and villains in Gosbeck, Brightwell, and elsewhereJohn de Brockynge for himself and villains-Geoffrey de Dodenesch to be quit of custom for his own granary-William de Crepping became a Burgess-and Philip de Freston, for the like immunity, paid 4d. and 4 bushels of oats.

In the 24th year of the same reign, the Lord Hugh Peche became a Burgess, and himself and villains in Belinges were absolved from payment of toll. The Lord Geoffrey de Burnaville, Robert de Freney, Robert de Bosco, Richard de Benhall, Robert de Aula, and Gilbert de Reymes also became of the Guild.

In the 27th year of the reign of the same monarch, as foreign Burgesses, were made William de Wayland, William de Goldingham, Hugh Jernegan, Robert de Peyford (or Pleyford), William de Bretoun, and Robert de Reydon.

In the 36th year, Ralph de Hereford became a Foreign Burgess, William de Asch, John Bertelmen, of Thodenham (Tuddenham) John de Westerfield, John de Ermyse, and John Thede.

The immunities granted these Burgesses appear to have been continued to their immediate heirs upon re-payment of the original gifts. Some Burgesses, however, were elected for life, without right of continuance to their issue. In the 31st and 32nd years of Henry III, Robert de Codenham, Warin Lambert, Martin de Clynk, Herbert de Tenebergh, and the Lord Nicholas de Sperkeforde, were made Burgesses for the period of their lives only.

After this period it is found the purchase of freedom from toll becomes changed. In the 40th of Henry III, William, Prior of the Holy Trinity, gives to the town one mark towards the expenses of the new Charter, a bushel of wheat, and one of malt to

the town. In the 56th of Henry III, Adam de Aula, of Cleydon, paid five shillings to the commonalty, and two shillings to the Bailiffs for freedom. In the 11th of Edward I, Robert de Reydone, Lord of Reydone, when made a Burgess, proffered a pipe of wine to the commonalty; and a payment of 4d. in money and two bushels of wheat, to the ferm of the town. In the 26th year of Edward I, the Lord John de Beaumont, and Alice his wife,* were made Burgesses, and gave to the Guild of the town two quarters of wheat for themselves, and one quarter of wheat for their villains.

The last payment appears to mark the conclusion of the secular existence of the Guild. Twenty-eight years after, namely, the 19th of Edward II, the community is found passing into the patronage, if not the administration of the church, losing its ancient title, and becoming known by the name of the Guild of Corpus Christi.

In that year (1290) the Priors of the Priories of the Holy Trinity, and of St. Peter and St. Paul, calling together the old Guild, with the parish priests and laity of the town, made a Constitution of this Corpus Christi.t It stated, that for the honour of God, &c. and for the commemoration of the institution of the sacrament of the body of Christ, on Wednesday, upon the festival of the Apostles Philip and

* Women were very generally admitted to these Guilds. In the accounts of the Guild of Brewers, in London, are the names of thirty-nine females, who were entitled to wear the livery of the Guild. These female members appear to have been divided into three classes, maids, wives, and widows. They paid 12d. quarterly to the Guild.- Herbert.

Taken from the Constitution of the Guild, entered in Domesday Book.

X

James, in the year of our Lord one thousand three hundred and twenty-five, they ordained a brotherhood between themselves and the laity called the Merchant Guild, for present and future times, (God granting duration,) and conceding with the consent of the lay brethren, that all ordinances should be well and faithfully observed. They then add, that every year upon the fifth day (holiday) after the eighth of Pentecost, the church being decorated for sacrament, and especially supplied with garlands fresh cut, they should assemble at the ninth hour, or immediately afterwards, in the church of St. Trinity in Ipswich, clothed in silk garments, or others suitable, and going before the cross, join the procession with a standard, making a shew to excite the greater number of the faithful, and add to the confusion of heretics. With the tabernacle especially appointed to the procession, in which the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ should be contained, and proceeding through the church of St. Peter with the monks of that priory, they should return to the church of Trinity, and there the solemnity be dismissed. The next year the procession was ordered to be prepared at the church of St. Peter, and not Trinity.

The ecclesiastics having taken the old Guild under their especial care, the following rules were made:

That every parish priest, and each lay brother residing in the town, with those whose habitations did not exceed five leagues distance from the Guild Hall, were commanded to attend the procession on forfeit of half a pound of wax, except permission be given for absence.

The ornaments and pageants of the procession being of a costly nature, if bad weather happened upon Corpus Christi day, the shew should cease until the next year.

In order that the cherished right of so celebrated a sacrament should remain, it was ordained that every year, in the presence of the Guild, who should be called together by the beadle of the town, certain religious ceremonies should be performed in the church of St. Mary Tower, and thirteen impoverished persons being selected, their feet should be washed, and alms bestowed upon them.

The beadle of the town was, when necessary, ordered to proclaim the death of each member of the Guild; and on the day of burial, the services of the church were ordered to be rendered the deceased, and to continue until the body be deposited in the

grave.

Thirteen wax candles were allowed out of the funds of the Guild upon obsequies of its members; and in order that this debt of light should be kept up, contributions of wax were ordered to be made from the general body.

Masses were ordered to be said for the repose of the souls of priests and laity, both within and out of the town, upon certification of death, under peril of the souls of those priests of the Guild who refused to celebrate.

The body then agree that the government of the Guild should be under two of the laity styled Aldermen, who should be answerable to the Bailiffs and Portmen every year concerning all things relating to the Guild.*

The Guild of Corpus Christi thus constituted, appears to have progressed and flourished for many years without change, until at length from circumstances undetailed (perhaps falling into disuetude) it was found necessary to ordain a fresh recital of its Charter of Constitution, in Domesday.

powers and customs for more comprehensive and attentive purposes. A new ordinance (undated) though believed to be of the time of Henry VII, states, that when, amongst other constitutions of the town of Ipswich, it had been a custom from time immemorial to have a Guild of priests to pray and celebrate, both for the welfare and good state of the Merchant Guild, otherwise the Guild of Corpus Christi, and the souls of the brethren and sisters who had departed life, it was well known that the Aldermen caused nine marks every year to be paid to the priest as his salary and stipend. It was moreover provided that the brethren and sisters should annually "with sad and mournful garments" meet at St. Mary of the Tower upon the Sabbath-day next following the feast of Corpus Christi, at the first hour after noon, to pray for the souls of all the brethren of the Guild. On the next Sabbath following the festival, all the brethren and sisters were ordered to meet, at nine o'clock before noon, to hear mass for the souls of the brethren that had departed this life. They were also to feast together at the Guild Hall, each brother paying 16d. for himself and wife. All the brethren to a man remembered also the annual assembly at the church of St. Mary Tower, where, when the funeral offices and masses were said for departed brethren, each Guild man gave a penny to the priest for himself and wife, half of which became the property of the priest of the Guild, and the other half went to the priest of the Church. In default of payment, the forfeiture of half a pound of wax was enacted. All the old observances by this fresh recital appear to be again accepted as the laws to bind the Guild, and brought to mind by reference to what was once the "auncient order."