THE COMPANIONAGE.
233
The Saddlers.
The Companion saddlers place three caroli, wliicli make thirty pence, within the book of
the Gospels and after the oath has been taken bareheaded on the Gospel and the thirty pence
for which our Saviour was betrayed, three or four men enter the room, and one demands an
;
altar,
altar
;
another an altar cloth, trappings, curtains, a cane, a napkin, and other things to fit up an
an alb, belt, stole, chasuble, all the ornaments of a priest performing the mass taper,
;
candlesticks, censer, ewers, chalice
and
saltcellar, salt, a loaf
pure and simple, wine pure and
simple; and having lent him a cloth (which he folds in three, representing the three altar
cloths, having the border below), and a cup or glass instead of chalice, a penny loaf (pam
d'un sol), a cross of virgin wax, the book, the thirty pence, two lighted candles, and in L'eu
of ewers two pots or bottles, the one full of wine, the other of water, and
cellar;
all
these things being thus prepared, and the
when he who has asked
bareheaded,
room well
some
all
closed, they
salt
in a
down
kneel
for all these things necessary for the holy mass, kneeling,
hands joined before this stool where are arranged all these things, declares to him or to
"
are about to be received Companions,
This bread which you see, represents the
true body of our Lord Jesus Christ who was on the tree of the cross for our sins;" and
liis
—
them who
—
"
This wine which you see represents the pure blood
(mumbling some words) he continues,
of our Lord, which was shed on the cross for our sins."
After which he takes a piece of
bread the size of a pea, places it in the pretended chalice, and says, " The peace of God
—
be unto ye," places some salt in this glass, and spills from a candle three drops of wax,
"
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost," and quenches
saying,
the candle in this pretended chalice.
Thereafter he says to him or to them who are destined
become Companions, that they are to elect a sponsor, and, being all on their knees, he
them in joke {2^'^'>''>' railkrie), profaning the holy baptism as well as the holy mass
and gives, to all who are in the room, of the bread to eat, and of this mixed wine to drink after
to
baptizes
;
;
which they perform another
taking thereto a handkerchief, four glasses full of wine to
signify the four Evangelists, and at the foot of each glass four small pieces of bread having
also a signification, and the cloth on which they have gluttonised (soullcz) the shroud of our
act,
Lord, the table representing the lioly sepulchre, the four legs of the table the four doctors of
the Cliurch and they do all these things, and many other heretical things. The Huguenots
;
are received
Companions by the
Catholics,
and the Catholics by the Huguenots.
The Shoemakers.
The Companion shoemakers take
aliments
[i.e.,
bread, wine, salt,
and water, which they
call the four
possibly a play upon the four elements], put them upon
whom they wish to receive as a companion before this, make
alimentary substances
:
a table, and having placed him
him swear on these four things, by his faith, his hope of paradise, his God, his chrism, and his
baptism they then tell him that he must take a new name, and be baptized and having made
;
;
him say what name he wishes
to take, one of the
over his head a glassful of water, saying,
the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."
to instruct
him
"
Companions, who
I baptize thee in the
The sponsor and subsponsor
in all things appertaining to the charge (devoir).
2 G
is
placed behind him, pours
of the Father, and of
name
(sotihs-parain)
then undertake