138 The Fraternities of Sarum. 
associations which are generally described as the “ Religious” or 
“Social Gilds.”” I am glad to have the support of Dr. Malet Lambert 
for my opinion that it would be much better to invariably distinguish 
them by the designation “ Fraternity,”’ which was so generally used 
in the ancient societies. Because, by whatever term you describe 
them, you cannot help a confusion so long as you employ the word 
“Gild.” And again, it is quite impossible to separate the two aspects 
in these associations. What was a social gild was also a religious 
gild. The social life and the religious life in medieval times were 
never separated. There is no one particular which so much 
accounts for the traditional title of ‘“‘ Merrie England”’ as do these 
Fraternities, and it is perfectly impossible to examine their history 
without proving at every turn how completely the religious and 
the social aspects are interwoven. 
In this typical English city all the needs of civilised life have 
ever been exhibited. Trade has had the place that it must take 
always and everywhere. That involved here, as everywhere, 
regulation, control, and government. ‘This was of course provided 
by the Gild Merchant, which at Salisbury, as at Andover, was not 
only in existence but chartered in 1175. But it is worth mentioning 
that there was this peculiarity. In 1306 a composition was entered 
into between the citizens and the Bishop of Salisbury :— 
* Also, from the time of making of these presents there shall be, in the city 
aforesaid, a Gild of Merchants, in which thenceforth are included, as subject 
and devoted to the same Lord Bishop . . . . from henceforth only they 
shall participate in the said gild and the liberties obtained, who by the said 
Lord Biskop, his successors, the mayor of the city for the time being, shall 
happen to be thereunto admitted.” 
At Andover the records of the Gild Merchant are particularly 
numerous and perfect. 
The Craft Gilds were very powerful in Salisbury, always a most 
important factor in the life of the city, and even now perhaps hardly 
extinguished. The halls of some of these gilds have been amongst 
the relics of the past you have noticed in this visit. The Weavers’ — 
Gild was one of the chief of them, which I mention particularly 
because I shall have to allude to it again presently. In the splendid 
