THE COMPANIONAGE.
of
223
Companionage, as indicative of an epoch when the lower classes had not yet assumed
surnames, and some nickname was necessary to distinguish one Peter or Paul from another.
tlie
This would take us back to the twelfth century or thereabouts. The designation
by which
known in the Companionage was Avignonais la Vertu.
Agricol Perdiguier was
Beyond
these
pseudonyms each family had one
Compagnons du
of all three divisions were called
or
more
devoir
;
The members
distinctive titles.
but the Sons of Solomon made
an addition and called themselves Compagnons du devoir de lihcrte, or more generally still
No writer
Compagnons de liberty, by omitting the term devoir, which was understood.
appears to have solved the problem of accounting for this designation of Free Companions or
Companions of Freedom nor am I able to offer any suggestion which may tend to elucidate
its derivation.
point, indeed, of some importance might be established could we ascertain
;
A
on good authority whether
other divisions, or whether
cause,
If
it
it
was assumed
as a distinctive epithet after the formation of the
originally belonged to
them
for
some
sufficient
which was, however, inoperative as concerned the other branches of the
we now
direct our attention to the oldest craft of each family, a further diversity
The stonemasons
apparent.
but inscrutable
association.
of
Solomon
call
themselves Comjjagnons etvangers,
Companions, giving as a reason that in the land of
Judea they were
foreigners.
becomes
i.e.,
foreign
The Stone-
masons of Jacques and the carpenters of Soubise take the name of Compagnons jMssants, or
passing Companions, assigning as an explanation that when at Jerusalem they never intended
make a prolonged stay or to settle in the co