The Medieval GuildText from Medieval Realms JF Aylett

There were no factories in the Middle Ages. Craftspeople set up stalls outside their own homes or used their front room. They made goods in full view of the public. Above the stall they hung a sign so everyone could tell what they sold. In time, these craftspeople organized themselves into guilds. There was one guild for each trade. Only skilled workers could join. The guild made sure that their products were good quality and that members charged honest prices

Each year, the guild chose some of its members as 'searchers'. Their job was to visit traders to make sure the rules were obeyed. They checked scales; they tasted food; they inspected the work.

Members whose work was poor were often fined. The guild could also force them to do the work again. Once in a while, it actually expelled someone. This meant they could no longer trade in the town. The government did not help the old and sick in those days. So the guild looked after its members when they were sick. They helped the relatives of dead craftspeople. They also gave money to the Church and

the town. The youngest guild members were the apprentices. These were boys or girls, aged about

twelve, who wanted to learn a trade. Their parents made an agreement with a master craftsman (or crafts woman) who would teach them. Usually, they paid the master for this. The agreement was written down on a piece of paper which was then cut up. One piece was given to each side. If, in the future, there was any argument about it, they simply put the two bits together to prove the agreement had been made. The apprentice went to live with the master for between 4 and 14 years. The master promised that he or she would teach the young person the trade. They also had to look after the apprentice; food and clothing were provided; and the apprentice was taught how to behave. In return, the apprentice promised to work hard and not to give away any of the employer's secrets.

The young person could not go to an inn. Usually, they were not allowed to get married either.When the time was up, the apprentice often went on working for the master. Now the young person received a daily wage, so he or she was called a journeyman (from the word journee,

meaning 'a day'). Journeymen were free to work for a different master. Earnings were carefully saved up, ready for the day when they could set up their own business.

Before this happened, the guild set a test. Journeymen had to produce a 'masterpiece'. This was one piece of work to show that they were fit to open their own shop. If they passed, they, too, became masters of their craft.

Only guild members could sell inside the town, except on market days. People came from far and wide to sell goods at the market. Even more people, including foreign merchants, turned up for the annual fair. This was usually held after the harvest, when people could afford to buy.

Answer the following questions in COMPLETE SENTENCES on a separate sheet of paper.

1. What or who was:a. A searcherb. An apprentice c. A journeymand. A masterpiece

2. Explain the difference between skilled and unskilled work.

3. What sort of secrets do you think an apprentice had to promise not to give away?

4. ‘The guilds were very useful organizations and made a very positive contribution to the life of a medieval town.’ Explain this statement and support it with evidence from the text.