THE CRAFT GUILDS OF FRANCE.
of France,
under the name of La Caritat}
—
dangerous by the State but few records
Of these bodies
195
— so numerous as
have come down to
to
be considered
us, so that the
absence of any
statutes of a prior date to a.d. 1170 by no means implies that such fraternities liad not
previously existed.
The foUowiug code
It is dated 15th
preserved in the arcliives of the city of Amiens.
June 1407, and styled the " Statutes regulating the Fraternity (cicrge, candle) of the masons'
trade {du mesticr de Machonnerie) of Amiens." ^
3 "
Know
by the
all
is
men who may
see or read these presents, that
Mayor and Echevins of the
men
at the request of the
or that of the major and
city of Amiens, for the
of the craft of
more sane part
echevins or their commissioners, as follows
"
masonry in
:
—
tlie
it
has been and
is
ordained
common
said city,
wellbeing and profit,
and with their consent,
of them, assembled before the said
mayor and
Firstly. It is ordained that the
masters of the said craft are and be required to attend
at the honours funereal, and nuptials of those who are of this craft, if they be in tlie city
of Amiens, and have no sufficient excuse,
to the sergeant or clerk of the
be liable each time to a
"
"
candle
"
which excuse they are requii'ed
and if any one fail
of the said craft,
to
make known
to
do so he shall
be applied to the profit of said candle.
fine of xii pence, to
such sums as shall be presented for libations to those
of the craft on their return from the funeral honours of any of this craft, the one half of the
Item.
2.
It is ordained that all
said donation, whether large or small,
"
candle,"
"
and the other half
Item.
3.
requii'ed to give
When
any
to be
expended
in drink
to the profit of said
amongst them, as may seem good
to them.
apprentice shall be first received into the said craft he shall be
one pound of wax as soon as he commences to earn money in the said
to be applied to the profit of the said
"
and converted
shall be placed
"
craft,
candle."
If any of the said craft work for th Rf