The Scriveners’ Common Paper is a book of ordinances, signatures, memoranda and notarial marks begun in 1390. It consists of 296 pages of paper now bound in leather, though it has been rebound several times.

Although the original text of the Common Paper is in generally good condition, it is often untidy, which indicates that the book came to be used for memoranda instead of for the more formal purposes of record and subscription. Most of the earlier records are in poor French, which has presented problems of translation; the declarations are mostly in Latin which also leaves much to be desired, and there are instances where it is seen that there were delays between the time of admission and subscription which automatically confuses the chronological arrangement.

However the Common Paper has value in other directions: from 1580 until 1628 the fathers of scriveners are given together with place of residence and occupation. Such information is of interest to genealogists and those studying the movement of people travelling long distances in order to qualify for membership of a profession offering a special and essential service to the population at large.

The Common Paper is currently held in the Guildhall Library (MS 5370) and may be consulted there.

We are generally content to give permission to use images or textual material from the document. Contact the Clerk for more information.