“I can only suppose that the brotherhood tie was so strongly realized by the community (of the parish) that the weaker were succoured by the stronger, as out of a family store. The brotherhood tie was, no doubt, very much stronger then, when the village community was from generation to generation so unalloyed by anything foreign, when all were knit together by one faith and one worship and close kindred, but, further than this, the Guild-fellowship must have enhanced all the other bonds in drawing men to spare their worldly goods as a common stock. Covertly, if not overtly, the guildsman bound himself to help his needy brother in sickness and age, as he expected his fellow-guildsman to do for him in his turn of need; and these bonds, added to a far stronger sense of the duty of children towards aged parents than is now found, did, I conceive, suffice for the relief of the poor, aided only by the direct almsgiving which flowed from the parsonage house, or in favoured localities, from the doles or broken meat of a monastery.”
For the purpose of collecting money for parochial needs, the services of the various fraternities were constantly requisitioned. In some places, as at St. Dunstan’s, Canterbury, the authorized collectors wore badges, by which they could be recognized as such; at others, as at St. Peter’s Cheap, London, the various brotherhoods were connected with some special chapel, or altar, or statue, and regularly collected for the particular end of their society. In some parishes these religious fraternities were more numerous than many at this day would be inclined to suppose. At St. Dunstan’s, Canterbury, just mentioned, there was first the brotherhood of the “Schaft,” which seems to have been a general society embracing the whole parish, and which possessed property, such as malt, barley, wheat, cattle, and sheep. Besides this, there was the fraternity of St. Anne, which included women, and that of St. John; there were also small groups under their wardens; and of these we have the wardens of St. John’s light, those of St. Anne’s light, and those of St. Katherine. Mr. Cowper, the editor of these accounts, on this remarks: “These all go to show what life and activity there was in the little parish, which never wanted willing men to devote their time and influence to the management of their own affairs.”
In times of common need, or when some great work of repair or of decoration was undertaken by the parish for their church, the various “fraternities” are found contributing out of their peculiar “stores” to the object. At Ashburton, for example, in 1486-87, a “silver foot” was made to the parish cross, and also the weather-cock got out of order and had to be seen to. To both of these objects there were contributions from “the stores of St. Nicholas,” and “of St. George,” etc. In fact, in this parish there were apparently about a dozen of these confraternities, namely: “the Stores of the B. V. Mary;” of “the Junior torches;” of St. George, St. Margaret, St. Clement; of “the Wyvyn store” of B. V. Mary; of St. Thomas of Canterbury; of St. James and of St. Giles. Some of these had as much as forty shillings at one time as a fund under their administration.
Some of the “fraternities” were merely spiritual associations, which helped to strengthen the bond of brotherhood between parishes. One such existed in connection with the Cathedral of Lichfield, called the “Fraternity of the Brethren and Sisters of St. Chad.” Enrolled as members are many bishops, abbots, priors, and other religious superiors, besides priests and all sorts and conditions of lay people. The priests were all pledged to say Masses for the welfare of the associates, living or dead. Thus, in each of the abbeys of Darley, Burton, and Shrewsbury, 100 Masses were said yearly for this end; at Trentham Priory 60 Masses; and at the Convent of Derby 300 psalters by the Benedictine Nuns were said for the associates. In the Cathedral church of Lichfield also four Masses were said daily, two for the living and two for the dead members; and in every associated parish 30 Masses were said during the year. In all these churches, every Sunday before the Holy Water, the “Our Father” was said by priest and people, “with hands raised,” followed by a versicle and prayer to St. Chad. In the fifteenth century, when the bishop gave an indulgence to all those who were members of the fraternity, he states that this union of prayer already comprised 2434 Masses and 452 psalters yearly.
The organization of these societies was the same as that which has existed in similar associations up to the time of our modern trade unions. A meeting was held, at which officers were elected and accounts audited; fines for non-acceptance of office were frequently imposed, as well as for absence from the common meeting. Often members had to declare, on oath, that they would fulfil their voluntary obligations, and would keep secret the affairs of the society. Persons of ill repute were not admitted, and members who disgraced the fraternity were expelled. For example, the first guild statutes printed by Mr. Toulmin Smith are those of Garlekhith, London. They begin—
“In worship of God Almighty our Creator and His Mother, Saint Mary, and all Saints and St. James the Apostle, a fraternity is begun by good men in the Church of St. James at Garlekhith in London, on the day of Saint James, the year of our Lord 1375, for the amendment of their lives and of their souls, and to nourish greater love between the brethren and sisters of the said brotherhood.”
Each of them have sworn on the Book to perform the points underwritten—
“First, all those that are, or shall be, in the said brotherhood shall be of good life, condition, and behaviour, and shall love God and Holy Church and their neighbours, as Holy Church commands.” Then, after various provisions as to meetings and payments to be made to the general fund, the statutes order that “if any of the aforesaid brethren fall into such distress that he hath nothing and cannot, on account of old age or sickness, help himself, if he has been in the brotherhood seven years, and during that time has performed all the duties, he shall have every week after from the common box fourteen pence (i.e. about £1 of our money) for the rest of his life, unless he recovers from his distress.” In one form or other this provision for the assistance of needy members is repeated in the statutes of almost every guild. Some provide for help in case of distress coming “through any chance, through fire or water, thieves or sickness, or any other haps.” Some, besides this kind of aid, add, “and if it so befall that he be young enough to work, and he fall into distress, so that he have nothing of his own to help himself with, then the brethren shall help him, each with a portion as he pleases in the way of charity.” Others furnish loans from the common fund to enable brethren to tide over temporary difficulties. “And if the case falleth that any of the brotherhood have need to borrow a certain sum of silver, he (can) go to the keepers of the box and take what he hath need of, so that the sum be not so large that one may not be helped as another, and that he leave a sufficient pledge, or else find a sufficient security among the brotherhood.” Some, again, make the contributions to poor brethren a personal obligation on the members, such as a farthing a week from each of the brotherhood, unless the distress has been caused by folly or waste. Others extend their Christian charity to relieve distress beyond the circle of the brotherhood—that is, of any “whosoever falls into distress, poverty, lameness, blindness, sent by the grace of God to them, even if he be a thief proven, he shall have sevenpence a week from the brothers and sisters to assist him in his need.” Some of the guilds in seaside districts provide for help in case of “loss through the sea,” and there is little doubt that in mediæval days the great work carried on by such a body as the Royal Lifeboat Society would have been considered a work of religion, and the fitting object of a religious guild.
Dr. Jessopp has described for us the functions of these religious brotherhoods—
“Besides all this there were small associations, called Gilds, the members of which were bound to devote a certain portion of their time and money and their energies to keep up the special commemoration and the special worship of some Saint’s chapel or shrine, which was sometimes kept up in a corner of the church, and provided with an altar of its own, and served by a chaplain who was actually paid by the subscriptions or free-will offerings of the members of the gild whose servant he was. Frequently there were half a dozen of these brotherhoods, who met on different days in the year; and frequently—indeed, one may say usually—there was a church house, a kind of parish club, in which the gilds held their meetings and transacted their business.”