London Guilds, God and

Government

Southwark Inns and Innkeepers

• Richard Chaucer, vintner, third husband of Chaucer’s grandmother, owned property in Southwark

• Harry Bailly, innkeeper of the Tabard appears as Henricus Bailiff, Oystler or Henri Bailly in late 14th century documents

Bear Inn, Southwark

The Tabard Inn

The rooms and stables spacious were and wide,And well we there were eased, and of the best.

The Host

A seemly man our good host was, withal, Fit to have been a marshal in some hall; He was a large man, with protruding eyes, As fine a burgher as in Cheapside lies; Bold in his speech, and wise, and right well taught

Guildsmen

A haberdasher and a carpenter, An arras-maker, dyer, and weaver Were with us, clothed in similar livery, All of one sober, great fraternity. Their gear was new and well adorned it was; Their weapons were not cheaply trimmed with brass,But all with silver; chastely made and well Their girdles and their pouches too,

Each man of them appeared a proper burges To sit in guildhall on a high dais. And each of them, for wisdom he could span, Was fitted to have been an alderman; For chattels they'd enough, and, too, of rent; To which their goodwives gave a free assent, Or else for certain they had been to blame. It's good to hear "Madam" before one's name, And go to church when all the world may see, Having one's mantle borne right royally.

Guildsmen

• 1327 Tailors chartered• 1345 Grocers chartered• 1364 Drapers get a charter to manage making

and sales of cloth• 1386 Conflict between food trades and non-

food trades• 1394 Mercers chartered – deal in luxury

fabrics

Guildsmen

• Honorary members– Prominent clergy and nobles

• Other members– Tailors included a grocer, armourer and a mercer

Tailors Non-Tailors1398-1445 487 1031

Precedence as of 1515

1. Mercers2. Grocers (peppers &

spicers)3. Drapers4. Fishmongers5. Goldsmiths6. Merchant Taylors (or

Skinners)

7. Skinners (or Merchant Taylors)

8. Haberdashers9. Salters10. Ironmongers11. Vintners12. Clothworkers

Members and Citizens of London

• Freemen. – Patrimony– Apprenticeship

• Liverymen– Freemen advanced by a vote of the court of the

Company. – Electors of the Lord Mayor, the Sheriffs, and the

other traditional officers of the City.

Members

Alice Bridenell1427 FreedomDaughter, New freeman Co MercerJane Eyre1428 Apprenticeship Master Co Draper

Religious connections

• Come to mass at their home church on the saint’s day (and stay for the entire mass)

• Come to the dinner– Bring a wife or companion– Fees vary for livery members, out-of-towners and

others of the trade; go to maintenance of the priest

• Guild provides ornaments for the church

Social and Religious Guilds

• Care for needy by subscription• Support for priests• Processions• Feasts

Preamble

In þe worship of god almighti oure creator, and hys moder seinte marie, and al halwes, and seint Jame apostle, a fraternitee is bygonne of good men, in þe chirche of seint Jame atte Garlekhith in Londone, þe day of seint Jame, þe ȝer of our lord Ml.CCC.LXXV., for amendement of her lyues and of her soules, and to noriche more loue bytwene þe bretheren and sustren of þe bretherhede: and eche of hem had sworen on þe bok, to perſourme þe pointȝ vndernethe wryten atte here power.

Trades 1400

Carpenter

• Chaucer, Clerk of the King’s Works 1389-94, supervised carpenters

• Only non-textile guildsman in Canterbury Tales• Considered lower social class than the other

guildsmen

Westminster Hall Roof1395-99

Hugh Herland, King’s Carpenter 1375-1405

Winchester College Chapel: Thomas Herland, carpenter, William Wynford , chief mason, Simon de Membury , clerk of the works

Livery Companies

Video

Politics and Religion in Chaucer’s London

Philanthropy

• Education• Care of the aged and needy• Concern for one’s soul

Dick WhittingtonSt. Michael Paternoster Royal

Winchester College, chartered 1382

New College, Oxford 1386

New College 1566

Wakefield Bridge and Chantry Chapel, Turner 1798

Chantries

• 2,182 royal licenses to found chantries were granted between 1281 and 1547.

• Priests hired for the chapels also served the community

• Those without means for an individual chapel could join a religious guild.

Cage Chapel, Bishop William of Wykeham, Winchester