The Bede Roll of the Fraternity of St Nicholas

This edition of the Bede roll of this London fraternity has been published in two volumes: the first volume contains the text of the roll and the second volume provides an index to the nearly 7000 names of those who were members of the fraternity between 1449 and 1521. These included not only the clerks themselves and their wives, but also members of the nobility and high-ranking clergy. The bulk of the membership consisted of middle-ranking Londoners whodecided the extra prayers and funeral ceremony which the parish clerks could provide. The editors have also supplied an account of the immensely popular Parish Clerks fraternity and of the ways in which it was governed and administered.