A HISTORY OF HERTFORDSHIRE 



gilds are known to have existed with the returns of the i6th century makes 

 it probable that many of the stipendiary priests were really in the employ of 

 the gilds. Reference has already been made to the status of these super- 

 numerary priests, and it may well be imagined that their independence of 

 the incumbent and peculiar relationship to a select body of parishioners might 

 lead to difficulties. At Berkhampstead in the early i6th century dissensions 

 arose between the parson and George Prior, 'brotherhood priest.' The 

 parson complained to the Bishop of Lincoln that Prior was ' a comyn baratur 

 and breker of the kynges peas ... a comyn goar and seker of susspessyus and 

 baudy howsys ... a pleyer at cardes and alle un lawfull gamys.' Prior was 

 summoned before the bishop, and with thirty-one of his ' neyburs genttyll- 

 men and other substantial men ' rode to Woburn to refute the charge. The 

 bishop bound him over, but this did not satisfy the parson, and Prior finally 

 appealed to the Crown for redress," though what he hoped to gain thereby is 

 not very clear. 



The earliest known gild in Hertfordshire was simple in character. In 

 or about 1333 twelve men of Hertford agreed to maintain twelve candles 

 to burn before the image of St. John the Baptist in the church of All Saints 

 during all service hours on feast days. Two wardens managed the affairs of 

 the brotherhood and probably made the collections, which were its sole 

 source of revenue. The association was perhaps one of friends, for in i 346 

 five of the brethren were dead and no effort had been made to fill their 

 places, nor were the survivors bound by any oath." The contemporary gild 

 of the Blessed Mary of Barkway was also devotional in character, but was 

 joined by both men and women. Here, too, continuity was evidently not 

 anticipated, for five lights before the image of the Virgin in the parish church 

 were to be maintained only while ten brothers and sisters remained alive. 

 The great aim of the gild was not, however, the support of these lights, but 

 the provision of masses in honour of our Lady, and for this each member 

 paid id. each Sunday. The gild also undertook the ordering of the funerals of 

 itb members, paying all expenses if the dead brother or sister had left no goods, 

 and collecting pence among the members for the celebration of a requiem 

 mass." At Waltham Cross the members of the gild of St. Mary also main- 

 tained a chaplain, but they had abandoned the system of weekly payments 

 for an annual subscription of 6J. They maintained torches as well as 

 fifteen tapers to burn before the image of our Lady in her chapel there on 

 all Sundays and feast days.'* 



The fourth and last Hertfordshire gild for which the 14th century 

 return has been preserved was that of the Holy Sepulchre at Waltham 

 Cross.'' The brothers and sisters maintained a chaplain to celebrate divine 

 service in the charnel, paying him a yearly salary of 8 marks ; the money 

 was raised by a yearly subscription of i 3^. The charnel seems to have been 

 wholly in the care of the gild, for the members kept it in repair and main- 

 tained there fifteen tapers and two torches burning during service on feast 

 days and Sundays throughout the year. But this was not the end of their 

 activities ; they found fifteen tapers to burn about the Easter sepulchre in 

 the parish church, and eight torches at the elevation of the Host at the 



11 Exch. M >c. fi'.e iz, no. 4. ^ Chan. Misc. file 39, no. 65. 



" Ibid. no. 6+. " Ibid. no. 66. " Ibid. no. 67. 



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