often as the aforesaid Sawter is said, and is 10000 years of pardon.
"The pardon of the beads at Sion, saying our Ladies-sawter, every Pater and Crede 500 days of pardon.
"The pardon of the Cross Fryerys besyde London Tower, 500 days of pardon."
St. Peter's Gild
Was a less society, and having no hall, it was kept at the Gildholders' houses; they had two pieces of land, each containining one rood, the first of which lies in St. Peter's Grove, and was given, about 1463, by John Goche, a brother of the gild, who also gave the other piece which lies on the west side of Garbroad; both these at the Dissolution, were vested in feoffees for the use of the poor, and are freehold. They had a chaplain also, the same, I suppose, that St. John's Gild had, for I find one only named at once, viz. 1326, Robert Agar, chaplain; 1396, Robert Wade; 1401, John Copping; 1441, Stephen Hubbard.
- 1407, Henry Goman, chaplain, by will gave an antiphonal of 5 marks to the church.
- 1417, Robert Wode, chaplain, was buried in the churchyard; he gave vj.s. viij.d. to the high altar, and xx.d. to the poor.
- 1506, 2 Apr. Thomas Smetherste, rector here, made his will, which is a very remarkable one, as not having one superstitious bequest in it; the substance of which is; that what God gave him he bequeathed as follows: "I commend those things which are Cœsar's to Cœsar, the earth to the earth, and those things which are God's to God; that is my soul to Christ. And I will, that all the poor that come to my burial have as much money, distributed among them as my circumstances will allow, at the discretion of my executors; and if I have defrauded any one, so that he can in conscience say, I ought to recompence, I will that recompence be made him. I give to Sir Richard Beeston, parish priest of Roydon, for his constant and true friendship 6s. 8d. and one of my gowns; and I make Sir James Smetherste, my brother, executor,"
In 1478, John Catour was buried in the church,
Benefactors to the building of the church, besides the principal ones, were,
St. John's Gild, which gave 25s. for free-stone.
Richard Medildiche of this town, who, in 1505, gave by will to St. John's Gild, 3s. to St. Peter's, 20d. and 6 marks to buy lead, and lay it in the churchyard for the use of the church.
In 1517 there was a gathering in all the neighbouring towns, for to finish the roof.
