Guild of the Holy Cross: Grants and leases

Description

Counterpart of indenture made between John Brugge, master, Thomas Clopton, esq., Roger Paget, John Gilbert, John Wager, John Bryghtwell, Thomas Tasker, Richard Stowe and Roger Palmar, aldermen, and William Logon and Richard Smyth, proctors, of the Gild of the Holy Cross etc. of Stratford upon Avon, and sir William Smythe, clerk, granting the latter a sacerdotal service under the following conditions: (1) that he shall teach grammar freely to all scholars who shall come to the school taking nothing from them for his teaching: (2) that he shall be one of the five priests of the Gild at the next vacancy, and have an annual stipend of £9. to be increased to £10 after the first vacancy, with a chamber within the said Gild, provided always that the said grammar master is in health and able to teach otherwise he shall pay 100s. to another able man to teach in his stead: (3) that, when so disposed, he shall celebrate mass in the chapel of the Gild and on festivals in the parish church of Stratford at the altar of St. John the Baptist for the good estate of the Bishop of Worcester and for the souls of master Thomas Jolyffe and his parents John and Joan and of all the benefactors of the said Gild and of all faithful deceased, saying at each mass for the living `Deus qui caritatis' and for the dead `Inclina domine' and saying `Ye shall praye specially for the sowles of maister Thomas Jolyffe, Johne and Johanne his ffadur and modur and ye sowles of all Brethers and Susters of the seid Gilde and all Cristen sowles sayinge of your charyte a Pater noster and a Aue': (4) that twice a week on Wednesday and Friday, the said grammar master and his scholars shall sing the antiphon of St. Mary and `De profundis clamaui etc.'; (5) that there should be six months' notice to terminate the agreement on either side, with the oversight and advice of [John] Alkoke, bishop of Worcester and Thomas Balsale, clerk, Warden of the College of Stratford Dated at Stratford in the hall of the Gild, Monday after the feast of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist, 22 Edward IV Seal of red wax, a fragment only