What is a guild?
The social side of guilds
Venison Feast 2006
Nikki Bowling
There was a social side too as members organised functions, such as weddings, feasts and funerals.
Also, by paying to belong to the guild, members received support. The Merchant Adventurers' royal charter – the rules the Company still uses - said they had to provide ‘care and relief of brethren (members) who suffered mishap or fell into poverty’. For example, Robert Yarum was given alms of 4 pence a week in 1444.
Some of their money was also used to pay chaplains to say prayers for their souls, so that they could reach heaven sooner.