THE COMPANIONAGE.
and without further evidence
fortuitous,
From
institution with the other.
the tailors and
will,
Ly no means, establish the connection of one
we
the same source
ceremonies of the charcoal burners.^
tlie
239
derive further information concerning
As regards the tailors, Tliory states
chamber was decorated with a painting of the gallantries of tlie
three Companion tailors, and that before the banquet a lecture was given, consisting of
that the second or banquet
first
the explanation of these obscene adventures.
The charcoal burners met in a forest, and called themselves cousins.
writers look
upon the word
as signifying a cousin
Thory and
other
all
by blood, and maintain that Francis
I.
was
himself admitted a Companion, and that he subsequently introduced the fashion amongst royal
But when we remember the fondness of the Compersonages of calling each other "cousin."
panions for the animal kingdom, and take into account that the candidate amongst the charcoal burners was called a " wasp," is it not just possible that co2isin is applied in its other
a gnat, which would be a most appropriate name for these denizens of the
At their initiation a white cloth was spread on the ground, on which was placed
a full salt-cellar, a goblet of water, a wax candle, and a cross.
The candidate took the oath
meaning,
viz.,
forest.
lying prostrate on the cloth, and with his hands, one on the salt, the other on the goblet.
"
was then raised, and after some " mystification given the password, w'hich would prove
"
a true and good " cousin
in
cloth represents the shroud
torches
;
all
forests.
The master afterwards explained the symbols
;
He
him
the
the fire, our funeral
the three theological virtues
the water, that which will be sprinkled over our grave the cross, that whicli will
;
the
salt,
;
;
The candidate was then taught that the true cross was of holly,
had seventy-two thorns, that St Theobald was the first charcoal burner, St Joseph the
be borne before our
coffin.
that
it
first
carpenter, St Balthasar the
All writers on secret societies
offspring of this society.
inquiry, but any one
who
mason, etc.
seem to be of opinion that the Carhonari were the direct
first
On this point I am unconvinced, nor is it material to our present
has travelled much in the forests of France and Germany, must be
aware that the secret societies of the charcoal burners
still exist,
and receive amongst them
honorary members, principally huntsmen, gamekeepers, lumbermen, etc. Heckethorn, without quoting his authority, has given us a charcoal burner's examination, which is absolutely
unsurpassed for pathetic resignation to a very unenviable lot.^
"
Whence come you, cousin of the oak ? From the forest.
— Where your Father —Eaise
—
—What worship
—Where your mother — Cast your eyes on
Heaven.
your eyes
—What do you bestow on your mother —
do you render your Father — Homage and
— want
what
and my body
you give me —
My care during
to
is
?
yourself at
my
my
day's earnings
?
earth.
?
respect.
hereafter.
life,
share with you
is
tlie
?
and
my
If I
help,
will
?
bread of sorrow; you shall rest in
my
hut, and
I will
warm
fire."
Companions, for the glimpse that we
obtain of them during this period is a very sliglit one.
Yet it is valuable, as showing that the
shoemakers had added to the recognised legends of their patron saints, an unauthorised
version of the
of their bodies, thus bringing the legend once more into harmony with
Between 1648 and 1400 we almost
lose sight of the
recovery
the heathen mysteries and the familiar traditions which have come to us from antiquity.
The foUow-ing passage
'
'
'
is
from Migne's Encyclopaedia
''
:
—
Thory, Annales Originis Magni Galliarum Orientis (1812), pp. 333-335.
Heckethorn, The Secret Societies of all Ages and Countries (1875), vol.
Migne, Nouvelle Encyclop^Jie Th^ologique, Dictionnaire des Mystercs,
ii., p.
70.
torn, xliii., p. 274.