Chapter XXIV: Appendix: A. (See page 28.)

NORWICHE.

And a bretherhode ther is ordened of barbres, in the site of
Norwyche, in the worschep of god and ys moder, and seynt Johan the
Babtis, that alle bretherin and sisterin of the same gylde, als longe
as xij. persones of them lyuen, they schulen offeryn a candel and
to torches of wax, and this light they hoten and a-vowed to kepyn
and myntenyn, and thes other ordenances that ben vnder wreton, vp-on
here power and diligence, in worschepe of crist and ys moder and seyn
Johan Babtis, and the to torches schul bien of xl. lib. weyght, and
alle the bretherin and sisterin schullen offeryn this candel and the
to torches euerie ʒer a misomere day, and they herin here messe at
the heye auter atte Charunel in cristis cherge, and eueri brother and
sistir offeryn an ob. wyth here candel and here to torches, in honor
of god and oure lady and seynt Johan the Babtis.

And the to torches, eueri day in the ʒer, scullen ben light and
brennynge at the heye messe at selue auter, from the leuacion of
cristis body sacrid, in til that the priest haue vsud.

This bien the names of the men that ben maystris and kepers of the
gyld.

PHILIPPUS BARBUR } And this men han in
JACOBUS BARBIR } kepynge for the same
THOMAS BARBYR at prechors } light, ij{s} in here box.

(MODERN ENGLISH OF THE PRECEDING.)

NORWICH.

And a brotherhood there is ordained of Barbers, in the city of
Norwich, in the worship of God and His Mother, and Saint John the
Baptist; that all brothers and sisters of the same guild, as long
as twelve persons of them live, they shall offer a candle and two
torches of wax; and this light they promise and avow to keep and
maintain, and these ordinances that be under-written, upon their
power and diligence, in worship of Christ and His Mother and Saint
John Baptist; and the two torches shall be of forty pounds weight;
and all the brothers and sisters shall offer this candle and the two
torches every year at Midsummer day, and they hearing their mass at
the high altar at Charunel in Christ’s church, and every brother and
sister offering a halfpenny with their candel and their two torches,
in honor of God and our Lady and Saint John the Baptist.

And the two torches, every day in the year, shall be alight and
burning at the high mass at the same altar, from the elevation of
Christ’s body sacred, until that the priest have used.

These be the names of the men that be Masters and Keepers of the
guild.

PHILIP BARBUR } And these men have in
JAMES BARBIR } keeping for the same
THOMAS BARBYR “at prechors” } light, two shillings in their box.

GILDA IN CIUITATE LINCOLN.

CERTIFICACIO ordinac͠ois & incepc͠ois fratˀintatis TONSOꝜ LINCOLN’
virtute pˀ clamac͠ois inde fc̃e sequit{a} in vˀba HEC est queᵭa
fratˀintas fcã & inchoata ex coĩ assensu omĩ tonsoꝜ Ciuitatis Lincoɫn
in honore dnĩ nrĩ Jhũ xpĩ & bẽ marie & pˀcipue ad honorẽ scĩ Johis̃
Eũngeliste in Natalli dnĩ renouata vˀo in festo eiusdem anno dnĩ
mil̃l̃imo CCC{mo} sexagesimo nono.

PRIMA ordinacio est qᵭ heᵬunt & custentabunt vnũ cerẽn quadrat̃n
ardentem omiᵬz dieᵬz festinis pˀ annuˀ cuˀ tempus finˀt ad altare scĩ
Joh̃is Eungẽs in monastio bẽ marˀ Lincoɫn. Et quiɫt fratˀ & soror dcẽ
fratˀintatis ibunt in pˀcessione cñ dcã candela & quiɫt frˀ & soroꝜ
offeretꝭ ad ymaginem scĩ Saluatoris oᵬ. sub pena vnius librˀ cere.

Scᵭa ordinacio est qᵭ * * * * * *

Decima ordinacio est qˀd * * * * *

Et ad confirmandꝭ plenius omẽs ordinac͠oes sup{a} dicas sigillnˀ
decanatus xˀpianitatis Lincolnˀ pˀsentibʒ est appensuˀ in finem &
testimoniuˀ pˀmissoꝜ DAT Lincoln die & anno sup{a} dcĩs.

IN TRĨS & teñ ad gildam pˀdcam mortificatꝭ vel non mortificatꝭ
nichil hẽnt nec cãt aliqua in manibʒ ipoꝜ fratrnˀ & soroꝜ ad usum
dc̃e gilde existunt nisi ex largĩoe eoꝜᵭe ad pˀdcãs deuoc͠oes
sustinendꝭ & comunia iñt se non fac nisi tm̃ pˀ dilec͠oe int̃ eos
nutriendꝭ.

(TRANSLATION.)

GUILD IN THE CITY OF LINCOLN.

THE CERTIFICATE of the ordinances and beginning of the Fraternity
of Barbers of Lincoln, by virtue of the proclamation in that behalf
made, follows in these words;--

THIS is a certain fraternity made and begun by the common assent of
all the Barbers of the City of Lincoln, in honour of our Lord Jesus
Christ and the Blessed Mary and observed in honour of Saint John the
Evangelist, renewed in the feast of the Nativity of our Lord, A.D.
1369.

THE FIRST ordinance is, that they have and keep one “quadrate” of wax
burning on all feast days throughout the year, and on other special
occasions before the altar of Saint John the Evangelist in the
Monastery of the Blessed Mary at Lincoln. And all the brothers and
sisters of the said fraternity go in procession with the said candle,
and all the brothers and sisters offer at the Image of Saint Saviour
a halfpenny, under a penalty of one pound of wax.

THE SECOND ordinance is, that if any brother or sister of this
fraternity shall die in the City, the Dean of this guild shall bear
in order four “soule candels,” which shall burn about the corpse
at the Dirige and remain until the Mass. And all the brothers and
sisters, for the soul of the departed, pay a halfpenny to the poor,
according to the directions of the Graceman and Wardens, wherever the
greater necessity shall be.

THE THIRD ordinance is, that if any brother or sister shall die so
poor, that he has not whence to be buried as he ought to be, the
Graceman and Wardens, of the halfpennies collected, together with any
portion of his chattels they find, shall make a general mourning, and
do other necessaries that he be honorably buried.

THE FOURTH ordinance is, that if any brother or sister of this
fraternity shall desire to go into the country (_i.e._, reside out of
the City), he shall give to the sustentation of the aforesaid candle
at his going 2_s._, twopence to the tankards (_ad ciphos_), 1_d._ to
the Dean of the guild, and afterwards 6_d._ annually, which he shall
pay in three “mornspeeches”[355] in equal portions throughout the
year.

[355] General assemblies of the guild.

THE FIFTH ordinance is, that if any brother or sister of this guild
fall into poverty or sickness, so that he cannot work and prays the
charity of this house, each brother and sister of this guild shall
give to him 6_d._ per annum in the three mornspeeches aforesaid, by
like equal portions.

THE SIXTH ordinance is, that if any brother of this guild shall
receive any apprentice to teach him his art, the same master shall
pay for the said apprentice, to the sustentation of the said candle
two shillings, and this at the first mornspeech after he shall have
taken the said apprentice.

THE SEVENTH ordinance is, that if any brother or sister of this
guild do rebellious works or speeches, and is not willing to be
silent but finds fault with the ruling of the Graceman of the guild,
he shall give towards the burning of the said candle, one pound of
wax, . . . .[356] and that without any remission; and whatsoever
master or servant within this fraternity or out of it, shall be
a thief to the extent of one penny, and of that matter shall be
convicted, it is agreed by common consent that he shall abjure
occupying his art within the City for ever.

[356] There are two words here which I could not decipher.

THE EIGHTH ordinance is, that none shall be admitted to any Offices
in the said guild, unless they have been Barbers, dwelling in the
said City; and whoever shall be elected Graceman and shall be
unwilling to serve shall give half a stone of wax; and whoever Dean,
and shall be unwilling, shall give one pound of wax.

THE NINTH ordinance is, that by common assent, all the brethren shall
have three assemblings in the year, viz.--The first, the Sunday next
after the feast of Saint John the Evangelist aforesaid, to hear (the
ordinances), to drink together, to settle the accounts, and to elect
new officers for the year to come, The second, the Sunday next after
the feast of the Apostles Philip and James, And the third, the Sunday
next after the feast of the Translation of Saint Hugh.

THE TENTH ordinance is, that if any brother or sister, the aforesaid
ordinances as he is able shall not content, or shall not come when
he shall be summoned (unless by any reasonable cause he shall be
hindered), he shall give to the sustentation of the said candle, as
often as he shall trespass, one pound of wax.

AND in full confirmation of all the aforesaid ordinances, the seal of
the Rural Dean of Lincoln is affixed to these presents in conclusion
and testimony of the premisses. GIVEN at Lincoln the day and year
abovesaid.

IN LANDS and tenements to the aforesaid guild in mortmain or
otherwise they hold nothing, nor are there any chattels in the
hands of them the brothers and sisters to the use of the said
guild, except out of their liberality for the sustenance of the
aforesaid devotions; nor do they make any gatherings between
them, unless however for the purpose of cherishing love amongst
themselves.