By the late Rev. B. H. Clutterbuck, F.S.A. 141 



one time, but later there are said to have been, in Norfolk alone, 

 no less than nine hundred and nine, and seventy-five of them in 

 Lyme Regis only. Dr. Malet Lambert truly says, " No attempt 

 to understand or depict the English social life or thought of the 

 period from the 10th to the 16th century can be true to its original 

 in which these institutions do not play a large part." These 

 Fraternities were generally under the management of an alderman 

 and two or more wardens or stewards, assisted by a clerk or 

 secretary, a beadle, and in most cases by a chaplain. They were, 

 however, far from being ecclesiastical in their character, and were 

 open to every class. In 1452 the Gild of St. George at Norwich 

 had on its roll one archbishop, four bishops, an earl, knights, clergy, 

 fishmongers, smiths, tailors, jailors, butchers, carpenters, and so on. 

 King Henry IV. and King Henry VI. were members of a gild at 

 Coventry. The Gild of St. Barnabas in London numbered among 

 its members both Henry VIII. and Cardinal Wolsey. The members 

 do not appear to have been bound by perpetual vows, but they had 

 to pay periodical contributions, or " pence," as they seem generally 

 called, or the " aid," which contributions were collected four times 

 a year. I exhibit some rolls of members belonging to the Andover 

 fraternity in which the payment is indicated by notches cut in the 

 parchment. I think, too, that the members, at any rate on occasions, 

 wore a distinctive hood, and I have a theory that we can guess the 

 fashion of such hoods. The "Livery" companies of London do 

 not, except for the court, retain the use of the gown, although 

 when they are summoned to vote at the election of Sheriffs the 

 order goes out that they are to attend in their livery gowns. 

 When, however, a freeman is admitted to the livery a vestment 

 is put on his shoulder which I believe is of the character of the 

 fraternity hood, and it is always worn by the Master of the 

 Leather sellers' Company. I have already pointed out so many 

 similarities between the craft gilds and the fraternities that I hope 

 I may not be considered inconsistent (notwithstanding that I want 

 to emphasise the distinction between them) by trying to illustrate 

 one by the other. 



Before I enter on the subject of the work accomplished by these 



