Guild

A voluntary association of persons pursuing the same trade, art, profession, or business, such as printers, goldsmiths, wocl merecrants. ete., unitel under a distinct organization of their own, analegous to that of a corvoration, regulating the affairs of their trads or business by their own laws ani rules, and aiming, by co-operation and organization, te protect and promote the interests of their common vocation. In medieyal history these fraternities or guilds played an important part in the government of some states; as at Florence, in the thirteenth aad following centuries, where they chose the council of government of the city. But with the growth of cities and the advance in the organization of municipal government}, fheir importance and prestige has declined. The place of meeting of a guild, or association of guilds, was called the “Guildhall.” The word is said to be derived from the Anglo-Saxca “gild” or “geld,” a tax or tribute, because each member of the society was required to pay a tax Lowards its support.