120. Charter of Lincoln III. TOWNS AND GILDS The period in which most of the large towns obtained their first charters was during the reigns of Henry II, Richard, and John; but it was during the period covered by this chapter, the thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries, that they first became really important. Each city or borough of any size in England had a charter, somewhat like that of Lincoln, which is here given, granting or confirming to it various rights and privileges of self-government. Henry, by the grace of God king of England, duke of of the city Normandy and Aquitaine, count of Anjou, to the bishop of Lincoln, justiciars, sheriffs, barons, officers, and all his faithful, French and English, of Lincoln, greeting. Know that I have conceded to my citizens of Lincoln all their liberties and customs and laws, which they had in the time of Edward and William and Henry, kings of England; and their gild merchant of the men of the city and of other merchants of the county, just as they had it in the time of our aforesaid predecessors, kings of England, best and most freely. And all men who dwell within the four divisions of the city and attend the market are to be at the gilds and customs and assizes of the city as they have been best in the time of Edward, William, and Henry, kings of England. I grant to them, moreover, that if any one shall buy any land within the city, of the burgage of Lincoln, and shall have held it for a year and a day without any claim, and he who has bought it is able to show that the claimant has been in the land of England within the year and has not claimed it, for the future as before he shall hold it well and in peace, and without any prosecution. I confirm also to them, that if any one shall have remained in the city of Lincoln for a year and a day without claim on the part of any claimant, and has given the customs, and is able to show by the laws and customs of the city that the claimant has been in the land of England and has not made a claim against him, for the future as in the past he shall remain in peace, in my city of Lincoln, as my citizen. Witnesses, E., bishop of Lisieux; Thomas, chancellor; H., constable; Henry of Essex, constable. Nottingham. At The early craft gilds seldom had charters. Bodies of rules or ordinances were drawn up by their leading members, approved by the town authorities, and became the basis of their legal existence. These were added to or changed from time to time. The ordinances of the spur makers, here given, are fairly representative of the rules of a vast number of such organized trades in London and other cities and towns. spur makers Be it remembered that on Tuesday, the morrow of St. Peter's 121. OrdiChains, in the nineteenth year of the reign of King Edward III, nances of the the articles underwritten were read before John Hammond, of London mayor, Roger de Depham, recorder, and the other aldermen; (1345) and seeing that the same were deemed befitting, they were accepted and enrolled in these words. In the first place, that no one of the trade of spurriers No night shall work longer than from the beginning of the day until work curfew rung out at the church of St. Sepulcher, without Newgate; by reason that no man can work so neatly by night as by day. And many persons of the said trade, who compass how to practice deception in their work, desire to work by night rather than by day; and then they introduce false iron, and iron that has been cracked, for tin, and also they put gilt on false copper, and cracked. And further, many of the said trade are wandering about all day, without working at all at their trade; and then, when they have become drunk and frantic, they take to their work, to the annoyance of the sick, and all their neighborhood, by reason of the broils that arise between them and the strange folks who are dwelling among them. And then they proceed to blow up their fires so vigorously that their forges begin all at once to blaze, to the great peril of themselves and of all the neighborhood around. And then, No public selling on Sunday Apprentice too, all the neighbors are much in dread of the sparks, which so vigorously issue forth in all directions from the mouths of the chimneys in their forges. By reason thereof it seems best that working by night should be put an end to, in order to avoid such false work and such perils; and therefore the mayor and the aldermen do will, by the assent of the good folks of the said trade, and for the common profit, that from henceforth such time for working, and such false work made in the trade, shall be forbidden. And if any person shall be found in the said trade to do the contrary hereof, let him be amerced, the first time in 40 d., one half thereof to go to the use of the Chamber of the Guildhall of London, and the other half to the use of the said trade; the second time, in half a mark, and the third time in 10s., to the use of the same Chamber and trade; and the fourth time, let him forswear the trade forever. Also that no one of the said trade shall hang his spurs out on Sundays, or any other days that are double feasts; but only a sign indicating his business; and such spurs as they shall so sell they are to show and sell within their shops, without exposing them without, or opening the doors or windows of their shops, on the pain aforesaid. Also, that no one of the said trade shall keep a house or shop to carry on his business, unless he is free of the city; and that no one shall cause to be sold, or exposed for sale, any manner of old spurs for new ones, or shall garnish them or change them for new ones. Also, that no one of the said trade shall take an apprentice ship for seven for a less term than seven years, and such apprentice shall be enrolled according to the usages of the said city. years Also, that if any one of the said trade, who is not a freeman, shall take an apprentice for a term of years, he shall be amerced as aforesaid. Also, that no one of the said trade shall receive the apprentice, serving man, or journeyman of another in the same trade, during the term agreed upon between his master and him, on the pain aforesaid. Also, that no alien of another country, or foreigner of this country, shall follow or use the said trade, unless he is enfran chised before the mayor, alderman, and chamberlain; and that, by witness and surety of the good folks of the said trade, who will undertake for him, as to his loyalty and his good behavior. Also, that no one of the said trade shall work on Saturdays, after noon has been rung out in the city; and not from that hour until the Monday morning following. The more charitable side of the craft gilds comes out in the following extracts from the ordinances of the white-leather dressers. ordinances of In honor of God, of Our Lady, and of all saints, and for 122. Extracts the nurture of tranquillity and peace among the good folks, the from the megucers, called white-tawyers, the folks of the same trade the whitehave, by assent of Richard Lacer, mayor, and of the alder- leather men, ordained the points underwritten. dressers of London In the first place, they have ordained that they will find a (1346) wax candle, to burn before Our Lady in the church of Allhallows, near London wall. Also, that each person of the said trade shall put in the box such sum as he shall think fit, in aid of maintaining the said candle. Also, if by chance any one of the said trade shall fall into poverty, whether through old age or because he cannot labor or work, and have nothing with which to keep himself, he shall have every week from the said box 7 d. for his support, if he be a man of good repute. And after his decease, if he have a wife, a woman of good repute, she shall have weekly for her support 7 d. from the said box, so long as she shall behave herself well and keep single. . . . And if any one of the said trade shall have work in his house that he cannot complete, or if for want of assistance such work shall be in danger of being lost, those of the said trade shall aid him, that so the said work be not lost. And if any one of the said trade shall depart this life, and have not wherewithal to be buried, he shall be buried at the expense of their common box. And when any one of the said trade shall die, all those of the said trade shall go to the vigil and make offering on the morrow. 123. Survey of the manor The church The mill IV. RURAL LIFE A fair idea of what the possessions and rights of the lord of a manor consisted in can be gained from the following survey or "extent " of the little village of Borley, in Essex, consisting of seven free tenants and thirty-nine small farmers and cotters who were in serfdom. The lord of the manor was, at the time of this survey, the king, though shortly before this time the manor had belonged to a lady, Isabella de Fortibus, and shortly afterward it was given by the king to the cathedral of Canterbury. Extent of the manor of Borley made there on Tuesday next after the feast of Saint Matthew the Apostle, A.D. 1308, in the first year of the reign of King Edward, son of King Edward, in the presence of John le Doo, steward, by the hands of William of Folesham, clerk, on the oath of Philip, the reeve of Borley, Henry Lambert, Dennis Rolf, Richard at Mere, Walter Johan and Robert Ernald, tenants of the lord in the said vill of Borley. These all, having been sworn, declare that there is there one mansion well and suitably built; that it is sufficient for the products of the manor, and that it contains in itself, within the site of the manor, four acres, by estimation. The grass there is worth yearly, by estimation, 2s; and the pasturage there is worth yearly 12 d., sometimes more and sometimes less, according to its value. And the fruit garden there is worth yearly, in apples and grapes, perhaps 5 s. and sometimes more. Total, 8 s. And it is to be known that the lord is the true patron of the church of Borley, and the said church is worth yearly, according to assessment, in grains, in offerings, in dues, and in other small tithes, £10. And there is one water mill in the manor, and it is worth yearly on lease 60s. And the fish pond in the mill dam, with the catch of eels from the race, is worth yearly, by estimation, 12 d. Total, 61 s. |