_The Award of Sir Robert Billesdon, Lord Mayor, April l0th, 1484.
1 Ric. III._
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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:
[MEMORANDUM that 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 x^{th} day of
Aprill the first yere of the reign of Kyng Richard the iii^{de}, 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.”
_The Supplementary Award of January 17th, 1521. 12 Hen. VIII._
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“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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