Part 3

Part of the funds acquired by the _confrérie_ were used for common expenses, and part for benevolent work. For every piece of cloth sold the wool-merchants were supposed to give a _denier_ to buy grain for the poor. The rich confraternity of the goldsmiths gave every Easter a dinner to the poor of the Hôtel Dieu, while the cooks set aside a third of their fines to maintain “les pouvres vieilles gens du mestier qui seront decheuz par fait de marchandise ou de vieillece.” In 1319 the vair-furriers formed an association[12] with an initiation fee of 10 _sous_ (8 fr. .40) and 6 _deniers_ for the secretary, and a weekly subscription of one _denier_, the funds of which were to aid members in case of sickness or infirmity at the rate of 3 _sous_ per week during illness, and 6 _sous_ in convalescence. The curriers mention the use of funds from “la boîte” to support the orphans of the gild or children of poverty-stricken masters.

At the first appearance of the _confrérie_, the Church opposed it, suspecting in its secrecy, antagonism or some outcroppings of pagan ritualism.[13] Later, however, both Church and _confrérie_ profited by a close relationship. The monastery of St. Trond, in return for the right to fall heir to the properties of members of the shearmen and fuller’s _confrérie_ who died without wife or child, maintained a hospital for the care of its sick, and conducted funerals, while the sacristan and a priest arbitrated on the occasion of disputes within the gild.

* * * * *

Conclusion. The trade-gild régime was a defensive one against the confused powers of feudalism and the conflicting activities of competition. It protected the apprentice against his own folly and his master; it protected the artisan against diminution in the pay-rate, illegal dismissal, and the usurpation of other trades on his field. It guarded the master from insubordination, idleness, bad measure and adulteration, and by the limitation of the number of workmen assured the sale of his goods.

Some of the principles implied in the organization we may agree with M. Lespinasse[14] are “relatively true,” such as the protection of infant industry, guarantee of work and property, examinations and probations to make certain the skill of the candidates; prohibition of combination of several professions to prevent the abusive use of them; supervision of manufacture to assure the soundness of the product; an industrial jurisdiction from apprenticeship to mastery, lack of division in a craft such as to train in time a fully equipped workman and a future master; suppression of any parasitic intermediary between producer and consumer; work in common and in the public eyes, and solidarity of the industrial family.

On the other hand, there are shadows in the picture, and among them we may distinguish—the immoderate extension of term of apprenticeship, difficulties set in the way of becoming a master; arbitrary fiscal measures and dues; meticulous regulation and too frequent cessation from work; a routine transmission of methods of manufacture; maintenance of a fixed price, and prohibitions of combinations such as would encourage inventions and stimulate a wider economic unit.

We have studied a particularly agreeable phase of gild growth. Far off still is the bad opposition between employee and employed, though the pessimist may see the seeds of the present in this past. Though one hesitates to call with M. Fagniez the spirit of the gilds “fundamentally Christian,” he is glad to recognize such alertness of intelligence, such elaborate industrial devices and purposes, such thoughtful humanitarian interests, so complex a system of checks and balances in our supposedly naïve mediaeval precursors.

FOOTNOTES

[1] Throughout this paper I shall translate the French word métier by the more usual word _gild_ when it refers to the organization and not the craft.

[2] Fagniez: Documents rélatifs à l’Histoire de l’Industrie, etc. Intro.

[3] Levasseur: _Hist. des classes ouv._ p. 251.

[4] For a list of these gilds with their ancient French names and their modern English equivalents, see _Appendix_.

[5] Fagniez: Études sur l’industrie à Paris, p. 67.

[6] Réglemens sur les arts et les mét. ed. Depping, p. 366.

[7] “Coutumes de Beauvaisis.” Beaumanoir, éd. Beugnot; p. 429.

[8] It has been estimated that four _sous_ of Paris of this period are equivalent to one franc at present.

[9] Comm. d’Amiens, Doc. inédits, p. 387, p. 370.

[10] Lev.: Hist. des classes ouv., vol. I, page 116.

[11] Ordonnances touchant les mét., 1312. Art. 5.

[12] Fagniez: “Études sur l’industrie,” p. 290. Text in _Doc. rélatifs_, No. 19.

[13] M. Lespinasse quotes the text of a decree against _confrérie_ from a Council at Rouen, 1189.

[14] _Liv. des Mét._ Avant Propos par M. Lespinasse, p. xiv.

APPENDIX.

Archiers = bow-makers.

Barilliers = case-makers.

Batéeurs d’or = gold-beaters.

Batéeurs d’éstain = pewter-beaters.

Batéeurs d’or en feuilles = gold-beaters.

Batéeurs d’archal = brass-beaters.

Baudraiers = curriers of shoe-leather.

Blatiers = corn-merchants.

Blasenniers = saddle-fixtures.

Boîtiers = locksmiths.

Boucliers de fer = iron-shield-makers.

Boucliers d’archal = brass-shield makers.

Bourreliers = harness-makers.

Boursiers = purse-makers.

Boutonniers = button-makers.

Brachiers = breeches-makers.

Cavesonniers = slipper-makers.

Cavetiers = cobblers.

Cervoisiers = ale-brewers.

Chandliers de sieu = tallow-chandlers.

Chanevaceriers = hemp-cloth-makers.

Chapeliers de fleurs = flower-hatters.

Chapeliers de coton = cap-makers.

Chapeliers de paon = plumed hatters.

Chapeliers de feutre = felt-hatters.

Chapuiséeurs = saddle-bow makers.

Charpentiers = carpenters.

Chauciers = hose-makers.

Couréeurs = belt-makers.

Cordiers = rope-makers.

Corduaniers = shoe-makers.

Couteliers = cutlers.

Couteliers serves = knife-blade-makers.

Crespiniers = head-dress-makers.

Crieurs = criers.

Cristâliers = jewellers.

Cuisiniers = cooks.

Cyrugiens = barbers.

Déeciers = playing dice-makers.

Drapiers = woollen-weavers.

Escueliers = pottery-sellers.

Espinguiers = pin-makers.

Estuvéeurs = bath proprietors.

Faiseurs de clous = nail-makers.

Fainiers = hay merchants.

Fermailleurs = clasp and buckle-makers.

Fripiers = old-clothes men.

Feseresses de chap d’orfois = modiste.

Fourreurs de chapeliers = fur-hatters.

Fevres = iron-workers.

Fileresses de soie = spinners of coarse silk.

Fileresses de soie à petits fuseaux = spinners of fine silk.

Fondeurs = smelters.

Foulons = fullers.

Fourbéeurs = sword-cutlers.

Gantiers = glovers.

Gueiniers = sheath-makers.

Haubergiers = coats-of-mail-makers.

Huiliers = oil-makers.

Jaugéeurs = gaugers.

Laciers = braid-makers.

Lampiers = lamp-makers.

Lanterniers = lantern-makers.

Liniers = linen merchants.

Lormiers = reins-makers.

Maçons = masons.

Marchante chanvre = hemp + thread sellers.

Maréchaux = iron-farriers.

Merciers = haberdashers.

Mesuréeurs = measurers.

Meuniers = millers.

Orfèvres = goldsmiths.

Ouv. de menues œuvres d’éstain = pewterers.

Ouv. de tissus de soie = workers in silk-stuffs.

Ouv. de drap de soie = silk-cloth.

Peintres + imagiers = painters and illuminators.

Paternostriers d’os = bone-bead makers.

Paternostriers de corail = coral-bead makers.

Paternostriers d’ambre = amber-bead makers.

Paternostriers + faiseurs de boucles = brooch and bead-makers.

Pechéeurs = fishermen.

Poisonniers d’eau douce = fresh-water-fish-merchants.

Poisonniers de mer = salt-water-fish-merchants.

Potiers de terres = potters.

Potiers d’éstain = pewterers.

Poulailliers = poulterers.

Regrattiers de pain de sel = retailers of salt and bread.

Regrattiers de fruits = green-grocers.

Selliers = saddlers.

Serruriers = locksmiths.

Tabletiers = tablet-makers.

Tapiciers de tapiz sarrasinois = Oriental carpet-makers.

Tapiciers de tapiz nostrés = carpet-makers.

Taverniers = wine-shop-keepers.

Tisserands de queuvrechiers = kerchief-makers.

Trefilliers de fer = iron-wire-drawers.

Trefilliers d’archal = brass-wire-drawers.

Ymagiers = painters.

BIBLIOGRAPHY.

1. Réglemens sur les Arts et Métiers de Paris, Redigés au XIII_ᵉ_ siècle et connus sous le nom du Livre des Métiers d’Étienne Boileau; Publiés pour la première fois en entier ... avec des notes et une Introduction, par G. B. Depping à Paris. De l’imprimerie de Crapelet, 1837, pp. xxxvi + 474. [Collection de Documents Inédits sur l’Histoire de France].

2. Le _Livre des Métiers_ d’Étienne Boileau, publié par René de Lespinasse et Francois Bonnardot. [Histoire Générale de Paris—Les Métiers et les corporations de la Ville de Paris, XIII_ᵉ_ siècle, pp. cliv + 420. Paris, Imprimerie Nationale, 1879].

_References_:

_Blanqui_, Jêrome-Adolphe: History of Political Economy in Europe. Trans. from 4th Fr. Ed. by Emily J. Leonard, pp. xxxviii + 590. 1880.

_Brentano_, Luigi: Essay on the History and Development of Gilds: Early English Text Society: Vol. 40.

_Dendy_, F. W., & Boyle, J. R., editors, Extracts from the Records of the Merchant Adventurers of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Vol. I, pp. lii + 315. Surtees Society Publ. xviii, 1895.

_Fagniez_, Gustave: Documents rélatifs à l’Histoire de l’industrie et du Commerce en France. Vol. I, with an Introduction. pp. lxiv + 349. Paris, Alph. Picard et Fils. 1898.

_Fagniez_, Gustave: Études sur l’industrie et la Ind. à Paris aux XIII_ᵉ_ + XIV_ᵉ_ siècle. pp. x + 422. Paris, F. Vieweg. 1877.

_Felibren_, D. Michel: Histoire de la Ville de Paris, 5 vols. in folio. Paris, 1725.

_Forrest_, J. Dorsey: “The Development of Western Civilization.” pp. ix + 406. U. of C. Press. 1907.

_Gross_, Charles: The Gild Merchant. Vol. I, pp. xxii + 332. Vol. II, pp. xi + 447. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 1890.

_Labarte_, Jules: Histoire des Arts ind. au moyen âge et à l’epoque de la Renaissance, 2_ᵉ_ Ed. Paris, 1873. 3 vols.

_Lambert_, Rev. J. M.: “Two Thousand Years of Gild Life,” etc., etc. pp. xi + 414. Hull, 1891.

_Levasseur_, Emile: Histoire des Classes ouvrières de l’industrie en France avant 1789. 2_ᵉ_ Ed. Paris, 1900. Vol. I, pp. lxxxviii + 715.

_Luchaire_, Achille: Social France at the Time of Ph. Auguste, trans. by E. B. Krehbiel. pp. viii + 441. New York, 1912.

_Palgrave_, Sir R. H. J., ed., Dictionary of Political Economy. 3 vols. Macmillan & Co. London, 1910.

_Pigeonneau_: Histoire du Commerce de la France. 2_ᵉ_ Ed. pp. vii + 468 (Vol. I). Paris, Librairie Léopold Cerf. 1885-89.

_Seligman_, E. R. A.: Two Chapters on the Mediaeval Guilds of England. Publ. of Am. Econ. Associ. Vol. II, No. 5. pp. 389-493, Nov., 1887.

_Toulmin Smith_: Ed. English Gilds: The Original Ordinances of more than 100 Gilds. E. E. T. S. Vol. 40.

F. B. MILLETT.