Brotherhood of St George

Brotherhood of St George. As betokened its status as the English lordship's administrative capital, Dublin was the centre for the cult of St George in Ireland. The city was open for the annual St George's Day pageant which included a dragon and was centred on St George's Chapel—richly decorated with cushions—in St Patrick's cathedral and was organized by the master and wardens of St George's Guild. ‘St George’ was the rallying cry of English armies in Ireland, and by municipal act of 1448 the guild was entitled to one good cow from every prey taken by the city. Thus, when, in 1474, the Irish parliament authorized a standing force, the Brotherhood of Arms, to assist the governor in the lordship's defence, it seemed natural to dedicate it to St George. The Brotherhood of Arms of St George comprised thirteen magnates who elected annually on St George's Day a captain of the 120 archers and 40 horsemen at its disposal. It was financed by a new tax called poundage on the lordship's imports and exports. Although briefly disbanded and restored in 1479, the brotherhood survived into the 1490s to be formally abolished by Sir Edward Poynings when poundage was consolidated into the king's customs revenue.

Steven Ellis