The
medieval craft guilds, the main focus of this article, were
associations of all the artisans and craftsmen in a particular
branch of industry or commerce. For example, there were guilds
of weavers, bookbinders, masons and architects in the building
trade, painters, metalworkers (the "Hammermen")
bakers, dyers, embroiderers, leatherworkers, etc. Although
its roots were earlier, the medieval craft guilds system became
widespread in the 11th century in Europe, as towns and cities
started to develop after the Dark Ages period. The word "craft"
comes from the old English word "craeft", meaning
"skill".
 The
skilled craftsmen in a town usually consisted of a number
of family workshops in the same neighbourhood, with the masters
or owners of such workshops related to each other, often sharing
apprentices between them. These craftsmen would agree, as
a group, to regulate competition among themselves, thus promoting
their own and the town's prosperity. The craftsmen would agree
on some basic policies governing their trade, setting quality
standards, and so on. So, from local beginnings, the early
guilds developed into larger, sophisticated associations of
craftsmen.
Members
of the craft guilds were divided into Master, Journeyman,
and Apprentice. The master was a very accomplished craftsman
who took on apprentices. Usually, these were boys in their
teens who were provided food, clothing, shelter, and an education
by the master, in return for working for them for free as
an apprentice, often for a fixed term of service from about
five to nine years. After this, an apprentice became a journeyman,
who was allowed to work for one or another master and was
paid with wages for his labour. Once a journeyman could provide
proof of his technical and artistic skills, by showing his
"masterpiece", he might rise in the guild and become
a master. He could then set up his own workshop, and hire
and train apprentices. However, to become a master was difficult,
as masters in any particular craft guild tended to be a select
inner circle, who possessed not only technical competence,
but also proof of their wealth and social position. It is
difficult to overstate the importance of these guilds in trade
and commerce prior to the industrial revolution.
 But
what does all of this have to do with the western mystery
traditions? Briefly, the secrets of the various crafts were
jealously guarded by the Guild Masters, who also recorded
every member's name and individual mark. In many surviving
medieval (and other) buildings in parts of Europe today, the
original Mason's marks can still be seen, for example, and
other guilds also had their unique marks and symbols. Perhaps
a contemporary example might be the individual mark or stamp
of the customs or Assay office, as in modern-day Britain,
to indicate quality and approval of worksmanship. In addition
to marks or symbols, the guilds had other ways of communicating
their more specialized concepts and religious traditions -
especially after the decline of the guilds, much of the hidden
knowledge was carried on by travelling musicians, troubadours,
meistersingers, and so on.
Many of
the medieval guilds became famous for their Guild 'miracle
plays' which they performed in public, often around Old and
New Testament biblical themes. For instance, the Goldsmiths
favoured "the Adoration of the Magi", and the Shipwrights
"Noah's Ark". Often, both God and the Devil would
appear on stage together. One particular character, the Abbot
of Unreason, became a figure of satire and, in later times,
a distinct irritant to the church authorities. Even into later
times, at Rosslyn Chapel near Edinburgh, for example, it is
known that the Sinclair family allowed the play "Robin
Hood and Little John" to be performed in the glen in
May and June, which is particularily interesting given that
this very play had previously been banned. The Scottish Parliament,
on 20 June 1555, had decreed that "no one should act
as Robin Hood, Little John, Abbot of Unreason or Queen of
May." Although these plays were very popular with the
public at the time, the church felt that theatre was immoral
or, at least, very dangerous. In England, Cromwell's Puritans
would also ban "all theatre as immoral" a century
later - Scotland did so earlier, due to the severe Calvinist
Protestantism, led by John Knox, prevalent at the time. Sir
William Sinclair was Scotland's Chief Justice, but "strolling
players" regularly performed this play in the glen by
his home at Rosslyn Castle after the play had been banned
by law.
In medieval
times, such plays and their biblical themes were appreciated,
along with elements that were then tolerated in a spirit of
fun, such as the Abbot of Unreason, Maid Marion, and Friar
Tuck. In medieval York, the miracle plays performed by the
guilds became well known, as did those of Chester, Wakefield,
and other centres of these early pageants, and many have survived
or revived in some form today. In medieval times, the whole
community came to see these plays; many performances would
be done at various points around a town, on large wagons or
platforms, and the crowds would move from one point to another,
similar to going from one station of the cross to another
in a church. The symbolism inherent in many of these pageants
is interesting to study, and more in-depth research is currently
being conducted in these areas by myself and other researchers.
Meanwhile, it seems, the spirit of Robin Hood and the Queen
of May lives on.....
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