p [10] (22 April 1519–6 April 1520) (Receipts)
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| Item Receved in gatheryng with the kyng play at witsontyde | xlv s. iij d. |
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The St Giles' wardens almost always provide the net receipts from the Hocktide events and the king play. The almost total absence of expenses for these events is a striking feature of these accounts. Only twice (in 1533 and 1534) when they hire a house for the king play do any expenses appear for that event. In 1546 the receipts include 'the Sommer tree.' Again only twice (in 1529 and 1534), when an expense item for supper appears, is there any detail from the hocking events among the expenses. In 1553, when the events resume after a six-year hiatus, some details appear in the accounts for that year, and in the few remaining entries it is made clear that the receipts are net of expenses.
Record title: St Giles'
Churchwardens'
Accounts
Repository:
BRO
Shelfmark: D/P 96/5/1
Repository location: Reading
These accounts begin with an accounting year based on Easter. The first three accounts run from Good Friday to Good Friday. Good Friday in 1521 fell on March 29, only four days after the fixed feast of the Annunciation (Lady Day), March 25. The churchwardens took advantage of this small discrepancy and, despite the fact that the heading for the 1520–1 accounts specifies that the account would run until Good Friday 1521, the account for 1521–2 clearly states that it begins March 25. Dating from March 25 became the custom of the parish from that year. St Giles was a parish that followed the custom of wardens serving staggered two year terms. It is likely that the warden who served both these years, Richard Hayne, was instrumental in making the change.
This volume is very fragile and was consulted only by special permission. The transcriptions were made from a microfilm copy. The first four folios are taken up with rents suggesting that the parish had considerable property holdings. The accounts indicate a full liturgical life with processions on Ascension Day and Corpus Christi with streamers and the ringing of bells. The patronal feast day for St Giles was also celebrated with a procession with banners. The bells were rung when royalty passed through.
1518–1808; English; paper; i + c 500 + i; 402mm x 287mm; unnumbered; display capitals; binding now broken, originally boards covered in white imitation parchment, title written in script on front cover: 'St Giles Parish in Reading beginning | 1518,' followed by printed title: 'Churchwardens | Register | 1518.'