The influence and development of English gilds : $b as illustrated by the history of the craft gilds of ShrewsburyHibbert, Francis Aidan
History
The influence and development of English gilds : $b as illustrated by the history of the craft gilds of Shrewsbury
Hibbert, Francis Aidan
Guilds -- England -- History; Guilds -- England -- Shrewsbury (England) -- History
It will be observed that the royal charters which authorise the Gilds and
grant exclusive privileges of trading differ somewhat in later years from
those of the earliest date. In the earliest grants the words simply allude
to the Gild only. Henry II.'s Charter to Lincoln is "Sciatis me
concessisse civibus meis Lincolniae ... gildam suam mercatoriam." There is
no hint of any tradesmen external to the Gild. But early in the thirteenth
century it becomes evident that such stringent exclusiveness could not be
enforced. The charter which Henry III. granted to Shrewsbury in 1227
confirmed the Gild in the following terms:--"Concessimus etiam eisdem
Burgensibus et heredibus eorum quod habeant Gildam Mercatoriam cum Hansa
et aliis consuetudinibus et libertatibus ad Gildam illam pertinentibus, et
quod nullus qui non sit in Gilda ilia mercandisam aliquam faciat in
predicto Burgo _nisi de voluntate eorundem Burgensium_." At about the same
time the Earl of Chester and Huntingdon gave a charter to Chester
forbidding trade in the town "nisi ipsi cives mei Cestrie et eorum heredes
_vel per eorum gratum_." The phrase "nisi de voluntate eorundem Burgensium
(or Civium)" now became usual in the charters. In those granted by Edward
I. to the towns which he founded in Wales, and which may be looked upon in
some measure as model town constitutions, the provision appears in each.
Thus it may be said that by the end of the thirteenth century it had
become customary for the town authorities to grant exemptions from the
Gild restrictions by their own authority. They practically gave over to
the Gilds the supervision of trade, but at the same time retained in their
own hands the power of admitting traders without obliging them to join the
mercantile fraternities.
This power of granting exemptions from the restrictions of the Gilds seems
to have been exercised in various towns in different degrees. In some it
extended no further than the permitting "foreigners" to come to casual
markets on payment of a toll upon each occasion. In others however it was
more largely and generally used, merchants being allowed to be resident
and to trade continually and regularly by payment of an annual fine.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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