york00orns

GILDS. 207
architecture of that period, it helps us to realize the
scene they must often have witnessed of stately
processions of the gild brethren and sisters, clothed
in the liveries of their respective crafts and associations
winding their way along these ancient streets,
bearing
aloft their lighted tapers, and chanting their litanies
and hymns, as they passed onward to the mighty
minster to keep their festal day by an act of solemn
worship within its walls.
One of the gilds of York took its designation from
the Lord's Prayer. Oddly enough, as it seems to us,
they contrived to found " a play " upon its holy words,
" in which play all manner of vices and sins were
held up to scorn, and the virtues were held up to
praise." The members of the gild bound themselves
" to pray for the bretheren and sisteren of the gild,
both alive and dead, that the living shall be able
so to keep the gild that they may deserve to win
God's fatherhood, and that the dead may have
their torments lightened." Works of kindliness were
to be practised, so that none of the brethren might
"perish through lack of help." K corona lucis was
to hang in the minster, carrying "seven lights, in
token of the seven supplications in the Lord's
Prayer, and be lighted, on Sundays and feast-days
to the glory and honour of God Almighty, the maker
of that prayer, of St. Peter the glorious confessor, of
St. William, and of all saints;" and a table "showing
the whole meaning and use of the Lord's Prayer"
was to be hung on a pillar in the minster. Once in
' " English Gilds,'' p. 137-8.