ABSTRACT
Trades were often combined with other endeavors. Trade-related legislation reflects the diversity of the interests of the people of the commune. The economic success of the leather workers’ guilds was closely tied to that of the butchers. The tanning process produced large amounts of chemical wastes that were often dumped into the town’s rivers, streams, and sewers. In addition to meat, fish served as a major source of protein in the medieval diet. Clothiers, flax workers, and cloth-makers of almost every description come under the scrutiny of the communes as well. The cloth-finishing process came under the purview of the communal authorities. Both woolen and linen cloth were washed after weaving, cleaned of extraneous matter, and either fulled or scoured. The purpose of these processes was to felt and thicken the cloth, mold the fibers closer together, and eliminate any holes created during the weaving process.
