The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1920-11-06
THE GUILDS IN THE MIDDLE
AGES-THElR RELATION TO
\ PARISH LIFE IN MEDIAEvAL
ENGLAND.

S0Ih10e s ibNlrs e. WIDOI6
AGES-THElR RELATION TO
PARISH LIFE IN MEDIAEvAL
ENGLAND.
The guilds of the Middle Ages con-
tributed a wonderful portion of the
activities and the idealism which made
much of the life of that stirring epoch
"a fertile source of suggestion for mod
ern ideals, of social reform. At the
present time belated acknowledg-
ment is being given of the worth of
the guild idea, but it may be wonder
ed if half the merits of the guild sys-
tenn and related organizations are real
lied by many today.
To the Catholic, one of the most in
teresting phases of guild activity in
the Middle Ages was the relation of
various sorts of guilds to the parish
life Of the epoch, This may be seen
in study of conditions in England.
With the one true religion dominant
in society, the social life of the peo-
pie in those days had such connec-
ton with the Church as is not found
in the present day of multitudes of
clashing sects and schools of unsound
religious opinion. Parish life in the
Middle Ages was greatly enriched by
the contact which the guilds had
with it.
A vivid account of the relation of
guilds to parish life in the Middle
Ages is given in His Eminence, Cardi-
nal Gasquet's Parish Life in Mediae-
val England"
1t has been said that there was
hardly any good purpose in human
activity, either religious or social, to
which some Medieval guild was not
devoted. There were two classes Of
Medieval guilds-craft of trade asso-
Citations and religious societies, or as
some now prefer to term them, social
guilds. The close connection which
the guilds had with parish life and the
great help which they afforded toward
Christian conduct and charitable ac-
tivity were enough of themselves to
make an instructive study.
Anyone who has the idea that relig-
ION in the Middle Ages was largely
a sort of superstitious Journalism may
easily be disillusioned by the wealth
Of practical Christian conduct and ac-
tivity in the world which he can find
in a study of the guilds. In general
it may be said that all guilds had the
same general characteristic principle
of brotherly love and social charity
Among the works Of religion which
were included in activities in this field
were the burial of the dead, assistance
of the poor, sick and aged, and help
for those who we're overtaken by mis-
fortune, those whose goods had been
damaged or destroyed by fire, flood,
etc, or diminished by loss or robbery.
Then, too, money was found as a loan
to persons who needed temporary help.
One instructive feature of the prin-
ciples underlying some of the guild
activities leads to speculation as to
what might be the status of some
modern undertakings along similar
lines if they were operated under prin-
ciples such as are found in the guild
idea. For instance, some guilds in
seaside places in the Middle Ages pro-
vfded for help In cases of loss through
the sea-" Cardinal Gasquet expresses
little doubt that in the Middle Ages
work such as is done by such a body
as Lifeboat Society or the like would
have been considered work of re-
ligion, and would have been the OBJ
ject of a religious guild.
The wealth of activity of guilds in
connection with parish life in the old
days may be indicated by one instance.
Records give the names of no fewer
than forty guilds which were more or
less connected with the one parish
church in Bodmin. Five of these were
trade guilds; the SINNERS and GLOW
ers under the patronage of ST. Petroc;
the smiths under ST. Dunstan and ST.
Eloy; the cordwainers under st. An
ian; the millers under st. Martin, and
the tailors and diapers under ST. John
the Baptist
A spectacular feature of the life OF
Medieval guilds was their attendance
at great professions, notably at that
of Corpus Christi. When one recalls
what wealth of pageantry and cere-
monia1 has been identified with the
epoch. he can readily imagine what a
conspicuous part this could have play
ed in the life of the time. 1t is re-
corded that some guilds, like the IA
nous Corpus Christi Guild at York.
were founded chiefly to do honor to
the Blessed Sacrament
The relation of the guilds to parish
life is only one of the topics taken
up in this interesting book. The read
ing Of it is like taking a trip back
into the Medieval parish.
Cardinal Gasquet has more than an
antiquarian's knowledge Of the period
of which he writes. The wealth Of
detail which he gives of the old Cath
iolic life is of itself monument to use
full research. But it is the atmosphere
of the Middle Ages which he conveys
in his book, and the instruction which
it affords concerning the ways of peo-
pie in a Catholic age, which especially
challenge the attention to those who
know something of the life of those
picturesque days.
Such topics as parish activities, par
ish church services, the parish clergy,
the religious and other customs and
ways of the people of the day in their