indeed, admirably suited for the adaptation of the municipal customs
bequeathed to them by their predecessors, and which became developed
to their full proportions through the greater amount of individual
liberty that prevailed among the Germanic races.

Of the purely Teutonic institutions, one of the most characteristic
was that of Gilds. Originally, a gild was nothing more than an
association of ten families, for purposes of mutual protection and
security. By the custom of "frankpledge," every freeman at the age of
fourteen was called upon to give securities for his good behaviour.
Gilds were therefore formed, binding themselves to produce the
offender if any breach of the peace was committed by one of their
members, or to give redress to the injured party. To carry out these
objects a small fund was raised, to which every one contributed; and
thence was derived the name of the association: "gildan," in Saxon,
signifying to pay. With a view to becoming better acquainted with one
another, and to draw more closely the bands of friendship, convivial
meetings were held at fixed periods, when a vast quantity of beer was
quaffed in honour of the living, and to the memory of the dead. In
after-times this truly Saxon institution assumed greater proportions,
and embraced both ecclesiastical and secular gilds. Of the former it
is unnecessary to make further mention, but the latter formed the germ
of the present livery companies. The earlier secular or mercantile
gilds were associations of members of a particular trade or craft, for
the purpose of maintaining and advancing the privileges of their
peculiar calling. The term was also applied to a district or "soke,"
possessed of independent franchises, as in the case of the Portsoken
Ward, which was anciently known as the Cnighten Gild. A "soke," or
soca, it may be incidentally observed, was the territory in which was
exercised the soca, or the privilege of hearing causes and disputes,