APPENDIX I.
The Award of Sir Robert Billesdon, Lord Mayor, April l0th, 1484. 1 Ric. III.
Mem’dum quod decimo die Aprilis Anno r’ni Regis Ric’i tertii post conq’m primo Magistri et Gardiani miste’r Pellipa’r & Cisso’r cum q’mpluribus aliis probis hominibus utriusq’ Mist’r compromiserunt se stare Judicio Roberti Billesdon Majoris et Aldermannorum civitatis Londo’n super quâdam materi’a controversiæ inter eos penden’. Qui quidem Major et Aldermanni reddiderunt Judicium pro materi’a prædicta pacificand’ forma seq’n:
[Memorandumthat on the 10th day of April, in the first year of the reign of King Richard the third after the conquest, the Masters and Wardens of the Mysteries of Skinners and Taylors, with several worthy men of each mystery, agreed to abide by the decision of Robert Billesdon, Mayor, and the Aldermen of the City of London, in a certain matter of controversy pending between them. Which Mayor and Aldermen gave their decision for the purpose of settling the aforesaid matter in the following terms.]
Be it remembred that where there hath been of late a variaunce and controversie moeved & had betwene the Maist’, Wardeyns, and Feolaship of the Skynn’s of the Citee of London on the one p’tie, and the Maist’, Wardeyns, & Feolaship of Taillors of the same Citee on that other p’tie, for the roume & place in their going afore in p’cessions within the same Citee: And for ceasyng and pacifying thereof the said Maist’rs, Wardeyns, and Feolashipps of both the said p’ties, the xthday of Aprill the first yere of the reign of Kyng Richard the iiide, of their free willes have comp’mitted and submitted theymself to stonde and obey the Rule and Jugeme’t of Robt. Billesdon, Mair, and th’ aldremen of the said Citee of London: Whereuppon the said Mair and Aldremen, the day and yeere abovesaid, takyng uppon theym the Rule, direccion, and charge of arbitreme’t of and in the premisses for norishing of peas and love betwene the Maisters, Wardeyns, and Feolashipps aforesaid, the which ben ii grete and wirshipfull membres of the said Citee, by thassent and agreeme’t of the Maist’s and Wardeyns of both the said Feolashipps have adjugged and awarded in the forme that foloweth: First, that the said Maist’ and Wardeyns of Skynn’s shall yerely desire and pray the said Maist’ and Wardeyns of Taillors to dyne with theym atte their Com’on Hall in the vigill of Corp’ X’ti, yf the same Maist’ and Wardeyns of Skynn’s than make an open Dyner; and that the said Maist’ and Wardeyns of Taillors so praied shall yeerely dyne then and there with the said Maist’ and Wardeyns of Skynn’s aforesaid withoute a reasonable excuse had: Also, it is awarded and adjugged that the said Maist’ and Wardeyns of Taillors shall yeerely desire and pray the said Maist’ and Wardeyns of Skynn’s to dyne with theym in the Fest of the Nativitee of Seint John Bapt’e if thei there than kepe an oppen dyner at their Com’on Hall; and that the said Maist’ and Wardeyns of Skynn’s so praied shall yerely dyne than and there with the said Maist’ and Wardeyns of Taillors aforesaid, withoute a reasonable excuse, etc. Moreover, to sette aparte all manner occasions of strif and debate which hereaft’ myght fall betwene the Maist’s, Wardeyns, and Feolashipps aforesaid for the rowme and going in p’cessions as it is above rehersed, it was awarded and jugged by the said Mair and Aldremen, the day and yeere abovesaid, that the said Maist’, Wardeyns, and Feolaship of Skynn’s shall goo in all p’cessions before the said Maist’, Wardeyns, and Feolaship of Taillors from the Fest of Easter next comyng unto the Fest of Easter than next ensuyng; and that the said Maist’, Wardeyns, and Feolaship of Taillors from the same Fest of Easter then next ensuyng shall goo in all p’cessions before the said Maist’, Wardeyns, and Feolaship of Skynn’s for a yeere, fully to be complete; and so evermore the Maist’, Wardeyns, and Feolaship of Skynn’s for to have the pre-emynencie of goyng afore in p’cessions one yeere, and the said Maist’, Wardeyns, and Feolaship of Taillors to have the pre-emynencie of goyng afore in p’cessions another yeere, begynnyng the yeere alwey in the Fest of Easter: Provided alwey that as ofte as hereafter it shall hapne any Aldreman of either of the said Feolashipps to be Mair of this Citee of London, by reason whereof the Feolaship of the same Mair shall, after the old custume of the said Citee, goo afore all other Feolashipps in all places within the said Citee duryng the tyme of the Mairaltie of the Mair so chosen, that the same going afore all the same tyme be not accompted for any yeere of going afore by this awarde or juggeme’t: But that the same of the said ii Feolashipps which had by this ordenaunce the preemynence of going afore in p’cessions from the Fest of Easter next afore begynnyng of the said Mairaltie have like preemynence from thende of the said Mairaltie to the Fest of Easter than next folowyng, in p’forming of his hole yeere, and from thensforth to kepe thordre above appoynted.”
“Where late the Wardens of the Skynn’s exhibited to the Court a Bill of Compleynt agenst the Mayst’ and Wardens of M’chantayllors recytyng by the same an Ordynaunce made in the Mayralt’ of Mr. Byllesdon for thorderyng of the seyd ii Crafts in goyng in p’cessions, and surmytted also in their seyd Bill that the seyd Ordynaunce was to be understand of oonly in goying in p’cessions, and at noon other gen’all goyings or assembles, which Ordynaunce red, herd, and rypely understand by this Court, was clerely interpretyd and declared that the true meanyng and intent of makyng of the seyd Ordynaunce was understand of not oonly for goyng in p’cessions, but also for rydyng, goyng, or metyng in and at all other assembles: And thereupon the seyd Wardens had in comaunde’t by this Court, that they and their succ’ from hensforth shuld use and exercise the seyd Ordynaunce according to the seyd interpretacc’on and declar’ by this same Court made and determyned.”
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