[1. Leet court session, 15 April 1428]

Memorandum that at [this session] the smiths of Coventry put forward a petition in the following words: "To the honorable mayor, recorder, bailiffs, and to all your wise councillors, the craft of smiths informs you that they were discharged from [assisting with] the cutlers' pageant by a leet in the time when John Gote was mayor and [by] mutual acquittances made between the two crafts, as is well known and as they are ready to prove. And now, when Giles Allesley was lately in the mayoralty, he requested the smiths craft to take on the production of that pageant during his term of office, and no longer. The craft willingly did so, to please him. The result of which is that the pageant has again been assigned to the craft, although it is by no means their responsibility to undertake it. They therefore beseech you to be so good as to discharge the craft of smiths from the pageant, for the sake of God and the truth, and assign it to some other [craft] which your wisdom tells you would be a better choice." Which petition, by the counsel of all the worthy [men] of the leet, and everyone else in attendance on the leet, was answered and endorsed thus: "It is ordained that the smiths shall henceforth take charge of the pageant every year, upon penalty for default of £10 to be paid to the use of the chamber."

[2. Leet court session, 22 April 1441]

It is ordained that Robert Eme and all the others who perform at the festival of Corpus Christi are to perform well and properly, so that no problems occur in any of the plays. Upon penalty of 20s. for each default, levied by the mayor and chamberlains for application to [maintenance of] the [town] wall.

[3. Ordinances regarding the pageant of the cardmakers, saddlers, masons and painters crafts, 1444]

By the recommendation of the mayor and his council, it is ordained that the 4 crafts shall associate with each other in bearing the costs, charges, and all other payments regarding their pageant and their association.... Also, every member of the crafts is to pay annually to the masters 12d. and all other customary and lawful payments that relate to the pageants and to the association.... Also that no man of the 4 crafts is to perform in any pageant on Corpus Christi day except that pageant of his own craft, unless he has permission from the mayor then in office.

[4. The Queen visits on 15 June 1457]

On the evening before Corpus Christi the queen came by night from Kenilworth to Coventry. She did not wish to be greeted formally on that occasion, but came privately to see the play there on the following day. And she then saw all the pageants performed, except Doomsday, which could not be presented because daylight ran out. She was lodged at the grocer Richard Wood's [house], where Richard Sharp once lived, and all the plays were performed there first. On which occasion the mayor and his associates sent her a gift comprising the following: that is, 300 demesne loaves, a pipe of red wine, a dozen plump capons, a dozen large pike, a large basket full of "Pescodes" and another basket full of pippins and oranges, two coffers of confectioneries, and a pot of green ginger. She was accompanied at that time by the following lords and ladies: that is, the Duke of Buckingham, his wife, and all their children; Lord Rivers and his wife; the dowager Countess of Shrewsbury and the Countess of Shrewsbury; and many other lords and ladies.

[5. Leet court session, 19 April 1460]

It is ordained that every craft that has a pageant to perform is to make preparations for the pageant and have it ready to be performed, upon penalty of 100s. to be levied from the 4 masters of the crafts that fail to comply.