“(1) Issues of land for an obit for John Pigott; growing and coming out of certain houses and lands in Alton, for to maintain for ever a yearly obit there, in the tenure of Thomas Mathew of the yearly value of 23_s._ 4_d._ Whereof to the poor 15_s._ 4_d._, to the priest and his clerk 8_s._: (2) The same for an obit for William Reding of the annual value of 15_s._, of which the poor were to have 10_s._ and the priest and his clerk 5_s._: (3) The same for Alice Hacker of the yearly value of 10_s._, of which the poor were to get 7_s._ 8_d._ and the priest 2_s._ 4_d._: (4) Another of the value of 4_s._, the poor getting 2_s._ 10_d._ and the priest 1_s._ 2_d._: (5) Another for the soul of Nicholas Bailey, worth annually 11_s._, and of this 7_s._ 8_d._ was intended for the poor and 3_s._ 4_d._ for the clergy: (6) Another for Nicholas Crushelow worth 4_s._ 4_d._, the poor getting 3_s._ 1_d._ and the priest 1_s._ 3_d._” That is to say, out of a total of 77_s._ 8_d._ the poor were to get 46_s._ 7_d._, and only 31_s._ 1_d._ was devoted to the ecclesiastical services connected with the obits of Alton. Or, if we take the value of money in those days as being only twelve times that of our present money, out of a total of £36 12_s._ some £27 19_s._ went to support the poor. As a further example of the way in which property was left to a guild as trustees, the case of the “Candlemas Guild” at Bury St. Edmund’s may be cited. A few years after its foundation in 1471, one of its members left the guild considerable property for the common purposes of the fraternity, and for certain other specified objects. The name of the donor was John Smith, and his will was witnessed by the Abbot and Prior of Bury. It provided for the keep of an annual obit “devoutly,” and for the residue of income to be kept till the appointment of every new abbot. On that event the sum thus accumulated was to be paid to the new abbot in lieu of the sum of money the town was bound to find at every election. Should there be any sum over the amount necessary for this purpose, it was to be expended in payment of the tenth or fifteenth, or other tax imposed on the citizens by royal authority. Year by year, at the annual meeting of the guild, the wardens were bound to give an account of their administration of this trust. Year by year John Smith’s will was read out at the meeting, and proclamation was made before the anniversary of his death in the following manner: “Let us all of charity pray for the soul of John. We put you in remembrance that you shall not miss the keeping of his dirge and also of his Mass.” Round the town went the crier also with the lines--