Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 9.djvu/154

lOi PROCEEDINGS AT MEETINGS OF The Mayor, Bartliolomew Tookey, is related by the Salisbury Chronicler quoted by ITatcher, to have been distinguished for his puritanical zeal liaving on the occasion of the king's and prince's visit to Salisbury ii that year — " of his earnest and zealous care for God's glory and th( city's good, procured a zealous preacher to be established at St. Edmund's Church," and made many arrangements for increasing the attendance a1 churches. The Company of Tailors is supposed to have been an ancient guild, but their earliest charter of incorporation, given in Hatcher's History, is that bv Edward IV. By this they had permission to establish a perpetual chantry with daily celebrations, and to perform a solemn obit on the Feasl of the Nativity of St. John the Baptist. The paper under consideratior relates how the Mayor, on Sunday, the 23rd of June, suddenly anc peremptorily forbade the procession of the Company to be attended by thf morris dancers and drummers, who are said to have accompanied then according to ancient custom ; how the wardens of the Company arguec against this determination, and how they were imprisoned till they founc sureties to answer the charges at the next quarter sessions. " Upon Sonday, the xxiij.*^ day of June. Mr. Maior sent his letter to tht Wardens and Elders of the Corporacion of the Taylors after dynner in these wordes. " Forasmuch as heretofore the Lordes Sabbaoth day hath been prophanec by some ydell and evill disposed persones with the Morrys Dauncers anc Drommers from the churches and in tyme of prayers, yt is thought fiti the same shold ende and be forborne. These are therefore nowe tc entreate and also to require youe that 3'oue forbeare further to prophane the Sabbaoth day as heretofore youe have done, eyther with Drommes 01 Morris Dauncers, other then in your owne private howse, as youe and the actors therein offendinge shall answere the contrarye. Sarum, the xxiij. of June 1611. Bauth. Tokte, Maior. To the Wardens and Elders of the Corporacion of Taylors, wtliin the Cittye of Newe Sarum. " Upon the receipt of this letter the wardens sent back to the Maior fowei of the Ciimpanye, to tell him that so soddenlye they cold not stay the goinge forthe of the Dauncers, for that the Elders and the companye were dispersed and departed, affirming that if they had had but a dayes warninge of his pleasure horein[before], they wold have conferred thereof with their company, and stayed yt well enoughe. And althoughe they had so short warninge, yet they willed their messengers to tell him that the Morrys Dauncers shold not shewe them selves that day before that eveninge prayer shold be donne and ended in all churches. And so accordinglye it was performed, for after the eveninge prayer donne at our Ladv Churche the whole company came fnun thence with the drome and Morrys dauncers before them, as their ancyent custome was, to their hall to supper, and daunced not any more nor any other where els that day. And duringe the tyrae of this daunce there was one Izaack Girdler, a servant of Mr. Maiors, who whether he came for his pleasure or els to move some quarrell betwene him and some of the companye, as l^-kelye it might have bene emongest suche a company of youth and unruly apprentises, we knowe not, but notwithstanding that he was often and sundry tymes desired to go out