460 INDUSTRIAL INSTITUTIONS. 



merchant-gild or by both, widened and complicated and 

 presently became impracticable without sub-division of func 

 tions. The general local government of either kind, almost 

 of necessity fell into the habit of deputing parts of its 

 powers to particular local governments. Thus it is alleged 

 that in London the pre-existing authorities established craft- 

 gilds, &quot; to which special parts of their own duties were 

 delegated by the burgh officers or the local gild-merchant.&quot; 

 And concerning Beverley, in the 14th century, we have the 

 specific statement that 



&quot;Another regulation of this gilda mcrcatoria, or merchant frater 

 nity, was appointing lesser gilds, with an alderman, or warden, to each ; 

 so that each description of trade was governed by its own particular 

 rules, subject to the approbation and control of the twelve governors.&quot; 



Certainly in some cases they were municipally authorized. 

 In proof there is the fact that in Exeter the cordwainers 

 gild surrendered their powers annually to the town, and 

 were granted a renewal on payment of a fine. Still, if we 

 remembered that ordinarily what became law had previously 

 been custom, we may infer that craft-gilds were not 

 established de novo, either by municipal governments or by 

 merchant-gilds, but had been in existence long before they 

 obtained authorization. This is, indeed, implied by the just 

 named evidence. Had the regulative function of the Exeter 

 cordwainers been a duty imposed upon them by the muni 

 cipal authority, they would not have been required to pay a 

 fine for the annual renewal of it would contrariwise have 

 refused to renew it. 



That these craft-gilds were not usually formed for public 

 advantage, but for the advantage of their own members, is 

 otherwise clearly shown. In the twelfth century &quot; the gold 

 smiths, glovers, butchers, and curriers, who had established 

 themselves as corporate bodies without permission from the 

 king, were fined.&quot; Indeed, if we accept Brentano s view, we 

 must infer that instead of arising by differentiation from the 

 merchant-gilds, they more commonly arose independently 



