THE CRAFT GUILDS OF FRANCE.
igo
there were further sums
craft, whether elected by tlie craftsmen or appointed by the king,
due to the municipality. The greater portion of the revenues of certain towns arose from the
Nor was the unlucky candidate yet free to pursue his calling.
fines inflicted on the trades.^
In the feudal domains the lord of the manor stepped in and claimed
domains the king received his share
;
and in some cases
Under the
certain yearly subsidy to his feudal lord.
lord
was the master of the
crafts,
and none had
lie
Ms
fees
;
in the royal
was under an obligation to pay a
it was considered that the
feudal regime
a right
to exercise
their calHug except
under his authority and during his pleasure.^
There were also some trades Monteil says a great number ' in which no jourueymau
could obtain the mastership, not even by marrying the daughter of a master but in which
The butchers of Paris were of
the mastership was rigorously hereditary in the male line.
—
—
;
this class.
In others, although the widow of a master could exercise the handicraft during her
widowhood, yet, if she married a member of a different craft, her privileges were forfeited.*
In the royal domains the king had the
on his accession, to appoint one new master
any special qualification being required. This right
was sometimes arrogated on other occasions, such as his marriage, etc.
In most feudal
teiTitories the lord claimed and exercised the same right, and in some cities the bishops also.
right,
in every trade of each district, without
This, although excessively vexatious to the masters
was not of much use
who had gone through
all
the various
the poor and skilful journeyman, yet it was perhaps an
formalities,
advantage to the ignorant but well-to-do workman, as the appointments ^rere virtually put
up to the highest bidder, and formed no inconsiderable source of revenue to the aristocracy.
This prerogative was often farmed out
sometimes to an enterprising member of the
to
;
particular craft; at others to a
''
who
ruled the craft in the
nobleman or
name
The masters
favourite.
of the king," with
whom we meet
of the various trades
in all Boileau's statutes,
were probably representatives of this class. Some were, at the same time, members of the royal
household thus the king's imnnetier (baker) ruled the Paris bakers the grand bottler, the
;
;
wine merchants; the grand chamberlain, the tailors, and so on. In course of time these
ofBces were held by high nobles, who certainly did not perform any duties at all corresponding
with their titles, and thus the posts became snng sinecures for royal favourites.
Of aU the masterpieces that of the cooks and restaurant-keepers must liave been the least
The test consisted in cooking a prescribed repast, so that the proof of the pudding
harassing.
was
literally in the eating
!
There are occasional traces of curious ceremonies in connection with the reception of new
Whether they were usual in aU trades it is difficult to decide, as upon this
masters.
With the bakers of Paris the
point historical records leave us very much in the dark.
"
viodus operandi is thus described
On the day agreed upon the candidate leaves his house
:
followed by aU the bakers of the city, and coming to the master of the bakers, presents to him
a new jar full of nuts, saying,
Master, I have done and accomplished my four years behold
'
;
pot full of nuts.' Then the master of the bakers turning to the secretary {clerc 4crivain)
of the craft, demands to know if that is truly so.
Upon receiving a reply in the affirmative,
my
'
-
'
Jlouceil, Histoire des Fran^ais des
Depiiing, Preface to Buileau,
Divers £tats,
4tli edit., vol.
Le Livre des Metiers,
\>.
ii,
,
ji.
161.
79.
Monteil, Histoire des Frau^-ais des Divers Etats, 4th edit., vol.
i.,
y.
161.
Ibid., vol.
ii.,
p. 163-