THE COMPANIONAGE.
222
named Carcasson le
Companion Larnessmaker, sold at Angouleme his devoir to a shoemaker
to the Companionage
Turc, who communicated it to his fellows. The shoemakers had belonged
in the seventeenth century, but forswore the association (as
we
shall presently see).
Their
soon became very strong, but partly
present status dates from about 1810. This fraternity
because they had become unfairly possessed of a charge, and partly because they wore their
to the harnessmakers, great enmity subsisted between these two
colours in a
way
displeasing
For eight days they waged a frightful battle, resulting in a formidable list of killed
and wounded. One of the leaders of the cordwainers, bearing the paradoxical name of IMouton
of the lion's heart), was sent to the gaUeys at Eochefort, where he died.
Cffiur de Lion
societies.
(sheep
A
Companionage song in great vogue has
still
the following refrain
;
—
Provencal rinvincible
Bordelaia I'intrepide
Mouton Coeur de Lion
Nous ont fait Compagnons (made
lis
Companions).
The smiths legitimated the wagonmakers on the condition of their wearing their colours in
As this promise was quickly broken, members of the two crafts fight
whenever they meet. The tanners persist in wearing their colours at the same height as the
a lower button-hole.
carpenters, hence perpetual quarrels.
suffice.
As
Perdiguier gives
many more
examples, but these will
the stonemasons
a rule, the higher the colours are carried, the nobler the society
;
M'ear theirs attached to the hat, but as already stated, all crafts concur in assigning priority to
conservative in their dress; so that
were in
them. Some of these crafts are
(or
1841) very
almost be looked upon as a distinction. The nailmakers retained the costume of a
may
bygone age at all formal meetings, wearing cocked hats, kneebreeches, and their hair in queues.
this
they walk bareheaded, with their long hair unplaited and in disorder, and
The blacksmiths also retained the kneebreeches and cocked hat.
their faces covered.
member
If a
dies,
Like the German
fraternities,
special house of call, the proprietors and
the titles of Father, Mother, Sister, and Brother.
each craft had
its
inmates of which were also designated by
But whereas the Germans called this tavern Ilcrhcrg (Inn), the French never used the
"
equivalent in their language {Auherge), but styled the house itself La mhre, the mother."
After initiation, each Companion chose a souhriquet which was henceforth always tacked
well-instructed Companion could tell from this nickname to what
on to his own name.
A
as these names, although referring to the province or natal city of
in some cases the
the recipient, and to a fancied virtue or attribute, were differently formed
birthplace came first, in others the attribute; sometimes they were joined by the definite
at others the birthplace is turned into an
article, at others by the preposition dc (of)
corps a stranger belonged
;
—
;
adjective,
and in certain
societies the attribute is replaced
examples will make this clearer
:
—
by the Christian name.
A Stonemason of Solomon.
A Stonemason of Jacques.
A Joiner or Locksmith of Solomon.
A Joiner or Locksmith of Jacques.
Hyppolyte
The other
The following
Bordelais I'intrepide.
crafts of Jacques.
It is perhaps a legitimate conclusion that these
La Fleur de Bagnolet.
L'esp^rance le Berichon.
Languedoc la Prudence.
nicknames are
le Nantais.
a proof of the high antiquity