The gild of Tailors in Exeter obtained a grant of incorporation by letters patent in 1466, against the wishes of the mayor and council. A lengthy dispute followed, during which the civic authorities strove to prevent the tailors from exercising their new powers, and at the same time to prevail on the king to annul the grant. They finally succeeded in obtaining an act of parliament with this effect in 1482. The records of the dispute published by Toulmin Smith1 refer to, but do not fully include, the following contemporary entries in Book 55, which relate to the freedom of the city.

BOOK 55 f.53v.

Anno regni regis Edwardi iiijtl xvj° tempore Johannis Attwyll’ tune Maioris xxiij” die octobris eodem anno [1476] ht ys agreid thath non’ Inhabitant of the same beyng of the liberte shall from hens forth shall noder by ne noder make no Garneamentes wt any taylour underneth’ writen and disfranchessid ne wyth no noder of ther opinion uppon payne for the fyrste Gylte xl. d’ and for the secund Gylte vj s. viij d. and the iij. Gylte to lese his franches.

Vij day and xx day of November ht ys agreid all so thath John Hamelyn’ Richard Rouewyll’ Roberte Chubbe Water Genyse John Stoddon’ John Getor Wiliam Senthyll’ Symon Davy Thomas Rawlyn’ John Glasier alias John Bornesweke John Guscatte Rawfe Smyth’ John Chubbe Thomas Penhale Water Kente. thath all those shall be takyn as no Franchessid men and cleerly streke oute of thys black boke.

John Taylour tewtonicus Petrus Ectour John Brendon’ John Brendon’ Robert Brendon'.

Item thath John Hamelyn’ and Richard Rouewyll’ shall hafe no wyne selver ne canon brede of the cite ys coste.

Item the same tyme Thomas Rouse John Rewer John Taylour draper Robert Cressaw Nicholaus Nawne Johannes Tregasew John Rowter Thomas Hawke Johannes Davy hafe submittid tham selfe and hafe renunced the Chartour purchasid by the taylourys contrary to the liberteis of the cite and every poynte of the same and the use of ht by ther oth’ made uppon’ the Crucifyxe and the holy Evangelistes wher’ for ht ys a greid thath every man may by and sell wt tham.

Item iijcl° die Decembris anno supradicto Thomas Lympyn hath renowsed the Chartour purchased by the taylours and every poynt ther of. Eodem anno Johannes Taylour senior suspendebat se et Interficiebat se suspendio cuius bona etc.