A Source-Book of English Social History

by M. E. Monckton Jones

Examples of Control (p. 321)

(2) Md. that John Rowter received IIIj yerdes of brod cloth, blew, to make Master Robert Rydon a gowne; apoun the wheche, the said Master Robert complayned of lackyng of his clothe. And ther the gowne wasse sene before the sayde crafte; and ther wasse fownde no cloth wasted, but ther wasse dewly proved IIj quarteris of brod clothe convayed in peces, as hit apereth by patrons [patterns] of black paper in our Comon Kofer of record, at any time redy to shew, etc. ffor the said defense, the sayde John Rowter summetted hym to the Master and Wardons and to the felascheppe, the xxivth day of October, anno regni E. iiijti, xixo.

(4) Md, That John Walsche, aliis Kent, recevyed of Edmund Colchet vj yerdes of blew osed to make hym a gowne; and so the sayde Edmund complayned of spoylling hys gowne and lackyng of his cloth. And so there wasse fownd no cloth stolen, but ther wasse fownd wasted the valor of a yerd, and the gowne marred: ffor the whech fense, the M. and Wardons juged yt the sayde Edmond shold take hys avountage agaynet ye sayde John at the common law, ffor ye sayde John wasse neuer amytted for a fre sower, and his M. disavoed hym yt he wasse not his foreman.

(5) Md, that John Skeche, setsayne and taylor of the Cyte of Excete come before M. and Wardons, the xvj day of Marche, ao regni Regis E. iiij ti, xxti; and ther complayned vppon Willam Spicer, tayler, for wtholding of a potell pot of pewter, paysing [weighing] iiijti; Item, for sowyng of a kertell wtoute slevis, and for the stuffe of a coler, and settyng on. For the which fense aforesayde, the M. and Wardons hath awarded yt the sayde Willam shall pay onto the sayde John Skeche, in full content of all thyng, fro the begenyng of the world into this daye, xvj.d. And the sayde John Skeche shall relesse hym of all sewtes that ye sayde Skeche hath ayens the sayde Willam for all soche materis a fore wreten.

(6) Md. of a warde y made bi the Maister and Wardons the xvjth day of Jule, the yeere of the Reigne of Kyng Edward the iiijth, the xxjth, betwene William Peeke and John Lynch his seruant; for that the said William unlawfuuli chasted hym, in brusyng of his arme and broke his hedd. And for that it was chuged, bi the said maister and wardons, that the said William Peeke shuld pay, for his leche craifte, v.s.; and for his table for a moneth, iijs. iiijd.; and for amendis, xvs.; and to the craift, xxd. for a fyne for his mysbehaueng aynst the craift.

(8) Md. of won John Tregaso, wiche was swone to the Master and Wardonis of the fraternite of Tayloris of Sent John Battyst in the Cite of Exceter. That, not wtststandyng, the sayde John come before on John at Well, that tyme beyng Mayre, and renonsed the sayde wothe, and was for sworyn on a crucefex. Where a poun, the sayde Master and Wardonis syud the same John a poun a purgery: and so, be the mene of gentyl men and money, they were made acorde, and new swaryn to the Master and Wardonys. And so the sayde John was send for, dyverse tyme to com to durgeis, massis, and other dutyis, acordyng to his othe: the wiche he absent hymself wt owte cause resenable. Where apon, the Master and Wardonys fett hym owte of his howse, and brost hym to Tayleor Hall, and there putt hym in a pere of stockys; and the (y) keped hym by the space of a day and a nygte. Apon the wiche, John Mattheu and Thomas Penhale ware bownde to the Master and Wardonys in xxti. li., that the sayde John Tregaso shuld be of god beryng contynually fro this day forward, the xvijth day of October, the reign of Kyng E. the iiijth, the xxjti.

Goods in the gild hall, 1504 (p. 327)

Here ffolwyth the ymplementes of the Taylorys halle, beyng wtyn the place yn the yere, beyng Master of the occupacion Richard Chubb, ao regni Hi spti xxo, of Exceter.

Md. that ther remayneth, fyrst yn the halle, a payntyed cloth at hye Desse; ij lytell bynches by euery syde, on by the chymney, on nayled to the walle; a planke tabell, wt ij trestelles, att hye desse; a tabell yn the syde of the halle, and a furme; a bynch yn the yn sayde of the tabell; also, yn the parler, a beddestede: also, yn the spence, a tabell planke, and ij sylwes: also, yn the chamber next to the halle, a longe coffer wtoute lockes or keyes, and a beddeste: also yn the utter chamber, a bedde stede: also a brasse pott (a plater of pewter, iiij quarters of a wyolet gowne for a woman, a broche wt a fote, ij new torches but lytell burde), and iiij yndes of torches; a streymer and a baner, a boxe wt iiij ewydence, wt iij other wretynges: and a seyalle of sylver of the brotherredyis.