years, and then, having "been sworn of the freedom" and enrolled
on the books of the city, they were allowed to set up their shop or
follow their trade. They were a lively, turbulent class of young men,
ever ready to take to their weapons and shout "Clubs! Clubs!" whereat
those who lived in one merchant's house would rush together and attack
the apprentices of a rival merchant, or unite forces and pursue the
hated "foreigners"--_i.e._, those who presumed to trade and had not
been admitted to the freedom of the city. Boys full of high spirits,
they were ever ready to join in a fight, to partake in sports and games,
and even indulged in questionable amusements--frequented taverns and
bowling alleys, played dice and other unlawful games, for which
misdemeanours they were liable to receive a good flogging from their
masters and other punishments. They had a distinctive dress, which
changed with the fashions, and at the close of the mediaeval period they
were wearing blue cloaks in summer, and in winter blue coats or gowns,
their stockings being of white broadcloth "sewed close up to their round
slops or breeches, as if they were all but of one piece." Later on, none
were allowed to wear "any girdle, point, garters, shoe-strings, or any
kind of silk or ribbon, but stockings only of woollen yarn or kersey;
nor Spanish shoes; nor hair with any tuft or lock, but cut short in
decent and comely manner." If an apprentice broke these rules, or
indulged in dancing or masking, or "haunting any tennis court, common
bowling alley, cock-fighting, etc., or having without his master's
knowledge any chest, trunk, etc., or any horse, dog or fighting-cock,"
he was liable to imprisonment. Chaucer gives an amusing picture of the
fondness of the city apprentices for "ridings"--_i.e._, for the
processions and pageants which took place when a king or queen entered
the city in state, and such like joyful occasions--and for similar
diversions:

"A prentis whilom dwelt in our Citie,
And of a craft of vitaillers was he;
At every bridale would he sing and hoppe;
He loved bet the taverne than the shoppe.
For whan ther any riding was in chepe,
Out of the shoppe thither would he lepe,
And till that he all the sight ysein,
And danced well, he would not come agein;
And gathered him a many of his sort,
To hoppe and sing, and maken such disport."

The presence of large companies of these somewhat boisterous youths