THE COMPANIONAGE.
212
CHAPTER
V.
THE COMPANIONAGE, OE LES COMPAGNONS DU TOUR
DE FEANCE.
HE
"
in preceding
Companionage"^ {Compagnonnagc) has been frequently referred to
it means the associations formed by the journeymen
chapters.
Broadly stated,
In many
of France for mutual support and assistance during their travels.
=^
^1
of
regulations
fraternities,-
this
association
it
may compare with
those
is
divided into three great divisions
handicrafts some members belonged to one division and some to another;
;
a separate entity
of union connecting
;
and
in
many
them with a
results following the exercise of a
and these three
whereas we have seen that in Germany each craft
cases the members of a trade in one town had no bond
divisions were extended throughout France
was
German
the
of
For example, it was
strongly marked.
each trade belonged, whilst in three
to one of these
but in others the difference
:
similar Bruderschaft of another town,
beyond the ordinary
common employment. Another great point of
difference was,
—
—
and treasured
that the French fraternities practised a veritable initiation a mystic reception
venerable legends whUst, as we have already seen, the affiliation of the German craftsmen
;
With
was simply a burlesque ceremony, enriched by a certain amount of symbolism.
it had (or I should say has, for it still exists) not only the above points in
Freemasonry
and readily acknowledged with its
works of charity and festivals the public were famOiar but its legends, its ceremonies, its
signs and tokens, were shrouded in mystery, and even a bare allusion to them was considered
common, but
also others
:
its
existence was patent to
all,
;
;
highly culpable.
Although latterly, by enlightened members of tliis fraternity it has not been
considered improper to partially unveil its legendary lore, yet to this day no revelation of its
more important secrets has been made.
Not the least wonderful fact relating
to the
Companionage
is,
that apparently
its
very
was only generally known from the bloody battles arising out of the enmity
between the various corps.
If two bodies of workmen met and fought, the survivors
existence
were condemned to the
tween inimical artisans
and the public journals announced another fatal affray bebut no one (previously to 1841) ever thought it worth while to
galleys,
;
inquire into the cause of the ever-recuning feuds between rival fraternities, or sought
to obtain any information as to their usages and customs.
By the public in general
^
See p. 178, ante, note
2.
-
Chap.
III., ante.