208 JOURNAL OF THE PLYMOUTH INSTITUTION. 
of God and for increasing the benefits of the Church of St. Andrew 
at Plymouth, that on the feast of Corpus Christi every ward of the 
borough should from thenceforth make an Ale in the parish church- 
yard of St. Andrew, and that every person might bring with them 
such victuals as they pleased (bread and drink only excepted), and 
that friends and strangers were to be brought for the increasing of 
the Ale, and that for the weal of the said church none of the taverns 
in the town were to sell wine or ale upon peril of fine and loss of 
freedom. And then the entry in the Black-book of the Corpora- 
tion goes on to say, that no person who shall go about with the 
shippe of Corpus Christi shall bring any one else to charge the 
Ale, and that there was to be no credit given :—“ Item: That they 
make a reckoning to every person for mete and drink, and notte 
to pay at their leizure.” Provisions follow for the entry of the 
receipts in the town’s ledger, and that they were to be at the dis- 
position of the mayor, the twelve and twenty-four, in every year. 
This Ale was continued for a long time, as I find another reference 
to it in 1488. 
I do not quite understand the meaning of the shippe of Corpus 
Christi, but I am inclined to think that it means the fine piece of 
plate forming so important a feature upon the medieval dinner- 
table, the nef. It may be contended that the word is written 
in mistake for shrine, or it was the navicula or incense boat; but 
Ido not think that either is so probable as my theory that it was 
the principal piece of plate of the Gild, and treasured accordingly, 
and special privileges given to the bearer in the procession which 
in past years had been abused. 
In another entry in the Black-book will be found the record of 
certain privileges given by the mayor, recorder, and others to the 
Taylors’ craft in 1479 or 1496, and one of the conditions is the 
payment of a yearly sum to the Gild of Corpus Christi. 
These are the only two allusions to be met with in reference to 
this important Gild. Important it certainly was; for on the south 
side of Bedford Street we still find evidence of its former conse- 
quence, the houses there, including those of Messrs. Arnold and 
Matthews, standing on ground even now called Corpus Christi. 
This, I believe, marks the site of the Hall of the Gild. 
But besides this, a portion of St. Andrew’s Church was known 
by the name of Corpus Christi, and this probably was the part 
of the church which contained the altar of the Gild. 
