County: Northamptonshire
Code: D4227#5
Reference: Northampton, Northamptonshire Archives Service: Northampton Borough Records, section IV/1/1, fols 39v-41r
Function: Rule
[fol. 39v]To all true Cristin Men this present
wrytyng Jndented Aren̕ to be-holde seen Redde or
herun̕ Thomas deraunt Maire of the toun̕ of Norhampton̕
And xxiiijti of his Comburgeis to hym sworn̕ . Senden̕
gretyng in god euerlastyng . Sithe in the generalle counselle
of the seide toun̕ ther holden̕ the Monday next aftir the
Feste of seint Andrewe th appostelle in the xxiij yere of the
reigne of kyng henry the Syxte A petycion̕ by bylle to them
put and shewed for the Comyn̕ profet and honeste of the
seide town̕ in hit conteyned . Sithe the Taillours Crafte
in the seide Toun̕ vsed . Full many gentilmen̕ and other
people of oure lorde the kynges for the shapyng of theire
clothyng and of their̕ seruantes . And of theire lyvereys dayly
comen to the same town̕ . / / Nevertheles noo Rule ne
order put ne is in the said Crafte betwene th artificers
and mynystres of the seide Crafte . So that eueryche
of them holdythe hym-selfe as great and hable A maister
oon̕ as another . wherefore the seide gentilmen̕ and diuerse
liege people of our̕ lorde kyngis oft tynes for vnhable
shapyng in the meayne tyme aren̕ hurte or made worse
and disseived to her preiudice . And also sclaunder and
detriment to the saide toun̕ . / / And therfore the saide
Maire and his comburgeis by the comyn̕ Assent of
the seide toun̕ . wyllen in the saide Crafte ordynaunce
and good Rule be putt and ordent for the weale and
honoure of the seid crafte Toun̕ . And to the laude and
honoure of god perpetually to endure / / And in that that
the ordeinanaunce [sic] and good Rule of the seide crafte there
[fol. 40r]more perfitly and faithfully may be vsed / / This constyticon̕
and ordinaunce suyng stonde for lawe in the saide toun̕
for euer to endure . So that by the lybertees & priveleges
therof by oure lorde the kyng and his progenytores
graunted and confermed . By the whiche they may
Amonge other lawes Amonge or bytwene them-selfe
make for the good Rule of the same toun̕ to be kepte . / Jn
the Fyrste they chosen and putten John Clayhunger and
John lylly of the saide Crafte Maisters and ouerseers for
defaltes in the same crafte correctoures for the yere
next suyng . And that thei̕ and their̕ successoures haue
an halle in the whiche thei may when they wylle calle
to-gedyr alle thoo that vsen the seid crafte . And thoo
called that absent them-selfe to ponysshe . And there of
them-selfe in like wise . ij Maisters for the yere of
theire owne to be for to chose The whiche shall make
othe by-fore the Maire of the toun̕ for the tyme beyng
in the generalle counsell faithfully to occupie and the
saide Maisters to haue power all trespasoures and
defauters of hem pleynly to correcte . / / Alwey
excepte that if it happen̕ any contrauersie Amonges
hem parcially for to sprynge or hadde . hit be put
to the maire of the saide toun̕ beyng for the tyme . / /
To amende leest they putt soo great ponyshment to
the trespasoures / / . or money of hem wylfully take
by extorcion̕ and putte or turne the money to theire
[fol. 40v]owne propur Vse . But suche Amendes for defautes
and other summes of money levyed of men of that
Crafte Rightfully taken̕ into the honoure of god and
for the welfare of the saide crafte medefully and
charytably as it sues Thei putte and dispose ~~~
And good Rule and ordinaunce amonge hem holde
as it sues That is to sey that no Taillour in the toun̕
forseide nor in the subbarbys ther holde shoppe . But
he or that by the Maisters of the seide Crafte be conyng
and Able in the same and in his maners for the avayle
to the seid Craft soo conably provid . And then in
the bygynnyng of settyng vppe of his shoppe that
he pay to the seid Maisters . That is to sey euery straunger
iij s iiij d . And of euery other man as in maner of A
prentiȝ within the seide toun̕ in the seide crafte taught
xx d . of the whiche the Maisters the halfe shall delyuere
to the Meire and Comyn̕ seruant of the seide toun̕ to the vse
and profite of the Maire and Comynalte . And the other
halfe the Maisters to kepe for the comyn necessaryes &
nedis of the seide crafte . And the sustentacon̕ of the
Fraternite of seint John Baptiste and the light abowte
the Sacrament in the Chirche of Al halowes of
Norhampton̕ to be spendid / / And that no Taillour
holde any Chaumbir in the seid Toun̕ ne in the
subbarbis therof but allonly for hym-selfe his wiffe
and his Chyldren̕ propur clothes to be sewed / / And
yf any Taillour be founde in that trespasyng by A
[fol. 41r]moderate mercyment by the forseide Maisters or the
Maire as it is seide for to be taken̕ in the vsis & necessa-
rijs forseide evenly or equally to be deuyded vnto the
tyme he leve suche Chaumbyr and he be so chastysed
And that hereaftirwarde Taillours of the seide craft
in Norhampton̕ than to be Brethern̕ of the seid Fraternite of
seint John Baptiste by the Maisters of the crafte Aboveseide
to be receyvid and to-gydyr sworne for to take vppom [sic] hem
the ordinaunce and constiticions of the seide Fraternite . And
to paye their̕ quarterages & to supporte and mayntene alle
other charges of Right to the seide Fraternite longyng
Jn wittnes hereof to oon partye of this present writyng
endented Ayenste or withe the Maisters of the seide
Crafte to Abide . As welle the commyn̕ sealle of the seide toun̕
of Norhampton̕ . As the sealle of th office of the Meiryalte
of the same toun̕ Aren Appendaunt or put to . And the
other partie of the same wryting indented Ayenste the
seide Meire and xxiiij comburgeis in the Comyn̕ Cheste
of the same toun̕ Amonge certeyne Evydence for euere
to be kepte vnder the sealle of the saide John Clayhunger
and John lylly rest sealed yeven at Norhampton̕ the
xxti day of Auguste the yere of the Reign̕ of the seide
kyng henry the syxte Aftyr the conquest xxiijti