt (B i) from Margaret Stokes, prioress of the Nuns of S. Helens, that she has received from John West and Robert Normavyle, possessors of the tenement called Le Dragon, formerly in the possession of John Squery, by the hands of Thomas Ward, Richard Pollard, and Walter Idersey, all arrearages due to the present time and a settle- ment of 10/6 for that year which we {i.e. Nuns of S. H.) hold in right of our house, from and in the foresaid tene- ment called Le Dragon, and all other tenements annexed or adjacent thereto. By these presents we confess that all arrearages of the annual dues have been duly paid, and that J.W. and R.N. shall be free from any charges on that account by us or our successors. In 1452 (F. I and 2) Thomas Ward, Thomas Hatfield, John Estonn, John Pakwode, Henry Waterman, Citizens and Clerks of London, as co-trustees for the property in Bishopsgate being now dead, the remainder of the Trustees who had on 23rd set free (F. 2) their co-trustees John Stannard and Henry Smyth from all charges with the property, make a transfer to William Idersey, William Clarke, Richard Pollard, William Child, William Andrewes, John Grene, William Gace, James Bradley, Gilbert Hall, John Hunt, John Beby, Thomas Boteler, and William Burgh, Citizens and Clerks of the City of London. On 23rd September, 1461, the property mentioned as being vested in John Sibylle and his wife is trans- ferred (B 2 & 3) by their heir Nicholas Sibylle, of Ensford, in the county of Kent (a surname which was found there till the middle of the reign of Queen Elizabeth, when on the failure of heirs male, the property passed through a daughter to another name) to Richard Pollard, John Ledeston, William Idersey, John Grene, John Harrys, Richard Cokkys, and Robert Welwyk, Citizens and Clerks ^of London, "which The' Property of the Fraternity. I, N. S., had after my fathers' death and hold as the legacy of my father to me." And, on the 26th, Sibylle and his wife Johanna sign (F. 3 & 4) a deed renouncing for them- selves, their heirs or assignees, all claims on the property. On 5th March, 1473, both properties (B. i) are vested in Richard Barnham, John Knolles, Henry Emson, Simon Mayhewe, Thomas Humberston, Thomas Waryn, John Pollet, Edmund Smewyn (Schewen ?) Richard Tabbe, William Broughton, William Horton, Robert Hoo, John Cowper, William Aylmer, Robert Hewster, William Payne, Philip Chapman, William Palmer, John Dethan and Thomas Smith, Citizens and Clerks. John Crosby was at this time Alderman of Bishopsgate, from whom Crosby Hall received its name. In the Calendar of Wills enrolled in the Hustings (Dr. Sharpe) there are only two bequests to this Fraternity recorded, one in 1447 of which the amount is not stated, and another in 1473 of 3/4. But, in addition to these properties, there was another at Enfield, of which there are only two deeds remaining. It is said, in the index to the volume, to have been given by John Whychar of Enfylde to John Wheller. But the deed itself (B. 5) is a conveyance from John Wheller of Enfield to John Carsewell, Clerk and Citizen of London, of "a piece of arable land containing ten acres of arable land in a fielde called ' Le Moore,' in the village of Enfield, ex- tending in breadth between Robert Kyngis land on the north, and Gronetta Matilda Curtees on the south, in length from a level field, ' le hakkelyngges moore,' " on the east to a croft of Robert Mapledon on the west— 14th May, 1405. On 28th April, 1427, at Enfield, John Carsewell transfers (D. 4 and 5) this property to Thomas Ward, John Erperan go Parish Clerks. of London, Clerks, and Richard Tanner, John Gretynge, Robert Freeman, William Longe, Thomas Hatfield, John Aylewyn and William Holywode, Citizens and Text Writers, London. In the old Deed Book there is no farther trace of this property. In the index given to the volume of Deeds is the following entry : — " Item, the testament of William Dwight, Letherseller, of iii. messuages with appurtenances in Bysshoppesgate Strete, adjoining the Angel sealed the xxth day of July in xii. yere of Henry viii. 1521 " (see Masters for 1507 and 1518). The will is not entered in the volume; whether it refers to the three tenements referred to in the former deeds cannot be said, or whether it is an additional gift and covered by the four tenements mentioned in the augmentation roll as facing the street, of which the destination has not been found. No further traces of the Bishopsgate property have been found from this time till 1547, when by an Act of the ist year of Edward VI. the lands and properties belonging to all fraternities other than those of mysteres and crafts were declared to be the property of the King. The House of Commons, at the instigation of the representatives of Coventry and Lynn, both of which towns had numerous guilds and fraternities, were about to throw out this bill, when terms were made by a promise to these representatives that the property of the fraternities belonging to their towns should be made over to these towns themselves, and the proceeds of all other fraternities should be devoted to founding schools and hospitals. The first promise, thanks to the pertinacity of the representatives, was kept, but little or none of the property of the Fraternities in other towns escaped the The Property of the Fraternity. rapacious maws of the young King's courtiers. The Hall of the Clerks with their parlour and almshouses was sold to Sir Robert Chester on the 2oth December, 1548, and paid for by him on the 5th January following. He seems to have obtained possession at first, but by some means the Clerks gained re-entry, and disputed the King's right to annex their property under this Act. In the dispute, the feeling of the City seems to have been on the side of the Clerks, for, on the igth September, 1550, it was agreed, " that my Lord Mayor by his good discretion, commune and treat with the wardens of the substantial Companies of the City for their gentle aid to be granted to the parish Clerks towards their charges lately sustained about the defence of their title to their Coen Hall and lands against the King's Majestie " ; and nearly two months after, on November 7, it was agreed "that my Lord Maior, calling before him the wardens of twelve of the most substantial Companies of the City, shall persuade and commune with them by his good and sad discretion for their gentle aid to be given and granted to the fellowship of the Parish Clerks towards their charge for the maintenance and defence of the sute with the King's Majestic for their Coen Hall and lands thereunto belonging." The Act had bit the City Companies themselves very severely. What material help they gave is not known, but it is evident the sympathy of the City was with the Clerks. On the i6th March following a letter from the Privy Council was sent to the Chancellor of Augmentations to put the King's Majesty again in posses- sion of the Clerks' Hall, if the law will allow it, or otherwise shew cause of the impediments to the same. On the nth May, decision was given against the Clerks, and on the 14th, Chester was again put in possession. On the 5th July, 1552, he also bought from the same court, the " Wrestlers," facing London Wall, and another property in the parish of S. Swithin, London Stone, both belonging to the g2 Parish Clerks. Clerks. Another evidence of the sympathy of the City with the Clerks is shown by the fact that after Chester had obtained possession of all their property, the following resolu- tion, on gth July, 1552, was agreed to at a Common Council Meeting, " It was thought good that the Parish Clerks should have and enjoy the Church of Bethlem for their assemblies and meetings, and that a motion be made for the same to the Court of my Lord Maior and Aldermen." The Mayor and Aldermen of London had purchased the patronage and the tenements belonging to the Hospital of S. Mary at Bethlehem in 1546. On comparing the deeds of the Parish Clerks' property, the documents from the augmentation office and Stow's description of the property it will be seen that the property of this Fraternity lay between Bishopsgate Street and what is now Camomile Street. The corner property seems never to have belonged to them. The property of the Wrestlers of such a sign faced London Wall. The Angel of such a sign (most probably the Dragon on the Hope or the Angel on the Hope of the deeds) was either facing or closely adjoining Bishopsgate Street. The fair entry or gate near the Angel was most probably the entry which still bears the name of Clerks' Place, and the Wrestlers is still perpetuated in the name of Wrestlers' Court, which leads at right angles from the end of Clerks' Place to Camomile Street. [Is it possible that the sites of both are still occupied by houses for public entertainment, one facing the court to Bishopsgate Street and the other the Mail Coach at the head of Wrestlers' Court?] On entering the fair entry or gate from Bishopsgate and behind the four tenements let on lease for a yearly rent stood the seven almshouses, modest enough buildings, some with chimneys, some without. Beyond this, and reaching to the rear of the Wrestlers, against London Wall, was the The Property of the Fraternity. pj parlour, or what may be called the Clubroom of the Clerks, 36ft. in length by 14ft. in width, with three chambers over. The east side, with faire glasse, overlooked the garden, 72ft. long and 21ft. wide, while the west side was lined with wainscott. Next, and on the same level, came the Hall itself, 30ft. long and 25ft. wide, with a gallery at the nether end, probably a raised dais for what is called in their Charter "nobilior et dignior pars fratrum et sororum," the more noble and worthy part of the Brethren and Sistern, with a little parlour at the west end of the same gallery into which the more noble and worthy might retire when the festivities were too prolonged. Under the south end of the parlour was a room for the Bedell, and under the north end of the Hall adjoining was a kitchen 22ft. square, with a vault under, and two little larder rooms and pasterye adjoining. The hall was provided besides with its pantrye or buttery, and a little house adjoining called the Ewery. The garden on the east side seems to have extended along the whole length of the property. Stow tells us that the Hall was pulled down by Sir Robert Chester, when a decision against him was expected in the time of Queen Mary. What the plea of the Clerks in that suit was, is not known. One cannot but sympathize with the lamentation of Machyn and the contrast suggested by Stow, between the Clerks' use of the Almshouses and the Queen's, and regret the suppression of so many charitable fraternities, which only resulted in supplying the extravagant expenditure of a Child King's Courtiers. The late Toulmin Smith speaking of these gilds and fraternities says: "In the case of gilds there was no pretence of injury, or of mischief and no allowance whatever. It was a case of pure wholesale robbery and plunder done by an unscrupulous faction to satisfy their personal greed under cover of law. There is no more gross case of wanton 9^ Parish Clerks. plunder to be found in the history of all Europe ; no page so black in English History." "The Act of Edward VI. not only vested in the King all sums of money devoted by any manner of Corporations, Gilds, Fraternities, Com- panies, or Fellowships, or mysteres or Crafts to the support of a priest, obits, or lights, but handed over to the Crown all fraternities, brotherhoods or gilds within the realm of England and other the King's dominions, and all manner of lands, tenements, and other hereditaments belonging to them other than such corporations, gilds, fraternities, companies, and fellowship of mysteres and crafts. Thus all the posses- sions of all gilds except what could creep out as being fellowships of mysteres or crafts (such as the London gilds), became vested in the Crown ; and the unprincipled courtiers who had devised and helped the scheme gorged themselves out of this wholesale plunder. The London Companies were nearly ruined. They paid under the Act a sum of ;^i8,700 to the Crown as representing monies or lands held by them for the support of priests, obits, or lights." APPENDIX. " Extracts from the records of the Court of Augmentation, &c., relating to property of the Parish Clerks' Fraternity." " The Parish of S. Alborough, Bishopsgate.'' I. — Parcell of the lands and houses belonging to the Fraternitie or Guild of Clerks of the Churches and Colleges within London. Site of the principal messuage and tenements there, called the Clerks' Hall, with the appurtenances, easements, and commoditie to the same Hall belonging, that is to say : — (l.) A hall with two glass windows, and containing in length 30 feel, and in breadth 25 feet, with a panlrye and a butterye adjoining to the said same hall, and a (2.) Little house, also adjoining, called the ewery, and a gallery over the nether end of the said hall, with a little parlour at the west end of the gallery, and The Property of the Fraternity {Appendix). 95 (3.) A parlour at the north end of the said site, even with the flower of the hall, with a chimney in it, whereof the east side is faire glass, and the west side set with wainscott, and containeth in length 36 feet, and breadth 14 feet. Three little chambers, or chamber rooms over the same parlour, and one chamber under the same parlour now occupied by Anthonye Elderton, Bedell unto the said Brotherhede, as his dwelling house without rent paieing. (4.) A kitchen under the north ende of the said hall, paved, with a faire chimney, containing 22 feet square with two little larder rooms and a pasterie adjoining ; (5.) A little cellar vaulted under the same kitchen. (6.) And also unto the said site and hall is adjoining on the east side of the same site a little garden containing in length 72 foot, and in breadth 21 foote, which said site and hall are worth, with the appurtenances, £iif yearly at 16 years purchase, £(n. (7.) Seven little tenements or cottages, adjoining to the said site and hall, are situate within the gate and yard appertaining to the same hall, now in the several tenures of William Holland and Richard , Thomas Howe, Robert Twitchin, Alice Blunt, widowe, Johanna Odey widow, and Emma Wyld, widow, without any rent yelding, forasmuch as they are now and have been found in alms of the said Guild which cottages having no chimneys many of them, after 6/8 a cottage, are worth yearly 46/8 at 10 years' purchase, ;^23 6s. 8d. Memorandum. — In this particular, not certified, the four tenements adjoining the said hall, being on the streete side according to the warrante of premisses to me directed for the same four tenements among other tenements pertaining to the said brotherhood of Clerks being let by lease for one yearly rent. 2lst day of December (1548), in the second year of Edward VI., per Robert Chester, Esq., one of the receivers of the Lord the King's augmentations. The clear yerely value of the tenements, £(> 6s. 8d., when rated at the said several rates amounteth to ;^87 6s. 8d. To be paid all in hand. — The King's Majestie to discharge the purchaser of incumbrances, except leases and covenants, the purchaser to have the issues from Michaelmas last. Endorsements. — To me Harry Lye, in the name of Sir Robert Chester. Paid to the treasurer 5th day of January in the aforesaid year of Ed. VI. (1549). A bond to be taken that Mr. Chester will not put out any of the poor folks now inhabiting within the within written cottages, and during their lives except (writing quite faded). Charges paid them as well with all other. Memorandum. — This must be served of my commandement by certification from my 1. g. g6 Parish Clerks. 11. — Parcel of lands and possessions lately belonging to the Fraternity of Parish Clerks, within the City of London. (i). The site of a messuage or tenement called the Wrastelers in the Parish of S. Alborough's within Bishopsgate, let to Robert Lyeke, citizen, and Vintner of London, by lease granted l6th August, '38, Henry VIH. (1546) for 21 years, at £^ 6s. 8d. (2.) The site of a messuage or tenement, the gift of John Fenton, merchant taylor, in the Parish of S. Swithin, London Stone (for a yearly obit), let to William Smith, citizen and Parish Clerk, by lease granted 22 Oct., 1st Edward VI. (1547), for 61 years at 53s. 4d. Bond of two shillings out of the Wrastelers to be paid to Thomas Challoner. Clere yerely value of of (i) and (2) £6 iBs. at i; years' purchase, ;,f 103 los. Date of application gth June, date of assignation Jth July, 6 Edward VI. (1552) to Robert Chester, from the Annunciation of our Lady last past. Easter Term, nth May, 1551. — Summary of decision of the Court of Augmen- tations. " There has been long variance in this court between the Parish Clerks and the King's Majesty concerning this Guild, The Clerks claim to be a mystery or craft, and to have been taken as freemen of the City on that account, there- fore their Guild should be exempted from the working of i. Edward VI. Cap. for the dissolution of Chantries, &c. The matter has been argued and discussed again and again before and by the Chancellor and General Surveyors of the said Courte (the justices of both benches being present at the herynge of the same) as well as in the council chamber at Westminster before the Lord Chan- cellor of England aud the King's privy council ; it appears to the said Chancellor and General Surveyors (i) that the said Fraternitie or Guild was incorporat in thonor of our Lady and S. Nicholas, by the name of the masters and governors and bretherne and sisterne of the Fraternitie or Guild of the principal Parish Clerks of the Parish and Collegiate Churches of London and is no mistere or craft exempted by the said Acte but a mere Guild or Fraternitie given to the King's Highness, his heirs and successors by force of the same statute (2) that the said messuage, commonly called the Clerkes Hall with diverrs other messuages lands and tenements within the said City was given to the saide Guilde for the meyntenance of two Chaplains to pray for the bretherne and sisterne of the said Guild and such other uses ; (3) that the said defendants have neither been made taken, or reputed free of the said City by reson that they have been, or be Parish Clerks, nor esteemed, used, or taken as freemen, nor enjoyed any freedom in that respect that they have been Parish Clerks of any Church in the same city, or by reason of the said Corporation by them alleged. If they were freemen it was because they had been apprentices or made free of some other Corporation of a mystere or craft within the City, and therefore their Guild can not be adjudged in terms of its corporation, or in any other interpretation to be a corporation of any mystere or craft.' The Property of the Fraternity (^Appendix). 97 " On the sight of this decree they are to avoide out and from the possession of the Clerkes' Hall, &c., and shall peaceably permit and suffer the Kinges Majesty by His Highness' Collectors and Receivers of the said Court to take, have, and enjoy the possession thereof, and take the profits of the same to the King's use without lette or interruption. They are also to pay into the handes of the King all the issues and profittes of the premises, that were grown or been due from the feast of Ester in the second year of the King (1548), until the making of this decree, under the penalty of 1000 merks, and on peyne to suffer imprisonment of their bodies at the King's will and pleasure." This decision was on nth May and Machyn gives the result. "The 14th of May Chestur the receiver took possession of the hall of the Company of the Clerks of London by fre the gentylman of which they have as sure a Corporation as any have in London, as I pray God give him ill speed (fray God he he a good man) because of the poor men and women and others, that if they had fallen to a sudden poverty, there they were sure of an honest living as long as life did last." Stow gives the sequel to this story. " And first to begin at the left hand of Bishopsgate Street from the gate ; ye have certain tenements of old time pertaining to a brotherhood of S. Nicholas granted to the Parish Clerks of London, for two chaplains to be kept in the Chapel of S. Mary Magdalene, near unto the Guildhall of London, in the 27 Henry VI. The first of these houses towards the north and against the wall of the City was some time a large inn or hostelry called the Wrastlers, of such a sign, and the first in the High Strete towards the south was sometimes also a fair inne called the Angel of such a sign. Amongst these said tenements was on the same strete side, a fair entry or gate to the common hall of the saide Parish Clerkes, with proper almshouses seven in number adjacent, for poor Parish Clerks or their wives, their widowes, such as were in great years, not able to labour. One of these by the saide brotherhood of Clerks was allowed i6d. per week, the other six had each of them gd. per week, according to the patent therefore granted. This brotherhood, among others, being suppressed in the reign of Edward TL the said hall, with the other buildings, was given to Sir Robert Chester, a Knight of Cambridgeshire, against whom the Parish Clerks commenced suit in the reign of Queen Mary, and being like to have prevailed, the jaid Sir Robert Chester pulled down the hall, sold the timber, stone, and lead, and thereupon the suit was ended. The almshouses remain in the Queen's hands, people have their places such as can make the best friends, some of them taking the pension appointed they let off their houses for great rents, giving occasion to the parson of the parish to challenge tithes of the poor." Stow's statement is corroborated by the following (Calendar of State Papers, Domestic 1583) " Katharine Barthram to Walsingham" " prays him to procure the Queen's signature to her grant of an almsroom in Clarkes' Alley, which he promised to do on his return from Scotland." ^tUirtm ^0p^v^ William Roper, whose portrait or "effigies," as it is called in the Inventory of 1674, hangs in the Clerks' Hall, and who is described in a scroll attached to it as "a worthy benefactor of this Company,''' was a son-in-law of Sir Thomas More, whose favourite daughter, Margaret, he married in 1528. She is spoken of as " the most accompHshed in an accomplished family," and her interview with her father on the way from his trial at Westminster to the Tower, is one of the most touching incidents on record. Roper was born in 1495. In his younger days he was very favourable to the opinions of the Reformers, and wished to be allowed to preach at Paul's Cross. With some merchants of the stilyard, he was summoned before Cardinal Wolsey. The merchants abjured. Mr. Roper, after a friendly warning from the Cardinal, was quietly discharged, and under the influence of his father-in- law was drawn aside from the new opinions, and remained quietly attached to the old forms till his death. He is described as of Eltham in Surrey. In 1531, his name is found in the Commission of the Peace for Kent, and it also appears in a return of 1536, probably as being allowed to have ten retainers. In 1533, he was appointed by his father (who was the King's attorney general), protonotary of the King's William Roper. gg bench. His life of Sir Thomas More, was written, probably, about 1556. He says, " as knowing his doings and mind, no man living so well, by reason I was continually resident in his house, by the space of sixteen years or more, I thought it therefore my part to set forth such matters touching his life as I could at this present call to remembrance, though many things notable, and not meet to be forgotten, had slipped out of my mind, yet so far as my meane wit, memorie, and know- ledge would serve me, I have declared so much thereof as in ,my poor judgment seemed worthy to be remembered." The life was not printed till 1626, probably owing to some state- ments as to Anne Boleyn, Queen Elizabeth's mother. On 8th July, 1568, was made "the submission of William Roper before the Lords of the Privy Council, for having relieved with money, certain persons who have departed out of this realm, and who, with others, have printed books against the Queen's Supremacy and Government." He is said to have been committed to the Tower in the time of Henry VIII., for assisting persons of a similar character. On 26th November, 1569, the Kent Justices of the Peace, certify their proceedings relative to the Act of Uniformitie of Common Prayer, enclosing a bond of William Roper, of Eltham, co. Kent, " to be of good behaviour, and to appear before the Council when summoned." Sir Thomas White, founder of S John's College, Oxford, delegated the right of visitation of his new college to Sir William Cordell and William Roper during life. The first three heads of this College, appointed by Sir Thomas himself, were either deprived or resigned their appointments, owing to dissatisfaction with the settlement of the Church under Elizabeth. In March, 1558, at the funeral of Sir Thomas's first wife at S. Mary, Aldermary, their daughter Lady Laxton, chief mourner, was led by Mr. Roper. The sympathies of both White and Roper with the old forms, probably drew them together in more ways than one. It may have been this friendship which led Roper to offer in 1569, to 700 Parish Clerks. the Merchant Taylors' Company, with which White and White's new college were closely connected, the property at Bermondsey which, on their refusal to accept, he afterwards made over to the Parish Clerks. In the minutes of that Company, as given in "Clode's History of the Merchant Tailors' Co.", itjis recorded loth November, 1569, "whereas Mr. William Roper hath made an offer to give certain tenements of his lying in the parish of S. Olave, in South- wark, in the County of Surrey, unto this mystere for ever, upon condition that this mystere shall yearly for ever give and distribute four pounds to, and amongst the poor prisoners at the four prison houses of Newgate, Ludgate, the King's Bench and the Marshalsea, viz., to every of the same four prison houses 20/- in bread or coles ; and to keep the same in due reparation, which said tenements were sometime in the tenure and holding of Mr. John Jenkyns, while he lived, citizen and Merchant Taylor of London ; it is agreed by the aforesaid masters, and wardens, and assistants, that the said tenements shall be first viewed, and if it shall happen upon the view thereof had that it will be profitable for this house to take the same lands, then this house to accept the same offer, and if it shall appear otherwise, then this house to make refusal of the accepting the said offer, and yet, nevertheless, to render their hearty thanks to the said Mr. Roper for his good will to them ; whereupon, after view made of the said tenements, they, the said masters, wardens, and others, the viewers, agreed to refuse the said land according to the aforesaid offer to this house, for that same land be now in great ruine and decay, and like to fall down." This is probably the property which the Parish Clerks held by deed from Roper under the same conditions. To this property was added part of another in Candlewick Street, by the same deed. What the richer Company declined the poorer, despoiled as it had been over twenty years before, accepted. Roper' s piety and benevolence are both highly spoken of. The writer of a life of More William Roper. loi ( 1599), inWordsworth'sEcc. Biography, says "hewasasingular helper and patron to all afflicted Catholics, and especially for such as were in prison or otherwise troubled for the defence of the Catholic (Roman) faith. His ordinary alms, as yet to be seen in his book of accounts, amounted yearly to one thousand (?) pounds, his extraordinary, as much or some- times more." What induced him to make the Clerks his almoners is not known. His father-in-law, when living at Chelsea, used to take a place in the choir as a helper. It is related that the Duke of Norfolk when on a visit to More, saw him in Church with a surplice on his back, and on leaving remonstrated with him in these terms, " God's bodie ! God's bodie ! the Lord Chancellor a Parish Clerk ! a Parish Clerk ! you dishonour the King and your office," to which More quietly replied, "I am serving his Master and mine." More, in his younger days, lectured on " Augustine on the City of God," in the Church of S. Lawrence, Jewry. Erasmus speaks of Roper as " the very accomplished Roper." One of his daughters was a maid of honour to Queen Mary, and translator of the Ecclesiastical Histories of Socrates, Sozomen, and Theodoret. The inscription on his monument says " he was generous at home and abroad, mild, merciful, the stay of the prisoners, the oppressed and the poor, and as being very learned in the Greek and Latin tongues." His wife died in 1544, and was buried, it is said, with her father's head in her arms, at Chelsea, in the tomb prepared for himself by her father. Roper died in 1577, in the 82nd year of his age, and though he is said to have expressed in his will his desire that his body should be laid by his wife's in Chelsea, he was buried in the Roper vault at S. Dunstan's, Canterbury. The refusal of the property by the Merchant Tailors' Company is loth November, and the minute book of the Parish Clerks' Company^, gives the date of the infeftment of this property to them the 20th November, 1569, where frequent notices as to the letting of and repairs on the property occur. In the" early 102 Parish Clerks. part of last century, it is "ordered that the gift of William Roper, Esq., to this Company, now in Latin, be rendered into English for the use of the Company, and that further inquiry be made into the estate." It appears the proceeds of the property was left to the disposal of the master of the Frater- nity, "for after distributing yearly on the feast of All Saints', or within the octave, at his appointment, £i^ in bread or coals to the four prisons of London, the residue was to be employed from time to time according to his discretion." The Company's report to the Charity Commissioners says "that £i was yearly given on All Saints' Day to each of the prisons of Newgate, Ludgate, Marshalsea, and Queen's Bench, and the revenue of the Cannon Street property was applied for the relief of poor widows of members of this Company." To put some restraint on the master's discretion, it was resolved in 1773, "whereas the income of the estate in Bermondsey Street, will in the year 1780, be greatly increased, and by a clause in a deed granted by the late W. Roper, Esq., the donor of said estate, the residue, after paying the four prisons, is left at the discretion of the then master to be disposed of, the court judge it proper that bonds from every master for the time being, be given to the court of assistants of this Company, that no use shall be made of such surplus money other than directed by the court of assistants." In 1660, the Bermondsey houses were on lease for ;^55 fine and ;^io yearly rent, and in 1664, the Company's moiety of property in Candlewick Street, was let on lease for 31 years at a fine of ;^6o and £-iO yearly rent. The Bermondsey Street property was bought at intervals between 1830 and 1840, for the London and Greenwich Railway, and in 1850 the Candlewick Street property was acquired by the Corporation of London for the purpose of widening Cannon Street. Within less than two years after the Parish Clerks had obtained their letters patent from Henry VI., an arrangement was made between them and the City, by which so many of their number were admitted freemen of the City by redemp- tion. In December, 1443, it was arranged that twenty-eight members of the Fraternity, being Parish Clerks, should be admitted on payment of ;£20. Other members, actually Parish Clerks, were to be admitted for such a sum as should appear to the Chamberlain of the City reasonable. Those so admitted were forbidden to take apprentices to the office of Parish Clerks, but might have apprentices to all such manner of craftes, "as their wifis usen and occupien." Previously, the Parish Clerks had founded a chantry at the Guildhall Chapel, and "founde a prest, brede, wyne, wex, boke, vest- ments, and chalise for their auter of S. Nicholas, in the said chapel," and this was reckoned as an equivalent, in some degree, for the grant. On the ground of being " commune " officers of the city, they were freed from all " sommones, wachis, and juries in connection with the City." This con- cession was recognised all along, was the ground of a decision in 1537, was the basis of the rule of 1553, on which Sir Robert lOij. ParisK^Clerks . Vyner's decision as Lord Mayor in 1674 was grounded. In 1777 the Parish Clerks of London looked for this exemption in their charter, instead of in repeated ordinances of the City of London itself, and declined to defend a brother who had been elected in his ward to serve as constable. On admission to the freedom, they were dispensed of " such bondes and burrowes as were required of merchants." Under this agree- ment with the City, " Clerks, freemen of other crafts, mowe be translated to the Parish Clerks' Company." The agreement, as tending to God's glory, and to no man's hurt, was ratified by the Court of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, on 22nd December, 1443. The letters patent of 1442 and 1449 gave the Fraternity of Clerks leave to maintain two priests at the Guildhall Chapel ; the later one of 1475 set the Fraternity free from the expense of one, and gave the masters liberty to have their special altar, either in the Guildhall Chapel or in any other consecrated building This later charter is entered in the City records on 7th November, 1492. What rules and ordinances were made at first for the Fraternity under these letters patent, is not known. In 1504 all such rules and ordinances were ordered to be submitted to the Lord Chancellor, the Lord Treasurer, and the three Chief Justices, for their approval, so that there might be in them nothing prejudicial either to the king's prerogative, or to the hurt of the common people, or in the City of London contrary to any grant of the king, or his predecessors to the said City. Rules for this Fraternity were accordingly approved by Sir Thomas More, Lord Chancellor, the Duke of Norfolk, Treasurer, and the three Justices on gth March, 1529, and enrolled in the City records on 5th February, 1530. Previous to this, in 1524, an application had been made to the City that the arrangement of 1443 be again given effect to, " to which the commonaltie of the city would in no wise consent ne agree." In 1537, the inhabitants of S. Augustine's parish, The Freedom of the City. lo^ elected the Parish Clerk as constable, and under the agree- ment of 1443, were ordered to elect another as constable in his stead. In the month of November, 1544, a long and tedious dispute, which probably arose from this decision of the " Commonaltie," between the Clerks "free" and Clerks "forein" (that is who had not been admitted freemen of the City), came before the court of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen. It appears to have begun by a complaint on the part of a Clerk "free," who had been passed over, as he thought, in the election of officers of the Fraternity, and this he attributed to the action of the Clerks "forein." The matter was argued, pro and con, before the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, at intervals for over a year and four months. A committee of investiga- tion was appointed by the court at first of two members. Sir Martin Bowes and Alderman Jarvis, then of all the City law officers in addition. Compromise was tried. In November, 1544, the Lord Chancellor, Sir Thomas Wriothesley (son of a deceased brother of the Fraternity), wrote a letter in favour of the Clerks urging haste and "fynal order was to be taken," but this "fynal order" was only formally obtained on 17th March, 1545. By this order, twenty (instead of twenty-eight as in 1443), were to be admitted to the freedom for 40/- each. Any other Parish Clerk who had been a Parish Clerk for seven years [after which period a brother was only eligible for a mastership] might be admitted on paying to the Chamber of London the common payment of £^ 13s. 4d. Any one already a freeman, using the faculty of a Parish Clerk, might, with the consent of his present mystery, and that of the Parish Clerks, be translated to the Parish Clerks' Fraternity, but no one was to bear office therein, till made free of the City. "Foreins" may be admitted, but not while " foreins " to hold any office in the Fraternity. Any further disputes are to be referred to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen. But it seems that the annual election on Ascension Day had not been quite harmonious, for on the 15th of June, " it is agreed that for the io6 Parish Clerks. pacifying of certeyn variances lately arisen between the Parish Clerks for the election of the masters and wardens of the Fraternity, that they shall name four of the old sorte, and four of them that were lately made free by redempcion, and present their names to the Lord Mayor, and by his advyce to elect out of them their officers for the year." Another element of dispute arose within two years after, out of the effect of the Act I, Edward VI., confiscating the properties of all Fraternities other than those of mysteres or crafts. In 155 1, variances in the Fraternity are again before the Lord Mayor. In 1552, new rules were prepared to be laid for approval under the Act of 1504, before the Lord Chancellor, &c., and the wardens of the Fraternity were ordered to commit to ward in the Lord Mayor's name all disobedient members. Refusals to pay quarterage were frequent. Another book of ordinances on the recommendation of Sir Martin Bowes and Sir Rowland Hill, was agreed to on 27th April, 1553. By these, the Corporation of Parish Clerks were to be free of the City, either as Parish Clerks or as members of some mystere or craft. No " forein " Clerk or singing man not being freeman of the City of London, shall take upon himself any service or Clerkship within the said City, or liberties thereof, before presenting himself to the masters and wardens of this Company, and paying for his admission 3/4 under penalty of 20/-. One master and one warden were to be chosen out of the Company, that be free by the name of Parish Clerks so long as there be any of the said number to be chosen (those admitted under the agreement of 1545 ?) the other master and warden out of the rest of the Company. Every officer of the Fraternity must be a Parish Clerk or Conduct, and a freeman of the City of London. In these rules the "Assistance" is first mentioned, and charged with the election of officers. Under the rules of 1529, the election of masters was vested in the two present masters, two of the 'iThe Freedom of the City. loy ancientest of those who have been twice masters, the ancientest of those who have been once master, and the six past masters — eleven in all. There were to be chosen annually, in addition, twelve auditors, and to these and the masters in office, was entrusted the election of wardens. Under the rules of 1553, apprentices might be taken as they are had and taken in other Companies of the City. In 1565, the Company's variances are again referred to Sir Martin Bowes and Sir Thomas White. The former bore the chief part in drawing up the agreement of 1545, and in framing the rules of 1553, and the latter, from his known preference for the old forms, probably represented the older class of Clerks. In 1572, only eleven of the older class of Parish Clerks remained, and none of them were, under the rules, liable to serve the office of warden. The Mayor and Aldermen, when appealed to, allowed the Clerks from that time free election of any freeman of the Company, the former proviso being now by time frustrated and made void. In November, 1607, charges were made against the Clerks' Company for disorderly taking of apprentices, and other abuses. In February, 1608, it was decided that they should no longer as Parish Clerks take apprentices, that the number of members should be restricted to the number of churches in the City, unless any church usually had two. Members free of the Parish Clerks' Company, were to be translated to those Companies whose trade or craft they followed. The Parish Clerks were exempt from certain public duties, and those members who were not actually Parish Clerks, took advan- tage of these exemptions. Such as were members of other Companies, and mere Parish Clerks, maybe translated to the Company of Parish Clerks if they desire it, so as to save double charge and attendance. Those who were free of the Parish Clerks' Company, and not Parish Clerks were to be translated to the Companies whose craft they followed, and io8 Parish Clerks. were to deliver up to the Clerks' Company whole and undefaced, without minishing or altering, all such writings belonging to the Company, as were in their possession. The Company were taken bound to make the usual certificates [of christenings, deaths, deaths of and orphans of freemen] at the charge to the Chamber of £^ per annum, considering they are discharged of finding vestments and other charges for S. Mary's Chapel, as formerly they were bound to do for their freedom and liberty. APPENDIX. The following documents are taken from the records of the Corporation of the City of London. "On 22nd December, 22 Henry VI. {1443) there came before Thomas Catworth, Mayor, and the Aldermen, divers good men of the Fraternity of the principal and chief Clerks of the Parish and Collegiate Churches of the City of London, and requested that the articles settled and agreed upon between John Chichele, Chamberlain of the City of London, and the aforesaid Fraternity of Clerks, in reference to the liberties of the said Clerks within the said City of London should be taken into consideration of which articles the tenor follows on these words : — (l.) It is accorded between the Chamberlain of the City of London and the Parish Clerks in the same city that there shall be admitted into the franchise and liberty of the said City, XXVIII. persons in number, for the which admission the said Clerks shall give unto thuse of the Chamber of London, XX lib. (2.) Furthermore if any man desire to be enfranchised as of the said office of Parish Clerk hereafterwards, be this forseyn alway that he be at that time, or else have been continually before a Parish Clerk of the same citie, or else he be not received. And then with acorde with the Cham- berlain for the time being for such a summe as shall seem to him reasonable, and this so witnessed by the goode men of the office of Clerks aforesaid to be presented and admitted. (3.) Also the forseid Clerks shall take no manner of apprentice to the office of Clerk aforesaid, but unto all such manner craftes as their wifis usen and occupien, so as hit maj' stand with the fraunchise and coustumes of the City had before and in uoue other wise. The Freedom of the City {Appendix) . log (4.) Also the foresaid Clerks, for to have this liberty and fraunchise, have granted to founde a prest perpetually to synge and be present in the Chapel of the Guildhall at all divine services therein to be done, saving at all such dyvers times in the year as the seide prest needeth to be sent for by the masters of the Brotherhode of the said Corporation for the time being for their vigils, masses and quarterdays at due tymys to be done, they fynding also to the seid prest, brede, wyne, wex, boke, vest- ments and chalise belonging to thauter of the seid Brotherhode called S. Nicholas auter, in the said Chapel, to the seid perpetual prest assigned. (5.) And also the seid Clerkis desiren forasmuche as they be comune officers in the said citie that they mowe be disported and dispensed with of all somonnes wachis and juries on lasse than it touch the King or his person. (5.) The goodmen aforesaid desiren that forasmoche as they be neither mer- chandis neither artificers, that they be eke dispencedwith of the bondes and borrowes bounden in recognisaunce as goeth upon merchandis and artificers that shall come in by redempcion, as by thordinance thereon made in the time of John Perneys, late Maire, withouten hurt or prejudice of them or of the Chamber as it is in thordinance conteyned. (7.) Also that the aforesaid Clerkis that now been freemen of other craftis mowe at this time be translated unto the seid fellaship officers Parish Clerkys under the costs of the some above written. These articles, treated and examined with due deliberation, were sealed in presence of the Mayor and Aldermen, and as they appeared to tend to the increase of the worship of God and to no man's hurt were ratified, admitted, and accepted as by the authority of the said Court was required for their aforesaid execution, but as all future cases may not be settled by a fixed law or statute the aforesaid Mayors and Aldermen reserve to themselves and their successors full power to add, subtract, correct, or reform, as shall seem to themselves to be expedient." It will be remembered that the Charter of 1475 gave power to the masters for the time being to have only one chaplain, and he was to celebrate the Divine offices either in the Guildhall Chapel, or in any other Church appointed by the masters. This Charter is entered in the City Records in 7th Henry VI. [1492]. Whether this alteration in the Charter was looked on by the City as a reason for setting aside the agreement of 1443 or not is not likely to be determined. On 15th April, 1524, there is this entry : — ■ " As touchinge the Bill of the Parish Clerks, and also the Bill of the Joyneurs they will be advysed to the next coen counselle and thereupon the Bylle of the Parish Clerkes ys delyvered to Maister Comen Seriaunt and to have communica- tion with the Comens for the same. 5th September [1524] " Likenwise was no Parish Clerks. redd the matter and bills of petition of the Parish Clerks of this City being corporate concerning their desire to make XXVIII. freemen of the City paying therefore to the Chamber XX. lib, as by dyvers articles granted to them in the tyme of Mayoraltie of Th. Catworth, the 22nd year of King Henry VI., more plainly apperith, to the which the Comraonaltie would in no wise consent ne agree. 8th February, 21 Henry VIII. [1530]. This day the wardens of the Parish Clerks of this City presented their book of ordinances signed with the seal of Thomas Moore Lord Chancellor, Norfolk, &c., and thereupon it was agreed and decreed that it shall be entered of record, nth January, 28 Henry VIII. [1537]. The Parish Clerks of London came and represented that one of them in S. Augustine's parish was chosen constable. And here they brought with them a table of ordinances whereby they should be discharged of watchis and somonis, and which table is left here to be seen and compared with the record of Henry VI., 1443, and on Tuesday next they be commanded to be here again. 16th January. The Booke of the Parish Clerkes is redelivered again to them and the inhabitants of S. Augustine's parish shall precede to a new election for another constable, and discharge the said Parish Clerk. gth January, 1627, 3 Charles I. It is ordered by this Courte for divers causes and considerations, them moven that who serveth in the office of a P.C., within the City, shall be discharged of and from the place of scavenger whereunto he was chosen upon S. Thomasday last past in the warde of Coleman Strete. November, 35 Henry VIII. [1543]. Nedham movyd the Court for a certyn matter depending in variance between the masters and wardens of the Brother- hood of the Parish Clerks of this City, and one of the same brotherhood, and the cause of the same partly discussed and debated, the same respited till another time. 16th December. — The bills and petition of the Parish Clerks of this City being freemen, were read and the contents thereof by the learned counsellors of either of the parties to the same redd, signed, and delivered, and thereupon agreed that Sir Martin Bowes and Jarvys, Aldermen, &c., shall here and examine the said matter and make reporte here the seconde Court day after Christmas next. loth January (1544). Mr. Bowes and Mr. Jarvis, Aldermen, &c., who were at the Court here, and then and there assigned to here and examyne certeyn matters in variaunce between the P.C. of this City being freemen, and the foreins of the Brotherhode of the said P.C, made their report that they hadde dyvers tymes herde either of the said parties and all their allegacions and that it appered unto them by the same that the gret cause of the said variaunce hath grown by reason that suche of the said Clerks as be freemen be not so commonly admitted to the election of the master and wardens of the said Brotherhode as the foreins be, and uthir some part of their varyaunce therein, but because the Court is redy to arise, respited till the next Courte. The Freedom of the City (^Appendix). in 19th February. The petition of the P.C. being wardens and masters of the Brotherhode of P.C. was redd, and after a long abatement of the causes of varyaunces between them, and the freemen of this City being brethren of the said Brotherhode, and the reports of Bowes and Jarveys, Aldermen, who hereto- fore have at the assynment of this Court travailed in the said matter it was agreed that the said Aldermen calling to them the Recorder and others the learned counsellors of this City should eftsones farther examyne the said matter, and finally determine the cause if they can, or else to make report thereof to this Courte. 9th March. The articles notyd by Mr. Recorder, Mr. Bowes, Mr. Jarvys, Aldermen ; Mr. Chamberlayn, Mr. Hall, Mr. Bresser, Mr. Broke, and the Town Clerk for the apeesing of the variaunce bytweene the P.C, were declared and recited unto the Court npon the debating whereof moche matter did arise the same therefore was respited to the nexte Courte. 27th March. It was agreed that the wardens and fellowship of the P.C. shall make a newe obligation of ^100 to Mr. Chamberlayn to abide the ordre of this Courte in lyke sort as they were before bounden, because the tyme in the same bonde is now at hand, and the matters of their variaunce not yett ended. And that they cause the same new bonde to be sealed against Thursday next, and then to have it redy here to be delyvered for their deed. 1st April. The wardens of P.C, bring in aud delyver bonde to Court. 29th July. For a quietnesse to be had among the PC. of this City it was agreed that where they have elected two freemen to be their wardens, and two freemen to be their maysters, that they shall sequestre one of the said freemen, and another of the said freemen, from the exercise of their said office, and apoint another freeman and another foreyn to supply their roomes for a season until this court shall sett some other orders between them. 23rd October. The petition of the P.C. was redd and they have engaged to be here again the next Court day. 18th November (1544). This day the letter of the Right Honourable the Lord Chancellor of England, written in favour of the P.C, was redd, and agreed that immediately after the end of their matters shall be herd and a fynal order taken therein. 27th November, 36, H. VIII. It was agreed that the foreign P.C. be warned to be here the next court day for the matter in variaunce between them and the P.C. that be free of the Cfty. 2nd December. This day appeared here as well the P C Freemen of this Citie, as also the P.C. being foreyners and their petition in wrytyng red, sub- mitted themselves to abyde such order as Mr. Bowes, Mr. Jarveys, Aldermen, Mr. Chamberlayn, and others of the learned counsellers of the City, had taken and 112 Parish Clerks. devysed in the matter in variaunce between them, and thereupon certeyn articles by the said Aldermen and Counsellers devysed and drawn, were redd to them, and they agreed that it shall be accordingly enacted by the next Common Council, and Mr. the Town Clerke shall draw the booke thereof, and also delyver them a copy of the articles if they so require it. 29th January, 1545. At this Court it was agreed that the P.C. of this City being Freemen shall appoint three of them for their whole number, and likewise the forein P.C. to appoint three of their number, authorising them to prosecute their matters here depending in variaunce between them for the hole body, and that these six persons so authorized, taking each of the articles between them that the Court here is agreed upon, shall declare here upon Tuesday next why the same articles shall not stand and take effect. 3rd February. This day three of the forein P.C. and three of the freemen here appering in the name of the hole brotherhode, did perfectly agree on both the sides unto the articles devysed between them by this Court for the pacifying of such variaunce as of late hath appeared amongst them in every point savying only that this Court is now at the prayer of the said foreyns contented to admit twenty persons being foreyns into the liberties of this city by redemption in likewise as other redempcions be admitted for the haunse of 40/- men;yoned in one of the said articles as therein is agreed in the boke for the enforcing and establishing the said articles made up against the next Common Council. nth February. It was agreed that the P.C. shall be bounden under their Coen Seale to abyde such orders as the Courte shall take between them before the fest of Easter next coming. 25th February. The P.C. have this day brought in their obligation sealed with their Common Seale to abide the orders of this Courte. 17th March. 36 H. VIII. The articles devysed by the Courte for the pacifyinge of the variaunce between the P.C. being freemen, and the foreyn P.C. of the same, were this day, in the presence of a certyn number of either sort of the paid P.C. here being present by and in the notice of and by the consent of the hole fellowship of the Brotherhode of the P.C. openlie, redd, and agreed by the of all the said P.C, and at their desire that the same should be entered of record firmly and stedfastlyat all times from henceforth to be observed and obeyed in every point. Articles agreed to at suggestion of Lord Mayor and Aldermen on 14th February last past, both parties signed an agreement to accept the decision of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen under a bond of £ioa payable to the Charaber- layn of the Citie of London, the award to be given before Easter. I. — Granted that twenty of the same Fraternity which shall be named by the Masters or Governors of the said Fraternity shall be admitted into the liberty and fraunchise of the same city by the name of Parish Clerks and Collegiate Clerks as freemen to all intents and purposes, every one paying to the Chamber of London at the time of admission 40/- sterling. The Freedom of the City {Appendix'). iij II. — Any Parish Clerk shewn by the testimonial! of the Masters or Governors of the Fraternity to have used themselves honestly in the execution of their office of P.C. for seven years before shall be admitted to the liberty upon a reasonable request made to the Lord Mayor for the time being and his brother Aldermen on paying to the Chamber of London the common payment of ;^6 13s. 4d. III. — Any one already a freeman of this Corporation or Mystere using the faculty of exercising the office of a P.C, upon a request made to the Chamber- lain, as well by the Masters or Governors of the Fraternity or Corporation, may be translated from his present Corporation to that of the P.C. if they so desire. No one to bear office till made free of the City. Foreins may be admitted as many as shall seem to the Masters convenient, but they are to bear no office till they be made free. IV.— All P.C, whether free or forein, to be obedient to the Masters for the time being, and pay their dues according to the custom and ordinance of the said Fraternitie, provided they be not prejudiciall to the ordinances of the City of London. V. — All fynes, pains and penalties connected with this suit while before the Lord Mayor, to be remitted. VI. — All further disputes as to this to be referred to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen. VII. — All expenses to be paid out of the common purse. 23rd March. 36 H. VIII. It was agreed that the P.C. freemen or forein shall have copies to them delyvered of the ordinances lately established. On 13th April, twenty forein P.C. were, on the recommendation of the Governors of the P.C, admitted to the liberty at 40/- each, and On 15th June, it is agreed that for the pacifying of certain variances lately arisen between the P.C. for the election of their Masters and Wardens of the Fraternity, that they shall name four of the old sorte, and four of them that were lately made free by redempcion and present their names to the Lord Mayor, and by his advyce to elect out of them their officers for the year. 22nd April, IV. Ed. VI. (1550). Matter of variance between the Wardens of the P.C. and Corporation of the Brotherhood was herd, and well debated, but nothing thoroughly concluded thereon. 25th November, IV. Ed. VI. (1550). Certeyn articles were delyvered unto this Courte by Sir John Gresham, Knight, devysed by the P.C. and commission given by the Courte to the Clerkes to compare their articles with the bookes and records of this City and tliereupon to make a perfect booke. I2th March, V. Ed. VI. (1551). A testimonial! of certain articles, used by the Common Wardens of the fellowship of P.C. in London, to be true directed to the Lord Chancellor, two Chief Justices, Chief Baron, and other the Judges was red and afterwards sealed with the seal of the office of Mayoraltie. //^ Parish Clerks. i8th June, 5 Ed. VI. (1551). It was agreed that the Wardens of the P.C. should commit to ward in my Lord Mayor's name all such disobedient persons of their fellowship as shall refuse honestly to use themselves in obeying their honest rules. loth September, 5 Ed. VI. (1551). Mr. Lamberd and Mr. Curtis, Aldermen, are assyned to here, and determine if they can, such variaunces as now depend between the P.C, or else to make report here of their proceedings therein. gth October, 5 Ed. VI. (1551). The Wardens of the P.C. were licensed to send all such of their fellowship as refuse to pay their duties to ward. 20th October, 5 Ed. VI. (1551). Three men, one belonging to the Taylors' Co., another a barber-surgeon, and a third a carpenter, exercising the science of P.C, to pay their quarterage as other good men of the fellowship do. 27th September, VI. Ed. VI. (1552). Committee appointed of Mr. Jarvys, White, Hynde, and Turke, to here and examine the points at variance, to commit those in the wrong to ward, or else to make reporte to this Courte. nth October, VI. Ed. VI. (1552). Thomas Harold and Christopher St. John, P.C, agree &c, to obey their Masters and Wardens in time forth, according to rules confirmed by this Courte. 6th December, 6 Ed. VI. (1552). Mr. Common Serjeant, Mr. Suthercoke, were appointed to peruse the boke of ordinances of the P.C, here exhibited this day, and to make report whether they be agreeable to the lawes and customs of this city or not. I2th January, 6 Ed. VI. (i553). Mr. Bowes and Mr. Hill, Alderman, assigned to peruse and examine the boke of ordinances of the P.C, and to make report here the next Court day how they do like them. 27th April, 7 Ed. VI. (1553). Approval of book of ordinances prepared by Sir Martin Bowes and Sir Rowland Hill. These were enrolled among the City Records on 2nd May, 7th and 17th under the title, " Rules of P.C, reproduced and amended by Sir Martin Bowes and Sir Rowland Hill, Knights, and others appointed by this Court, approved by the Court and entered on record." SUMMARY OF THESE RULES. Controversy having arisen between some of the Corporation and Fraternity of Parish Clerks, Fellow Clerks, and Conducts of this City, partly from the existing rules, and partly from the question whether by the Act for Suppression of Chantries the Fraternity be not clearly dissolved, the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen agree I. — That the same Corporation and Fellowship of Parish Clerks, Fellow Clerks, and Conducts of this City and Liberties thereof, being free of the same City, of or with any Company or Fellowship, shall from henceforth be one body of themselves incorporated for ever by the name of the Company and Fellowship of Tharte or Mistere of the P.C. of the City of London The Freedom of the City {Appendix). ii^ 11. — They shall have power to elect such persons as are members, or such as have borne the office of Masters or Wardens, or shall in time to come bear these offices to b^ the assistance of the said Company. III. — There shall be chosen by the assistance four persons, whether they or any of thera be free of any other Company or Fellowship or not, two for Masters, and two for Wardens, which two or one of them were never Wardens before, provided always that one of the said Masters and Wardens be always chosen by their free election out of the Company, that be free by the name of the P.C. so long as there be any of the said number to be chosen, and the other Masters and Wardens out of the rest of the Company of Freemen of the City of London. IV. — License to assemble for election of Masters, Wardens, and Assistance, in their Common Hall, or where ever convenient, on Ascension Day, or any other day when necessity requires ; in case of either Master or Warden dying during tenure of office, another to be elected by the Assistance. V. — John Aungel and John Moreman, Masters of the said Company, and Walter Walker and Thomas Molke, Wardens, are to remain in office till the Monday after Ascension Day, and then to give place to the newly elected Masters and Wardens. VI. — The same person not to hold the office of Warden for three iyea^-s after, except for reasonable causes approved by the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen. VII. — Every person elected to office must be a Parish Clerk or Conduct of this Company and a Freeman of the City of London, and no one can hold office of Warden oftener than twice. Disobedience punished by a fine of 40/-, one-half to the Chamber of London, and one -half to the poor of the said Company and Fellowship. VIII. — The yearly audit of Masteis and Wardens Accompts to be fixed by the Assistance ; four auditors to be chosen for the yearly account, which is to be held on the Monday before Whitsonday or two days after. Penalty for neglecting to observe this rule £i, one-half to Chamber of London, and one-half to poor of said Company. IX. — Masters have charge of maintaining and repairing the hall and tenements, wardens of collecting quarterages, arrearages, burial money and paying almsfolk, and shew accounts before two Masters and four Auditors, to make open declaration before the whole of the Assistance on the four quarter days, or within eight days after, and whatever summes of money there are remaining shall be put into a cheste with six lockes whereof either of the said Masters shall have one key severally, two Wardens one each, and two of the ancientest of the Assistance of the said Company, to the intente they may go jointly to the said chest when need shall require. 40/- fine for the contrary to uses aforesaid. In no case is more than 40/- to be spent without consent of Wardens and Assistance declared before the Assistance, ii6 Parish Clerks. X. — Any breach of Master's oath to be fined lo/-, half to Chamber of London, half to poor of Company. Neglect of duties on part of Wardens or Masters to be proved to satisfaction of the Chamberlain who shall appoint a fine and hand it over to Christ's Church Hospital. XI. — Wardens, Masters, and Assistance to be a Court of reconciliation among members ; if their good offices are not accepted, those members refusing, to be committed before the Lord Mayor. Xn. — Dinner day fixed for the Monday before Whit Sunday, all members to go to the Parish Church, or such other Church as the Masters and Wardens shall appoint and there and then to use, and do after such order as the other Companies and Fraternities of this City do use to doo. Every Clerk is to offer one halfpenny to the poor folks box. From Church they are to proceed to their Hall in order to dinner, towards which every member present or absent shall pay eightpence. Any member absent at the beginning of such service or sermon so called shall pay fourpence. Any that offereth not shall pay twopence. Every Clerk or Conduct taking wages or advantage in any Parish or Collegiate Church shall pay three- pence quarterage, and whatsoever Clerk refuseth when lawfully asked shall pay 3/4, Xin. — Furthermore that such order be kept in taking and receyving of Apprentices as be had, and taken in other Companies according to the Liberties of the City. And that no forein Clerk nor singing man not being Freemen of the City of London, shall take upon him any service or clerkship within the said City or Liberties of the same, before he have presented himself to the Masters and Wardens of the said Company and Fellowship of the P.C, and he pay for his admission 3/4, upon payne of him that shall do the contrary twenty shillings to be levied to thuse aforesaid. XIV.— The Bedyll is to be loyal to the King's Majesty and his heirs Kings, to behave himself conveniently to all the Masters and Wardens of Tharte or Mistereof Parish Clerks, Fellow Clerkes and Conducts, being Freetaen of the City of London, give notice when commanded by the Masters and Wardens of Burials, quarter days, &c., conformably to the rules and ordinances established. (For Rules of Burials, see "Parish Clerks and Funerals," and for weekly returns, &c., see " Parish Clerks and Bills of Mortality.") It shall be lawful for the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen to alter or set aside any of the above rules which interfere with liberties or customs had or used m the City of London. 9th June, 7th Edward VI. (1553). Raynold Smiih and Thomas Crone were this day remitted to ward for that they frowardly denied to obey to certaine of the good orders and rules lately devysed by this Courte for the good and quiet governaunce of their hole fellowschipp. 27th June, 7th Edward VI. (1553). Parish Clerks excused all manner of watches. See nth and 15th January, 1537. The Freedom of the City {Appendix!) iiy 2ist June, 1st Mary (1554), At this Court it was ordeyned and agreed that for sundry considerations movying the same that albeit that the Parish Clerkes by negligence and oversight have now of late at the time of their election of their new officers, elected and chosen both their Masters and also their Wardens for the yere ensuing, contrary to their own rules and ordinances lately established and confirmed by this Courte, that all the self same persons so elected to the rooms and offices shall be henceforth and by order of this Courte stand still and remain for this once in the said roomes and offices according to their election unto the same, upon condition that if they or any of the said fellowship shall hereafter commit the like offence, that thenne the said offenders in that behalf shall fine and lose the double value of the penalty appointed in that behalf by their said rules and ordinances. 27th February, 7th Elizabeth (1565). Complaint was made that divers persons exercising the office of Clerks and Conducts in Churches in the City of London, did not pay their quarterages, it was agreed that the said persons so denying be committed to ward till they pay. nth May, 7th Elizabeth (1565). The order of the matter in variance between the Parish Clerks being free and the Governors of their Company, was wholly referred to Sir Martin Bowes, and Sir Thomas White, Knights. loth June, 1572, 14th Elizabeth. The supplication of the Company of the P.C. Freemen of the City exhibited unto this Court, here this day, was redde and the contents granted unto them by this Courte, according to the effect of the same bill. The tenor of which bill ensueth worde for worde vide licet. "To the Right Honourable Sir William Allen, Knight, Lorde Maior of this City of London, and his Right Worshipful Brethren the Aldermen of the same City. In most humble wyse complayning schewen unto your honourable worshippis your poor orators the Companye of Parische Clerkes, Freemen of the City of London, that where in the time of the late Mayoraltie of Sir George Barnes, Knight, your orators obtained certain decrees and ordinances for the good guiding and governing of the same Company. Amongst which one was that the Masters and Wardens should be chosen generally as well amongst the Company of the said Parish Clerkes as also amongst others of them that be free of any other Company or Fellowship. In which said decree there is a proviso that one of the said Masters and one of the said Wardens be always chosen by the free election of the Companye that be free by the name of Parish Clerkes so long as there be any of that number to be chosen. So it is right honourable and worshipful that at this present there are but eleven of the same Company of Parish Clerkes, and none of them at this time by thorders of the same Company liable to serve the turne to be Warden of the said Company of mere Parish Clerks, and for that also they cannot by reason of the said proviso elect and chose in general amongst the whole number as well of them as of others, may it ii8 Parish Clerks. therefore please your good Lordschip and Worshippe to graunt and to decree that they may now and at all times hereafter have free and general election according to the aforesaid decree, the proviso aforesaid being frustrated and made voyde. And they shall pray to God for the prosperous estate of your Honours and Worshippes." 5th February, 5th James I. (1608). Sir James Middleton, Knight, Mr. Leman, Mr. Chamberlain, Mr. Wrothe, Mr. Collyn, and Mr. Robert Smyth, to whom the examination of the cause touching the Parish Clerkes was referred by this Courte, made their report in writynge touching the same, the tenor whereof ensueth. Whereas, the 26th of November last past, it was appointed by order of Courte, that any four or more of the persons whose names are subscribed, should consider of the causes enformed to this Courte against the brethren of Parish Clerkes for their disorderlie taking of apprentices and other abuses, and to ende the same, or make reporte thereof to this Courte in writing under our hands. We have called the Parish Clerkes before us, and have heard their allegations, and examined the matters informed against their brotherhood according to the purport of the said order. And firste we think it not meete that anie Parish Clerk should at any time hereafter take any apprentice to be made free of this City of the Brotherhood of Parish Clerks, or that there should be any more in number of the said Clerks than there shall be Churches, except anie Church do need and shall maintain two Clerks, which is not usual. And we think it fit that such as be free of the Parish Clerks, and are not Parish Clerks by office or service, should now be translated to such other Companies whose trades they use and not shrcwde themselves from ordinary service and charge incident to other citizens of their trade, by color of being Parish Clerks when in truth they are not in any such office, but use and occupy other trades of buying and selling. And such as be free of other Companies, and are mere Parish Clerkes, may be translated to the Company of Parish Clerkes, if they so desire it, for savying of double charge and attendance, and that if anie of them shall at any time hereafter take anie apprentice to be made free of the Company whereof he was free, and whose trade he used before he was a Parish Gierke, he shall be stinted touching the number of his apprentices by the Wardens of the Company whose trade he useth. Also that such as now be free of the Company of Parish Clerks, and are to be translated to other Companies, to deliver to the Company of Parish Clerks all such writings and other things as they have concerning the same Company of Parish Clerks, whole and undefaced, without minishing or altering according to truthe. The Freedom of the City (^Appendix). i ig And we think it fit that no forein Clerk be hereafter made free of that Brother- hood, with anie liberty to take an apprentice, or to make his children free, or any other course, savying only for their own persons during their lives, and that not under the rate of £. Finally we think it meet that the Parish Clerkes make the usual certilieates without any more charge to the Chamber but £c, per annum, in regard that they are discharged of finding vestments and other charges to S. Mary's Chapel, as formerlie they were bounden to do for their freedom and liberty. Reported and signed by the six Commissioners, and approved and ordered to be recorded. Item. It is ordered that such Parish Clerks free of this City, as are to be translated to other Companies, by virtue of a late order shall pay only one-half of their fees to the Chamber and Officers of this Citye for the same. Item. Bushel, here present, of the Parish Clerks was with consent of the Wardens of the several Companies of Parish Clerks and Cutlers here likewise present, translated from the Parish Clerks to the Cutlers, paying the usual fees. t0 ms* This decision of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen made the rules of 1553 no longer applicable to the Company which seems then to have set to work to suit their ordinances to their altered circumstances. These were approved previous to March, 1610, in accordance with the Act of 1504, and in these for the last time occurs officially the ancient title, "The Fraternity or Guild of the honoured and blessed S. Nicholas, Bishop and Confessor." The earliest existing minutes in possession of the Company begin on 26th March, 1610. They give a rather unfavourable view of its then state. " Many of the inferior sort of the Fraternitie have very uncivilly, without any regard of their dewties unto the masters and wardens of this Society or Fellowship, even inhumanly and irreverently in their speeches and questions heretofore carried and demeaned themselves towards the said masters and wardens in their Common Hall and elsewhere in other places, as also to the whole body of the assistants of the said Company in their common assemblies and usual courts, without any respect either of their persons, authority or place of office, it is agreed by the Court that all and every assistant shall set a Charters and Ordinances subsequent to 1608. 121 good example by coming in due time, by sitting in their gownes, under penalty of I2d. fine, by agreeing that all un- seemly speeches or terms, all indecent gestures or demeanour, shall be punished by such reasonable fine or fines as shall be fixed by the masters for the time being. Everyone is to have free liberty to speak his mind without interruption on the matter in discussion, but if he continue after the master hath called for silence by the knock of his mallet, he shall forfeit and pay for every such fault such fine as shall be thought sufficient at the time. Whatever is agreed to by the majority shall be set down in writing and then engrossed in a court book kept for that purpose." Approved and engrossed on 19th April, 1610, seventeen members of the Court being present. Several of the Parish Clerks refused to take the oaths of the Society, and pay their quarterages as required by the rules, and two, Robert Haxby, of S. Peter's, Cornhill, and Morgan Powell, of S. James, Garlickhythe, were, on 8th May, 1610, singled out for an example. They were each fined ;^3 for standing out from, and aloof from this Company, contrary to the rules and ordinances confirmed by his majesty the King. On 6th July, the first is allowed a month to consider the matter, and on the 6th August, made his resolute answer that he will not be sworn to this Company. His confederate does not appear again till 1622, when he, with four others, is fined 20/- each, for refusing the oath, though on 21st March, 1626, the name of Morgan Powell appears on the list of the Court of Assistants. In November a petition is presented to the Lord Mayor and Alderman, which probably referred to this matter, and a committee was appointed to end or determine the same, or report to the Chamber their opinion thereon. The position seems to be this. The rules of 1553 had been set aside. The Company had been loose in its management. They were now acting under the new rules of 1610 (?) approved by the king. But were they really a Company, or only a Society which had been under certain rules approved by 122 Parish Clerks. the Lord Mayor and Aldermen ? They were face to face with the question of incorporation. The doubt as to the effect of the Fraternity statute of Edward VI., had apparently never been solved. The Company on loth December, 1610, resolve to apply for a new charter. " Learned council had advised that their ancient charters are altogether insufficient in law." They therefore "resolve to borrow on the security of their plate, sufficient to defray the expenses of a new charter." The Clerks of S. Katherine-by-the-Tower, and S. John-in-the Savoy, both royal peculars, refuse to be included in the charter, as members of the proposed corporation. The grant of incorporation was dated December 31st, 161 1, and the date of the charter is 9th January, 1612. By this charter they were incorporated "as the Parish Clerks of the parishes and parish churches of the City of London, the liberties thereof, and seven out of the nine out-parishes adjoining, and their ordinances of 1610 (?) were again confirmed. Parish Clerks for the City and Liberties only, and not those of the out-parishes were eligible for office in the Company. Returns for the bills of mortality and of the deaths of freemen were to be made by all Parish Clerks, whether of the City, of the liberties, or of the nine outparishes. Power was granted to the masters and wardens to examine every Parish Clerk admitted to office within these bounds as to whether he can sing the Psalms of David according to the usual tunes used in the said Parish Churches, and whether he is sufficiently qualified to write his weekly return. If not so qualified on report to the ordinary, to the Chancellor of the Diocese or peculiar respectively, and on due proof of his want of proper qualification, a remit is to be made to those who have the right of election to make choice of a sufficient man in his place or room. They were allowed also to hold lands to the value of ;£50 yearly." Between this period and 1635 the pro- visions of this Charter had been found in some way insufficient. The good offices of Archbishop Laud are requested on their Charters and Ordinances subsequent to i6oS. 123 behalf, and he referred the petition to Sir John Lambe for consideration and report ; with what result is not known. But on February 24th, 1636, is passed a new grant of incorporation for the Parish Clerkes of London, liberties of the same, the nine out-parishes, and Westminster, in which each particular Clerk is licensed to receive his wages of the parishioners, and for non-payment to sue for the same in the Ecclesiastical Courts. The Company was also empowered to choose one master and one warden of the Clerks of the out-parishes for any one year. The company was still governed by two masters and two wardens. On 26th February, 1638, the Company "appoint a Com- mittee of eleven (any four to form a quorum) to repair to the king's solicitor, or any other learned council that were formerly employed in the matter of the last charter, to take advice concerning some defects supposed to be in the same, and how these defects may be amended." On 24th May it was agreed to draw up a note of the points required to be added or amended, and after the same had been seen and agreed to by the court, to proceed to get the new charter passed as expeditiously as possible at the charge of the Company. These points were: (i), an extension of their jurisdiction to Westminister, Southwark, and the fifteen out- parishes; (2), the clause as to collecting their own wages to be made clearer ; (3), power to appoint a substitute ; (4), power to make the returns more complete, by such persons or persons as ring the bells, or shall do the office at the burial, sending in due reports ; (5), to be free from all offices or police duties; (6), sole right of printing the bills, and; (7), to cause all searchers to make true reports. The new charter was dated 17th February, 1640. Hackney and the other fifteen out-parishes were added to those formerly incorporated. Before this time, however, they had been included in the bills of mortality, by whose order does not appear, probably, the J24 Parish Clerks. king's. Henceforth there was to be only one master of the Company. Not more than the master and one warden was to be chosen in any one year, out of the Parish Clerks of the out- parishes. Each Parish Clerk was empowered to collect his wages in his own parish, and to sue for it in the Ecclesiastical Courts. The church wardens were prohibited from receiving or collecting the Clerks' wages, but were ordered to present to the Bishop's Court all defaulters in paying. As disputes had been frequent as to the valuation of houses and property, the Bishop of London or his Chancellor was to assess all new buildings. It is under this Charter that the Parish Clerks are still an incorporated society or company. The ordinances, based on this charter, were approved in accordance with the Act of 1504, on 13th April, 1640. In 1678 an attempt was made to get a bill passed to settle the mode of collecting and paying the Clerks' wages, and to make the bills of mortality more correct. In 1684, at the time of the confiscation, or attempted confiscation of the charters of the City and City Companies, a proposal was made to obtain a new Charter for the Clerks, butthe Attorney-General said, "it need not be done." The existing " wardens' accounts " begin with the first audit after the masters and wardens of 1636 entered on their office. Those of 1637 and 1640 give some items relating to expenses of the charters and ordinances as follows : — £ s. d. 1637 (May). — For entering our Charter in the Bishop of London's Registry 368 For a clock and a case to it, presented to my Lord Grace of Canterbury ... ... ... 22 o o Expenses in going to Lambeth with it 040 Paid for a salmon presented to my Lord Grace of Canterbury, and expenses there ... ... 2 6 G Charters and Ordinances subsequent to 1608. 12^ 1638 (May 2ist). — Spent in going to my Lord Grace of Canterbury with our petition and given there to his secretary and others ... 118 March 12th. — Given to the King's Solicitor for counsell touching our Charter ... ... 2 o Q Given to Mr. Sidney, his clerk, at the same time o 10 o 1640 (Feb. loth). — Paid Mr. Sidney towards the passing of our ordinances... ... ... 24 o o For ten sugar loaves presented to my Lord of Canterbury ... .. 4 4 Paid his Lordship's secretary 2 o Given to the porters there at the same time ... 5 June 1st. — Paid my Lord Keeper his fee for subscribing our ordinances 600 Given to my Lord Keeper's, my Lord Trea- surer's, and to my Lord Chief Justice Bramp- ston's gentlemen, and to their porters about the same business 3 10 o Mr. Sidney what he laid out, more than he received about the same business 3 o For vellum and for engraving the ordinances... 5 ^S o Paid Mr. Sidney for his pains about the ordi- nances 500 Given to his man i 10 o August 3rd.— Given Dr. Duck, for a fee con- cerning the new book of articles i o To his two Clerks (53. a-piece) o 10 o o (£,0vp0VixXi0n* Three special duties were incumbent on the Parish Clerks of London in their connection with the Corporation. 1st. — Attendance at the service in the Guildhall Chapel, on Michaelmas day, previous to the election of the Lord Mayor. 2nd. — To make returns of the deaths of Freemen in their respective parishes. 3rd. — To make returns weekly of the number of deaths and christenings in their respective parishes. For the first, the Clerks, as has been already shown, had their altar and priest in the chapel of S. Mary Magdalene, at the Guildhall. Alter the election of Sir Thomas White, as Lord Mayor, on Michaelmas day, 1553, the first year of Queen Mary, the Court of Aldermen ordered on 3rd October, " that the Chamberlain shall pay unto the Parish Clerks of this City, 20s., viz.: 6s. 8d. for their old accustomed fee due unto them and the prieste, singing and keeping the mass of the Holy Gooste upon Michaelmas Day, in the Guildhall Public Duties imposed by the Corporation. 12'j Chapel, before the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Coens, before that they do go to the election of the new Lord Mayor, and the residue thereof of the free gift of the City." The first formal notice of this special service on the occasion of the election of the Lord Mayor is in 1406, at the election of Richard Whittlngton. " It is ordered that a mass of the Holy Ghost should be celebrated, with solemn music, in the chapel annexed to the said Guildhall, to the end that the same commonaltie by the grace of the Holy Spirit, might be able peacefully and amicably, to nominate two able and proper persons to be mayor of the City for the ensuing year, the same mass, by ordinance of the Chamberlain for the time being, to be solemnly chanted by the finest singers, in the chapel aforesaid and upon that feast." Subsequently to this the Guildhall Chapel was re-built and dedicated on 30th October, 1444. In 1442 John Wells, Alderman (whose name appears on the Parish Clerks' Bede Roll), "left money for the glaseyng of thest wyndowe in the Yeldhall Chapel." Was it because the Clerks were chosen as "the finest singers " that they chose the Guildhall Chapel for their altar, or were they chosen as " the finest singers " because they had placed their altar and their priests in that chapel. Next year, when the time for payment for the services came round, the City found that the "residue" might be employed for other purposes, and on the 5th February, 1555, " it was ordered and agreed by the whole Courte this day, that the fellowship of the Parish Clerks of this City, as well for and in consideration of the service that they do, and hereafter shall do to the same City, the daye of the election of the newe Lord Mayor, in kepynge of the mass of the Holy Gooste at the Guildhall Chapel ; "As also in certifying monthly the names of all the Freemen of this City, that dye within the same tyme in the several 128 Parish Clerks. parishes where they do serve as Parish Clerks unto the Lord Mayor's Court, together with the names of all the children of every such freeman being within age ; " And in consideracion also that they do, and shall wekelye certifye to every of thaldermen, the number of all the persons that do dye within the said City, within that time, and whereof they do dye, shall have yeerlye from henceforth of the free gift of the City, to the relief and comforte of the poore people of their fellowship, 20s. to be paid to them by the Chamberlain of the said City, for the time being quarterlie in even portions." This order, it will be seen, embraces all their three public duties to the Corporation. On 3rd February, 1624, it is ordered " that the yearly fee of 6s. 8d. allowed the masters and wardens of the Company of Parish Clerks, for their service performed in the Guildhall on every Michaelmas Day, at the election of the Lord Mayor, shall be increased to 20s., as of the free gifte of this Court." The fee did not cover all the Clerks' expenses on that day, for in the accounts of 1636 there occurs : — £ s. d. Paid for dinner at the Red Lyon, on Michael- mas Day last ... ... ... ... ... 4 7 10 Spent before we went into Chappell the same day 022 Given the same day to the two singing men of Paul's I2d. a-piece ... ... 020 And in 1664, spent at the Whalebone in Loth- bury on Michaelmas Day ... 2 19 o The duty is again referred to in the Company's ordin- ances of 1640 in these terms. " Forasmuch as the said masters and wardens and brethren of Parish Clerks are Public Duties imposed by the Corporation. i2g enjoined yearly upon the feast day of S. Michael the Archangel, to come to the said Church of S. Mary Magdalene, near the Guildhall of London, to perform their service in singing the psalmes and anthems before and after divine service and sermon, usually there upon that day according to ancient custome. It is therefore hereby ordained that such a convenient number of the said Company, as are most skilful in singing, and which shall be thought most fit and able to perform that service by the master and wardens of the said Company for the time being, shall be for that purpose yeerely warned and summoned to come to the said Chapel on the feast day in decent manner in their gownes, under a penalty of 3s. 4d. on refusing or neglecting to attend." In 1664 the same duty is referred to, when the new organ is bought. As the Clerks had probably ceased to employ " singing men of Paul's" to assist them in this service, and their organ had become silent in their minutes, at least since 1828, this charge fell into abeyance some years ago, when the services of the choir of S. Lawrence, Jewry, to which this service had, on the closing of the old Guildhall Chapel, been entirely transferred, were preferred to those of this ancient historic Fraternity. Return of ^nceaaei' freemen* Second duty incumbent on the Clerks. The first Charter of Richard III. to the City of London grants to the Mayor and Aldermen the custody of all orphans, and the keeping of their lands and goods. An account of the Court of Orphans may be found in the introduction of Dr, Sharpe's Calendar of Wills, vol. i. In the City Records of /■JO Parish Clerks. date nth January, 1546, the following minute is found. "It was agreed that my Lord Mayor shall give in commandment to the governors and wardens of the fellowship of the Parish Clerks of this City, that they and their successors, masters, and wardens of the said Fraternity for the time being, shall cause all the Clerks of this City and the suburbs of the same, diligently and truly to present to the common crier of this City for the time being, the name and surname of any freeman that shall die, and depart within any parish of this City, having any child or children at the time of his departure, within the age of 21 years, within one week always next after the death of every such freeman, and also the names of the said children. In consideration whereof it was also agreed that the said Parish Clerks shall yerely have out of the Chamber of London, by the hands of the Chamberlain for the time being, 13s. 4d,, to be always ■ paid to the masters and governors of the said brotherhood for the time being at Lady Day, S. John Baptist's Day, Michaelmas and Christmas." On i6th October it is agreed "that the Chamberlain pay to the Parish Clerks 13s., 4d. as above agreed to." In the ordinances of the Company of 1553^ the wardens are to make weekly reports as above, " to the intent that orphanage may be known according to the laudable custom of the said City." In 1555, the return is spoken of as "monthly"; in 1614, "as a weekly return to the Clerk of the orphans of the names of all freemen or freemen's widows deceasing within or without the City, and the clerk of orphans to deliver to Mr. Common Sergeant a copy thereof." In 1626 the order becomes more stringent, to report in addition "what trade the freemen used, in what parish, place, street, or lane, he dwelt at his decease, whether he left orphans, and whether any estate or portion is, or shall be thought to come to them, whereby better inquiry and satis- faction may be had and made, touching the goods of the said orphans, and securing of theii: portions than heretofore hath been." The great fire of i666, and the scattering of the Public Duties imposed by the Corporation. i^i population into the suburbs, appear to have rendered the discharge of this duty much more difficult. In the early part of 1667, complaints are rife as to the out-parishes not returning the names of freemen. Ten years after, the Court of Alder- men give orders, " that in consequence of irregularities in making due returns to this Court of the deaths of freemen, the Chamberlain forbear payment of the sum yearly allowed the Clerks' Company, till further orders." The officers of the Company meet in August, 1678, to consult as to how the suspension can be removed, and in September the Court, upon the engagement of the Clerks to be more careful in making their returns for the future, order the customary allowance to be paid. In 1680 and 1685, there was another order to stop the allowance, and another submission ; on this last occasion, four members of the Company were fined for not returning names of freeman, and in 1695, the Company of Clerks "give orders for drawing up and printing new rules for the better observance of making the weekly reports, with the addition of the several freemen and widows, as also the places where they respectively lived." In 1691 the Clerk of S. Bride's pays a fine of 5s. for not returning two freemen, deceased. The duty of returning the names of freemen, and the expense incurred thereby, were urged as reasons for exemption from the tax on pamphlets in 171 1, and the last notice of this duty in the minutes, is in 1732, when those who neglect this duty are to be fined, and a copy of this order is to be sent to each Parish Clerk. ^iUfir 0f |Utj?i;rtalit^. The third duty laid on the Parish Clerks was to make, for the information of the Court of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen, and of the King and Privy Council, when required to do so by the Lord Mayor, a weekly return of the number of deaths in each parish, specifying at first how many died of the plague, and how many of other diseases. In the ordinances of 1553 these returns are ordered to be made in like manner and custom as heretofore hath been accustomed. How far back did heretofore extend? In the Calendar of Domestic State Papers, Henry VIII., 1528, Vol. IV., Pt. IL, 4633, two weekly returns are referred to. Both refer to August, — the first for the week 5th to 12th August, and the second for eight days from the 6th to the 14th August. In the first are returns from 102 parishes. From 37 of these is reported a total of 62 deaths, 31 plague and 31 not plague. From 65 no death is reported. In the second are reports from 98 parishes. From 63 of these is reported a total of 152 deaths and from 35 none. The two reports are very much alike in form (both distinguish plague and no plague deaths), but the first sums up at its close the total plague and no plague deaths. On the second, endorsed " to the Lord Mayor," is a promise " another will be sent this day seven night." The second covers a day less at the beginning and two Bills of Mortality. 133 days more at the end, and reports 152 deaths as against 62. Surely such a difference implies August in different years, and very probably consecutive years. There is a third in the British Museum of suggested date 1532, which gives " the return of courses [corpses] beryed of the plague within the City of London sins the i6th day of November unto the 23rd of the same month." On 20th October of that year the Mayor was commanded by the King's Council to certify how many have died of the plague. On the 31st a return is given of 99 from the plague and 27 from other causes, apparently a weekly return. In the beginning of November "the death is swaged." The bill goes on to say that " there had died of the plague 34 persons, and of other sickness 32." Deaths had occurred in 37 parishes ; of these 14 are reported clear of plague, leaving 23 affected. The sum of the reports is given as from fourscore and six parishes, of which 63 are clear. As these three reports all differ in the number of parishes reported from, but all include parishes in the City and Liberties, but none in the suburbs, it may be concluded that the returns were not, even at that early period, very regularly made. Some of the pre- cincts were not under the jurisdiction of the Lord Mayor, and it may be the " forein " Parish Clerks were careless as to making returns. On 22nd August, 5th, nth and 27th Septem- ber, 1535, and on July 21st, 1537 (Cal. Dom. State Papers), there are references to the Lord Mayor's weekly certificate of the pestilence. If 1528 be the correct date of the first certificate above-mentioned — heretofore would extend at the very least back to that year. The ordinance of 1553 runs thus : " That the said wardens from henceforth shall write, or cause to be written weekly, the certificates of all such persons as shall die or depart within the City of London and the Liberties thereof in such manner, and form, as heretofore hath been accustomed, and thereupon make a certificate to the Lord Mayor of this City for the time 124 Parish Clevks. being, as often and as long as commandment shall be given so to continue by the said Lord Mayor for the time being, and so from tyme to tyme." " And that every Parish Clerk of any such parish where an Alderman dwelleth, in like manner shall deliver a copy of the certificate weekly delivered to the said Lord Mayor, containing the number of persons being dead that week, to such Alderman or men as dwelleth within the parish of which he is Parish Clerk, the same to be delivered upon every Sunday, after every such certificate be delivered to the Lord Mayor during the time that the said certificate shall continue." In 1555 the order runs: "The numbers of all the persons that do die and whereof they die." In the great plague of 1563 the numbers affixed to a Bill of 1582 in the Parish Clerks' Hall, with neither name, date, nor printer, is stated to be, from ist January to 31st December, 20,372, of which 17,404 died of the plague. Machyn, who is believed to have died during this visitation, records in April "a cross was set at every door of blue aiid a writing under. Every man in every street and lane makes fires thrice in the week for to have the air open, cese the plague in the City, and so to continue the fire in every street and lane." The number of deaths raised the question of sufficient burial ground, and an order was issued by the Lord Mayor to the Clerks to report on the present state and space available in the City churchyards, incase of another visitation. On 22nd February, 1564, a reminder was issued to them to make the returns with all speed. One result of the inquiry was the setting apart the Bethlem burying ground (now under Broad Street Station) by Sir Thomas Rowe, whose wife is said to have been buried there at her own request, as an example; for the inhabitants of the City were shy of using the new ground. On 27th April, 1564, the Court " granted to the Fellowship of the Parish Clerks for making the weekly certificates of the dead within the City Bills of Mortality. ij^ of a long season, ;^5." In 1570 the weekly return was ordered to be framed so as to shew (i) the number of deaths within the walls, (2) the number without and within the Liberties, and (3) the number in the out-parishes not being of the Liberty. In 1578 the certificate is described as "of the burials and chris- tenings," and the yearly payment is raised from 20s. to 40s. In October, 1581, it was again raised to ;£3 6s. 8d., in consideration of the weekly book they certifie of the names of those who die within the City, Liberties, and suburbs of the same. In the return of 1582 the parishes (109) are set down in alphabetical order, as in those of 1592-4, with the total christenings at the end. The number of deaths in the City is given as 6,930, of which 3,075 were of plague ; in the out-parishes 430, of which 239 were plague cases. The report adds " I have set forth the parishes and their numbers, according as the same came to me in the weekly reports. Therefrom I have drawn the total sum for giving a true report." The ;«e was probably the Clerk to the Company. In this year (1582) the Lord Mayor reports to the Lords of Council: "The Parish Clerks have been appointed to see to the shutting up of mfected houses and putting papers on the doors.'' On the 27th November Lord Burghley requests " that the Lord Mayor would send to him an account of the increase or diminishing of the sickness from the infection in the City, with the number of christenings." On 6th December the Lord Mayor, in reply, forwards an account of the increase in the sickness within the City's jurisdiction since the beginning of the year, and promises to continue it weekly. The returns of 1592 were general, and give a total of 17,844 deaths, of which 10,662 were of the plague, but those of 1593-4 were given weekly for each parish. Reports, so far as pre- served in the Clerks' Hall went, then ceased till the last week of 1603, and from this time they were kept carefully in the Clerks' Hall till the fire of 1666. But there is a bill for 1603 beginning on 17th March of that year, and continuing till /j(5 Parish Clerks. the end of the year, and this bill is printed in conformity with the orders of 1570 by John Windet, printer to the City of London. It reports deaths 37,333, of which 31,919 were of the plague. In the beginning of 1604 the order for christenings is extended "tothe Dutch and French churches." How far returns were made from them is not known. At the same time, probably by the King's orders, eight out-parishes — S. Clement Danes, S. Giles-in-the-Fields, S. James (Clerkenwell), S. Katherine (Tower), S. Leonard (Shoreditch), S. Mary (White- chapel), S. Martin-in-the-Fields, and S. Mary Magdalen (Ber- mondsey) were added, and in 1606 S. Mary-of-the-Savoy (?). On the 6th of June the Clerks got their annual payment of ;^3 6s. 8d. In 1607 (24th September), the wardens are re- quired to make " one bill for the King's Majesty, another for the Queen, and a third for the Lord Chancellor, where formerly they made only one for the King," and their payment is in- creased to £^. In January, 1609, the bills of the sickness, with the usual bookes, are ordered "to be delivered to the Lord Mayor and this Court by eight of the clock every Thursday morning, and no bills are to be delivered to any other person whatsoever, before ten o'clock in the same forenoon, under pain of imprisonment." There seems to have been need for some restriction, for in a minute of the Company of next year, com- plaint is made " that many false and untrue bills of the number of deaths, as well as of the common sickness called the plague, have been of late times and still are, delivered and given out by members of this Fellowship, whereby the same bills, being variously delivered, can receive no certain belief or credit, neither at home nor in foreign parts beyond the seas, whither they be many times transported to the public hurt and incon- venience of sundry the King's subjects, merchants, and others in their trade and residence beyond the seas." It is ordered also "that what brother of this Company soever shall by any cunning device, practice, or means, give away, disperse, utter, or declare, or by any sinister device, cast forth at any window, Bills of Mo rtality . i^'j howle, or crevice of a wall of this house, any bills or notes, whereby the reports of these returns for that week may be known or uttered abroad, before the book is given to the Lord Mayor, shall pay los. fine, one half to the Chamber of London, and one-half to the poor of this Company, and shall suffer in addition such punishment as shall seem fit to the masters and wardens of this Company." In the Charter of 1612 stringent clauses are laid down to guard against such abuses, and these extend to the seven out-parishes, and the parish of S. Katherine- by-the-Tower and S. John, Savoy, the Clerks of which two parishes had refused to be included in the Company's Charter. In 1 624 the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen required that the general sickness should be stated on the back of the bills. In 1629 the Company order a return of sex, and this is also pro- vided for in the ordinances of 1640. In 1626 S. James (Duke Place) is added, and in 1629 Westminster, but no specification of diseases, except cases of plague. In 1636 Hackney, Islington, Lambeth, Newington, Rotherhithe, and Stepney were added by the King's command, and in the Charter of 1640 the Clerks of these parishes were incorporated with the Company. These, as in the case of Westminster, returned the number of deaths, and specified only the cases of plague. As the original parishes were sub-divided into parochial or quasi-parochial districts, these were added to the number of parishes, but there was no further extension of what was known as within the bills of mortality. In 1624 the annual payment for the bill was raised to £^\, " in consideration of their endorsing on the backe of the bills the several diseases thereof." In 1631 the total yearly payments from the City to the Company, in respect of the bills of mortality, returns of freemen, and attendance on Michaelmas Day, was fixed at £15. These bills were at first collected and returned under the authority of the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen, and continued by their order during a visitation of the /jc? Parish Clerks. plague, or so long after as they thought requisite for the good of the City. Captain Graunt tells us that the original entries in the hall books were as exact in the very first year (1592) as to all particulars as now (1660), and the specifying of casualties and diseases probably more so. He was the first who tried to use these returns for statistical purposes. Previous to his attempt the bills appeared to him "to be of little other use than to see whether the burials increased or decreased, what casualties rare and extraordinary occurred in the week current as a text in the next company, or what was the increase or decrease of the plague, that so the rich might judge of the necessity of removal, and the tradesmen might conjecture what doings they were like to have in their respective dealings." The general form of the bills varied, he says. Some change in form had been ordered in i6og, for on the 22nd of June the Clerks are required before Monday next to bring to the Chamber of London all the late printed bills with the addition of Middlesex and Surrey, to the end Mr. Chamberlain may judge of the value of them, and on the 27th, on the report of a Committee appointed to consider the matter, it is ordered "that Mr. Chamberlain shall give the Clerks £fi 13s. 4d., in satisfaction of the charge which they have been at for 17I reams of blank printed bills, by them delivered into the Chamber and wholly lost, in regard the form of the bill so printed was altered by express order and direction of the Lords of his Majesty's most honourable privy council." How were these bills drawn up ? When anyone died, either by tolling or ringing of a bell, or by bespeaking of a grave of the sexton, the same was made known to the searchers corres- ponding with the sexton. These searchers were appointed by the most eminent men of the parish (probably vestrymen or overseers), and examined touching their efficiency. They were then sworn before the Dean of Arches, or a justice of the peace. They were ancient women of good reputation in Bills of Mortality. i^g the parish, and bound to repair to the place where the dead body lay, to view and search the dead bodies, and by other inquiries to examine by what disease or casualty the person died. This they report to the Parish Clerk. These he again reported [from Wednesday at four o'clock to Wednesday again (1611); from Tuesday at eight o'clock to Tuesday (1627) ; and in the ordinances of 1640 six o'clock ; but in the great plague of 1665 (July 24 and October 30) from two o'clock on Tuesdays to Tuesday, instead of six o'clock as formerly, so as to be ready by eleven o'clock on Thursdays], to the Clerk of the Company at the Clerks' Hall. A box was placed at the top of the staircase in the Hall (1627), with a slit in the top, into which the bills were dropped. On Wednesday they were arranged and printed. Copies were delivered to the Lord Mayor for his own use and the use of the Court of Aldermen and for the King before eight on Thursday morning, and by ten, copies were delivered to the Parish Clerks for sale in their respective parishes at i6d. per quire, with diseases on the back side, or 8d. without the diseases. These they retailed in their parishes at 4s. per annum, or id. apiece. From 1660 the price of bread as fixed by the assize was added. Disputes were of frequent occurrence as to selling bills in each other's parishes, and there was a standing rule that " hawkers, mercury women, or other retailers, should not have bills at the Hall." The bills at first were simply plague or no plague ; then in the City casualties and other diseases were added. The out- parishes and Westminster reported simply plague or no plague, till about 1660. The imperfectness of the returns seem to have been recognised from an early time. In 1650, on the petition of the Court of the Parish Clerks' Company, at a cost to them of £d^ 13s. 6d., an order was issued by the Council with special reference to the out-parishes, " to all Parish Clerks to bring in their bills as before, and where there is no Parish Clerk, the Churchwardens are to 1^0 Parish Clerks. perform that duty, and the Clerk of the Parish Clerks' Com- pany is ordered to return to the Council the names of defaulters to be proceeded against, as the Council shall think fit or neces- sary." Cromwell's Act of 1653, ordering registration of births (not christenings) and marriages before the justices, and allow- ing proclamation of banns in the common market-places, caused the Company to resort to legal advice as to whether their Charter allowed them to substitute births for christenings. Their legal costs were £2) I4S- nd., and a dinner besides for themselves and the lawyer, £\ 2S. 6d. The bills were accordingly altered from christenings to births, at a cost oi 3s. for fresh types. By this Act also the fees to the Parish Registrar (elected by the parish and in most cases the old Parish Clerk was elected Registrar) were fixed at I2d. fo- publication and certificate of banns, I2d. for entry of marriage, 4d. for registration of births, and 4d. for that of death. On the death of Oliver Cromwell and the appointment of his son to be Protector "it is thought fit and ordered (15th Oct,, 1658) by this Court (of Aldermen) that the Company of Parish Clerks shall provide weekly such books as were wont to be presented to the late King, of births and burialls within the City and the adjacent parishes, and that the same be duly carried to the Serjeant of the Channel to whose office it belongs, to be presented to His Highness the Lord Protector." Upon receipt of this by the Company, order is given " that this be done with all expedition, and that care be taken by Daniel Hinson, the beadle of the Company, to get some printed at the charge of this Company." Were the bills not presented to Oliver Cromwell? If they were, the reference "to the late King" is curious. Next year the Clerks petition parliament, at a cost of £1 6s. 5d., to confirm orders made by the justices of Middlesex and Surrey, for the due appointment of searchers, so that the returns may be made more fully and correctly. In 1663 a return is ordered to be made to the Archbishop of Canterbury. This is carefully ordered "to Bills of Mortality. i^i be a folio book like the Lord Mayor's, only in folio." This return was adorned with the Archbishop's arms, instead of those of the City, and the cost of cutting the block was ids. In 1664 the difficulty as to the out-parishes crops up again, and the Clerks petition the King and Council for improve- ment in form of making returns to Bills of Mortality. In 1672 no bills are to be delivered to anyone on Wednesday evening under the degree and quality of a Knight. In 1675 the bills, before being printed, were to be submitted to the Lord Mayor for his directions. The keepers of public burying-grounds added another element of uncertainty. The Quakers, who would not allow the searchers to view the bodies, and very possibly would neither give returns nor pay fees, are prosecuted (1677) for keeping of unlawful burial grounds. On the passing of the Toleration Acts the bills became more untrustworthy. The only correct returns the Clerks could give were from the parish churches and parish burial grounds. There was no return of baptisms from dissenting chapels, and no returns from certain liberties and precincts. There was no return from St. Paul's Cathedral, from Westminster Abbey, from the Temple, from St. Peter ad Vincula in the Tower, from the Chapels at the Rolls and Lincoln's Inn, nor from (later) the Charing Cross and other hospitals. There was no return from St. Mary, Stratford-le-Bow, an out-lying portion of Stepney, though that may be accounted for by its being practically separated from Stepney, and having a church (1497) burial ground and vestry of its own many years before Stepney was included in the Bills of Mortality. The returns as to diseases must also have been defective. The honest ancient women could have had no real knowledge of the disease causing death. They could only report as they were told. They could have no clear distinction as to whether the disease was the plague or not, if the following extract from a letter of John Tillotson, afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, to Sancroft, then Dean of St. Paul's, be correct. It is dated 14th September, 1665, 7^2 Parish Clerks. when the plague had begun to sho\^ symptoms of abating. "The practitioners in physic stand amazed to meet with so many various symptoms which they find among their patients (who are ill of the plague). One week the general distempers are blotches and boils; the next week as clear-skinned as may be, but death spares neither, one week full of spots and tokens, and perhaps the succeeding bill none at all." Whatever may have been the defects of individual Clerks, it is clear the Company did its best to improve their returns and make them correct. The account of their efforts is sad and disappointing. In 1728 Sir Hans Sloane recommended that instead of burials deaths should be reported, thus getting over the difficulty arising from burying-grounds other than parisli ones. In 1735 and 1736 a petition was presented to parliament for this purpose, with the same result — as in after years — expenses. In 1751 another proposal, approved of at a meeting of the whole Company, for amendment of returns, was printed and circulated, " Parents were to be obliged to give notice to the Clerk within a month after the birth of a child. All undertakers and other persons were to give notice to the Clerk before the corpse be enclosed or removed. The Clerks of exempted places were to send returns to the Clerk of the parish, wherein the exempted place was situated. The Company was to have the sole right of printing the bills, and power to recover ^^20 damages from any other printer who prints them, with a clause authorising recovery of penalties and forfeitures by warrant of distress under the hand and seal of the Lord Mayor and other justices." To promote this bill, ;^i30 was borrowed at 4 per cent. The bill was prepared and read ; objections were raised by the Bishop of London and the clergy generally, probably to the change from baptisms to births and from burials to deaths, and on the advice of the Speaker of the House of Commons the bill was postponed. Next session it was introduced with Bills of Mo rta lity . /^j amendments, and advanced as far as the second reading, when it was withdrawn by consent, to make way for a National Registration Bill, introduced by a Mr. Potter (debtor and creditor account for this bill to be kept by the Clerk, amount not known). In 1753, the Company agree to certain clauses in a general bill, so far as protecting their rights and powers. In 1755 it was proposed to obtain the desired changes by inserting a clause in some other bill, but the expenses of the clauses were found to be as great as those of a bill, and in consequence a bill of seven clauses was introduced instead, and a thousand copies of the bill printed for general information. In 1758 another General Registration Bill was introduced, and a committee appointed to watch over the Company's interests. At this time the Corporation of London was petitioned for some additional payment to that agreed to in 1631, in consideration of the expenses of the weekly and yearly Bills of Mortality, but with no result. Thirty years after, in 1789, another attempt was made to procure an Act for changing the returns from baptisms and burials to births and deaths. The whole Company was summoned and 52 appeared. A petition to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London was agreed on, but the attempt had again to be dropped. The carelessness and neglect in making the returns by individual Parish Clerks, were attempted to be overcome, sometimes by soothing circulars, sometimes by rebukes from the master and wardens, sometimes by attempted fines on. the part of the Court, sometimes by summons before the Lord Mayor, when the negligent Clerk usually escaped with an admonition upon his promise to do better for the time to come, or with a trifling fine of half-a-crown. When the agitation for a better system of registration began under Dr. Burrowes, the poor Clerks came in for a share of castigation, which fell on the Company, instead of on the defaulting Clerks, and in 1818, Lord Sidmouth, then Secretary of State, drew the Company's attention, in a letter, to the unsatisfactory state of the returns, /^^ Parish Clerks. the extraordinary weekly divergencies, and the erroneous and fallacious record of diseases, whereupon the master and wardens had an interview with his Lordship's secretary to explain that it was not the fault of the office-bearers of the Company, but of a few obstinate men, to which the secretary replied that "if the Parish Clerks did not more strictly attend to that part of their duty, he would instruct the police to enforce the same." The Company issued another circularappeal to the Parish Clerks, and sent along with it Dr. Burrowes' pamphlet attacking the returns, and invited the Doctor to dine with them on Charter Day at Canonbury House, Islington. Next year, 1819, the Company draw up a new code of laws for making the returns, and send them to, the Secretary of State for his approbation ; but coercive power was still awanting, and they are again obliged to have recourse to the introduction of a bill to the House of Commons, which was read twice in the House and then lost, thereby entailing on the Company a cost of over ;£70o. In 1822 an attempt is made to fall back on the Charter, but first they try to bring their careless members to a due sense of their duty by friendly circulars, gentle re- monstrance, and an invitation to join the Company and take their due share of the work. No headway was made with the irregular Clerks. The Company still hope the Charter will be sufficient, as it provides that " such persons as ring the bells or shall do the office at a burial, shall send in due reports." In 1824 the difficulty as to enforcing their powers seems insuperable. The Clerks of new churches and new districts will make no returns. The Archbishop has been petitioned ; there is no other resource but an Act of Parliament, and the Company's funds had been exhausted, and even forestalled, by the attempt in 1819. The Clerk to the Company, before the Registration Com- mittee in 1833, when asked " are not persons desirous of seeing correct Bills of Mortality," made reply, " Yes, but we do not Bills of Mortality. T45 like having to perform the duty in respect of the Bills ot Mortality, and to be censured for not making them efficient, when we have not the power to do so." " Are not the searchers utterly incompetent to give correct information, and do they not frequently receive most fallacious reports?" " Yes, but medical men's certificates are costly. This is attended with no expense, the poor people pay nothing, the searchers demand is. 6d. of the more respectable." The fixed fee for the searchers was usually 4d. He adds : " The Parish Clerks are now losing on the weekly bill, but the profits on the yearly bill nearly compensate them. We (I suppose meaning the Company) do not receive 40s. a year from the sale of the weekly bills, with the exception of ;^i5 a year from the City, and it costs the Company nearly ;^ioo, and from that loss and burden we should gladly be relieved." In October, 1858, the Corporation declined payment of the usual ;^I5, and after inquiry the last payment was made on 2ist January, 1859, and publication of the bills was discon- tinued. The copies of the bills formerly in the possession of the Company, from 20th December, 1664, to i6th January, 1699, three volumes folio, and from i6th December, 1701, to 15th December, 1829, 128 volumes, small 4-to, were handed over to the Library of the Corporation of the City of London in 1891. This notice may be fitly concluded with two extracts from the minutes of the Company : " October 1685, a register shall be kept by the Clerk of this Company for the time being, and the Bills of Mortality to be therein entered weekly, under a penalty of 20s." " 13th April, 1702, this day the Court re- turned their hearty thanks to Mr. William Hill for collecting the weekly bills of the last year into one volume for the use of this Company, and this Court does order that the volumes may be collected annually, and that the under-warden for the time being reserve, or lay over one sheet of fine paper, to be printed weekly for the uses and purposes aforesaid, and that a case 146 Parish Clerks. with a glass door to it be put up in the Court-room for keeping the said volumes in." ®ltc Jtnfunt $fo0«. An Act was passed in the second, and amended in the seventh year of George III., for the protection of infants born in the workhouses of the parishes within the bounds of mortality. A yearly register of such was to be kept in every parish. Returns were to be made to the Parish Clerks' Company in Wood Street, who were to frame an abstract thereof, and send a copy to each parish, and to the House of Commons when required, The amended Act provided that a full list of all apprentices placed out by the respective parishes, shall be made out by the Vestry Clerks, or other proper officer, and delivered in the month of February in each year to the Company of Parish Clerks, in a certain specified form, the same to be bound up and deposited by the Company of Parish Clerks, and the said Company shall make out an abstract thereof, distinguishing the number placed out from each parish, and how many were born in the workhouse or parish house, and shall cause the same to be printed, and shall send six fair copies of the abstract to each parish respectively, for which each parish was to pay 15s. yearly. This return, from its complicated character, was at first a source of great trouble to the Company. The first act comprehended London, and the second the bounds of the Bills of Mortality. This necessi- tated two different forms, and the parishes were careless in sending in their returns. But when the first difficulties were surmounted, the abstract proved for many years a source of considerable revenue to the Company. After paying the Clerk of the abstracts from ;£2o to £2,0 a year, and the beadle Bills of Mortality. i^j (who had many a weary trudge in collecting the retiirns, and distributing the abstracts) -£,\2 to ;^i5, there was a margin to the Company's credit of from ^^50 to £fiQ a year. Later on there was difficulty in obtaining payment from some of the parishes, and recourse was had successfully to the courts of law. After the passing of the Poor Law in 1834, the parishes became more careless, and in 1844, owing to the neglect and refusal of parishes to make the required returns, the expense and difficulty in obtaining convictions, and the avowed inten- tion of the Government to repeal the Acts, the making out of the abstracts was discontinued. The annual legister from 1762 to 1840, with the Acts of Parliament relating thereto, the whole in 162 volumes in folio, was till recently carefully pre- served in the Hall. ^avi»\r, ®lcrk0 anif inn^al»* In the stately funeral processions of the sixteenth century the Clerks were in great request to form a part of the funeral procession, sing the services whether anthem, dirige, mass, or Te Deum in English, or to bear the corpse to the grave. Their place in the procession was in front, followed by the priests. In 1524 at the funeral of Sir Thomas Lovell, Knt. — " a very sage counsellor and witty, master of the King's house and constable of the Tower, one of Henry's councillors who recommended Wolsey to the notice of the King" — whose body was carried from Enfield to Holywell, Shoreditch, for interment, there was paid "to William Holland and John Aungell, Clerks of the Brotherhood of S. Nicholas, London, with 24 persons and three children singing masses of Our Lady, the Trinity, and Requiem, at the interment, and for 64 more Clerks who came to Kingsland to meet the corpse, 33/4." In 1550, Lady Jude, the mayoress, was buried in S. Helens, Bishopsgate, "when the Clerks of London had the berying [bearing] of the body." The Clerks also took part in the funeral of the Duke of Somerset "the spoiler of their goods " in 1552. These gorgeous futlerals were a source of con- siderable revenue to the Fraternity, and this may account for the very particular rules laid down as to funerals in the Parish Clerks and Funerals. i^g ordinances of 1553. These containing very minute regulations as to the fees to be charged on such occasions, how they are •to be expended, and in what order individual Clerks are to be summoned to take part, are as follow : — "The wardens of the said Company and Fraternity and their successors, wardens for the time being, only shall have all ways from thens forward the assignment and appointment of all such and so many persons of the said Company and Fraternity as at any time hereafter shall be desired or required by the executors or any friend or friends of noble, honorable, worshipful men or women or citizens of the City of London, and surburbs of same, so deceased, to attende and to be at the burying of any such men or women, and to know what number shall be required to be had of the said Company and Fraternity moe than is or shall be in service in the said parish where the party is so deceased, to attend and doe service at any such burials, forseeing always that one of the masters and one of the wardens be reckoned for two of the members so to be appointed for that time, and thother master and warden to be two of them that shall serve next time, and so from tyme to tyme, and the Parish Clerks of the said parish, where the burial shall be, none of the number so appointed but shall rest contented with his ordinary fee according to the order of the City." " Provided always that the wardens of the said Company or Fraternity their successors, wardens of the same for the time being, from hensforward shall and may lawfully aske, demande and take for burialls as hereafter followeth, that is to say, for so many persons as shall be required by the executors or friends of the deceased to be at the buriale. If the mynis- tracion of the said burial be mynistered before none, having a sermonor other service appointed, for every person so appointed, only but eightpence and not above, and that no more Clerks ijyO Parish Clerks. or conducts be brought to the said burial than shall be appointed and required of the executors or friends of the person so deceased as is aforesaid, and that it shall be lawful for the bedell of this Company to take fourpence for the brynging of the hearse cloth to every buryinge so that he be required so to do." " And furthermore it is agreed that if any such burial shall happen to be appointed upon an afternone and that the Company shall be warned to come again in the morning at the sermon or other service appointed, that then it shall be lawful for the said wardens for the time being to require and take for every person so appointed being then afternone and forenone of the next day, twelve pence and not above ; and that the said master and wardens shall distribute to every person there being furthwith out of his eightpence so received sixpence and twopence of the said eightpence be deteyned towards the box of the said Company to thuse of the said fellowship, and also out of this twelvepence to distribute forthwith to every person tenpence and to deteyne twopence of the said twelvepence to thuse of the box aforesaid." " And it is agreed that every of the number of the said Clerks which shall be required to bear any dead corps shall have for his labour twopence on and above his wages afore appointed." " All such Clerks as shall be appointed to be at any buriall shall be appointed by the masters and wardens one after another, as his course shall be to serve, forseeing always that they use the Company through, one after another, so that any man may have his course indifferently because one man shall not be taken often for favour and another left out for displeasure. And if it shall fortune any Clerk, by course being appointed to be such, that he cannot serve his turne, then it shall be lawful Parish Clerks and Funerals. i^i for him to chuse another in his stede for that time and from tyme to tyme.'' Machyn in his diary records many funerals for which the services of Clerks or the Company of the Clerks were required. In Edward VI's, reign some occur in which both priests and Clerks attend, and at which one may believe, the old ritual was used. But with the accession of Mary the funeral pageants seem to have recurred to their former glory. Within less than a fortnight after her accession in July, 1553, he records " a great number of children (choristers) and Clerkes singing," and in September at the funeral of Sir John Dudley, "priests and Clarkes singing in Latin, the priest having a cope and the Clarke having the holy water sprinkle in his hand." In October, 1553, was the funeral of Lady Bowes, wife of Sir Martyn Bowes, who had a grant of the Greyfriars from Henry VIIL and sold the monuments thereof for ;^5o ; and who was specially prominent in dealing with the Clerks' rules. The Company of Clerks was present and priests. It is now priests and Clarkes, seldom Clerkes alone, so it continued during her reign. The diary gives vivid glances of the parties at the beginning of Elizabeth's reign ; the party which encouraged stately music as a proper accessory in the due worship of God, the party which was trying to avoid any sudden break in the burial customs of the people, and the party which objected to stately music as shutting out the people from what was held to be their due share in the public service. The sermon at the funeral was common to all. Elizabeth's accession was in November, 1558. On " April 12th, 1559, twenty-three priests and Clarkes, all Latin and dirige when he died and when he was buried " ; on 6th September, "twenty-four Clarkes singing to the Church"; on 2ist Oct., "the Countess of Rutland was brought from Halewell to Soreditch Church with thirty priests and Clarkes singing." In 1559, " Sir Thos. Pope was buried at Clerkenwell with two services of pryke song and two masses of requiem and all the 752 Parish Clerks. Clerkes of London." On 3rd January, 1560, "with priests and Clarices singing," in April and May four funerals with the Company of Clarkes. On 5th June there was " Poules Choir and the Clarkes of London." On i6th January, 1561, " twenty Clarkes singing unto the Church." On i6th February at "All Hallowes in the Wall with twelve Clarkes singing." On 25th May, 1562, there was "the Company of Clerkes singing pryke song " [with the harmony pricked on the music lines] . On 29th June, " Doctor Crone, parson of Alther Mary, with priests and Clarkes singing unto the Church and beried." On 15th Decem- ber, was carried by the Clerkes of London from Sepulchres to S. Martins Orgar, in Kanwick Strete, to be beryed by one of his wyves, the Lord Justice Brown and Knight; on 30th Jan., 1563, from S. Margarets, Lothbury to S. Dunstan-in-the-West " with twenty of the Clarkes singing." The following illustrate the proceedings of what may be called the middle party who, though disliking the ritual, yet did not wish to break at once with the old customs. On '30th August, 1559, was buried "Master Allen, now elected Bishop of Rochester, with a few Clarkes singing, and there did preach for him Master Huntington." On 8th January, 1560, "with thirty Clerks and priests singing. Master Juel, Bishop' of Sarum, did preach." On 25th February, "twenty Clarkes at S. Alphage, and Master Veron did preach the sermon." On 24th April, " priests and Clerkes singing, and Mr. Juel did preach." On 9th April, 1561, "with the Clerkes of London, and the Bishop of Durham [Pilkington] did preach the sermon." On i8th October, "there were the Clerkes of London singing, and Mr. CroUey did preach." On i ith March, 1562, "twenty Clarkes singihg (a member of the Skinner's Company), Crolley did preach." On 2gth March, 1563, S. Olave's, Southwark, " twenty Clarkes, and after to the Church, singing and Master Coverdale did preach." But the third party were more determined, and in the end car- ried the day. OnythApril, 1559, "and there was a great company Parish Clerks and Funerals. /jj of people two and two together, and neither priest nor Clarke, the new preachers in their gowns like laymen, neither singing nor saying till they came to the grave, and afore she was put in the grave, a collect in English, and then put into the grave, and after, took some 'earth and cast it on the corse, and red a thyng .... for the sam, and contenent cast the earth into the grave, and, contenent, read the Epistle of S. Paul to the Stesselonyans, the Chapter [probably I Thess., iv., 13, &c., appointed in Edward's first book for the Epistle, when there was a celebration of Holy Communion at the funeral], and after they song Pater Nosfer in English, both preachers and other, and [women] of a new fashion, and after, one of them went into the pulpit and made a sermon ; " 20 Sep- tember, 1559, S. Catharine Cree, after offering standards, armours, &c., "all that while the Clarkes' sang Te Deum in English, new fashion, Geneva wise, men, women, and all do sing and boys" ; and in this same month began the morning prayer "at S. Autholins, Boge Row, after Geneva fashion, begyne to ring at five in the morning, men and women all do sing and boys." 17th January, 1560, "he was carried to the Church without singing or Clarke, and at the Church a psalme sung after Genevay, and a sermon, and buried contineth." 1st May, 1561, and "within the gate of Poule's Churchyard, mett all the quire of Poule's, and the Clerkes of London, went afore with their surplices under their gownes, till they came to Poule's Churchyard, and then they began to sing." Most of these preachers are men well known in their day. Veron, to whom Machyn had a great aversion, was a French Protestant, ordained by Bishop Ridley, a leader in the change from the old ecclesiastical music for the services to the psalms in metre versified by Sternhold and Hopkins. When trans- lated from St. Alphage to S. Martin's, Ludgate, after, his induction (19th March, 1560), "all the people did sing the tune of Genevay, and with the base of the organs," and when 1^4 Parish Clerks. he preached at Paul's Cross, on the 17th May, " they song all, old and yonge, a psalm in myter, the tune of Genevay wyse." Bishop Jewell, Bishop Pilkington, and Master Coverdale, the translator of the Scriptures, formerly Bishop of Exeter, and who, after this, was suspended for not wearing the surplice, are all well known. Robert Crowley was another of the diarists aversions, for he takes care to describe him as " formerly a printer in Ely Rents." But Crowley was, like many of the printers of his day, a learned man. He edited the vision of William, concerning Piers the Plowman, and what is more to the present purpose, he put forth in 1549, a psalter, "that it may be the more decently, and with more delyte of the mynd, redd and sung of all men, whereunto is added a note of four parts." The book was dedicated to Owen Oglethorpe, at that time head of Crowley's College, at Oxford, Magdalen, where he had taken his degree in 1540. Ordained by Ridley in 1551, he retired to the Continent on the accession of Mary. He was now Archdeacon of Hereford, and probably reader at S. Antholins. Before 1564, he was appointed vicar of S. Giles, Cripplegate, and prebendary of S. Paul's. A keen puritan, on the publication (25th March^ 1566) of the Archbishop's advertisements requiring the use of the surplice, he refused to comply, and was suspended. On the first of April a. funeral was to take place at S. Giles. Crowley had forbidden Clerks processions and surplices in his parish church. Clerks invited to take part in the funeral service, probably supposing that the advertisments applied to all who formerly wore surplices, presented themselves duly attired at the church door. Here Crowley and the ward deputy met them. Crowley ordered them to take off these porter's coats. The deputy threatened to lay them up by the feet if they persisted in entering the Church. The chronicler says, "Those who took their part according to the queen's prosedyngs, were fain to give over and to tarry without the Church dore." The Mayor complained to the Archbishop of Parish Clerks and Funerals. 755 the disturbance. The deputy was bound over in ;^ioo to keep the peace, and to appear again if called upon. Crowley was ordered to confine himself to his house. Not complying with the advertisements, he was deprived both of his living and prebend for contumacy, and was re-appointed to S. Giles on the death of his successor in 1578. The place hitherto taken by the Clerks at funerals, was generally after this filled by the children of Christ's Hospital, and at a later period by the children of the charity schools in their respective parishes. ^avi^i) ®Urks^' Election axxtf utJjw ^xnncv&* By the ordinances of 1529 the annual election of masters of the Company was to be made on Ascension Day, and the result to be made public at the dinner, which followed on Monday before Whit-Sunday. The ordinance relating to the dinner day reads thus : "That all Parish Clerks, Collegiate Clerks and Conducts within the City of London and Suburbs thereof, shall yerely come to the Guildhall College within the said City, upon Sunday immediately before Whit-Sonday, evereche person in a surplis at evensong, and upon the morowe at mass, and there to offer each person a halfpenny, and after mass to were a cope in procession from the Guildhall to the Clerks' Hall within the City, and there to tarye dinner, and every of the said Clerks to pay for his dinner, whether present or absent, eightpence. And what Clerks or Conducts be absent from evensong shall pay fourpence to thuse aforesaid. And every person being absent from mass shall pay eightpence to thuse aforesaid. And every Clerk or Conduct that offereth not shall pay twopence to thuse aforesaid. And every person that wereth not a cope in procession shall pay to thuse aforesaid twelvepence, unless a reasonable excuse for him Election and Other Dinners. i^'j then be had, and allowed by the masters and wardens for the time being. " Use aforesaid meaning use of the Company. In the ordinances of 1553, this ordinance appears considerably altered. " On the Monday before Whit-Sonday all members are to go to the Parish Church, or such other Church as the masters and wardens shall appoint and there and then to use and do after such order as the other Companies and Frater- nities of the City do use to doo. Every Clerk to offer a half- penny to the poor folks' box. From church they are to proceed to their hall in order to dinner, towards which every member present or absent shall pay 8d. Any member absent at the beginning of such service or sermon so called shall pay 4d. Any that offereth not shall pay 2d." The date of these was 2nd May. An election would take place in May, but of this no record has been found. In July Mary succeeded her brother. At Michaelmas the Clerks' services were again in requisition for the " mass of the Holy Gooste. " When the election and dinner days come round next year (May 1554), the following order is made by the Court of Aldermen on the 4th: "That the Clerks of this City shall keep low mass in the Guildhall Chapel on their procession, according to their old use, and it was further agreed that the Chamberlain shall lend them the streamers appertayning to this City." Machyn tells us how the old use was carried out and the effect of the City streamers. " The sixth of May was a goodly evensong at Yeldhall College by the masters of the Clarkes and the Fellowship of Clarkes, with singing and playing, as you have heard. The morrow after was a great mass at the same place by the same Frater- nitie, when every Clerk offered a halfpenny. The mass was sung by dyvers of the Queen's chapel and children. And after mass was done every Clerk went their procession, two and two together, each having a surplice, a rich cope, and a garland. After them fourscore standards, streamers and banners, and every one that bare had an albe, or else a surplice, and two and two together. Then came the waits /^^ Parish Clerks. playing, and then between, thirty Clarkes again singing Salve festa dies. So there were foure quires. Then came a canopy, borne by four of the masters of the Clarkes, over the Sacrament with a twelve staff torchis burning, up S. Lawrence Lane, and so to the farther end of Cheap, then back again up Cornhill, and so to Leadenhall, and so down to Bishopsgate, unto S. Albrose Church, and there they did put off their copes, and so to dinner every man, and there everyone that bare a streamer had money, as they were of bigness there." From Machyn it is also to be seen, how the Parish Clerks were "■there and then using and doing, after such order as the Companies and Fraternities of this City do use to doo." One is curious to know in what way the Clerks at this election disregarded the ordinances of 1553 for the election of their masters and wardens. (See appendix to " Parish Clerks and Freedom of the City," under date 1554). Did they overlook those of 1553, and go back to those of 1529. Whatever the neglect or oversight was, the Council (21st June) was in no mood to resent it, for they confirmed the irregular election, but threatened, if they offended again, to exact a double fine for the breach of their rules. Next dinner day (27 May, 1555) " was the Clerks' procession from Yeldhall, and there was as goodly a mass as has been heard, and every Clark having a cope and garland with a hundred streamers borne, and the waits playing round Chepe, and so to Leadenhall, unto S. Albro Church, and there they put off their gayre, and there was the Blessed Sacrament with torchlight about, and from thence to the Barbers' Hall to dinner.'' " On the i8th May, 1556, was the Clerks' procession, with a hundred streamers, with the waits and the sacrament, and eight staff torchis burning, and a goodly canopy borne over the sacrament." The procession of 1557 is not recorded. In 1558. there is a blank in the diary. There is no mention of the procession Election and Other Dinners. 759 in 1559 ; probably there was a dispute among the Clerks as to holding it, for Mary was dead, Elizabeth on the throne, and times were again changed, and it was not perhaps settled how the other Companies were to " doo" in the matter. In 1560, " 27th May, the same day was the Clarkes' dinner, and they had evensong overnight at Yeldhall College, and the morrow a communion, and after to the Carpenters' Hall to dinner." In 1561 another blank in the diarist's entries, and on " I ith May, 1562, was the Clerks of London their communion at Gyldhall Chapel, and received seven persons into their brotherhood, and after to their Hall to dinner, and after, a goodly concert of children (choristers) of Westminster, with viols and regals." Next year (1563) there is no record of the dinner, and this year the diary ends. The ordinance of 1610 is the same with that of 1553, except that the offering is to be id. Absence from church or sermon to be punished by iine of 2s.6d., to be paid by every one who neglects to offer. There is, however, an additional ordinance in reference to the evensong the night before, which runs thus : " That every Clerk being warned to come to evening prayer to the church of S. Mary Magdalene, in the Guildhall, on the Sunday after Ascension Day, according to their ancient custom, do bring with them a f aire -white surplis, and the same wear then and there during the time of divine service. And that every one that shall make default therein do pay such reasonable penalty or penalties, fine or fines, for his or their neglect or comtempt, as the masters and wardens shall see fit to impose ; and lastlye, it is ordered that the said evening prayer being ended, the said masters and wardens, together with the assistants, shall return to their Common Hall, wearing such liveries, gownes, andhoodes of white damask as heretofore they have used or hath been accustomed. And also that the assis- tants shall have, use, ard wear the said gowne and hoodes as well i6o Parish Clerks. at other their solemn assemblies, as at all such burials of any of their brethren, as by the masters and wardens of the said Com- pany, shall be thought fit and convenient. In the ordinances of 1640, the ordinance is again altered to "Chapel of S. Mary Magdalene at the Guildhall, or to some other Chapel, and shall there and then sit or stand in decent manner, in his gowne, to hear divine service and sermon, and offer for the poor id. at least, under penalty of is., unless good excuse be made to the masters and wardens. " In 1637 for this service "for the preacher and a coach £1 5s.," " to the reader 2s. 6d." The last reference to this service is in 1641, when the preacher received £1 for his services, and the reader 2s. 6d. When quieter times returned, the Charter Day sermon and service probably took its place. By the rules of 1529 the wardens' election took place at, or shortly after Candlemas Day, and by those of 1553 at the same time as the election of masters on Ascension Day. In addition to the election dinner (1529), usually held on Monday before Whit-Sunday, there were the quarterly dinners for collecting quarterages and for receiving the wardens' accounts, the wardens' dinners, and the assistants' dinner. By the rules of 1529 there was a solemn dirige at evensong every quarter, and a mass of requiem the following day. By the ordinances of 1640 the wardens' and assistants' dinners were commuted into money payments. Each warden had to pay 50s., in lieu of wardens' dinner, and each assistant on election had to pay £2,, in lieu of the dinner he was expected to give to the electors. These dinners supplied material for frequent orders and regulations. In 1626 no master, warden, or assistant of this Company shall at any time hereafter bring his wife to any meeting, dinner, or supper, except the election dinner, and the wardens' dinner only. In 1627 every assistant present shall pay 6d., every master I2d., and every warden gd., Election and Other Dinners. towards expense of dinner, and every one absent without excuse shall pay i2d., to the warden, who shall account for the same. At the election dinner of 1639 six messes of meat were ordered, " to each mess a leg of mutton, roast beef, a lamb pye, two green geese, a capon, and a custard, with bread, beere, wine, and other things convenient." In 1650 "no assistant of this Company shall, at any time, or times hereafter, invite or bring any stranger guest or guests, to dinner at the Hall, or any other place where the assistants are to dine, without leave from the master and wardens of this Company, for the time being, first had and obtained. Whosoever shall transgress this order shall forfeit and pay 2s. 6d. for every brfe^ach of this order." In 1689 "no clergymen (except such as shall be members of this Company and Mr. Clifford) [see " Organ and Psalmody "] shall by any of the Court of Assistants of this Company be invited to any of the public feasts of this Company, upon the penalty of 20s., to be forfeited and and paid to the use of the poor by whosoever shall invite them. All feasts are to be kept in the Hall and not elsewhere." In 1690 leave was granted to the midsummer dinner for only wife, or other friend in her stead. The master and wardens to have a double ticket. A penalty of 20s. was imposed for bringing anyone else. In 1697 " any assistant who brought any person to a quarterly dinner, without leave from the master or wardens, should forfeit 20s." But early in next century the wives of the Court of Assistants are invited regularly to some, if not all, of the quarterly dinners. In 1713 a payment of 5s. is required from each member of the Court, and so it seems to continue till 1739, when the whole expenses are limited to -^fi a dinner; and in 1741 invitations to the wives are suspended. In 1741 there are to be no quarterly dinners, and the allowance to master and wardens is discontinued; and in 1759 no cakes on Ascension Day (election) and only one guinea at the J(>2 Parish Clerks. arranging the yearly bills, and three guineas for a quarterly court dinner are allowed. In 1788 only a plain dinner, and in 1789 the expenses were limited to the following scale : — £ s- d. Michaelmas and midsmmer dinner not to exceed . 12 10 each dinner Lady Day and Michaelmas do. do. do. . . 6 13 do. Charter Day do. do. do. . 42 do. Church expenses on that day do. do. 2 2 do. Ascension Day (church expenses) do. do. .. 3 3 do. Cakes on that day do. do. do. .. 6 15 do. Private meeting of the Company do. do. ..80 do. A proposal to rescind th is scale was made in 1795, but egatived. There is a curious entry in 1718. Plates and linen having been found to be amissing from the inventory in successive years it is ordered " that for the future no plates or linen shall be sent out of this hall on any Court or feast day to any person whatsoever, and that the beadle of the Company bring the key of the hall to the master of the Company for the time being, as soon as dinner is on the table on such days." Charter Day dinner seems first to appear in the minutes of 1692, but this minute refers to it as an already existing institution, "that if for the futur any of the stewards of the brotherhood's feast do apply themselves to the Court of this Company for the use of the Hall, that before they have that liberty they leave themselves to the master and wardens for the time being, for their appointment of a cook for dressing the same." The fact of the Court of the Company having their own cook, who had a prescriptive right to prepare dinners in the Hall, explains the last clause of the minute. In 1712 the rights of the cook were again carefully guarded. From this and subsequent minutes it appears that this dinner was at first provided by the members of the Company Election and Other Dinners. idj themselves, who annually elected their stewards for making the necessary arrangements. Each member paid the stewards a certain sum for his ticket, and the banquet was held by leave of the Court in the Company's Hall. On the day of the feast the Charter was read to the brethren. The master and wardeps who had been elected to office on Ascension Day, and admitted to their several offices at the midsummer meeting of the Court, were then introduced in their official capacity to the assembled members. They usually went in procession to church, master, wardens. Court of Assistants and members of the Company in their gowns. The order of procession in 1821 was : — Parish Beadle. Church Wardens. Clerk of S. Albans. Ministers. Beadle of the Company. Two Junior Members of the Court with Wands. The Master. The Wardens with Wands. Court of Assistants, two and two by rotation. Members of the Company by Seniority. The under warden held the poor box at the door of the church as the procession entered and as it retired. The proceedings wound up with the feast. The whole expenses of the Charter Day dinner seems to have fallen on the members, for in 1725 the hall is granted on condition of paying for washing and cleaning as usual, and In 1737 the sum of 15s. is required to be deposited beforehand to meet that expense. A collection was sometimes made at the dinner for the poorer brethren, for the master and wardens in this same year bestow 7(5^ Parish Clerks. on a poor brother ;^3 2S. 7d., which had been collected at the stewards brotherhood's feast. In 1749 the stewards are elected by the Court, and in 1759 the Court allow five guineas toward the expenses of the feast, and the charge for ticket is 2s. 6d. In 1762 the grant is disallowed, and the ticket raised to 3s. In 1772 the Court invite the whole brotherhood, except deputies. From 1721 the order had been " or he that officiates as Parish Clerk," and in 1794 it is proposed to provide nosegays for all, but on the feast day, " on account of the drowth," none could be had. In 1797 tickets were 5s., in 1805 raised to 7s. 6d., and in 1819 to half a guinea, in 1824 a fine of 2s.6d. was exacted of all absentees. With the exeption of one year, when they patronized Grove House, Camberwell, their rendezvous from 1772 to 1844, was " Merry Islington " Canonbury House, with one single diversion to Highbury House, and another to Cundit House. In 1837 members of the Parochial and Chapel Clerks' Society (though not a member of the Company), are admitted to dinner by paying 15s. 6d. for a ticket beforehand. In 1865 the procession and wearing gowns are dispensed with, except in the case of master, wardens and clerk. In 1866 they ceased to attend church, but made the collection for the poor, and in 1867 the annual reading of extracts from the Charter, and attendance at the hall, were also dispensed with, previous to assembling for their annual feast. In an early volume of " Notes and Queries," is a story told of the Parish Clerks, which properly belongs to an association which met last century for convivial purposes at the Queen's Head, Giltspur Street, and which took its annual holiday in the way there described at Stroud Green. ^rtrtJ&lj ©Uxrk^ ^xnce ilje ^ef0mxxati0n* What has been said hitherto as to the duties of the Clerks in divine service has had reference to the old services. In the reformed services the forms by which minor orders were conferred were left out. The fact probably was, as Cardinal Bona said, that the lower orders had in practice become only steps to the higher. Yet the rights of the Clerk continued, though whether he had hitherto always been in orders or not may be questioned. Yet he is still there, Sub-Deacon, Acolyte, reader, all in one, and recognised both in the ist Book of Edward VI., 1549, as well as in the present Book of Common Prayer. In the order for daily morning and evening prayer, it is provided that the ministers, clerks and people shall say the Lord's Prayer in English with a loud voice, and the rubric would seem to embrace the suffrages after the Creed, kneeling. Provision is made in the marriage service for a psalm to be said or sung by the minister and Clerks on entering the Choir and proceeding ,to the Lord's Table, after the troth of the persons has been pledged, and before the prayers and Benedic- tion. In the burial office it is provided that the priests and i66 Parish Clerks. Clerks shall sing the introductory verses of the office and the anthem before and after the body is committed to the ground. In the Commination office the priests and Clerks are to sing the 51st Psalm in the place where they sing the Litany, and in the offices for ordination of bishops, priests and deacons, the bishop with the Clerks and people present shall say the Litany. But their place in the service was more especially marked in the Eucharistic service of Holy Communion (1549). At its commencement the " Clerks sang in English for the office, 'or introit as they call it' a psalm appointed for that day." Instead of the anthem, or " introit, as they call it" in this service book ; certain psalms appointed for each Sunday and holiday in the year were ordered to be sung. Where the ten commandments are now appointed to be read in that service, the order ran — "the priest shall say or else the Clerks shall sing 'Kyrie Eleison'" (Lord have mercy, &c.), followed by the " Gloria in excelsis " (Glory to God in the Highest), which then was placed before the Collect for the day. The anthem before the gospel, "Glory be to Thee, O God" and "The Nicene Creed," were also to be sung by the Clerks. " Where there be Clerks they shall sing one or more of the offertory sentences, and while the Clerks sing the people are to give to the poor man's box." After the offertory all were to leave the choir, except the ministers and Clerks, who were to sing the "Trisagion" (Holy, Holy Holy, &c.), and so soon as the priest doth receive the Communion, the Clerks were to sing the " Agnus Dei " (O Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world. Grant us Thy peace ; Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, Have mercy upon us). When the Communion was ended they were to sing the Post Communion. This was one or more of several selected texts of Holy Scripture, appointed to be sung as an act of thanksgiving after the Comnmnion. That these orders were intended to have full effect we have the evidence of Bishop Hooper, of Gloucester, who, though Since the Reformation. i6y objecting personally to the use of the habits or vestments enjoined by this prayer-book and the King's Majesty, recog- nises in his injunctions to his diocese in 1551, the duties of the Clerks " in serving the minister in this Godly order, now appointed by God, and set forth by the King's Majesty, as they did before, in the time of papestry and superstition." He also enjoins "that all parishioners do duly and truly content and pay their Clerk his wages, as heretofore have been accustomed, as well for his pains in keeping clean the church and ringing the bells, as in serving the minister." In Burnet's "History of the Reformation" at this same period, it is recorded, "forasmuch as the Parish Clerk shall not hereafter go about the parish with his holy water, as hath been accustomed, he shall, instead of that labour, accompany the churchwarden (making collection for the poor) and, in a book, register the name and the sum of every man that giveth anything to the poor, and the same shall intable, and against the next day of collection shall hang up somewhere in the church in an open place, to the intent the poor, having knov(rledge thereby by whose charity and alms they be relieved, may pray for the increase and prosperity of the same." In the reign of Philip and Mary there was a return to the old practices, but in the confusion, in the reign of Elizabeth, the Clerks seem in some instances to have been unduly exalted, and in others unduly depressed. Both in 1559 and in 1562 arrangements were made for readers to read divine service, bury the dead, and say the thanksgiving service for women after child-birth — but they were forbidden to administer the sacraments. In 1570 Bishop Sandys, of London, prohibited all Parish Clerk^ from intruding into the priests' duty, as they had sometimes done. " That is " says Strype, " they had taken upon them, on some occasions, to say common prayer, and use some of the offices. This was a presumption not to be suffered, z68 Parish Clerks. and so the Bishop ordered that all Clerks' tolerations were to be called in." It is said also that some of the extrenie Puritans, who objected to certain parts of the different offices, permitted the Parish Clerks to perform such as they disliked. It was probably against such practices that Grindal's injunc- tions in 1571 at York, and in 1576 at Canterbury, were directed. " First we do enjoin and straightly command, that from hence- forth, no Parish Clerk or any other person, not being ordered at the least for a deacon, shall presume to solemnize matri- mony, or to minister the sacrament of baptism, or to deliver to the communicants the Lord's Cup at the celebration of the Holy Communion ; and that no person, not being a minister or deacon, or at the least tolerated by the ordinary in writing, do attempt to supply the office of a minister, in saying of divine service openly in any church or chapel." And in article 21 he refers to the appointment of Clerk, and details their special duties. "That no Parish Clerk be appointed against the goodwill, or without the consent, of the parson, vicar, or curate of any parish, and that he be obedient to the parson, vicar, or curate, especially in the time of celebration of divine service, or of sacraments, or in any preparations thereunto ; and that he be able also to read the first lesson, the epistle, and the psalms, with answers to the suffrages as is used ; and that he keep the books and ornaments of the church fair and clean, and cause the church and choir, the Communion table, the pulpit, and the font to be kept decent, and made clean against service time, the Communion, sermon, and baptism, and also that he endeavour himself to teach young children to i-ead, if he be able so to do." In his visitation enquiries, in 1576, when Archbishop of Canterbury, allusion is made to similar irregu- larities. He enquires "whether any person or persons, not being ordered, at least for a deacon, or licensed by the ordinary, do say common prayer openly in your church or chapel, or any, not being at least a deacon, do solemnize matrimony or administer the sacrament of baptism, or deliver Since the Reformation. i6g to the communicants the Lord's Cup at the celebration of the Holy Communion, and what he or they be, that so do." "Whether the Parish Clerk be appointed according to the ancient custom of the parish ; and whether he be not obedient to the parson, vicar, or curate, especially in the time of cele- bration of divine service, or of the sacraments, or in any preparation thereunto, and whether he be able and ready to read the First Lesson, the Epistle, and the Psalms, with answers to the suffrage as is used, and whether he keep not the books and ornaments of the church fair and clean, and cause the church and choir, the Communion table, the pulpit, and font to be made decent and clean against service time, the Communion, sermon, and Baptism." In 1577 Aylmer, Bishop of London, makes the same inquiry as to ability to read the First Lesson, the Epistle, and the Psalms, with answers to the suffrages. It has been stated that it is the custom in Devon and Cornwall still for the Clerk to read the First Lesson. In the later days of Queen Elizabeth, about 1590, a proposal was made by someone to obtain a patent for appointing all the Parish Clerks, either in London or in the whole country. Strype' gives what he believes to be Archbishop Whitgift's notes on the proposal. The Archbishop says: "Law and custom hath in all parishes established the appointing of the Parish Clerk and sexton in the minister and in the parishioners. The Parish Clerk serves the minister in Church matters for the use of the parishioners, and it is therefore fittest that he be chosen by them as is observed everywhere. He is paid by the parishioners, and therefore a stranger cannot well be obtruded upon them. The reformation of the Parish Clerk, when negligent or faulty, is by law already settled in the ordinaries." He concludes his remarks in reference to such grants in words sufficiently plain-spoken. "These grants, as they are very extraordinary, scare they burdensome to the Queen's subjects, and unprofitable to the commonwealth. They serve only for 7^0 Parish Clerks. private gains of private persons, who nevertheless prosper not when they have them." From the minutes of Stepney Parish now printed, something is learned as to what other duties the Parish Clerk was called on to discharge in connection with the church. In 1587 the Clerk's duties, in addition to assistance and attendance in church, were to receive all duties for Pascall pence of such communicants as shall receive from time to time, to give a just account and pay monthly to the churchwardens appointed for keeping the church stock ; to write for the churchwardens and keep the books of the accounts, and help them in all other writings they shall have need of his help in for the church's use — salary 40s. a year, payable los. quarterly. It has been seen that the Clerk at first was a person chosen by the priest to assist in the services, that, by-and-bye, the parishioners whom he represented at the services, and who paid him their offering, obtained, in most cases, the power of election. The canons of 1604 revert to the earlier mode, and enact that " No Parish Clerk shall be chosen within the City of London or elsewhere, but by the parson, or vicar, or where there is no parson or vicar, by the minister at that place for the time being, which choice shall be signified by the said minister, vicar or parson, to the parishioners the next Sunday forenoon, in the time of divine service. That the said Clerk shall be twenty years of age at the least, known to the parson, vicar, or minister, to be of honest conversation, able to read, write and sing. He is to enjoy the old emoluments without cozen or diminution, eitherfrom the churchwardens at the times hitherto paid, or of his own collection, according to the use and wont of the parish." Whatever may have been the motive for reverting to the earlier usage, and it probably was to obtain, by that means, men better suited for the post, it led those who acted on it into conflict with the Civil Courts, which sustained the old usage, where it was proved to have existed, of election by the Since the Reformation. lyi parishioners. For instance, in Hackney, the vicar in 1624 appointed a Parish Clerk. The parishioners in vestry had previously appointed another. The vicar's Clerk interrupted the parishioners' in the discharge of his office. A suit began in the King's Bench. The jury gaVe their verdict in favour of the parishioners' Clerk, because, on the evidence, the right of election did belong to the parishioners. The parishioners' Clerk was thus placed in full enjoyment of his office. A year after, the parishioners' Clerk was allowed to resign his office into the hands of the parishioners, to be disposed and conferred at their free will and pleasure accordingly. The parish elected in his place the vicar's Clerk, on condition of "good behaviour (they add parenthetically 'he hath little or no means to main- tain himself and family'), of not exacting further fees or dues than hath byn accustomed, and are now in a table expressed in the chancel of your parish church." This last condition brings to mind the last clause of the Canon which refers to the Clerk's wages, which are either to be paid by the church- wardens, or collected by the Clerk himself, according to the use and wont of the parish. In subsequent years this clause also became a bone of contention among the London Clerks. In the charter of 1612, there is no allusion to the matter of wages. In that of 1636 a clause was introduced giving the Clerks power to collect their wages. At a visitation, 6th Nov., 1637, one of the irregularities complained of is "that many of the Parish Clerks, albeit the powers given to them in their late Charter are not suffered to gather their wages." The minutes of the Parish Clerks^ Company, gth January, 1638, record: "This day being quarter day there was held a full Court of Assistants, at which Mr. Richard Wooley [Clerk of S Botolph's, Bishopsgate, and an active member of the Court], did make request unto this Court, that he might have leave to use this Company's name, in a petition, to be by him preferred, either to the Lords of his Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council, or to the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury His Grace, i'j2 Parish Clerks. as well in the behalf of himself as of other Parish Clerks (who are interrupted in the gathering and receiving of their wages) to be relieved touching the same. Whereupon it is ordered and agreed by this Court that the said Mr. Wooley shall and may make, and exhibit, such his petition in the name and style of this Company, provided that the doing and prosecution thereof be at his own proper cost and charges, and that the same before the exhibition thereof be first seen and allowed by this Court." In the Charter of 1640, each Parish Clerk was granted power to collect his wages, and empowered to sue for them in the Ecclesiastical Courts. The churchwardens were prohibited from collecting the Clerks' wages, but were ordered to present to the Bishop's Courts all defaulters in paying. Early in 1641, the churchwardens of S. Botolph's, Bishopsgate, and one George Saye, a parishioner thereof, on behalf of them- selves, and the rest of the parishioners, present a petition to the Parliament in which they say: "The churchwardens have time out of mind collected a rate called Pewage money and Clerk's wages, amounting to about £,'Tf>, of which the Clerk's share is £fi 13s. 4d., the rest going to the repair of the church and the poor of the parish, but Richard Wooley, the present Clerk, claims the whole, and has sued the petitioner Saye in the Arches' Court and claims £,\ a quarter from most of the householders in the parish, and more from some, and threatens those who refuse to pay with proceedings in the Ecclesiastical Courts, under colour of letters patent, lately passed under the great seal, by which the Parish Clerks in and about London are made into a corporation, and authorised to collect their own wages. The petitioners believe this patent to be illegal without the authority of Parliament, and pray that it may be examined before a committee for grievances." Before the end of this year, startling changes had been made in the government of the country, and it is not known what was the result of this attempt to enforce powers of letters patent on a reluctant parish. Do the following entries in the Since the Reformation. I'j^ wardens' accounts refer to this charge, if so, the Company's cautious policy in January, 1638, had been abandoned; or, were they defending the general principle that the Clerks had a right to collect their own wages. £ s. d. 1641. Feb. 8th (audit day). Spent at West- minster and other places 2gth January, with the Assistants and Clerk at the Parliament House, and going to Westminster ... ... 106 Paid to Mr. Stampe to fee our Counsel ... 200 April loth (audit day). Paid Mr. Trevor, our Counsel ... ... ... ... 400 In 1678, the Clerks attempted to introduce a bill for settling the mode of collecting and paying the Clerks' wages, but without result, and payment seems to have been made in accordance with parish custom. The Irish Canon of 1634 (86) bearing on Parish Clerks says : " And where the minister is an Englishman, and many Irish in the parish, such a one [shall be chosen Parish Clerk], as shall be able to read those parts of the service, which shall be appointed to be read in Irish (if it may be), the Clerk also must be resident and perform his duty in person." In 1627 among Bishop Williams of Lincoln's " Articles of Inquiry for Visitation," is the following: "Is your Parish Clerk above twenty years of age, and able to read distinctly the first lesson, and to sing" ; and in Fisher's defence of the Liturgy (1630) in answer to the objection, that the length of the services wearied the minister, and hindered preaching, it is alleged that in many churches, one of the chapters is read by the Clerk, part of the psalms, and other answers are despatched by him, and the people. In 1625-6 during a severe visitation of the plague, the Bishop of London on January 24th, 1626, at the request of the Vicar of Stepney, granted a licence to em- '14 Parish Clerks. power Robinson, the Parish Clerk, to bury parishioners, and to church their wives (using the prayer book form), because there was more than the curate could possibly do single-handed." In order to enable the common people to take their share in the public services of the church by making the proper responses, and leading the common people therein. Bishop Wren, of Norwich (1636), ordered that "there be a Clerk in every parish, that can read sufficiently, and have competent allowance from the parish, and where there is none, that there be one forthwith appointed and chosen according to the Canon." In 1637 the judges on circuit had published an order in the western county of Hereford forbidding Clerks' ales. Some of the resident justices and magistrates appealed to the King in Council against the order. The Bishop of Hereford was called upon for his opinion, and said : " Clerks' ales are so called because they were for the better maintenance of the Parish Clerk, and there is great reason for them, for in poor country parishes where the wages of the Clerk are but small, the people thinking it unfit that the Clerk should duly attend at Church and [not] gain by his ofSce, send him in provisions, and then come on Sundays and feast with him, by which means he sells more ale, and tastes more of the liberality of the people than their quarterly payments would amount to in many years; and since these have been put down many ministers have complained to me that they are afraid they shall have no Parish Clerk." The judges' order was recalled and the Clerks' ales allowed to be continued on the grounds that " (i) they brought the people more willingly to church ; (2) they tended to civilise them and to compose local differences ; (3) they increase love and unity being of the nature of feasts of charity; and (4) they bring rich and poor together." This corroborates what is said in the Parish Clerks' Guide as to the poverty of Clerks: " they are forced to employ their time for bread, rather than to have leisure to qualify themselves for the business of a Since the Reformation. i'](i Parish Clerk, which scarce removes them one degree from a poor mendicant." In Samuel Brewster's "Collectanea Ecclesiastica," published by his spn in 1752, there is a dissertation in which he strenuously defends the Parish Clerks' office as being spiritual. There he says : " The Act of King Henry VIII., in appointing two Parish Clerks to officiate in Christ's Church, Newgate, formerly the Franciscan Friars, and in appointing salary, is said by some to be the precedent for all England. The new chapels built under Queen Anne's patronage, set the Parish Clerks on a level with those in chapels and oratories, and subject him to the proprietors and trustees of the new erections. They have thus made his duty a ' service ' or ' employment,' rather than an ' office.' The ornament of a robe or gown for distinguishing his person in divine service has been avowedly discontinued, or rather never introduced to one of the fifty new churches." But it is evident that down to 1610 (?) the ornament of the Parish Clerk in London churches was the surplice, for in the Company's rules of that date, the Clerks are required to appear at their special evensong at Guildhall Chapel in a fair white surplice, under a penalty. The rule (1640) is altered to "shall sit or stand in decent manner in his gowne." But in a visitation inquiry of probably 1662 it is asked : " Have you a large and decent surplice for the minister to wear, another for the Clerk, if he have heretofore been accustomed to wear it, when he assisteth the minister?" and under the heading Parish Clerk, " Doth he wear a gown when he so attendeth and a surplice over it, if heretofore the custom hath been so among you." The conflict between the Ecclesiastical and Civil Courts as to the power of removing a Parish Clerk from his office, led to great scandal. The Civil Courts had ruled that the Parish Clerk was a temporal officer, and the Courts must have TijS Parish Clerks. sufficient reason for removing him, thus it became almost impossible to remove a man, once appointed a Parish Clerk, from his office, however unsuitable, morally or otherwise, he might prove to be. In 1844, an Act was passed concerning Lecturers and Parish Clerks, of which the chief enactment as to Parish Clerks was "that the Clerk be summoned to appear before the Archdeacon's or other Ordinary's Court by suitable process, witnesses to be summoned either for or against. The Archdeacon or other Ordinary shall summarily hear and determine the case, suspend or remove the Clerk, who is guilty of wilful neglect or misbehaviour in his said office, or who, by reason of misconduct, is an unfit or improper person to hold or exercise the same." Only for such reasons is he to be suspended, or removed. It is expressly provided "that doing duty by a sufficient deputy is not to be held a neglect." t0 jS6^* After the Clerks' procession and service in 1562, Machyn tells us that they went to their own hall to dine. Stow tells us " at the north-west corner of Erode Lane, Vintry, is the Parish Clerks' Hall, lately by them purchased since they lost their old Hall in Bishopsgate Street." If this Hall, as most probably had been the case, was taken on a forty years' lease, the lease would expire in 1602. In 1628, a new lease of the Clerks' Hall was taken for forty years, but of the old lease thirteen years were yet to run. This lease would thus determine in 1642, making from 1562 two leases of forty years. The habitation of the Parish Clerks as a Company was therefore, probably, in Broad Lane, Vintry, from 1562 till the great fire of London, in the early days of September, 1666. A few items as to this old Hall may be gleaned from the existing papers of the Company. From an old receipt there quoted the rent of this hall in 1583 was 31 nobles — £10 6s. 8d. On the renewal of that lease in 1628, a fine of £40 was paid to the superior, of which £24 was lent by a brother of the Company, and duly repaid in March, 1629. In the following July the Clerks were let off from the subsidy laid on the City of London, as " having no lands nor Hall except at aracke rent, and their charges were great owing i>j8 Parish Clerks. to the printing of the bills." In 1638 when the churchwardens of S. Martin-in-the-Vintry came to demand " serten monies which they said this Company were assessed at for the poor of this parish," the Company replied " that as the Company did never heretofore pay any such assessment to the poor, yet being willing to give something to such a charitable use, the Courte agreed and ordered to give and allow to the said poor of this parish the yearly sum of tenne shillings, quarterly by even portions, as a benevolence, if the churchwardens, and collectores of the said parish please to accept thereof." The annual rent continuing as before, this would be equivalent to a rate of a shilling in the pound. In 1648 " the lower rooms and cellar of the Hall were let on lease for ;^ii yearly." In connection with the Hall a carpenter, bricklayer, joiner and cook were specially appointed by the Company. In 1625 their carpenter was appointed " at an yearly salary of 3s. 4d., payable on vew day." In 1637 their bricklayer was appointed. He received £,\2 for tyling the Hall and an annual payment of los. for keeping it in order. At the same meeting their joiner was appointed. He had already wainscotted their parlour, and charged £,\2i ^°r ^i^ work. The Company thought his charge somewhat onerous, but "if he agree to make and set up some convenient work in addition, over the three doors in the parlour, his bill was to be paid, and he himself to be joiner to the Company." The lease of this Hall would have expired in 1668, but the Hall itself disappeared in the early days of September, 1666, two months after midsummer quarter-day, and on loth October, 1671, eight months after the new Hall was opened, it is ordered " that two months rent due for the old Hall shall be paid, to whom it shall appear to be due ! " Was it the superior or the site that could not be identified ? A claimant was found, for in the January audit appears "paid the two months' rent for our late Hall before the fire, £1 los. 6d." Like most of the other City Companies, the Clerks' Company was now homeless. Till May, 1667, there is no minuted record of meetings, but the Hall subsequent to 1^62. :'jg wardens' quarterly accounts are regularly audited and entered. From that date forward to the opening of the new Hall meetings were frequent. At the "Sunne Tavern in Leadenhall Street" they held five, and at " the Pye without Aldgate " one up to January, 1668. At "the Green Dragon, Queenhythe," they had four up to October, 1669. In November, 1668, they met at " the Quest House, Cripplegate," and had the Charter read. On 4th January, 1669, they met at "the Crown, near Cree Church," to examine and find out the differences and abuses which have been made and passed in several accounts touching the weekly bills, and required that the order of December, 1668, be printed and handed to each Parish Clerk. This was an order of the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen, issued on the petition of the Court of the Company for regulating the returns in the confusion after the fire. In 1669, they met five times at " the Gunne, near Aldgate," and in 1670 at " the Mitre in Fenchurch Street." Meanwhile, on 27th April, 1669, they had contracted for ground for their new Hall off Wood Street for ;£i40, appointed a committee for building the Hall, and restricted the expenses at committee meetings to 5s. a sitting. They call in /^200 they had lent on bond to Sir Robert Vyner, and ^50 they had lent to Pinckney, the King's embroiderer (probably the same with the underwarden of 1659-60). This latter sum they had considerable difficulty in realizing. On 29th June they bar- gained for an additional piece of ground at the north-west corner of the Hall with a Mr. Greenhill. They subscribe each, according to his ability or goodwill, towards the cost (a full list is given in the minute book), and some lent money to over ;^20o at six per cent. Gifts were received from friends of the Company. In 1688 the Hall was insured for ;£5oo. The first meeting in this Hall was on 3rd February, 1671, and they agree " that all the Clerks of the several parishes, which were not burnt down in the late dreadful fire, shall pay their arrears of i8o Parish Clerks. quarterages until Lady Day next, and that from henceforth, all other Parish Clerks, whose parishes are by the late Act of Parliament appointed to stand, shall pay quarterages hence- forth." And that "all ancient orders and ordinances relating to the due appearance of this Company in decent manner according to their respective summons " be observed. In 1704, £100 was to be taken up if necessary for the repair of the Hall, towards which, in 1703, they had paid ;£i27 i6s. gd. In 1706, an office was built for the Clerk at the north-east corner, and in 17 18, the whole was insured for ;£700. In 1765 the Hall was seriously damaged by fire, and the Company met from October to January, at " the George Coffee House," Aldermanbury. The Surveyor's estimate of the damages was £1']^, but it was afterwards found necessary to pull down the great chimney to its foundation, and rebuild it. In January, 1766, they were again in the Hall. Within a few years the counting house had to be enlarged for their tenants, so as to have more light and convenience. It was then insured for ;£iooo. In 1788 more repairs were required, and ;£200 of sea annuities were sold out for ;£i42 to pay the costs. In 1805 it was then insured for ;^2000. In 181 1 a search was made for the "deeds respecting the passage leading from Wood Street to the Hall, and the same was ordered to be repaired at the cost of the Company." In 1815 there was another narrow escape from a fire which originated at "the Bell in Wood Street," and £^ was voted to the men who assisted in protecting the Hall. In 1825 the Hall was again re-arranged, when the Company's Arms, formerly on the top of the organ, were affixed to the cornice over the window. These are now over the door of the Court Room, and this explains the motto " Pange Lingua Gloriosa." Those now over the organ were formerly attached to the upper warden's chair. In 1613 the use of the Hall was granted to the Basket- makers for 46s. a year, payable quarterly, and three months notice on either side, and in 1623 to the Fruiterers, for their meetings, at £6 yearly, with half a year's warning on either side. Here they seem to have held their meetings till 1660, when the Clerks demanded ;^io a year, and a seven years' lease. The Fruiterers declined and left, but in 1663 they came back, having consented to pay £10 annually. On the opening of the new Hall in 1671, they rent it for ;£8as yearly tenants, with six months' notice, " for the public meetings of the said Company, their election on S. Paul's Day, and their Yeomanry's feast on the last Thursday of November." Two months later, "the Tinplate Workers, al's Wire Workers " rent the flail, and its conveniences on similar conditions. In 1681, at a meeting of the officers of the Clerks, the Fruiterers and the Tinplate Workers, the Clerks demanded ;£i2. The two Companies refuse and get notice to quit ; but so far as the Fruiterers and Clerks were concerned, it seems to have been a lovers' quarrel for on 29th May, 1682, the lease for the Hall was signed and sealed, and the Fruiterers presented their brethren, the Clerks, j82 Parish Clerks. with a silver tankard, which henceforth appears in the Inventory as "a silver tankard, the gift of the Fruiterers' Company." Court Day, August 8th. "Given the Fruiterers' beadle, who brought the silver tankard, and paid for two quarts of canary to fill it, 6s. 6d." The Society of Porters also had the use of the Hall " on the third Tuesday in each calendar month, and at other times, by giving due notice when they shall have occasion," for £% los. yearly, payable quarterly, and giving six months' notice. The stewards of the Religous Societies also used the Hall for their quarterly meetings, but in 1702 they ceased to make use of it. Some of their members had used the Hall without the consent of the Court. The Court made their consent necessary, and the stewards left, removing their meetings to Bow Church Vestry. In 1704 the Fruiterers renew their lease at £i a year. In 17 10 the Company of Fanmakers, who had been incorporated the year before, lease the Hall for seven years at ;^8. In 1725 the Fruiterers again renew their lease for 21 years at ;^io per annum, and £<, fine, " to have the use of the Hall, organ room, kitchen under the Hall and cellars, but the number of days of meetings are to be limited, and timely notice of the meetings given." In 1761 the Whale Rone Company, late of Fisherman's Hall, Thames Street, rent a part of the Hall, viz : " The hall with the tables, &c. ; the organ room and the tables, except on Tuesday afternoon, when it was required by the Clerks for practice in music ; the use of the Court Room, except when the Clerks' Company shall have occasion to make use of it themselves ; the kitchen and counting house," at a rent of £^e^ per annum, and pay all taxes and charges. This Company held the Hall till 1801, when it was let to Messrs. Wilson & Co., at a rent of £']2, and on their leavmg (1820), it was let to Messrs. O'Neal & Co. for £?,o. Next year the Welsh Baptists wished to rent it, but the Company " out of no illiberal spirit, thought it not consistent with their relation to the Established Church to allow them to use it." Next year the ground floor is let for £^0, and the Tenants and Alterations subsequent to 182^. iSj cellars with entry from Silver Street, for £2^. At midsummer, 1827, a Mr. Butterworth rents the whole for ;{;84. On the expiration of Mr. Butterworth's lease in 1848, great alterations were made on the property, as well as on the Hall itself. Repairs and alterations on the latter cost over ;^200. Up to this time the entrance to the Hall had been by a passage from Wood Street. This was now blocked, so far as concerned the entrance to the Hall, and the present entrance in Silver Street opened. The Wood Street entrance was henceforth to be used only by the tenant, who had agreed to extend his business, premises over the little courtyard, on the east and south of the Hall. These alterations led to the blocking up of certain lights in what was then known as the " Golden Shears " or " Izaak Walton " public house. In 1669, six months after the Company had acquired this present site, a lease for a certain number of years had been granted to the then owner of this house, allowing him to open a certain number of windows overlooking the courtyard of the Hall, at a certain fixed annual payment. On the expiration of this lease no formal renewal had been made, but the annual payment had been continued by the successive occupiers down to the present time. This payment the proprietors now refused to recognise, and based their defence on a recent Act, which provided that where lights had existed for twenty years without interruption, the right to these lights became established by prescription. The Lord Chief Baron ruled that the annual payment (of which, however, owing to the carelessness of the Company in keeping their accounts, there was only evidence cropping up from time to time), fixed at first by written agreement, and paid continuously up to the present time, was an interruption in the sense of the statute, and decided in favour of the Clerks. On appeal, this decision was reversed. The consequence was, that the Company must either forbid their tenants to erect the new buildings agreed on, or purchase the property. The latter course was adopted, and thus the old courtyard was 184 Parish Clerks. covered with business offices. The leading man in these transactions was Edward White, Clerk of S. Swithin's, London Stone, of whose services the Company shewed their appre- ciation by voting him a silver box, valued at ten guineas. In 185 1 gas was laid on, and a chandelier presented by Mr. James Smith, then father of the Company. In 1858 patent venti- lators were placed in as many of the windows as was deemed necessary for the proper ventilation of the court room. The chief ornaments of the Hall at present are as follows : On entering the court room door there is to be seen overhead a copy of the Clerks' arms, which was transferred from the top of the organ in 1825. Its former position probably accounts for the motto underneath, " Pange lingua gloriosa" ("Sing, O tongue, the glorious things ") instead of the common motto of the Clerks' Company, "Unitassocietatis stabilitas" ("Unity society's stability.") In the left-hand corner of the room is the organ of 1737, of which nothing has been heard in the minutes since 1828. On the north wall hangs a painting of the flight into Egypt — a curious specimen of penmanship done by a former brother of the Company, John Pereira ; a portrait of Mr. Robert Hust, painted by James Ward. A copy of the rules of 1695 as to weekly returns of deaths, returns of deceased freemen, and yearly bills of mortality, printed in 1709 by Motte, printer to the Company. Underneath these are views of six City churches, presented on behalf of a friend by L. H. Wheatley, Parish Clerk of S. Mary, Stratford-le-Bow. On the mantel-shelf are three ornaments given by John Pereira in 1865, over which is a tablet containing names and qualifications of the Masters, Wardens, and Court of Assistants, the whole surmounted by a copy of the Company's Arms, painted by C. G. Francis, herald painter and Clerk of S. Mary, White- chapel. Beyond the fireplace stands a clock, the gift of the master and wardens in 1786, and a reprint of Visscher's " View of London, 1616," presented by R. Elkins, master 1872, At the Tenants and Alterations subsequent to 1825. 185 opposite corner, on the south side, hangs a portrait of John Gierke, Parish Clerk of S. Michael, Cornhill, presented by his son in 1827, and under it the original of an " Amended Grant of Arms to the Gompany in 1582." A new grant of arms, with helme and crest had been made by Thomas-Glarencieux, knight and king of arms in 1482, but these in 1582, being held by the master, wardens, and assistants of that year to be over much charged with certayn superstitions devysed contrary to the laudable and commendable manner of bearing arms" were purged of superstition by Robert Cook Claren- cieux herald. The arms are "the feyld azur, a flower de lice goulde on a chieffe gules, a leoparde's head between two pricksonge bookes of the second, the laces that bind the books next, and to the creast upon the healme, on a wreathe gules and azur, an arm, from the elbow upwards, houlding a pricksong book, 30th March, 1582." Passing along the south side there hangs a view of London, immediately after the great fire of 1666, a view of old Temple Bar, and a view of the scaffolding used at the repair of the spire of S. Mary, Islington, devised by Robert Birch, an ingenious basketmaker. Between the next windows hangs " a looking glass, which is fixed in the court room, the gift of Mr. Ball, the warden in 1718." By the door of the Court Room hangs the portrait of "William Roper, a worthy benefactor of this Company." In the centre window of the east end are the arms of Charles II., two pieces of stained glass, emblematic of music and its effects, and the portraits, in stained glass, of two masters of the Company, one of 1675, the other of 1685. The window to the left has the arms of other two, one of 1680, and one of 168 1, while the window on the right is similarly adorned with the arms of one who was master in 1674 and 1682, and of another in 1684. In the first window on the south side from the east end, are the Parish Clerks' arms, commemorating a master of 1679, the second and third contain the arms of a Prince of Wales, and a portrait of Queen Anne presented by Mr. Medwin, and iSg Parish Clerks. believed to have formerly belonged to S. Margaret's, Lothbury, and in the window by the west end are the arms of a master of 1672, the year after the Hall was opened. At the head of the table under the east window, stands the master's chair, pre- sented in 1716 by Samuel Andrewes, then master. Attached to it is the beadle's staff, either presented in 1702 by James Plasted, or in 1789 by William Ayscough of S. Giles, but the silver mounting is carefully preserved with the Company's plate. Among the curiosities in posesssion of the Company is a snuff box, made from the wood of the ' Victory,' Nelson's flag- ship at the battle of Trafalgar. It is mounted in silver, and formerly belonged to Capt. F. E. CoUingwood, who died in 1835. He was midshipman on board the \'ictory, and is said " to have had the honour of avenging Lord Nelson's death by shooting the Frenchman in the maintop of the ' Redoubtable,' who had been seen to take deliberate aim at the English Admiral." The box was purchased in 1861. It bears the inscription inside : " Frs. Ed. CoUingwood, 1810," and on the outside "England expects every man to do his duty." ^rtnttn0 ^ve»»* In the old Hall also stood the printing press, set up in 1626. In the previous year an Act had been obtained under the seal of the Court of High Commission, to set up a press in the Hall, the printer to be appointed being always a person approved of by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London. This licence cost the Company ;£i2 6s. 2d. The cost of the press itself is not given, but on the 1 8th July, 1626, " the weekly reports " are ordered " to be printed with the several burials figured in every parish, the upper master to keep the key of the upper-lock of the Press Chamber, the upper warden the key of the middle lock, the under warden the key of the lower lock of the said door, and there and then, the keys were delivered to them." Previous to this, from the transfers of stock of printed bills to successive wardens, the practice seems to have been to keep in stock a number of bills of various sizes, with the headings and parishes printed thereon, then to enter weekly on the forms the number of deaths in each parish. The yearly returns seem to have been printed by contract, for in the previous December "the Company agreed with Mr. Stansbye to print the yearly bills at such prices as shall then be concluded on, under the penalty of ;£ioo for divulging or allow- ing copies to be dispersed before the 7th January next ensuing." i88 Parish Clerks. In 1630 Richard Hodgkinson is engaged as printer, as he offers to print the bills as cheap as any other, but difficulties arose with him, and in 1633 "the award of the referees appointed by the King in the case of dispute with Hodgkinson the printer, was both to be released from the engagement and the Clerks to pay ;£20 to Hodgkinson, who does not appear to claim it." But he did appear subsequently and was paid his award. In 1636, Thomas Cotes, Parish Clerk of Cripplegate Without, was the Company's printer, and on his death in 1641 Richard Cotes succeeded. The wardens' accounts report on 26th August 1641 : — £ s. d. Paid to Mr. Trevor and his man for the writ- ing concerning our printer ... 2 o o Given to my Lord of London's secretary, when my Lord signed for the admission of our printer 100 Richard Cotes' name disappeared in 1651, and Mrs. Ellinor Cotes took his place. The press disappeared in the fire of 1666. In October 1669, a printing press and letters for the Company were procured by Mr. John Clarke, whose portrait adorns the east window of the present Hall. John seems to have been a kindly-hearted man, for in 1682, at his suggestion, 20s. was granted by the Company to a poor woman "whose children are visited with smallpox, and whose husband is in captivity." In 1672 ;£io was ordered to be paid to Mr. Andrew Clarke for this printing press and other materials, when he shall demand the same. Meanwhile Andrew Clarke (Nov., 1670) had been appointed printer to the Company, in the place of Ellinor Cotes, deceased. In 168 1, one William Russell, a cophin maker, living in Aldermanbury, brought a letter to the Company from his Printing Press. i8g Majesty and signed by Lord Conway, directing the Clerks to insert in their weekly bills the following advertisement: "William Russell, cophin maker, living at the sign of the foure cophins in Aldermanbury, who is ordered by his Majestie to put this, his useful invention, in print for the benefit of his subjects. He hath a secret whereby he can secure the dead bodyes from any annoyance so that they may be kept above ground so long as desired, without embowelling, cutting, or mangling any part thererof, and of the speedy performance thereof hath cophins ready-made by him." But the Clerks did not relish the proposal. Such an advertisement could not be permitted in their bills. It might bring them into difficulties with the Stationers' Company. The masters and wardens are to use their utmost endeavours to prevent the said insertion. They petition the King, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Bishop of London, and the Lord Chancellor to cause the letter and unsavoury advertisement to be with- drawn, and they succeed, but not without expenses. £ s. d. 1681 (Oct. 3rd). — Expended in making defence against Mr. Russel, his insertion to be put into the weekly bill as per bill ... ... 3 3 8 Oct. loth. — Paid for an order of King and Councell in the business of Russell per acquitance 3 12 6 Expended at five meetings (October) on Mr. Russel's business ... ... ... .. 3 i 11 In 1683 Benjamin Motte succeeded Clarke. In 1688 he was ordered to find provide new and good letters and figures for weekly and general bills, put his name thereto, and to have 40s. in hand and 40s. yearly, by los. a quarter. In 1711, a bill was introduced into the House of Commons for putting a tax upon pamphlets. The Clerks petitioned to igo Parish Clerks. be exempted from the tax, so far as the weeklyand yearly bills were concerned, for "if the duty be imposed on these, the expense will be so great that no one will buy them ; the Company will be unable to publish them, as that is their only source of profit." They succeeded. The expense was accepted by the whole of the Company, and in June, 17 12, it was agreed " that the assessment this day read by the Clerk concerning the dividend of each parish, towards defraying the charges concerning the Act on pamphlets be continued, and every Clerk to have notice against Tuesday next to bring their money according to that proportion." The widow of Benjamin Motte still acted as their printer, but in 1715 Mr. Humphreys, bookbinder, appeared and brought an instrument ,&c., from the Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop of London, appointing himself printer to the Company. The Court answered "the appointment has always hitherto been with us ; the approval only with the Bishops." What was the reason of the change of policy on the part of the Bishops is not known. The matter went to the Court of Chancery. Next year the Clerk is ordered to make terms with Mr. Humphrey as he shall think fit. Bills of costs appear to be paid for the next three years, and in 1720 Mr. Humphreys appears as printer. In 1727 the newspapers reprint the bills as soon as issued, and thereby decrease the sale. In 1735 an attempt is made to obtain from Parliament a sole right to the sale and circulation of the bills, with the usual result of expenses. In 1739 Mr. Humphreys gets reprimanded for his carelessness and neglect in printing the bills. He promised amendment ; but in 1746 it is agreed to petition the Archbishop and the Bishop of London to relieve them of their printer. In 1748 the printer was provided for in the Charterhouse, and resigned his post into the hands of the Bishop of London. In 1787 Mr. Rivington is printer to the Company, and in July, 1790, Mr. Charles Rivington, late printer for the Company, being deceased, Mr. Rivington, bookseller in S. Paul's Churchyard, and brother of the Printing Press. jgi deceased, presented an instrument from the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London, appointing Mrs. Anne Rivington, widow of the son of Mr. Rivington, book- seller, to be printer to the Company in the room of the said Charles Rivington. The Rivingtons seem to have acted as printers of the bills, till the printing of them ceased in 1850. The arrangement for appointing the printers had in many instances proved unfortunate. It was all very well to avoid unlicensed printing, which was such a terror, not merely to the government, but also to all quietly-disposed citizens. When the Archbishop and Bishop of London took it in their own hand to appoint, without advice from the Company, they landed the Company in years of work done insufficiently, carelessly, and indistinctly. Such dangers as our forefathers had to be on guard against we may not, and perhaps we do not realise sufficiently the need then required for a license on the press. ®tr0 an anb ^&altn0ii^* Previous to 1665 an organ had been set up in the Hall, for on 1 6th January of that year the minute book records : "Whereas there was lately an organ brought in and set up in our Common Hall upon trial for the service of this Company, the better to enable them to perform a service incumbent upon them before the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London on Michaelmas Day, and also the better to enable them, who already are, or hereafter shall be. Parish Clerks of this City, in performing their duties in their several and respective parishes to which they stand related ; that the said organ now standing in the Company's Hall shall be bought at such reasonable rate as Mr. John Bedford, one of the assistants of this Company, shall agree for the same." On April loth Mr. John Bedford contracted and paid ;£20 for this organ, and is to be repaid on 24th June. Within three months after the opening of the new Hall, the Parish Clerk of S. Martin's-in- the-Fields, deposited in the hands of the master and wardens "three guinys pieces of gold towards the beautifying of the organ, on condition that he be not chosen Assistant to this Company, or any other office therein." The following items of expense occur in 1671 in connection with this organ. Organ and Psalmody. rgj (Audit Day — 3RD April, 167 i). £ s. d. Expense with Mr. Clarke, &c., upon enquirie for the organ ... ... ... ... 049 Removall and carige of the organ ... ... 046 Setting up the organ in the parlour ... ... 176 Expended when the organ was brought in and set up ... ... ... ... ... o 10 I Coach-hire when we came with the organ from Westminster ... ... ... ... 016 Expended when we went first to see the organ 032 (Audit Day, 27TH June). Expenses on the organ maker ... ... 024 Paid the organ maker (May 15th) ... ... 070 At several times agreeing to guild the organ ... 030 Guilding and painting the organ and case ... 300 (Audit Day— iith April, 1672). Paid back to myself [warden], Mr. Ince, Mr. Hadley, and Mr. Williams, what was paid to the buying of the organ ... ... ••• 200 The cost of the organ cannot be ascertained, as larger payments were often made out of the cheste, without being entered in the warden's accounts. Its cost had evidently been beyond the ready money at command, as four members of court had lent los. each to complete the purchase. On several occasions Mr. John Playford is referred to in the minutes and inventory as "presenting copies of hispsalmes and hymns in solemne music in four parts." Playford was appointed Clerk of the Temple Church in 1652, but was probably not; a /p^ Parish Clerks. member of the Company, as the Temple has always been a peculiar, and never included in the Bills of Mortality. The author of the " Parish Clerks' Guide," Benjamin Payne, of S. Anne's, Blackfriars, 1685, speaks of him as "one to whose memory all Parish Clerks owe perpetual thanks for their furtherance in the knowledge of psalmody." Hawkins in his "History of Music," says "he was an honest and friendly man, a good judge of music, with some skill in composition. He contributed not a little to the art of printing music from letter-press types. He is looked upon as the father of modern psalmody, and it does not appear the practice has much improved." Playford gives a sorry account of the Parish Clerks of his day. "In and about this great City," he says, " in above a hundred parishes there are but few Parish Clerks to be found that have either ear or understanding to set one of these tunes musically, as it ought to be, it having been a custom during the late wars, and since, to chuse men into such places more for their poverty than skill and ability, whereby that part of God's service hath been so ridiculously performed in most places, that it is now brought into scorn and derision by many people." He tells us also " that the ancient practice of singing of psalms in Church was for the Clerk to repeat each line, probably because, at the first introduction of psalms into our service, great numbers of the common people were unable to read." Several copies of the 1671 edition of Pla3fford's psalms dedicated to Bancroft, Dean of S. Paul's, are still among the books of the Company. Others as well as Playford seem to have been dissatisfied with the music and psalms of the time. In 1684 the Clerk of S. Lawrence, Jewry, was summoned by the Court of this Company, "to appear to answer a complaint made against him for introducing a new sort of psalmes into the Church, selling books thereof, en- couraging the same to be publiquely used, and using the same himself, and being demanded by what authority he did the same, answered "he believed he did it by authority sufficient. Organ and Psalmody. ig^ and alleged that he had the Lord Bishop of London's and Dr. Callamy's, and that he will therein persist." Ordered "that the Bishop of London be attended on this business." The services at the election of the Lord Mayor were frequently held in S. Lawrence, Jewry, about this time, and the "new sort of psalms," perhaps, were rather a trial to the more conS' rvative brethren, whose lot it might be to take part in the service." The result is not recorded. On his death, however, in 1691, his son was admitted Clerk of S. Lawrence, Jewry, in his room. In 1677, Mr. James Clifford, a minor canon of S. Paul's, proposed to print the whole book of psalmes, with notes to every word. A member of the Court proposed to encourage the work, but it was relegated to the next convenient opportunity. This "Parish Clerks' Guide" was compiled in 1685 by Benjamin Payne (who, in the preface, acknowledges his indebtedness to Mr. Clifford), as an assistance to the Parish Clerks in discharging the duties of their office. Mr. Clifford appears, from the " Parish Clerks' Guide," and from his being in 1689 the only clergyman admitted to their public feasts, except such as were members of the Company, to have been held in high esteem by the Parish Clerks. In the Guide certain psalms were chosen which were considered to be suitable for use for every Sunday in the year, and in accordance with the Collect, Epistle, and Gospel for the day. As to Church music, he says "but since faction prevailed in the Church, and troubles in the State, Church music has laboured under inevitable prejudices, more especially by its being decried by some misguided and peevish sectaries as popery and anti- Christ, and so the minds of the common people are alienated from Church music, although performed by men of the greatest skill and judgment, under whom was wont to be trained up abundance of youth in the respective Cathedrals, that did stock the whole kingdom, atone time, with good and able songsters." "I would advise my brethren not to give out their psalms or ig6 Parish Clerks. lines too quick, which is a great fault, but to speak with deliberation, that every syllable may have its proper emphasis, which is the only way to be understood by such of the congregation as may stand at a distance." In the year of the compiler's death, 1709, the Company ordered 250 of these Guides to be reprinted; in 1731, 500 more; and in 1741, 100 copies to be forthwith bound. In 1752 the Guide was again reprinted for the Company by Joseph Fox, Parish Clerk of S. Margaret's, Westminster. Other editions of it are to be met with down at least to the end of the century. F"ox, who died in 1790, appears to have taken much interest in promoting among the Clerks the study of psalmody, for in 1758 he presented them with twelve copies of Playford's psalms, a new impression, and in 1787 with six psalm books. But to return to the organ. Use was still being made of it for in 1684 the salary of Mr. Moss, our organist, was raised from £'^ to £i. He was succeeded by Clement Magnus, in 1707, who was warned in 1728, that "unless he attend himself to play the organ, the Court will proceed to the election of another person in his room." On his death in 1732, Mr. Roger Gethin is elected, but from henceforth the election is to be yearly. The old organ of 167 1 is found to be out of date, and anew one is provided in 1737 at a cost of ;^ioo. To meet this extraj expense £100 was borrowed on bond, and 2s. added to the weekly bills till the bond was repaid. Mr. Bridges' bill for putting up the organ and carpenter's work connected therewith was £-] 17s. The old organ was handed over to Mr. Richard Bridges "on condition of his tuning and keeping in repair the present new organ for seven years." In 1739 the organist is ordered to attend in the morning of Charter Day, instead of in the afternoon as formerly. In 1742 Matthew Hussey was chosen, Gethin being now dead, and a few years after Mr. Bridges is allowed 30s. a year to keep the organ in repair. In 1755 an application is made for the use of the organ Organ and Psalmody. igy and organ room to hold a weekly concert of music, and £io rent offered, which is referred to the master and wardens. In 1764 Mr. Hussey is voted "three guineas for extraordinary trouble in putting several new tunes into the Company's psalm books." The fire in 1765 damaged both organ and printing press, and caused considerable expense. At this time Hussey died, and Mr. Edmund Gilding was elected, who in 1 77 1 gets eight guineas instead of £8. The organ was probably sometimes used irregularly, for in 1773, it is ordered that "the keys of the organ be left in the Counting House every Tuesday after the organ has been used for the Company on that day, to be given up by five o'clock." The charge for keeping the organ in repair is raised to two guineas in 1775. In 1782 the time for practice is extended to six o'clock instead of five. In 1805 "no person shall be admitted into the Court Room on Tuesdays to practice psalmody, except those of the brotherhood, without leave of the masters and wardens or chairman then present," and that the brethren, after giving in their weekly bills, may neither annoy the Clerk, nor be without shelter, "one shilling a week is allowed to the landlord of the Shears public-house to provide a private room for such of the brethren as assemble on Tuesday afternoon.'' An attempt was made next year to get a little larger allowance, but the Court was inexorable. In 18 12 the Court Room was shut up for a time, the shilling stopped, and when in 1813 it was " re-opened for practice for Parish Clerks only " on Tuesdays, the shilling was withheld. In 1814 Thomas Lester resigned, and the Court "after hearing the candidates perform, elected Mr. Light, whose salary was raised from eight to ten guineas in 1815, and ;£i2 to be spent in repairing the organ," In 1817 the Company subscribe to Mr. Jacobs' collection of psalms for the Company's use. In 1822 Mr. Light resigns, and it is proposed to shut the organ up. In 1828 an individual offers ;£20 for the ig8 Parish Clerks. organ. The opinion of a professional, Mr. Bevington, was taken as to its value. He reported that it was worth ;^5o, and proposed to thoroughly clean and repair it, putting in new bellows on the improved plan and to changing its front into the present court room for £,^% The carrying out of his proposal was left to the master and wardens. References to organ in the minutes from this time forward cease. The front of the organ was changed into the present Court Room. From previous references to the organ it would appear that what is now the Clerk's office was formerly used also on the Tuesday afternoons for the weekly practice in music. Was it that choirs were becoming more common for the music in churches, or was it rather an index to the general carelessness and indifference which then prevailed as to the due performance of divine service that there was not sufficient interest taken in the musical part of the services to encourage the Clei-ks to improve their skill in music, but to shut up their organ instead and allow it to stand merely as an ornamental and unused adjunct to their Hall. It has already been mentioned that in 1610 money was ordered to be raised on the security of the Company's plate for obtaining the Charter of January, 161 2. From the wardens' inventory of 1637 the plate possessed by the Company appears to have been of considerable amount. " In the cheste in the new closett " (which had just been put up and newly finished) . oz. dwt. One faire standing cup and cover, gilt, weighing 22 Nine silver beere bolls, weighing together Ten silver wine cups, white, weighing together Six silver gilt cups ,, ,, Two silver gilt cups, with covers ,, Four silver beakers, parcell gilt ,, ,, One faire silver salt, white, with the Companies armes engraven on it ... ...weighing One other silver salt, white ,, 22 12 91 2| 54 2| 52 2| 25 2| 26 29 7l II I 200 Parish Clerks. One silver salt, gilt, with a cover One other silver salt, gilt, with a cover One small silver salt, parcell gilt Nineteen silver spoons, parcell gilt One small silver spoon, gilt ... The common seale of this Company of silver massy being in the till of the cheste, weighing A faire standing gold cup and cover, pounced, ...weighing (1638) — One other faire standing cup and cover gilt. ... ... ... ... ...weighing 10 3 16 3 2 28 32 393 15 17 This inventory is carefully continued year by year till 1644, when all the above silver disappears from the inventory, except " the common seal of this Company," and "31 silver spoones whereof 30 are parcell gilt and one is gilt." Owing to the troubles of the time, the silver had probably been moved from the Hall to some place of safe keeping. On 7th October, 1645, s-t a- meeting of the master wardens, and six assistants, it was " ordered (nem. con.) that to supply the present urgent occations of this said Company for money, all the plate belonging to the said Company shall forthwith be sold, and the money thereby raised to be put into the chest with three locks, and that the said master and wardens shall effect the same accordingly. ' ' The curious part about this order is, that in these years, there does not appear from the wardens' accounts such "an urgent occation " as the minute speaks of, the balance of accounts had hitherto been favourable. The demands, however, made on them were great, and possibly at this time were very indefinite, owing to the Civil War. The exemption from subsidy in 1629 no longer availed. Gifts, Plate, &c. 201 In 1641 (20th Aug). — The collectores for foure subsidys ... ... ... ... ... 400 1642 (28th Feb).— The collectores for j|- for provision of arms for this City ... ... 060 i6th March, J-^ ... o 12 o 1644 (12th Feb). — Estreated on our lands in Bermondsey for the Parliament (in 1646, it amounted to ;^i 25. 8d) ... ... ... 040 Paid the collectores for maimed soldiers ... 046 (17th June).— Paid to John Bell (Clerk of the Compan}-) to provide him armes ... ... 200 Paid him half hire of a man, to serve at the forte ... ... ... ... ... ... o 13 o (Aug. loth). — To the collectores of my Lord of Essex, his recruite ... ... ... 268 (Nov. nth). — Half man hire at forte and to go to Newbere ... ... ... ... ... i 12 o 1645 (Feb. 3rd). — Paid the messenger who had John Bell in custody (he had probably been pressed for service) Spent about the same business ... For the half man at the forte (during the rest of this year) (June 2nd). — Officers of Committee of arrears Collectores of fortification money for six months Collectores for the Irish money i2d. per month On this year's audited accounts in June (1645), £ s. d. the deficit was 18 6 3 1645 (7th July).— Collectores for Sir Thos. Fairfax's money for three months i n 6 15th Dec, for four months of ten months ... 220 I 6 II 2 4 6 10 3 6 202 Parish Clerks. The collections for the armies, English, Scotch, and Irish, continue, sometimes at a higher rate, sometimes at a lower, till the Restoration, when they settle down to a regular fixed sum. These entries show that the Clerks in their Corporate capacity were willing to acknowledge the existing Government, and in May of this year the minute book records their petition to the House of Lords, " that they may be continued in their places by the ordinance now depending for settlement of church Government." This was the ordinance by which it was attempted to substitute, for the ancient government of the Church, the Presbyterian form adopted in Scotland on the model of Calvin at Geneva. This petition cost £,\ 14s. gd., besides other expenses incidental to it. But to return to the plate and inventories. The order for sale was on 7th October, and on loth November is the entry. " Received for 213 ozs. of white plate (wanting 3 dwts.) sold by order of Courte of Assistants at 4s. lod. per oz., £,^1 gs, 6d. The money so obtained was placed in the chest." In the same audit appears payment for "three dozen glasses and three earthern salts." " 1647 (nth February), for 173 ozs. of gilt and parcell gilt plate at 5s. 2d. per oz., ;£45 19s." Xhe total weight of silver in the Inventory amounted to about 393 ozs., and here is the sale of 386 ozs. The common scale of the Company, the spoones, and the difference between the weight as entered in the Inventory and the selling weight, quite account for the difference. On 13th November, 1648, ;^50 is drawn from the chest and expended on the Hall. The inventories, when entered, shew little difference worthy of notice till the opening of the present Hall in 1671. In the Inventory for that year the following items occur :— Gifts, Plate, Gfc. 203 Charters : Edward VI. [not a charter, but ordinances agreed upon between Corporation and Company of Clerks, 1553]- James I. [January, 1612]. Charles I. [February, 1640]. An old receipt book [probably the volume of leases, 1522]. Two great bibles. "Speed's Chronicle," " Stow's Survey," "Sir Richard Baker's Chronicle," three parts of " Foxe's Book of Martyrs" [rebound along with a bible in 1643 for £1 os. yd.] "The Body of Divinity" [probably the volume published as Archbishop Usher's]. "An old book with letters bleu, red and gold," in Mr. Hinson's hands [Daniel Hinson was elected Beadle in 1647, and it is probably owing to him that the " old Bede Roll," which may be recognised under this description was preserved from the flames]. In a succeeding inventory it is described as a " Booke of Antiquities of this Company with gold, blue, and red letters." In 1673 there is added "the deedes made to this Company by William Roper, Esq., deceased," and in 1674 "the effigies of William Roper, Esq." Plate. Twenty-eight parcell guilt silver spoones and one guilt. One silver tankard, gift of Henry Smith [after 1659]. One silver tankard, gift of John Sams [1658]. One faire silver salt, gift of Elizabeth Bell [167 1]. One silver beere bowl, gift of Robert Downing [1651]. One small silver salt, gift of John Smith [1659]. Two silver- tipped blacke jacks, gift of Richard Barker [1659]- The common scale of the Company of massy silver. Four wreaths. "Two for the masters of crimson velvet, embroidered, and two for the wardens of green satin, embroidered." In the inventory of 1637 these appear as i04 Parish Clerks. " two garlands of crimson velvet, imbroithered for the election of the two masters," and "two garlands of greene satin imbroithered for the election of the two wardens," and in 1648 and 1650 as "two garlands of crimson for master and upper warden, and one garland of greene satin for under warden." The two garlands of crimson velvet embroidered are still in the possession of the Company and bear date 1601. These were the wreaths or garlands which were transferred from the heads of the old masters or wardens on demitting their office and placed on the heads of their successors when the result of the new election was formally announced to the assembled brotherhood. From these entries it would seem the custom was in force in 1650, but had fallen into disuse before 1671. In 1637 "the funeral cloth of this Company of black velvet and cloth of tissue imbroithered with a black silke and gold fringe about it." In the wardens' accounts subsequent to 1637 there are frequent entries of " expenses at the funeral of a brother," when no doubt "the funeral cloth" was used. The reason of its disappearance in 1671 may be that it was so worn in the fringes, &c., that it had been laid aside. In i685, however, it was repaired. It is still in the possession of the Company, and was last used in 1856 and i860 at the funerals of Mr. James Smith and Mr. Warren, respectively, fathers of the Company. In 1697 Richard Clark presented the Company with a silver paten, and in 1702 Brother James Plasted presented the Com- pany withabeadle's staff headed with silver, with the Company's Arms thereon. In 1704 Benjamin Payne, Clerk of St. Andrew- by-the-Wardrobe, presented a silver snuffbox, which was in 1828 regildedby William Cooper. In 1714 Mrs. Motte, then printer to the Company, presented two volumes of "the Ecclesiastical Parochial History of London." In 1724 the master for the year gave a small flagon. On i8th July, 1757, the Court resolved " that the silver spoons belonging to the Company Gifts, Plate, drc. 205 being old-fashioned, and never used, be sold, whereby the Company's plate will pay only los. duty yearly instead of 15s." In 1765 " the Court considering there being no use for a great quantity of pewter now belonging to the Company, came to an agreement to desire the master and wardens to dispose of the same to the best advantage." " That the plate belonging to the Company be reduced under 100 ounces and that the surplus be disposed of by the master and wardens to the best advant- age, for the benefit of the Company." In 1757 the expenses in the attempt to procure an Act of Parliament, and in 1765 the fire in the Hall, were making heavy demands on their treasury. In 1789, Mr. Ayscough, of S. Giles', gave a silver-mounted staff, to be made use of in a procession at sermon. In 1808 three sugar tongs and twenty tea-spoons were presented by Mr. Reily, master. In 1828, a new silver-mounted ebony hammer was given by Mr. Joseph Wood, and in the same year a new copper-plate for dinner card by the master. In 1837 a com- plete copy of voluminous report of His Majesty's Commission to enquire into the operation of the Poor Law and a copy of Dr. Birch's book of Bills of Mortality, from 1657 to 1658, hand- somely bound, were presented by Mr. Martin. On the publica- tion of this book in 1759, a copy had been presented to the Company by Dr. Birch himself. He was rector of S. Margaret Pattens. In 1757 the minute book records " the Rev. Dr. Birch and a friend of his, having applied for liberty to inspect the Company's books of yearly bills, the Court agree that the said gentlemen look into the same, and take any copies therefrom they shall think proper, and to print them with the Company's press." In 1828 R. F. Clarke presented a hammer. In 1838 the old deed book was rebound at the expense of Mr. Arnott ; a hand- some pair of cruets was presented by Mr. Root ; and two beautiful inlaid rose-wood tea-caddies, made by himself, in a wainscot case, by George Watson. In 1839 four silver sauce 2o6 Parish Clerks. ladles and six silver salt spoons were presented by Joseph Roberts; six silver bottle labels by James Archer ; "fourvery handsome silver gravy spoons" by John Warren; a cream ewer, the gift of John Eames; "six equally handsome table spoons " by Timothy Green Smith. In 1842 " two very elegant mustard pots with spoons" were given by Mr. Batt. In 1848 " two dozen damask table napkins" by Mr. Medwin ; and in 1849 " two pair of handsome wine coasters " by D. R. Harker. In 1855 Mr. Webb (master), presented a pair of silver caddy spoons. Mr. Medwin in 1858 presented "a fine large circular deep dish of old Japan, with flowers and ornaments in gold and coloured, 22 inches in diameter," in 1859 a piece o^ stained glass (already referred to), and in 1862 a thermometer for the Court Room. In 1862 Mr. Montgomery also presented a wine strainer and album; and Mr. Adams, four pair of nut crackers; in 1868, Henry Smith, "a fish slice, knife and fork, with three pairs of poultry carvers." In 1875 W. J. Smith, then master, presented a plated rose-water dish," and in 1885, on his second tenure of that office "a handsome album in an oak case and a rosewater dish in 1892 to match the one he presented in 1875" ; in 1878, John Gane, a plated three-branch candelabra; in 1879, Richard Perkins, a silver badge of office to be worn by the master, and with which each successive master was to be invested. This was more in keeping with modern taste than the garlands or wreaths which figure so long in the old inventories. The inscription is " Hoc insigne inusum Magistri D. D. Ricardus Perkins, SS. Augustini et Fidis Clericus, bis Magister, 1878, 1879" (" this badge of office, Richard Perkins, Clerk of S. Augustine and S. Faith, twice Master, 1878 and 1879, dedicated and presented for the Master's use.") In 1893 J. G. White presented, for the use of the Master at Court meet- ings, a handsome gothic oak writing desk. ®l7^ (&0xnpanu*^ ^oov^ Incidental notices occur from time to time of the value of the pensions allowed to the poor widows and sometimes decayed brethren of the Company. In 1624 the pension allowed was 2s. 6d. a quarter. In 1661 it was raised to 5s., and in 1677 from 6s. to los. In 1641 a new departure was made in assisting a son of a late assistant, now deceased, to prosecute his studies at Oxford. " On the petition of Benjamin Harrison (son of George Harrison, late one of the assistants of this Company, deceased), it is ordered by the master and assistants here present, that for and during the term of six years now next ensuing (if the said Benjamin shall so long continue a student at the University) there shall be yearly paid to him out of the stock of the Company towards his maintenance the sum of four pounds, quarterly, by even portions. And it is further ordered that after the expiration of the said term the said sum of £4, shall in like manner and for the like term be paid unto any other that shall make suit for the same, being the son of a brother of this Company, and a student at the University, provided always that the son of an assistant be first preferred." In the matriculation registers of the University of Oxford is entered : " Harrison Benjamin, 2o8 Parish Clerks. son of George, of London, commoner, aged i8, matriculated 1st April, 1642." In the audit of June, 1642, is entered: "Paid to Beniamin Harrison, the Oxford scholler, his pension of 20s. a quarter, due at Lady Day last.'' A similar payment occurs each successive audit. The last appears in the audit of 8th November, 1647. This payment corresponds nearly with the date of the visitation of Oxford University by the visitors appointed by the Long Parliament to purge the University on the retirement of the King from Oxford. How Harrison fared afterwards in these stormy times is not known. In 1709 Benjamin Payne left for the remainder of the lease an annual charge of ;£i is. 8d. on a house for the poor of the Company. In 1716 ids. a quarter was still the allowance, but on opening, at the January Court, the poor-box in which all fines and donations for the poor were placed, ten shillings, at least, were usually granted in addition. Hitherto the number of pensioners was six, but in 1769 the number was increased to eight. In 1773 the Court came to a resolution that "as necessaries are greatly increased in price to give to the pensioners as a free gift an additional quarter guinea each quarter during pleasure," and in 1774 to give "a guinea instead of 15s. gd. now allowed them." In 1775 a list of benefactors to the poor is ordered to be placed in the court room. In 1780 no widow is to be admitted unless 50 years of age, and in 1782 the number is again reduced to six. In 1786 every assistant chosen shall pay, on his admission, five guineas to the poor-box. But the contents of the poor box wer.e not restricted to the pensioners alone. In 1793 six others received assistance at the January Court, and so it continued, sometimes as many as twelve receiving help at this Court out of this box. In 1809 the number was again raised to eight, and the annual allowance raised from £\ 4s. to ^^5. In 1814 the widows who are pensioners are to attend Church on Charter Day, and those who attend are to have 5s. each. It The Company's Poor. 20c) has been noticed already that the wardens were on that occasion to collect alms, both on entering the Church and on leaving. The almshouses were first proposed in 1826. Mem- bers of the Company also left gifts for the widows. Fox, of S. Margaret's, Westminster, left in 1790 twelve guineas for the pensioners, and Ayscough, of S. Giles', ;^35, to be divided amongst Parish Clerks' widows. In 1826 Richard Hust, having entered on his 50th year as Parish Clerk of S. George's, Southwark, gave to the Com- pany ;£ioo as a jubilee offering, the annual proceeds of which was to be bestowed on six of the most distressed widows of members of the Company. Upon this, the members of the Company resolved to subscribe for his portrait, and a com- mission to paint it was given to James Ward, Gerard Street, Soho. It now hangs in the Hall. In 1835 Hust, by his will, left for the widows of members of the Company ;{^20o in money, and ;^iooo consols, the latter to be handed over to the Company as trustees, on the death of his housekeeper, who died in 1859. The consols then realized ;£8g6 8s. 7d., to which the Court of the Company added £2 us. 5d., making the bequest a round sum of ;£900. In 1853 Joseph Bettesworth Spier left £100, free of legacy duty, to the almshouses, of which the court of assistants are the trustees. In 1856 the widow of James Smith, formerly father of the Company, gave eight guineas for poor widows of the Company, and continued the subscription yearly during her life. In i860 Mr. John Warren, the next father, left ;£io to widows of members of the Company, and ^10 to widow inmates of the almshouses. In 1869 a legacy of ^£400 was received from an unknown donor. ^htni&»i0n an^ ^vtavtevag^»* By the ordinances of 1553 the admission fee to the Company was fixed at 3s. 4d. In 1616 the fine for refusing to serve as upper warden was £1, and in 1625 the admission fees amounted to 3s. 6d. — 2s. for Company, is. for Clerk, and 6d. for beadle. In 1637 the admission fee was still 2s. for Company, and 3s. 4d. on being admitted assistant, but on obtaining the Charter of 1640 the fee for admission was raised to 3s. 4d., and for an assistant to ^^3. For many years the court of assistants made vigorous use of the power of arbitration conferred by Charter, between members of the Company, and inflicted the full fine of £1 6s. 8d. on those members, who went to law with each other, without first availing themselves of this arbitration tribunal. The fines so received went to the support of the Company's poor. Fines for absence at court meetings, or for not being present when the master's hammer fell, announcing that business was to commence, were very rigidly exacted, unless adequate excuse was made for the irregularity. In 1709 fees were raised from 5s. 4d. to 7s. 4d., and 17 12 it was made a standing rule "that the master and wardens elected on Ascension Day, be not admitted or sworne till the next audit day following," thus reverting to the rule of 1529. The Admission and Quarterages. 211 expenses connected with the exemption of the bills from the tax on pamphlets, sent the quarterages up from 4d. to 6d,, and the bills to 3s. a quire. And " no wardens were to be allowed beyond los. for the quarterly expenses of the Company, owing to lowness of funds." In 1715 the composition of the court of assistants was 15 members from the 97 parishes of the City and Freedom, and 5 from the out-parishes, and is then spoken of as being the usual proportion hitherto. In 1737 the expenses of a new organ, the security given by the Company on behalf of a brother, whose parish refused to pay his yearly dues, and expenses incurred in attempts to improve the bills by Act of Parliament, raised the quarterage to 6s. a year, at which it stood till 1767. In 1774 quarterage payments were remitted to assistants, and in 1775 the assistant who appeared otherwise than in his gown of office on Charter Day, had to pay 2S. 6d. for the poor box. In 1777 a fine of three guineas for the poor box was imposed for refusal to serve as master or warden, and an ineffectual attempt made to raise the admission fees to i8s. In 1 78 1 bills were again raised, because they had become a source of loss to the Company, from 5s. to 6s. for members, and 7s. to Clerks who were not members. In 1786 every assistant on admission to the Court, had to pay five guineas to the poor box, and in 1788 owing to repairs to Hall, quarterage was again raised from 2s. to 4s., and the assistants' exemption with- drawn. In 1793 an assistant absent from the meetings for 12 months, was to pay a double fine of 5s. for each absence. In 1800, admission fee was 12s. to company, 8s. stamp and fees to Clerk and beadle, and in 1807, owing to additional stamp duty, was raised to £,2 2s., stamp £\. In 1808 the bills were raised to 8s. per quire to members, and 12s. to non-members of the Company, and admission to the assistantship to £(i los. and 7s. 6d. to the poor box. In 1812 it was found advisable to return to the old rule of 1529, of receiving all monies paid by new members or assistants, in open Court. In 1813, instead of two guineas admission to Company, £1 had to be paid for Parish Clerks. stamp; £,1 5s. for Company; 5s. for Clerk; and 2S. 6d. for beadle; while in 18 16 £2, ids. had to be paid for stamp, los. to Company, and usual fees to Clerk and beadle. In 1820 fine for assistants was raised to ;£io. Five years later it was reduced £^ los. for Company ; 6s. 8d. for Clerk ; 3s. 4d. for Beadle, and 7s. to poor box. Next year admission to the Company was fixed at £2> ^1^- 6d., £z of this for stamp duty. In 1823 an order was passed that all "Parish Clerks in orders" should pay quarterage. This class of Clerks was recognised specially in a minute of 1689, and many in the following century joined the Company. But there seems always to have been friction. In 1750 the advice of Mr. Pardon, City Solicitor, is requested as "to those clergymen, who accept the place of Parish Clerks and refuse to be admitted into the brotherhood," and a case is ordered this day seven night at four o'clock, for presentation to the Bishop of London on the same subject, with the charge added " and cause thereby great imperfectness in the weekly bill." In 1757 an attempt was made to compel these, as well as other Parish Clerks, to take up their admission to the Company by a side wind, by reporting them as defrauders of the State revenue, but it failed. "The Court came to a resolution to return the names of the undermentioned Clerks to the Commissioners of the stamp duty, who have not come to the Hall to be admitted, though properly summoned thereto." The delinquents named are four Parish Clerks in orders and two laymen. One of the laymen was three months after summoned before the Lord Mayor with the same object, but without any beneficial result. Bonney, the Parish Clerk in orders of S. James, Westminster, was the chief adviser of the Clerks, as to the legislation attempted in 1750-59. He was appointed in 1738, but did not join the Company till 1 751, when he had become associated with them in promoting legislation. The Company's petition in 1844, in reference to the bill for Parish Clerks and lecturers, was scarcely correct in its alle- gation " that the said Fraternity or Company has been entirely Admission and Quarterages. 21 ^ composed of laymen." To return to quarterage in 1824, two Clerks were summoned to the Court of Requests, which ordered quarterage to be paid under the Charter, but in 1846 the Court of Requests of the borough of Southwark adopted the decision of Lord Tenterden, " that fines for non-attendance and for refusing to serve the office of master and wardens were exigible, but not quarterage payments." In 1837 opinion of counsel was taken as to whether a member of the Company would cease to be so on ceasing to be a Parish Clerk. The practice of the Company, hitherto, had always been for such a one to resign his connection with the Company, as a member thereof. The opinion says: "Members of Court must be Parish Clerks when elected. It does not follow, that one would cease to be a member of Court, on his ceasing to be a Parish Clerk, or that the resignation of the office would be a sufficient ground for removing him from his office as a member of the Court." Opinion added "It is advisable to continue the Bills of Mortality, lest they might endanger the Charter of the Company and expose them to legal process." As these bills had been prepared and collected, when the Company was required to do so by the Lord Mayor, on the withdrawal of the payment by the Corporation in 1858, they ceased to be collected. ^levk»* And now for a few words as to the fixed officers of tlie Com- pany. Henry Wigley, Clerk of St. Nicolas, Aeons, was elected Clerk of the Company in 1613 at £4 salary and residence in the Hall rent free. " He refuseth to dwell in the Hall, where- upon John Pinwell, Clerk of S. Stephen's, Walbrook, agrees to reside there and pay £^ rent, sweepe and keep clean all the roomes therein being, have no lodgers, allow the Company and the Basketmakers the use of the Hall when required, especially the parlour, and to leave on six months' notice being given on either side." In 1625 Roger Hinton was appointed Clerk at £4. yearly, and fees and allowances and residence in the Hall, rent free. In 1634 John Bell was elected at £4 and rooms in the Hall, and next year the salary was raised to £8. He was the first of three Bells, John, his son, and Edward ; who in succession acted as Clerks down to 1699. Their con- nection with the Company is commemorated by "a faire silver salt," presented by Mrs. Elizabeth Bell on the opening of the newe Hall in 1671. The second John Bell succeeded in 1658. He was the compiler of " London's Remembrancer," in which is recorded, in a tabular form, the number of deaths Clerks. 21^ in the different plague years, excluding 1603. A plague year he defines to be one in which the recorded deaths from the plague exceeded 1000. The first edition was published at the end of August, 1665, when the plague had reached its highest. Some reports of previous plague years had been published, and these, he thought, were exaggerated, especially one of 1603, and were adding unnecessarily to the panic then prevailing. He did not find the 1603 report among the originals in the Clerks' Hall, yet he admitted there was a plague in that year, and a severe one. He based his chief objection on the fact that the printed bill was dated from March 17th, 1603. A bill of that date was in the Clerks' Hall, and entirely different from the printed one. But if he had made allowance for this disputed bill beginning only a week before the year 1603 began, accord- ing to the then computation on March 25th, the discrepancy of dates would have been solved, whatever might be said as to the accuracy of the return. His tables were faithfully drawn from the registers kept in the Common Hall of the Company, and presented an exact computation from the year 1592 to this present year. So far as the incidence of the plague (barring 1603) is concerned, these returns are interesting, for these original registers. Captain Graunt states, were most carefully kept and preserved in his time (1660). They were probably lost in 1666. The plague years, in accordance with Bell's definition were : 1605, 1606, 1607, 1608, 1609, 1610, 1624, 1625, 1629, 1630, 1635, 1636, 1637, 1639, 1640, 1641, 1642, 1643, 1644, 1645, 1646, 1647 and 1665; thus shewing that during the greater part of the seventeenth century plague was really never absent from London. Here it may be added that at the quarterly meeting of 9th October, 1665, three new brethren and four new assistants were admitted ; on the following 8th January, 4 new assistants and 10 new brethren; on 7th April, 22 new brethren ; on 2nd July, 5 ; and on ist July, 1667, 5. The Parish Clerks, as might have been expected, suffered severely from the plague. The third Bell (Edward) was succeeded in 1699 2i6 Parish Clerks. by John Bushell. But for some years after his election the Hall residence was occupied by the widow of the late Clerk. In 1705 he came to reside in the Hall, at a salary of £,2(i, and settled with his predecessor's widow. On his death in 1711 Thomas Jackson was elected. During his tenure of office difficulties arose as to proper attention to duties, whereupon in 1718 he resigned. Henceforth the appointment to the office of Clerk was made annually, and Valence Comyns was elected. In 1731 he obtained leave to reside otherwise than in the Hall, and in 1746 he resigned. His successor, Charles Baynbridge, found residence incompatible with his other duties, and gave place in July, 1747, to John Mackie. In 1765 the Clerk's residence in the Hall ceased for a time, owing to the fire, and the salary was raised to £;i,o a year, in consideration of loss of house rent. Tuesdays and Thursdays being the days of special attendance for the bills, and Tuesday being also the day for the weekly practice of music, it was found that the Clerks who waited, after lodging their reports, for the practice, impeded the Clerk in the counting-house, it was ordered "that no Clerk stay there after putting in his report." Mackie died in 1792. William Davis succeeded, and an arrangement was made by which Mackie's widow remained in the Hall. In 1806 Thomas Edge was elected, and on his resignation in 1824 John Fisher was appointed. On his death in 1830 William Smith was chosen by the casting vote of the chairman, but on the minute coming up for confirmation at next meeting, a resolution was passed that one and the same individual act as Clerk to the Company and Clerk of the Abstracts of the Infant Poor. Upon this Mr. Smith's election was not confirmed, and John Tilly Wheeler, who had been Clerk of the Abstracts since 1815, was appointed to discharge both duties. Judging from his evidence before the Registration Committee of the House of Commons (1833), he was a man with all his wits about him, and knew how to use them, for his evidence on behalf of the Clerks is very clear and precise. The Company appreciated Clerks. 21'^ his services. In 1835 they presented him with a silver snuff box of the value of £,\o, and in 1842 put on record a minute expressive of their sympathy with him under his present illness and domestic calamity. In September of the same year his son, Joseph Wheeler, was chosen to fill the place vacant by his father's death. In 1863 Mr. Wheeler presented to the Company a book of Common Prayer in 4to, a volume containing Jeffries' " London Parishes," with introductory remarks on the office of Parish Clerks, some MSS. collec- tions relating to the history of the Company, as well as a printed copy of a general Bill of Mortality for 1582, with MSS. notes, for which, Joseph Rouse, when master in 1871, provided a small case with lock and key. Mr. Wheeler resigned in 1873, and was succeeded by Edward Higgs. In 1887 Higgs resigned from ill-health, and Henry Bilby, an assistant and past master, having resigned his assistantship, was elected to fill the vacant office. So many details having been collected together as to Parish Clerks, it may perhaps be well to add a few remarks on a volume published in 1732, and commonly known as "New remarks on London as collected By the Company of Parish Clerks." This book seems to have been intended as a popular hand-book for London. It does not appear that the Parish Clerks' Company had any responsibility for the work, further than that each Parish Clerk supplied an account of the present state of his Parish as to rector, vicar, lecturer, value of living, schools, almshouses, boundaries, streets within. The pub- lisher claims for himself all credit for popularising Stow, Weever, and other antiquarian collectors, and of planning and supervising the whole. He adds "the whole has been reviewed, corrected, and approved by the Company of Parish Clerks," but all corrections and additions are to be sent to him, and a supplement of these is promised every year at a charge of 2d., so as to keep the volume abreast of the times. 2i8 Parish Clerks. The appendix is interesting from an antiquarian point of view. An alphabetical list of streets, alleys, yards, and courts occupy 82 pages ; inns of court, stage coaches, and country carriers with their days of arrival and departure, and headquarters in London occupy 14 pages ; wharfs for the various coasting vessels and whither bound, an interesting account of the penny post for London, rules and orders of coachmen, chairmen, carmen, porters, and watermen, complete the volume. An edition of this work, without the appendix, was published in 1825 by T. Jeffries, Parish Gierke of S. Martin's, Ludgate. The information as to City and suburban benefices was revised up to that date ; an introduction dealing with some points in the history of Parish Clerks was prefixed; it contained full information as to parish boundaries, churches, incumbents, lecturers, curates. Parish Clerks, and hours of divine service. One point of interest in connection with Parish Clerks is clearly brought out that the demand made on the time of Parish Clerks in 1732 by church services was much greater than at a later time. Of Churches within the bounds of the Bills of Morta- lity 14 within the City, eight without the City, four out-parishes, and six in Westminster, had daily morning and evening prayer. Christ's Church, Newgate, with its staff of five curates, as provided by Henry VIIL, had prayers at 6, 11, and 3 daily; S. Clement Danes at 11, 3, and 8; and S. James, Westminster, at 6, 11, 3, and 6. Forty-three within the City, eight without, and eleven out-parishes, and four at West- minster, had prayers on Wednesdays, Fridays, and holydays. Three of these had daily services in Lent, and one in the City on holidays. Only one appears as shut from Sunday to Sunday, except in Lent, and this is a precinct, not a Parish Church. In Paterson's " Pietas Londinensis," published in 17 14, there are notices of all the Parish Churches, Chapels of Ease, and Clerks. 2ig Private Chapels in London, Westminster and Southwark, some open to the public and some not. Those not open to the public, as well as Paul's Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, are not included in the following enumeration. Of the ii8 included, fifteen had a weekly administration of Holy Communion, some at an early hour, and some on holidays as well ; forty-four had daily morning and evening prayer ; fifty- five, morning and evening prayers on Wednesdays, Fridays and holidays ; seven, prayers once a day, either morning or evening, three, on holidays only, while three had morning, evening, and what may be called midday services (morning or evening prayers according to the hour of service). Four — S. Paul's (Covent Garden), S, Anne's, S. James' and King Street Chapel (Westminster) — had morning prayers early at six or seven o'clock, as well as at ten or eleven, and evening prayers at three o'clock in the afternoon, and again at six or seven in the evening. J^ LIST OIF* TSIE MASTER, WARDENS & COURT OF ASSISTANTS 1892-93. plaster,— Mr. Deputy JAMES GEORGE WHITE. CMr. ALFRED THORN. JUarircns. |j^^ GEORGE SAUNDERS. ^rttJjcx? of tire f ^j^_ RICHARD ELKINS. Mr. EDWARD ADAMS PERRIN. Mr. WILLIAM JOHN SMITH. Mr. RICHARD PERKINS. Mr. JAMES VINCENT. Mr. ROBERT KEEP Mr. REUBEN HENRY FROST. Mr. HENRY LEWIS WHEATLEY. Mr. WILLIAM CLIMPSON. Mr. GEORGE PACKER. Mr. JAMES MAYHEW. Mr. H. McCLINTOCK HARRIS. ©ievk.— Mr. HENRY BILBY. Supplementary to the Company s Poor pp. 20'j-g. In the Charter of the Parish Clerks (1442) provision was made for the maintenance of seven poor persons to attend daily at the Divine Service performed by the Company's Chaplain in the Guildhall Chapel, and there to offer up prayers for the welfare of the living and the souls of the faithful departed. For these, seven Almshouses were pro- vided close by the Clerks' Hall, near Bishopsgate. These were seized by the King by authority of Parliament in 1548. Though their Almshouses were gone the Company continued to assist with their alms, poorer brethren and their widows. But in 1826 the generous Jubilee gift of Richard Hust for six of the most distressed widows of members of the Company aroused in another brother, James Smith, a generous desire to make provision for such poor, more permanent than had existed for nearly three centuries previously. He set to PARISH CLERKS' ALMSHOUSES—continued. work to invite and receive subscriptions for that purpose. His zeal was contagious, others joined him, and the result was, the formation of a Society, called the Parish Clerks' Almshouse Society, consisting of the various subscribers, for the purpose of building eight Almshouses for the poorer widows of deceased members being Parish Clerks. In 1829, a freehold site was purchased in Denmark Road, Camberwell. In 1830 the eight houses were built and occupied, and in 1831 the Company lent the Society ■£2,<^o to pay off the builders balances, which has since been repaid. Bequests followed, some left under the care of the Company, some under that of the Society. The management of the Society, and the election of alms-folk was, and is still, vested in the Subscribers to the Society, which has a constitution separate and distinct from the Parish Clerks' Company. There are four Trustees, and also a Treasurer, Secretary and Committee who are appointed annually. The meetings are held in the Company's Hall, lent for that purpose by the Master and Wardens for the time being. Those eligible are widows of such parochial and other Clerks of the Church of England, as shall have been subscribers to the Almshouse Society's Funds; but, if no such widow make application, then a daughter 50 years old or upwards, of a deceased Parish Clerk and subscriber to the Society while alive, may be elected to the vacant Almshouse. The Funds of the Society have been carefully managed. In 1848, the funded stock of the Society amounted to ^^750 and the value of the pension from that source, in addition to an almshouse, was £2 with a half ton of coals. In 1857, this had been raised to £^. In 1870, the stock amounted to £1"^^ at which it now stands. To this fund of the Society, are added the gifts and bequest of Richard Hust, administered by the Court of Assistants of the Company, and the Annual return of the money received for the Cannon Street property, part of Roper's gift to the Company. In addition to the PARISH CLERKS' ALMSHOUSES —continued. half-ton of coals above mentioned, the inmates receive another half-ton each from the funds of the Company. The poor box collection being equally divided between them. The pensions (for widows and daughters) vary from time to time, according to the number of inmates, viz : ixom.£,22, 17s. to ;^24 for widows and from £\o to -£1^ per annum for daughters, any deficiency that may arise in the provision of these funds, cost of repairs, also rates, taxes, and insurance is met by the Annual Subscription of Members of the Society.