The full Corpus Christi production in York, England had a whopping 48 pageant-wagons with plays. There were records kept so that we know which organizations put on which plays, and when they petitioned to drop out, swap, or join, and why. Just reading a list of the plays, and their sponsors, opens up a whole world to the imagination.
Guilds at this time were at the height of their development and power. They controlled aspects of the craft, like membership, apprenticeship, and quality standards, but they were also fraternal organizations with meeting halls and usually burial services, as well as other social-network services. As craft technology had developed, guilds had split into specialty guilds. In York, the Hatmakers and Capmakers were separate fraternities, as both Glovers and Hosiers were separate from Tailors. You’ll see a number of different metal workers, who originally were just Blacksmiths, also a number of guilds operating in the stages of using animal skins in process and final products.
Guilds had patron saints, sometimes with a pretty tenuous connection to the guild. St. Anne was the patron of the Carpenters, not because she did woodworking herself, but because her body had formed a “tabernacle” to hold the Blessed Virgin, her daughter, and tabernacles were fine woodworking structures built by this guild. The guilds celebrated their saints’ days with festivals and paying for special Masses. So they were at heart both civic and religious, making the Corpus Christi feast a natural fit. It would have been the guilds that first chose posters to carry, showing scenes from the Bible.
York also had the Hospital of St. Leonard, which was the largest hospital of Northern Europe, with 200 beds and lamps that stayed lit all night. The hospital sometimes sponsored a pageant wagon, too. The city was studded with smaller craft organizations, such as various kinds of laborers, who couldn’t really muster a true guild. And there were the Masons, who kept not a real guild but a Lodge where masons, itinerant by necessity, could temporarily keep a work station while some large building was going up.
In the year documented by John Gassner in Medieval and Tudor Drama, these sections of the Bible story were tied to these guilds. You’ll see that where they could, they strove for a connection to their craft as a sort of pious advertising. Sometimes there’s no connection, but I have no doubt that “The Binding of Isaac” was supposed to be connected to the Bookbinders just as much as “The Flood” to the Mariners. Did the hose-makers take the parting of the Red Sea because the Israelites walked across with dry feet? Ask yourself with each one why it was chosen, and post a guess for one of them in the comments.
- The Creation and Fall of Lucifer: Tanners
- Creation up to the 5th day: Plasterers
- Creation of Adam and Eve: Cardmakers (playing cards?)
- Adam and Eve in Eden: Fullers (making wool windproof)
- Fall of Man: Coopers (barrels)
- Expulsion from Eden: Armourers
- Cain and Abel: Glovers
- Building the Ark: Shipwrights
- Noah and His Wife, and the Flood: Fishers and Mariners
- Abraham and Isaac: Parchment Makers and Book Binders
- Israel Leaves Egypt, Plagues, Red Sea: Hosiers
- Annunciation (Gabriel and Mary): Spicers
- Joseph’s Trouble About Mary: Pewterers and Founders
- Journey to Bethlehem, Jesus’ Birth: Tile-thatchers (they put it on the roof)
- Shepherds: Chandlers (candles)
- Three Kings to Herod: Masons
- Adoration of the Magi: Goldsmiths
- Flight into Egypt: Marshals (horse grooms)
- Slaughter of the Innocents: Girdlers (belt buckles) and Nailers
- Christ with the Doctors: Lorimers (or Loriners) (bits and stirrups) and Spurriers
- Baptism of Jesus: Barbers
- Temptation in the Desert: Smiths
- Transfiguration: Curriers (leather workers)
- Woman Taken in Adultery, Lazarus: Capmakers
- Christ’s Entry Into Jerusalem: Skinners
- Conspiracy Against Jesus: Cutlers
- The Last Supper: Bakers
- Agony and Betrayal: Cordwainers (fine leather)
- Peter’s Denial, Jesus Before Caiaphas: Bowyers and Fletchers
- Pilate’s Wife Dreams, Jesus Before Pilate: Tapiters (tapestry) and Couchers (pictorial embroidery)
- Trial Before Herod: Litsters (dyers)
- Second Accusation Before Pilate, Judas’ Remorse, Buying Field: Cooks and Water-leaders
- Second Trial Before Pilate: Tilemakers
- Christ Led to Calvary: Shearmen
- Crucifixion: Pinners (made pins) and Painters
- Mortification of Christ, Burial: Butchers
- Harrowing of Hell: Saddlers
- Resurrection: Carpenters
- Christ’s Appearance to Mary Magdalene: Winedrawers
- Pilgrims to Emmaus: Sledmen (probably like carters)
- Purification of Mary, Simeon and Anna: Hatmakers, Masons, Labourers
- Doubting Thomas: Scriveners (scribe)
- Ascension of Jesus: Tailors
- Descent of the Holy Spirit: Potters
- Death of Mary: Drapers (cloth wholesale) (the guild’s patron saint was Mary)
- Appearance of Mary to Thomas: Weavers
- Assumption and Coronation of the Virgin: Ostlers (stables)
- Judgment Day: Mercers (cloth retail)