A MEDLEVAL CITY

the Skinners

the Baxters
the Tapiters and

Couchers
the Sattcemakers
the Bouchers
the Carpenters
the Scriveners

the Tailors
the Mercers

produced the entry into Jerusa-
lem,
„ Last Supper,

Christ before Pilate,
Death of Judas,
Death of Christ,
Resurrection,
Incredulity of

Thomas,
Ascension,
Day of Judgment.

The full cycle gave in dramatic form the leading
episodes of the Scriptures from the Creation to the
I/ast Day.

While the trade-guilds were thus responsible for
individual pageants, help and control were given by
the Guild of Corpus Christi (inaugurated in 1408
and incorporated in 1459), and the city council.
The guild had a very large number of members,
among whom were the Archbishop, many bishops and
abbots and nobles. These dramatic productions
belonged to the religious and social sides of the guilds.
The plays, however, did not always provoke pleasure,
for sometimes members of some of the guilds
complained of the financial burden they were forced
to bear in order to produce the plays allotted to
them.

The guilds also took part in public processions
with torches on Corpus Christi Day in celebration
of this popular festival. In the processions, which
were closely connected with the religious and
guild-phases of city life, there walked city clergy
wearing their surplices, the master of the Guild
of Corpus Christi, the guild officials, the bearers