jan 1, 1543 - head mass

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The head mass is referred to in several wills: 1541 <i>the churche wardons … to offer the heyd messe jd</i>, Richmond (SS26/24); 1543 <i>foure power men to bere lighted … torches the day of my buriall, the tyme of my dirige and hede mese</i>, Adel (Th19/84). Canon Purvis explained it as money given at a funeral or obit for attending mass and considered the first part of the word to be ‘heed’ not ‘head’. The ‘penny’ was usually given to the church wardens: 1519 <i>Item for the heydmese penie, jd</i>, York (CCW66); 1521 <i>to the vicar ... for nyght wakes and for hedemasse pennys, </i>Harrogate (SS104/13); 1533 <i>I will that the wardons take the said iiijs jd and offer it at the said messe … in the name of my hedmaspeny</i>, Halifax (Clay89).

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