Guilds

Guilds, or, more properly, Gilds, were associations formed for various purposes during the Middle Ages. They have been variously derived from the Roman collegia opificum (colleges of artisans) and the assemblies of the Teutonic tribes and families at their great sacrificial feasts, but the true view seems to be that they grew naturally out of the circumstances of the time, associations of a more or less voluntary character taking the place of the organisations of the tribe and family as the basis of social life. The Anglo-Saxon word gild has various meanings, including "tax" or "payment," "sacrifice," and "worship." Perhaps the associations were called gilds because they were maintained by the joint contributions of the members. During the Anglo-Saxon period we read of frith gilds - associations for mutual protection at a time when there was no efficient central authority - and religious gilds, which concerned themselves with the spiritual welfare of their members both in this world and in the next. At this stage, however, and to some extent at a later period, the secular gilds also were, more or less, religious societies, and throughout their whole history the convivial element, which displays itself in constantly-recurring banquets, is a very striking feature. Soon after the Conquest we hear for the first time of the gilds merchant. They are intimately connected with the royal charters which conferred on the privileged towns the right of managing their own affairs, subject to a fixed annual payment. Speaking generally, the gild merchant may be described as the corporate body of citizens, in so far as the activity of the latter was confined to matters of industry and trade. The two bodies, however, were not necessarily identical; a member of the gild was not always a burgher, nor a burgher a member of the gild. Although the gilds were very jealous of their privileges, and endeavoured to keep the trade of the town in their own hands, they often found it to their advantage to admit neighbouring lords and their tenants, and even traders living at a considerable distance. Moreover, many charters contain no mention of a gild, which shows that it was not regarded as an essential element in the town constitution. Economic progress resulted in the division of industry; the man who had hitherto been at once weaver, fuller, and dyer, now followed only one of these trades. This change led to the formation of the craft gilds, for it was often found convenient to allow those engaged in some one branch to regulate the methods of production and other matters connected with the craft. Many of the functions of the gild merchant were thus gradually absorbed by the 'craft gilds. On the Continent these gilds became very powerful, and their dissensions with the constituted authorities gave rise to much social disturbance; but in England this was impossible, owing to the restraining influence of the royal authority. The English craft gilds possessed no independent jurisdiction; many matters closely connected with industry, such as the regulation of wages and prices, were regarded as outside their province, and in their ordinances they were obliged to follow the lines laid down in the enactments of the civic authorities and the statutes of the realm. Within these limits the gilds supplied an efficient machinery for carrying out the policy which seemed conducive to the welfare of society at large. The aim of industrial legislation at this period was not to promote the increase of wealth, but to ensure the security and well-being of every member of the community, regarded as a, separate individual. Like all medieeval associations, the whole gild was responsible for the conduct of each of its members. It might, therefore, be entrusted with what was the chief object of care, the protection of the ignorant and unwary consumer. The gild-wardens visited the workshops to see that goods were honestly and skilfully made, and when finished they were to be sold in the open market, where there was no opportunity for over-reaching or fraud. Besides master workmen, the gilds included apprentices and journeymen. Rules concerning apprenticeship are numerous in the gild-statutes, but they do not appear to have any specially economic significance. A period of probation was always necessary before joining an association, and this would apply to the gilds as well as the other bodies, since they were responsible both for the efficiency and the good behaviour of the craftsmen. The enforcement of a term of apprenticeship and the restriction of the number of apprentices allowed were certainly not intended to raise the profits of the gild by limiting the number of workmen. The gilds did make some attempts to legislate in their own interests, but they were speedily checked by the royal justices. The mutual relations of the gild-brethren, although of secondary importance, must not be entirely overlooked. Allusion has already been made to their convivial gatherings, but they showed their fellow-feeling to better purpose by maintaining their own sick and poor. There was no necessity for a poor law in the Middle Ages. The expansion of English commerce during the latter part of the fifteenth century rendered the gild system an inadequate method of industrial organisation. At the same time, the gilds - which had now in many cases acquired a share in town government - tended to become narrow and exclusive bodies, under the management of the richer members. The result was that industry drifted away from the towns to new centres in the country, where it was conducted on different principles. The confiscation of the gild lands by Henry VIII. and Somerset hastened on their decline. The London gilds still survive in the City Livery Companies, but they have entirely lost their original characteristics.