Page:Archaeologia volume 38 part 1.djvu/165

Rh St. George, a fraternity or guild among themselves, and to burn a certain wax light to the praise and honor of the famous martyr in his chapel within the cathedral church of St. Paul, London, at certain times before the image of the same martyr, and had piously, peaceably, and quietly offered, found, and charitably maintained and continued certain divine services, ecclesiastical ornaments, and other works of charity and piety there, for a long time past, yearly to the honor of the same martyr; and that they, fearing the said fraternity not to be rightly and lawfully founded and established according to law, had most humbly requested the King, that he would graciously favor their pious and devout intentions in that behalf. The King, being willing to provide that the said fraternity or guild might continue to future ages, and in order to found such fraternity or guild from himself, through the devotion which he bore and had towards the said glorious martyr, and assuming and being willing to be called the founder of that fraternity or guild for ever, to the praise, glory, and honor of Almighty God and the most glorious and undefiled Virgin Mary, mother of Christ, and also [to the praise, glory, and honor] of the blessed George, the famous martyr, did of his special grace, and of his certain knowledge, found, create, and establish a certain fraternity or guild of his liege men of the said Mystery of Armourers, and of all others faithful in Christ willing to be of the same fraternity or guild, to find and maintain one chaplain to perform divine service daily for his (the King's) state and the state of the brothers and sisters of the same fraternity or guild while he lived, and for his soul and the souls of the brothers and sisters of that fraternity or guild after he had departed this life, and the souls of all faithful people deceased; and also [to find and maintain] certain poor persons of both sexes in like manner to entreat and pray the Most High for ever for the state and souls aforesaid in the aforesaid chapel. The charter proceeded to create the fraternity or guild a corporation by the name of the Fraternity or Guild of St. George of the Men of the Mystery of Armourers of the city of London, and to empower them to receive and accept any persons to be such chaplain and poor persons, according to the rules of the more noble and worthy part of the said brothers and sisters and their successors, to be in that behalf made. It then authorised them to appoint a master and wardens from time to time, and in the corporate name to purchase and take lands, tenements, rents, and other possessions in fee, and also to plead and be impleaded in that name, and to have a common seal, and to hold meetings, and to make rules and orders, as well for the said chaplain and poor persons, as for the good government of the said fraternity or guild; and finally there is a licence to purchase lands, tenements, rents, and other possessions to the extent of 10l. per