Writers on eighteenth-century Ireland frequently refer to a levy called quarterage, and explain it as a special tax which the corporations exacted from catholic merchants, traders and craftsmen during the period of the penal laws.
George Unwin, in his Gilds and companies of London, speaks of quarterage as a sort of medieval insurance. When the quarterly subscription was 3d. the societies offered 14d. a week to ‘sick or unfortunate members’. The money derived from quarterage was used also in other ways. Provision was sometimes made by guilds for schools. Cesses were levied on them from time to time for the defence of their cities, provision of fire engines, etc., and much money was spent in maintaining a guild-hall, paying salaries of officials and on entertainment.