Beggars' Guild

Motto: MONETA SVPERVACANEA, MAGISTER? (Spare change, guv'nor?)

Current leader: Queen Molly.

The oldest Guild in Ankh-Morpork and one of the more powerful, topped with a weather vane shaped like a beggar with his tin cup to the wind. The Beggars control the different sorts of beggars allowed to operate and how many of them in each area of the city. Divisions include Dribblers, Mumblers, Mutterers, Walking-Along-Shouters and Foul Ole Ron, during his tenure at the Guild generally considered to be in a class of his own, if only because no one will share it with him. A certain amount of leeway would be given to, say, a Mumbler who risked the occasional Mutter, but no Mutterer would dare attempt Walking-Along-Shouting, on pain of pain. Enforcers of these rules are unknown.

The president of the Beggars' Guild is called Queen or King and wears the traditional velvet gown. He or she often finds life difficult because, due to the high rank, he/she will have to beg for something extravagant, and very few people are prepared to lend a 16-room mansion (see the coronation, in Guards! Guards!). The Beggars' Guild has a guildhouse, like many other guilds. The true spirit of beggary is to always beg, never pay money or render services of any sort, for anything (see Men at Arms). Members found buying things with money, running errands for people, and so on will be punished. Due to this, the Beggars' Guild is actually among the richest guilds in the city as they believe money is to be begged for not to be spent.

Like the Thieves' Guild, the Beggars offer a form of insurance as well as the opportunity for direct charity. For a small fee, they can guarantee that no aggressive, unsightly, evil-smelling members will show up at your convention, daughter's wedding, or other special occasion.

Foul Ole Ron and several other beggars in his group used to be members in good standing in the Beggars' Guild. They are no longer members of the Guild because, perhaps, other members of the Guild would like somebody to look down on (see The Truth). Foul Ole Ron's group has been, and may still be, the street salesmen of the Ankh-Morpork Times newspaper. If the rule about true beggary is to be adhered to, this behavior disqualifies Foul Ole Ron and his friends from the Beggars' Guild.