English Economic History: Select Documents. Various
of the City of Norwich (Selden Society); Bickley, The Little Red Book of Bristol; Rotuli Cartarum(Record Commission); and the Calendars of Patent, Close and Charter Rolls(Record Office Publications).
1. Payments Made to the Crown by Gilds in the Twelfth Century [Pipe Roll, 26 Henry II], 1179–80.
The weavers of Oxford render account of 6l. for their gild. They have delivered it into the treasury.
And they are quit.
The corvesers of Oxford render account of 15s. for an ounce of gold for their gild. They have delivered it into the treasury.
And they are quit.
The weavers of Huntingdon render account of 40s. for their gild. They have delivered it into the treasury.
And they are quit.
The weavers of Lincoln render account of 6l. for their gild. They have delivered it into the treasury.
And they are quit.
The weavers of York render account of 10l. for their gild. They have delivered it into the treasury.
And they are quit.
The same sheriff [of York] renders account of 2 marks from the gild of glovers and curriers. In the treasury is 1 mark.
And they owe 1 mark.
The same sheriff renders account of 20s. from the gild of saddlers for [customs which they exact unjustly]. In the treasury is 10s.
And it owes 10s.
The same sheriff renders account … of 1 mark from the gild of hosiers by way of mercy …
And he is quit.
The citizens of Exeter render account of 40l. for the fine of a plea touching gilds. In the treasury are 20l.
And they owe 20l.
The same sheriff [of Devon] renders account … of 1 mark from the borough of Barnstaple for a gild without warrant. …
And he is quit.
The burgesses of Bodmin render account of 100s. for their false statement and for their gild without warrant. In the treasury are 50s.
And they owe 50s.
The same sheriff [of Cornwall] renders account … of 3 marks from the burgesses of Launceston for their gild without warrant. …
And he is quit.
The same sheriff [of Dorset and Somerset] renders account of 6 marks from the borough of Wareham for a gild without warrant. In the treasury are 3 marks.
And it owes 3 marks.
The same sheriff renders account … of 3 marks from the borough of Dorchester for a gild without warrant. And of 2 marks from the borough of Bridport for the same. …
And he is quit.
The same sheriff renders account … of 20s. from Axbridge for a gild without warrant. And of ½ mark from Langport for the same. … And he is quit.
The burgesses of Ilchester [render account of] 20s. for a gild without warrant.
The weavers of Winchester render account of 2 marks of gold for their gild. In the treasury are 12l. for 2 marks of gold.
And they are quit.
The fullers of Winchester render account of 6l. for their gild. They have delivered it into the treasury.
And they are quit.
The weavers of Nottingham render account of 40s. for their gild. They have delivered it into the treasury.
And they are quit.
The weavers of London render account of 12l. for their gild. They have delivered it into the treasury.
And they are quit.
Amercements of Adulterine Gilds in the City of London.
The gild whereof Goscelin is alderman owes 30 marks.
The gild of pepperers whereof Edward is alderman owes 16 marks.
The gild of St. Lazarus whereof Ralph le Barre is alderman owes 25 marks.
The gild of goldsmiths whereof Ralph Flael is alderman owes 45 marks.
The gild of Bridge whereof Ailwin Finke is alderman owes 15 marks.
The gild of Bridge whereof Robert de Bosco is alderman owes 10 marks.
The gild of Haliwell whereof Henry son of Godric is alderman owes 20s.
The gild of Bridge whereof Walter the Cooper is alderman owes 1 mark.
The gild of strangers (pelegrinorum) whereof Warner le Turnur is alderman owes 40s.
The gild of butchers whereof William Lafeite is alderman owes 1 mark.
The gild of clothworkers whereof John Maurus is alderman owes 1 mark.
The gild whereof Odo the Watchman is alderman owes 1 mark.
The gild of Bridge whereof Thomas the Cook is alderman owes 1 mark.
The gild whereof Robert Rochefolet is alderman owes 1 mark.
The gild whereof Hugh Leo is alderman owes ½ mark.
The gild whereof William de Haverhill is alderman owes 10 marks.
The gild whereof Thedric Feltrarius is alderman owes 2 marks.
The gild of Bridge whereof Peter son of Alan was alderman owes 15 marks.
The gild whereof John the White is alderman owes 1 mark.
2. Charter of Liberties To the Borough of Tewkesbury [Charter Roll, 11 Edward III, m. 10, No.21], 1314.
Gilbert de Clare, earl of Gloucester and Hertford, to all whom the present letters shall come, greeting. Whereas William and Robert, sometime earls of Gloucester and Hertford,[152] our progenitors, of famous memory, formerly granted and confirmed in turn for them and their heirs by their charters to their burgesses of Tewkesbury and their heirs and successors the liberties below written:
First, that the burgesses of the borough aforesaid should have and hold their burgages in the borough aforesaid by free service, to wit, each of them holding one burgage should have and hold it by the service of 12d. a year to be rendered to the same earls, and if holding more should have and hold each of them by the service of 12d. a year together with the service of doing suit to the court of the same earls of the borough aforesaid from three weeks to three weeks, for all service, so that after the decease of any of the burgesses aforesaid, his heir or heirs should enter the burgage or burgages aforesaid, of what age soever he or they should be, to hold the same quit of relief or heriot.
And to the same burgesses, each of them, that they might sell, pledge or loan to other burgesses their burgage or burgages aforesaid which they had in the same borough by purchase, at their will, without any ransom to be made, so that those burgesses to whom such burgages were sold, pledged or loaned, should show the charters or writings which they had thereof before the steward of the aforesaid earls in the court of the borough.
And if any of them should hold half a burgage, he should hold it with the same liberty with which tenants of a whole burgage should hold and have the same, according to the quantity of his burgage.
And that no burgess of the borough aforesaid should by reason of a burgage or half a burgage be in any wise tallaged or make ransom of blood or be disturbed by reason of the sale of his horse, ox or other his chattels whatsoever, but each of them should employ his merchandise without challenge.
And