Former reference "Weavers 2b"

PA 100/4

Former reference "Weavers 2b"

Company copy of Ordinances (approved by Sir Robert Barkeley, Kt., K.B., and Sir Robert Heath, Kt., serjeant-at-law, assize-judges) with amendments

fols. 3 - 15. 1. Yearly on 21st. Sept., the freemen weavers of Coventry will assemble for the purpose of making up the company's numbers to 25, in default of which the numbers will be fulfilled by the master and fellowship from those who have not held office; the 25 will elect a master, an ex-warden as master's fellow, and two wardens, all for one year. Fine for not attending the assembly - 3/4.

2. The old manner of election is hereby defunct: fine for neglecting an officer's duties - £5 (one-third to the corporation, two-thirds to the fellowship).

3. Within one month of an officer's death or removal, another will be appointed by 25 for the remainder of the term: fine for refusal to serve - £5 (ratio as in 2).

4. Fine for not reasonably obeying summonses to attend officers - 6/8.

5. Fine for breach of peace or insulting officers - 10/-.

6. Fine for not paying taxation imposed by officers or twelve company ancients - 20/-.

7. No admission to the company of men aged less than 24 years unless married with £10 in goods - forfeit of 6/8 for every day that the offender illicitly so trades.

8. Master to render the account for moneys he shall have spent during his year of office - fine £20 for non-performance (ratio as in 2).

9. The oldest members of the company will be given a supper at the time when the master shall render his account - fine for default of £3.

10. Forfeitures will be applied only as limited by these ordinances; a retiring master will yield up all company goods to his successor within one month of leaving office upon pain of forfeiting the goods and 20 /- for each month of keeping them.

11. Ordinances will be declared to the company quarterly - fine of 6/8 for not attending a reading.

12. Members will pay quarterage to the officers - fine of 3/4 for default.

13. Non-native journeymen resident in Coventry for a fortnight will pay the officers 4d.; each journeyman's master will pay the fine if the journeyman shall refuse and 2/6 for each extra day that such a master shall refuse to pay.

14. No fellow of the company will employ a journeyman who shall have absconded or committed a misdemeanour against his master - fine, 6/8.

15. There will be no hiring of other fellows' servants, apprentices or journemen - fine, 20/-.

16. No apprentice born outside England will be accepted by a potential master - fine, £5.

17. A £5 forfeit will be imposed for every month that an improperly-taught apprentice will be allowed to practise (fine-ratio as in 2); the offence will be examined by the company's elected 25 members.

18. Electors will forfeit 6/8, non-electors 3/4, for non-attendance at the election of officers.

19. A 40/- fine will be inflicted for teaching any journeyman other than the offender's without the officers' assent.

20. The apprenticeship-term will be seven years; each indenture will be enrolled on the quarter-day after the master will have taken his apprentice, in the presence of the company's master, its master's fellow and four other fellows, with a 2/6 sealing-fee; fine for not binding an apprentice within three months of taking him - 20/-.

21. Members will sit at assembly in office-holding order - fine, 12d..

22. Nobody will be admitted to the company without the agreement of twelve officers or ex-officers (any circumstantial shortfall will be rectified by the officers) - fine, 10/-; freemen will pay a fine of 3/4 for admission to the company.

23. Journeymen will be paid their weekly wages on the Saturday night - fine, 3/4.

24. Officers and twelve ancients must sanction the hiring of a given apprentice - fine, 10/-.

25. Spooling and warping will be done only in a weaver's house - fine, 40/-.

26. Every weaver will only take a manageable amount of work - fine, 20/-.

27. Officers and twelve ancients must approve any assignment of an apprentice, and the dissatisfied master of an apprentice must declare his complaint to that body; assignment-fee - 2/6; fine of £10 for not complying with this ordinance.

28. On 21st. Sept. the master's fellow and wardens will each pay the Company master £3 towards a feast-day and election-supper (called the "communication supper"); the Company will pay the retiring Master £3 and provide wine and cakes for the banquet, but the other charges for that feast will be borne by the retiring master upon pain of forfeitting £5; each member may bring at most two acquaintances to the feast.

29. 40/- fine for refusing to depart or stand aside when ordered to do so by the retiring master.

30. The master's fellow will buy his own livery within one month of election - fine, 6/8.

31. Fellows will not lend their gear or apprentices to non-fellows - fine, 20/-.

32. Journeymen will not work with non-fellows upon pain of a 20/- fine paid before any such journeyman will be received by a fellow.

33. Journeymen will not instruct outsiders in the company affairs - fine, £5.

34. Weavers will yield up their journeymen at the request of the master, master's fellow or summoner when so ordered by the master, master's fellow, wardens and twelve ancients, upon pain of a 13/4 fine.

35. A journeyman will not fetch work into his master's house - fine, 13/4.

36. Weavers will not co-operate with any clothier who puts out cloth to non-freemen - fine, 4/-.

37. 5/- fine for a journeyman's neglect of his master's work.

38. Any journeyman so-offending will make amends as ordered by the Company master, master's fellow and twelve ancients upon pain of a 4d. fine.

39. A non-resident journeyman will bring to his master within ten days a testimonial justifying his being at liberty to serve, whereupon he will be examined by the company officers; fine for noncompliance - 5/-.

40. A fellow accepting a non-Coventry journeyman with dependants must justify his presence before the mayor or ward-alderman within fourteen days of giving the journeyman work - fine, 13/4.

41. Every freeman of the company will obtain a gown and hood within two years of becoming a freeman and within two months of being permitted to have them - fine, 20/-.

42. Every fellow must be properly-attired to take his place at meetings - fine, 12d..

43. Any freeman not assenting to transcription of these ordinances will be ejected and discharged of his journeymen; upon pain of paying 40/-, none will give him work.

44. 13/4 fine for sending cloth to one offending under clause 43.

45. Apprentices will remain bound until aged 24 - fine, 20/-.

46. On reasonable demand, fellows will accompany officers to marriages or burials and will attend the entertainment of personages - fine, 12d..

47. Any member below the rank of city sheriff will be liable to become a pall-bearer - fine, 12d..

48. 40/- fine (distributed in the ratio detailed at clause 2) will be paid for disclosing fellowship secrets.

49. The mayor will receive his share of forfeitures within three days.

50. Consent of at least twelve freemen needed before a weaver shall be admitted to the fellowship - fine, £40.

51. Fine of 4d. per month for keeping a married man as an apprentice.

52. The rentgather will disburse sums as the officers shall appoint, rendering his account within one week of every demand - fine, 40/-.

53. 4d. fine for refusing to become, or neglecting the duties of, a rentgatherer.

54. Fines will be levied by distraint, with an additional 40/- fine for resisting distraint.

55. The fellowship and mayor will decide how to use fines.

56. Prospective members will covenant with the master and master's fellow to keep these ordinances and pay fines as requested by Henry Million (alderman and master of the fellowship), Robert Bedford (master's fellow) Gilbert Adderley and William Wale (wardens) and the company; the ordinances will be revocable by the justices of assize of the county of the city of Coventry.

fols. 16r - 19r. Summary of ordinances.

fol. 19v. Memorandum of loans (30th. Oct., 1647).

fol. 20r. Memorandum about the administration of a statute (5 & 6 Edward VI) regarding forestalling (25th. Sept., 1654).

fol. 20v. Memorandum as to freemen's widows' binding apprentices (23rd. Dec., 1641).

fol. 21r. Memorandum concerning officers' allowances (30th. Oct., 1655 - 29th. Sept., 1656).

fols. 22-26. Blank.

English