Medieval Sourcebook:
Commune of Richirzegcheide:
Grant of a Gild to the Carpenters, 1180
The carpenters' industry was of great importance in the days when timber was used so
plentifully in the construction of houses. It was all the more so by reason of the
increasing size of towns. Hence the carpenters soon organized themselves, charging an
admission fee, regulating their social and fraternal activities, making rules for
apprenticeship and membership, and protecting themselves and their customers from
injustice. As was often the case on the continent, they received their charter from the
city corporation.
. . . Be it known . . . that in those times in which Theoderic in Mulingazzin and Henry
Flaco were mayors of the citizens, they, with the advice and common consent of the
officials of Richirzegcheide, agreed for the honor of St. John the Evangelist, for the
sake of usefulness, to concede a fraternity to the carpenters who were petitioning them.
And this was approved in the City Hall in the presence of the officials of
Richirzegcheide. They shall have this fraternity by this law; that every carpenter, that
is dreslere, wishing to join the said fraternity will give twelve solidi for the
fraternity. And it was decreed that every apprentice, who is commonly called leirtint,
should pay four solidi on his entry. But others who are not of the craft of these
brethren, and who wish to have the said fraternity, will give twenty-four denarii for the
same fraternity. Also they ought to enjoy this law, that, whatever man or woman of the
fraternity should depart this life, there will be given for his obsequies at death four
pounds of wax; and, for his vigil, six men, who will watch diligently, are appointed; and,
to his burial the men and women who are of the fraternity shall all be compelled to come.
He who neglects to watch when he is ordered will give two denarii for satisfaction.
Whoever is unwilling to be present at the funeral of a brother or sister, as has been
said, will pay just as much.
Also it has been decreed that whatever guest or citizen sells the timber or other
merchandise of the brethren to another, and does not pay for it on the next day at the
latest, if the seller makes a complaint about it, whatever brother remains a debtor in
such a way shall give ten denarii to the brethren for satisfaction. Also it has been
decreed that if any of the said brethren who are said to be carpenters shall give their
work to a guest or citizen, or shall promise him work, and then delay more than two weeks,
if it be a citizen or guest who is impeded in this way, and if he complain about it, then
the brother who hindered him by delay shall pay ten denarii for satisfaction to the
brethren. Witnesses, etc.
Source.
From: F. Keutgen, ed., Urkunden zur Städtischen Verfassungsgeschichte,(Berlin:
Emil Felber, 1901), p. 353; reprinted in Roy C. Cave & Herbert H. Coulson, eds., A
Source Book for Medieval Economic History, (Milwaukee: The Bruce Publishing Co., 1936;
reprint ed., New York: Biblo & Tannen, 1965), pp. 238-239.
Scanned by Jerome S. Arkenberg, Cal. State Fullerton. The text has been modernized by
Prof. Arkenberg.
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