A HISTORY OF NORTHAMPTONSHIRE 



the mass of the Holy Spirit is to be solemnly sung. 

 If a unanimous election cannot be secured, three 

 scrutineers are to be appointed, who shall vote 

 secretly in writing, and if all or two agree on the 

 same name, that one shall be elected ; if there 

 shall not be this majority, then the decision from 

 the three names shall be left to the bishop of 

 Lincoln or his vicar general. The master, on his 

 election, shall swear implicit obedience to the 

 statutes, and faithful rule and correction over the 

 whole college. 



7. The master to have full power of correcting, 

 punishing, and castigating over all the persons of 

 the college. In difficult negotiations he should 

 consult the precentor and senior fellows. In his 

 absence the college to be ruled by the precentor 

 with the advice of the two senior fellows. For 

 each outsider invited to the table of the fellows 

 3 pence to be paid out of the common stock, and 

 if at the table of the choristers or servants 



2 pence. 



8. The precentor to have the rule over the 

 fellows and choristers in quire and in the church, 

 and to have power (with the consent of the 

 master or, in his absence, of the senior fellow) to 

 correct and punish for any fault during the divine 

 offices, or for any error in singing or corrupt 

 reading. 



9. The master and precentor to sit at the chief 

 table in hall, with the senior and more learned 

 fellows, and not to exceed four dishes ; the other 

 fellows (and clerks) to sit at tables on each side 

 of the hall ; and the choristers and other boys 

 and servants at a table in the centre. All to 

 keep silence, and to listen to the reading of the 

 Holy Scriptures. 



10. The father, brother, near relative, or 

 friend, of any of the fellows, clerks, and choris- 

 ters, may dine in hall if they behave quietly and 

 honestly, for two days and not more, save by 

 special licence of the master, but at their own 

 expense. 



n. The master, fellows, clerks, and choristers, 

 yearly at Christmastide, to have clothes of one and 

 the same cut and colour at the common expense. 

 The master and precentor to have 1 1 yards 

 of cloth divided between them ; each fellow and 

 clerk to have 4 yards ; each chorister under 

 twelve years 2^ yards, and boys over twelve 



3 yards. The cloth for the fellows and clerks 

 not to exceed 26^. a yard, and that for the 

 choristers not to exceed lid. 



12. If any of the fellows, clerks, choristers, or 

 servants shall quarrel, they shall be called before 

 the master and two senior fellows, and if peace 

 cannot then be obtained, five other discreet fellows 

 shall help to adjudicate, and if any one does not 

 at once accept their decision he shall be expelled. 



13. If the master should neglect his duties by 

 absence or carelessness, or cause loss to the 

 spiritualities or temporalities of the college, the 

 precentor and majority of the fellows have power 

 to call on him to resign, and if he refuse, to 



172 



report him to the bishop, who has power to 

 remove him. 



14. Fellows, clerks, and choristers may, for 

 legitimate cause, have leave of absence for a 

 month in the year. Such leave not to be taken 

 at Christmas, Easter, or Whitsuntide. Not more 

 than two fellows, or two clerks, or two choristers 

 to be absent at the same time. 



15. The occupation of all the chambers of 

 the college to be arranged by the precentor. 



16. The church, hall, and all the buildings of 

 the college, erected with so much labour at the 

 cost of the founder, are to be maintained in good 

 repair. 



17. Bailiffs, proctors, farmers, wardens, and 

 others, are to present annual balance-sheets at 

 Michaelmas, to be examined by the master, 

 precentor, and five selected fellows. 



18. In the more important business of the 

 college, such as benefices, farms, and manors, the 

 master is to consult the fellows in the chapter- 

 house, and to abide by the decision of the 

 majority. 



19. Advowsons of churches, lands, tenements, 

 rents, etc., are not to be alienated or sold. 



20. Neither master, fellows, nor clerk shall be 

 upholders of quarrels or other litigious business, 

 and if they persist in such action they may be 

 expelled. 



21. The college to remain indebted in 

 500 marks to John Bokeland, whom Edward 

 the founder made master, in which sum John 

 was bound to the abbess and nuns of Delapr^.i 



22. The master, within a month after Michael- 

 mas, before the precentor and six senior fellows, 

 to present a balance-sheet of all receipts and 

 payments, to be deposited in the treasury. 



23. A summary of the financial statement to 

 be indented, whereof one part to be kept by the 

 precentor, and the other placed with the archives 

 in the principal chest of the college. 



24. The college to have four or five servants 

 (not more) for serving in the pantry, buttery, 

 kitchen, and other offices. One of them to be 

 the barber, and also skilled in the repairs and 

 mending of vestments, copes, and other orna- 

 ments of the church. 



25. The master to have three horses, with hay 

 and litter, and (blank) quarters of oats or pease 

 for their sustenance. 



26. The master and college to have a com- 

 mon seal and three common chests in a certain 

 house called the treasury in the form of a tower, 

 constructed over the church porch. In the 

 treasury are to be kept the seal, vestments, 

 jewels, money, and muniments of the college in 

 safe custody. In the larger chest all the more 

 precious vestments, chalices and censers, parcel- 

 gilt, and other ornaments which are not re- 

 quired for actual and daily use. The precentor 



1 This statute has faint cross lines through it, and 

 ' vacat ' written in the margin. 



