The general character of the municipal life of the Hanse towns in
those days has been well compared by a modern writer to a family
household. The workman regarded himself within his circle as an
official of the city--a fact shown by the use of the word _Aemter_
("offices") to designate the guilds. Hence the strong municipal
patriotism which animated these burghers and which compensates in some
degree for the absence of that great political enthusiasm which is
derived from the consciousness of a united country. A quaint genre
picture of the time, preserved at Bremen, represents a native of the
latter city and another from Lubeck sitting together in a tavern and
disputing as to the comparative merits of their respective towns. The
controversy reaches its climax by one of the disputants declaring
stolidly that he too might "master such words" and taking a long and
mighty draught.

The separate towns, usually upon a request of the Lubeck council,
would send their deputies to confer jointly upon matters affecting the
league, these conferences or diets usually being held in some Wendish
city. On no occasion, however, were all the towns of the league
represented at these conferences. Their constitution was absolutely
free from all theoretical or rigid forms or ordinances. Whoever found
that his interests were especially affected by the subject under
discussion sent representatives to the diet of the league, and these
usually discharged their duties faithfully, without shirking the long
and arduous trip even during the winter season. The conferences held
in this way were probably wider in their scope than those of any other
power of the time. Usually, however, not political, but commercial,
matters were discussed. There was no common treasury. Whenever money
was required an export duty was levied, with which absolute compliance