Mediæval London, Volume 2: EcclesiasticalBesant, Walter
History
Mediæval London, Volume 2: Ecclesiastical
Besant, Walter
London (England) -- History -- To 1500; London (England) -- Social life and customs -- To 1500
And also—the good folks of the trade have agreed that no one shall be
so daring as to work at night upon articles of pewter; seeing that
they have regard among themselves to the fact that the sight is not so
profitable by night, or so certain as by day—to the profit that is,
of the community. And also—that if any one of the said trade shall be
found in default in any of the points aforesaid, he shall pay forty
pence for the first default; for the second, half a mark; and on the
third default, let it be done with him at the discretion of the Mayor
and Aldermen; and of these payments let there be given one-half to
the Chamber, to maintain the points aforesaid, and the other half to
the Wardens of the said trade, for their trouble and their expenses.
And that no one of the trade, great or small, shall take away the
journeyman of another man, against the assent and the will of his first
master, before he shall have fully served his term, according to the
covenant made between them, and before the said journeyman shall have
made amends to his master for the offences and misprisions committed
against him, if he has in any way so offended or misprised, at the
discretion of the Wardens of their trade; and whosoever shall do to the
contrary of this ordinance, let such person have his punishment at the
discretion of the Mayor and Aldermen.
Also—that no one of the said trade shall be so daring as to receive
any one to work at the same trade, if he have not been an apprentice
or if he be not a good workman and one who can have the testimony of
his master, or of good folks of good condition; and can show that well
and lawfully he has served his trade for the time assigned among them.
There were chosen and sworn to oversee the Articles aforesaid—Stephen
Lestraunge and John Syward, _peautrers_.
On Thursday next after the feast of Allhallows (1st November) in the
23rd year of the reign of King Edward the Third, etc., it was witnessed
before Walter Turk, Mayor, and the Aldermen, that Stephen Lestraunge
was dead, and that John Syward could not work; wherefore the reputable
men of that trade chose Nicholas de Ludgate and Ernald Schipwaysshe,
pewterer, who were sworn to keep the Articles aforesaid.” (Riley’s
_Memorials_, p. 241.)
These are the main points. No one can complain that they are drawn up
in the interests of the masters only. It is, however, to be remarked
that the regulation of wages, hours, and prices is not attempted. The
omission was doubtless designed as leaving such points fluctuating from
day to day by arrangement between masters and men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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