five pounds; one half whereof to go to the fellowship, the other to the reparation of Tyne-Bridge. From the original in poffession of the company. X. BUTCHERS. Anno 1621, this society was afssociated into a myftery or trade, as we find by an inrolment in the archives of the corporation of Newcastle. Annually on Ash-Wednesday they were to choose their two wardens. That apprentices should serve at least eight years, five of which to expire before a second could be taken. That no brother should be partner with any foreigners called crokers, on pain of forfeiting five pounds. That none should kill after nine o'clock on Saturday night, nor keep open shop after eight o'clock on Sunday morning. That no brother should buy, or seek any licence to kill flesh in Newcaftle during Lent, without the general consent of the fellowship, on pain of forfeiting five pounds. That none should kill either at Lent or any other time, within the liberties of the High Castle, being in the county of Northumberland, on the like pain for each offence. But that any butcher, though not a brother, might expose good meat to sale in the market, from the hours of eight in the morning till four in the afternoon. There is a curious order or regulation among "these men of death :" it is, that no free brother should blow a calf's pluck, or any part of a calf, except calf's close-ear, nor any other goods but a cow's udder, under a penalty of fix fhillings and eightpence, unforgiven. XI XI. SMITHS. There are some curious regulations respecting the religious deportment of these men of the hammer.--Their ordinary, or record of association, is to be found in the book of enrolments in the archives of the corporation of Newcastle; and they themselves have preserved the original deed in the strong box of the society, bearing date anno 1436. This brotherhood were enjoined to go together in procession on the feast of Corpus Chrifti, and perform their play, at their own expence, attending at the hour appointed, or forfeit one pound of wax. That every brother should affemble at St. Nicholas' church, at the setting forth of the proceffion, on St. Loy-day, on the like penalty. That no Scotsman born should be taken apprentice, or fuffered to work, on pain of the forfeiture of forty fhillings; half whereof to go to the chamber of the town, the other half to the fellowship. That no brother should fell feyme and roffe by weight, under three shillings and fourpence a hundred, on pain of forfeiting fix fhillings and eightpence for each offence.* Another regulation exhibits the society as confisting of different branches of blacksmiths and farriers, blackfiniths or anchorsmiths, and locksmiths or whitefmiths. Another, dated August 17, 1677, empowered the fraternity to be a body politic in law; enjoined them to meet yearly, on St. Loy-day, to choose four wardens, * The following curious entries occur in their old books: - Feb. 10, 1668, John Bolam for not carrying Clem. Browne to church, giving the stang to another, fined 13s. 4d.-1682, paid for making the feat in the Frith, is 4d. - 1685, spent in the Forth-house with the twelve, the raine causeing them in, 2s. dens, of which one at least was to be an anchor-smith. That the twelve of the company should consist of four anchorsmiths, four blacksmiths and farriers, and four locksmiths: to choose four fearchers; that apprentices should serve seven years: that no brother should come to meetings, or attend the public guild of the town, with his apron on, but with a decent cloak or coat, on pain of forfeiting fixpence for each default. George Whinfield, esq. mayor, and Margaret Ste. phenson, of Newcastle, left twenty pounds each, dated Dec. 18, 1718. and 1725; to be put to interest, to assist two poor brethren, for three years, to begin business. Their meeting-house is adjacent to the Black-Friars, the ground-floor of which, once that of the chapel of that opulent fraternity, was the scene of a remarkable state_transaction, being the room in which homage was done by the Scottish king, to the king of England, for the kingdom of Scotland. XII. FULLERS OR DYERS. To invent the manufacture of cloth was the fruit of neceffity; to purify and stain with various colours, were the offspring of vanity and a love of distinction. Joseph's coat of many colours, with his magnificent portentous dreams, nigh cost him his life. And as a defire of monftrari digito, to be pointed out by the finger, has long influenced human-kind, we are not to wonder that the mystery of fulling and dyeing is of very ancient date. This of Newcastle is that of 1477 As there have been fome men but middling honest, in all ages, so the regulations of the fuller's company secure the brethren against them. It is therefore enacted, that no brother should stain cloth upon upon the tenter, to deliver it with the short-wand, on pain of forfeiting four pounds of wax: nor tenter cloth on a Sunday, nor "wend to the walk mylne" with any raw cloth on that day, on pain of forfeiting two pounds of wax. That they should take no Scotfman born to apprentice, nor fet any such to work, under a penalty of twenty shillings, half whereof to go to the fociety, and half to support the Tyne-bridge. That no apprentice should be taken under seven years; that no brother should work kersey under twopence the yard; that they should attend the weddings and burials of brethren in their livery; that they should meet in their livery in Carliol-croft, on St. John's day, in May, at fix o'clock in the morning; and upon St. John's-day at Christmas, at one o'clock in the afternoon: that none of the company should fail being at the setting forth of the proceffion of Corpus Christi day, on pain of forfeiting one pound of wax; and that each brother should pay fixpence to the procession and the play yearly: to choose twelve, who were to be sworn and elect wardens, auditors, searchers, and the two to attend the mayor and chamber for the year: to meet on the eve of Corpus Chrifti day, in the morning, at fix o'clock, under the penalty of one pound of wax: to walk no broad cloth of colour, under fourpence a yard; nor any wadded blue under twopence the yard, nor any frize under three-halfpence the yard; to "dight," i. e. clean no gown under fourpence, on pain of half a pound of wax; nor to sheer a dozen yards of tilted cloth under threepence, on pain of forfeiting two pounds of wax ; or fustian under one penny a yard, or broad-cloth under threepence for the like quantity, under the penalty of one pound of wax for each. FIFTEEN COMPANIES, called BY-TRADES. The first of these is the respectable and opulent company of Masters and Mariners, called also the Trinity-House, of which we have already given an account along with those of the Merchant-adventurers and Hoastmen. 2. Weavers. This very ingenious profeffion is of great antiquity among civilized nations, and is almost co-eval with human nature itself; and in proportion as it arrives among a people from rudeness to elegance in texture, in the various fabrications in which this art is exercifed, the degree of their civilization is, in a great measure, characterised. The ordinary of this society in Newcastle, and which they still have in their poffeffion, is of the date of 1527. By the authority of the mayor, sheriff, and aldermen, justices of the peace, with the consent of their own body, it enjoins them to assemble yearly at the feast of Corpus Christi, go together in proceffion, and play their play of pageant of "The Bearing of the Cross," at their own expence; each brother to be at the proceffion when his hour is affigned, on pain of forfeiting fixpence. To take no Scotfman born to apprentice, nor fet any to work under a penalty of forty shillings for each default, whereof half to go to the fellowship, and half to the work of Tynebridge, without forgiveness; to admit any person who had ferved an apprenticeship with a brother of the society, a member thereof, on the payment of thirteen shillings and fourpence, and twelvepence for a pot of ale; as also any man of that craft, being the : |