HIST 398
SYLLABUS
WEEKLY DISCUSSION MATERIALS
THE CASTLE HOUSEHOLD AND ECONOMY
Tuesday:
Readings:
Gies and Gies, Life, Chap. 5 (pp. 95-108)
Labarge, A Baronial Household, Chap. 3 (pp. 53-70)
Carlin and Crouch, Lost Letters, “A Note on Money,” pp. xxiii-xxv, Documents 20-21 (pp. 85-92)
Try out the currency converter hosted by The National Archives (Kew):
https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency-converter/
Beginning of the account roll of the manor of Presteigne, 1384-5
Westminster Abbey cellarer’s account roll, 1357-8
Simon of Senlis, steward, to his master Ralph de Neville, bishop of Chichester
[Source: Joseph and Frances Gies and Gies, Life in a Medieval Castle, 99-100]:
To Richard, whom Thomas of Cirencester sent to you, I have committed the keeping of the manor of Preston [just north of Brighton, in E. Sussex], since, as I think, he understands the care of sheep, and I will see that your woods at Chichester [in W. Sussex] are meanwhile well treated, by the grace of God, and are brought to their proper state; also I wish your excellency to know that Master R., your official, and I shall be at Aldingbourne [east of Chichester, in W. Sussex] on the Sunday after St. Faith’s day, there to make the division between my lord of Canterbury and you. And if it please you, your long-cart can easily come to Aldingbourne on that day, so that I can send to you in London, should you so wish, the game taken in your parks and other things, and also the cloth bought for the use of the poor, as much as you wish, and of which I bought 300 ells at Winchester Fair [in Hampshire]. For at present I cannot send these by your little carts on the manors because sowing time is at hand. Among other things, know that the crops in your manors have been harvested safely and profitably and to your advantage and placed in your barns.
Know, dearest lord, that I have been to London, where I labored with all my might and took care that you should there have … wood for burning, brewing and repairs. Thanks be to God, all your affairs, both at West Mulne [now Westmill, north of London, between Stevenage and Bishop’s Stortford in E. Hertfordshire] and elsewhere, go duly and prosperously. Also I have taken care that you should have what I judge to be a sufficient quantity of lambs’ wool for your household against the winter…. Speak also with Robert of Lexington about having beef for your larder in London…. If you think it wise, my lord, I beg that part of the old corn from West Mulne shall be ground and sent to London against your coming ….
See map of England, with the counties marked
Questions:
1) Identify the duties of the steward that are revealed in the two letters (above) by Simon of Senlis.
2) What do these two letters reveal about the manner of life of the Bishop of Chichester?
Money quiz:
You are a dishonest steward who steals cash and goods from your master. If you steal an average of six farthings’-worth per day, how long will it take you to steal one pound?
Week 6 mini-paper topic:
You are a dishonest household or manorial steward. Describe your most lucrative fraud.
Discuss:
What were the duties of the following household officers?
How might one of them either collaborate with a dishonest steward, or be injured by the activities of a dishonest steward?
wardrober
chaplain/almoner
chamberlain
cook
dispenser (in charge of the buttery and pantry)
larderer (in charge of the larder)
baker
brewer
marshal
Thursday:
Readings:
Prestwich, “The Garrisoning of English Medieval Castles”
Carlin, “Cheating the Boss”
Household Expenses of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, 1313-1
https://sites.uwm.edu/carlin/household-expenses-of-thomas-earl-of-lancaster-30-sept-1313-29-sept-1314-7-8-edw-ii/
See also:
Account of the manor of Cuxham:
https://sites.uwm.edu/carlin/account-of-the-manor-of-cuxham-1316-17/
Expenses for food and lodging for the Embassy of Aragon, 1415:
https://chaucer.fas.harvard.edu/pages/expenses-food-and-lodging-embassy-aragon-1415
Discussion topics:
From the article on the garrisoning of castles:
Money quiz:
You are an English baron on the Welsh border whose castle needs to be defended by a permanent garrison. Your garrison consists of:
two knights, each of whom is paid 1s. per day
one mounted sergeant, who receives 4d. per day
ten soldiers, each of whom receives 2d. per day
1) What is the DAILY cost of your garrison’s wages?
2) What is the ANNUAL cost of your garrison’s wages, in pounds?
3) If your annual income is £365, what PERCENTAGE of your income is represented by the garrison’s wages?
Discussion topics:
In the household expenses of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, 1313-14 :
1) Reconstruct and rank the main groups of household members
2) Why are the countess’s expenses so much smaller than the earl’s?
In the expenses of the Aragonese ambassadors (1415):
Reconstruct the diet of these visiting diplomats
In the article on “Cheating the Boss” and the account of the manor of Cuxham, 1316-17:
How might a dishonest estates steward or bailiff of this manor commit fraud(s)?