Stratford-upon-Avon: Guild of the Holy Cross: Masters' and proctors' accounts

Description

Account of ... [Proctors] of the Guilds ("Gildarum") of the Holy Cross, the Blessed Mary, and Saint John Baptist, from the Morrow of the Feast of the Translation of St. Thomas the Martyr, 4 Henry VI., to the Morrow of the same Feast 5 Henry VI The Account, which is in a very decayed state, and much mutilated, is rendered under the following headings [Rents of assize.] Receipts of moneys at the Feast. (£4 15s 1d received of divers Brothers and Sisters being at the Feast beyond the 5 Chaplains and beyond 3 of the brethern who were serving.) [Receipts for skins sold, and legacies.] (2s 3d for the skins of 9 calves killed for the Feast; 12d received by the hands of Robert Stere de Shotryth of the bequest of Agnes his wife; 2s 8d received at the hands of John Drawhton of the bequest of Margery his wife; 20d for "chesell" and bran sold; 16d for "suggester" sold.) Sum total of the receipts, £13 6s 2d Payment of moneys. (Payment to Thomas Plentech, Chaplain; William Brayser, Chief Bailiff of the town; for chief rent 5s 11d, viz., for the Hall of the Guild 3s, for the House of St. Mary in "the Old toune" 3d, c.; making wax lights for the beam of St. Mary in the Church of Stratford.) Allowance [of rent.] (20d of the rent of the House of St. Mary. Several rents are pardoned by advice of the Council of the Guild.) Expenses of the Feast. The items are divided under the following sub-heads Corn. (5 quarters and 4 bushels received of the Master of his stock, of the Brothers coming into the Fraternity of the Guild; 2 qrs. 2 bush. of corn for the geese.) Malt. (6 quarters of malt for brewing ale "against" the Feast (4d per qr.); other malt for feeding the geese.) Veal, Mutton, and Pigs. (9 calves, 21s 6d; 39 pigs, 13s 5d, whereof 10 cost 4½ each.) Geese and Pullets (167 geese, 28s 4d; expenses of those riding into the country about the purchase of the said geese, 15d; 168 pullets at 1d each; expenses about their purchase in the country, 8d.) Milk and "Creme," c. (1 "bz" of salt, 8d; 1330 eggs at 6d per 100; wine and "venegar" bought for the kitchen, 3s; wine bought of William Brayner for the gentlemen ("pro generosis hominibus"), 2s 1d; wine for the same bought of Alice Yate, 20d; carrying to the Hall, 4d; "In Sirpis," 13d.) Other entries follow of the same kind as those noticed. No sum total is given, so that the account was probably continued on the back of the roll, but no trace of writing now remains