Mediæval London, Volume 1: Historical & SocialBesant, Walter
History
Mediæval London, Volume 1: Historical & Social
Besant, Walter
London (England) -- History -- To 1500; London (England) -- Social life and customs -- To 1500
In the chapter on Sports and Recreations these matters are fully dealt
with, but there are a few minor notes which do not exactly belong to
these things and come more properly here under the heading of Manners.
On festive occasions the people wore garlands, the Master and Wardens
of a Company wore garlands on their great days, at banquets they wore
garlands, ladies wore garlands, young ecclesiastics wore garlands. When
any one rode abroad—not to battle—he hung little bells on the bridles
and harness of his horse. Wyclyf speaks of a priest “in pompe and
pride, coveitise and envye, with fatte hors, and bridelis ryngynge be
(by) the weye and himself in costly clothes and pelure (fur).”
In every wealthy household the falcon was as much of a domestic pet as
the dog. The peregrine especially was easy to tame, “mult cortois et
vaillan et de bon manniere”—very tame, bold, and of good manners.
The clerk and the notary and the scrivener carried about with them a
case containing paper, pens, ink, and other necessaries for writing,
so that they could be called into a house or shop for the purpose of
writing down anything. The writing-case was called a Penner.
I have already said that every man was bound to keep ready for use arms
or armour according to his degree. We must always bear in mind that
the Londoner was a soldier first, whatever his calling; he was liable
to be called out for the defence of the City, or even, on occasion, to
march out into the country. Therefore every man had to learn, and to
practise, the use of arms, such as shooting with the long-bow, how to
handle a pike, and how to use a sword. Thus in the inventory of the
furniture belonging to Hugh le Bever, whose case is quoted elsewhere,
we find a haketon—_i.e._ a jacket of quilted leather sometimes worn
under armour, sometimes used as armour. In the reign of Henry II.,
every one who held a knight’s fee was bound to have a habergeon or
under coat of mail, a helmet, a shield, and a lance. A free-holder
of sixteen marks must have the same; one of ten marks must provide a
small habergeon, and a capeline of iron and a lance; while the ordinary
burgher must at least have a capeline and a lance.
Besides the wholesale merchants and the shopkeepers there were the
“stationers.” In every public place, wherever there was a church, or
a cross, or a conduit there were put up “stations” or stalls. Thus in
the year 1370 there were eleven stations round the High Cross of Chepe,
let to as many women, at the annual rent of 13s. 4d. In that year the
whole number were convicted of using false measures. The modern word
stationer is derived from the practice of selling paper, pens, etc., at
such stations.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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