BRITAIN IN THE MIDDLE AGES
A HISTORY FOR BEGINNERS
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
C. F. CLAY, Manager
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[Illustration: THE ARMING OF A KNIGHT]
BRITAIN IN THE MIDDLE AGES
A HISTORY FOR BEGINNERS
BY
FLORENCE L. BOWMAN, M.Ed.
FINAL HONOUR SCHOOL OF MODERN HISTORY, OXFORD
LECTURER IN EDUCATION, HOMERTON COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE
CAMBRIDGE
AT THE UNIVERSITY PRESS
1920
_First Edition_ 1919
_Second Edition_ 1920
PREFACE
Since, in the early stages of school work, it is more important to
present, as vividly as possible, some of the fundamental historic ideas
than to give any outline of events, it is hoped that this collection of
stories, told from the chronicles, may provoke readers to discussion
and further inquiry.
Questions have been included in the appendix, some suggesting handwork,
both as a means of presentation in lessons and for illustrative
purposes.
Considerable use has been made of literature as historic evidence.
Stories like those of the Knights of the Round Table often leave us
with a clearer impression of the spirit of the times than any historic
record. Many books of the kind are now easily accessible and could be
read side by side with the text. Collections of pictures, such as the
Bayeux Tapestry, published by the Victoria and Albert Museum, and
Foucquet's _Chroniques de France_, offer valuable opportunities
for some research on the child's part.
F. L. BOWMAN.
HOMERTON COLLEGE
_December_, 1918
CONTENTS
CHAP. PAGE
I. BEFORE THE COMING OF THE ROMANS 1
II. THE ROMANS 3
III. THE SAXONS 6
IV. THE SAXON VILLAGE 9
V. THE COMING OF CHRISTIANITY 15
VI. ALFRED AND THE DANES 20
VII. THE BATTLE OF HASTINGS 27
VIII. NORMAN KINGS 31
IX. NORMAN BARONS 34
X. NORMAN PRELATES 39
XI. NORMAN BUILDERS 44
XII. KNIGHTHOOD 47
XIII. THE KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE 52
XIV. THE CONQUEST OF IRELAND 57
XV. THE COMING OF THE FRIARS 61
XVI. THE THIRD CRUSADE 64
XVII. THE LOSS OF NORMANDY. THE SIGNING OF
THE GREAT CHARTER 69
XVIII. THE FIRST PARLIAMENT 71
XIX. THE CONQUEST OF WALES 74
XX. THE WAR WITH SCOTLAND 76
XXI. THE WAR WITH FRANCE 79
XXII. THE WAR WITH FRANCE (_continued_) 83
XXIII. THE BLACK DEATH AND THE PEASANTS' REVOLT 85
XXIV. THE WAR WITH FRANCE (_continued_) 89
XXV. NEW WORLDS 95
SUGGESTIONS FOR STUDY 100
BIBLIOGRAPHY 102
DATES 103
TIME CHART 104
ILLUSTRATIONS
THE ARMING OF A KNIGHT FRONTISPIECE
From John Duke of Bedford's _Book of Hours_
(15th century). In the British Museum
TO FACE PAGE
THE ABBEY OF CITEAUX 18
From Viollet-le-duc, D_ictionnaire raisonné de
l'architecture française_
A SERVICE IN THE CHAPEL 19
From the _Miracles de Notre Dame_, collected
by Miélot, Canon of S. Peter's at Lille, and
finished on 10 April, 1456. In the Bibliothèque
Nationale, Paris
By arrangement with MM. Catala Frères, Paris
HAROLD DEFEATS AND KILLS TOSTIG AND THE KING
OF NORWAY AT STAMFORD BRIDGE 30
From the _Life of Edward the Confessor_
(about 1260). In the University Library, Cambridge
A BATTLE IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY 31
By Jean Foucquet, from the _Grandes chroniques
de France_ (middle of the 15th century). In the
Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris
By arrangement with MM. Catala Frères, Paris
ARCHITECT AND BUILDERS 44
From a Bible written at Lille, about 1270. In the
library of Mr S. C. Cockerell
BUILDING A CHURCH IN THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY 44
By Jean Foucquet, from the _Grandes chroniques
de France_ (middle of the 15th century). In the
Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris
By arrangement with MM. Catala Frères, Paris
THE BUILDING OF THE TEMPLE OF JERUSALEM 45
From the _Antiquités Judaïques_, by Jean
Foucquet (middle of the 15th century)
By kind permission of MM. Plon-Nourrit et Cie,
Paris
A SIEGE 46
From Viollet-le-duc, _Dictionnaire raisonné de
l'architecture française_
GATEWAY AND DRAWBRIDGE 47
From Viollet-le-duc, _Dictionnaire raisonné de
l'architecture française_
A COURT OF JUSTICE, 1458. DUKE OF ALENÇON CONDEMNED
FOR TREASON BY CHARLES VII, KING OF FRANCE 72
By Jean Foucquet. From _Le Boccace de Munich_. In
the Royal Library at Munich.
The King is seated on his throne, and below him
the princes, and on his right the Chancellor of
France with bands of gold on his shoulder.
Sentence is being read by one of the officers of
the law. On the King's left the lords of the
Church are seated and below are the chief officers
of the realm. Outside the barrier is the royal
guard
THE PARLIAMENT OF EDWARD I 73
The Archbishops of Canterbury and York are seated
just below Alexander King of Scotland, and
Llewelyn Prince of Wales. The two behind are
supposed to be the Pope's ambassadors. There are
19 mitred Abbots, 8 Bishops and 20 Peers present.
The Chancellor and Judges are seated on the
woolsacks.
From Pinkerton, _Iconographia Scotica_. Probably
drawn in the 16th century
PREPARING THE FEAST 88
From the _Luttrell Psalter_ (14th century).
In the British Museum
THE FEAST 89
From the _Luttrell Psalter_ (14th century).
In the British Museum
A CHRISTIAN OF CONSTANTINOPLE BORROWING MONEY
FROM A JEW AND PLEDGING HIS CRUCIFIX 96
From the _Miracles de Notre Dame_, collected
by Jean Miélot, and finished on 10 April, 1456.
In the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris
By arrangement with MM. Catala Frères, Paris
MIÉLOT IN HIS STUDY 97
From the _Miracles de Notre Dame_, collected
by Jean Miélot, and finished on 10 April, 1456.
In the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris
By arrangement with MM. Catala Frères, Paris
A PRINTING PRESS 97
A mark of Josse Badius Ascensius. From _De
Sacramentis_ of Thomas Waldensis, 1521. In
the University Library, Cambridge
THE TWELVE MONTHS AT END
From _Les très riches heures de Jean de France,
Duc le Berry_, chiefly the work of Pol de
Limbourg, painted between 1412 and 1416 and now
in the Musée Condé, Chantilly
By kind permission of MM. Plon-Nourrit et Cie, Paris
CHAPTER I
BEFORE THE COMING OF THE ROMANS
The world is very old, and it has taken a long time to discover much of
the ancient story of Britain. Scholars have found out many things
because they are able now to read the signs on the rocks and under the
soil. From the tools left behind, from the remains of dwellings and
from treasures found in graves, we have learned about the ways of men
in times before history was written down.
Once, it seems, Britain was a hot land. Great forests grew up
everywhere. Strange wild creatures roamed about, and there were
monsters in the waters.
Once, too, it was a very cold land, and the snow lay in the valleys and
ice-glaciers came sliding down the mountains, making great river beds
as they passed.
As it grew warmer, the ice melted and disappeared. The ice fields left
pools of water behind them, the lakes that you find in the country
still. The rivers, too, brimming over, flowed swiftly to the sea.
Mighty rivers they must have been, broader and deeper than they are
now.
When men came, they made their homes in the caves and in underground
dwellings, and later they built mud huts. They hunted for their food,
learned to weave clothes from the grasses, to make weapons from stone
and to strike fire from the rocks. This is a very long story and we
know little about it.
Of the Britons who dwelt here, we know something from those who had
heard of them and wrote about them. Round about their villages, they
made wattle-fences to keep away their enemies and the wild beasts that
came out of the forests in winter nights.
They were shepherds and had many herds of sheep and cattle, and they
grew a little corn. Sometimes, travellers from far-off lands came to
visit them, to exchange their eastern coins for grain and skins.
The Britons loved beautiful things. They made cunning designs on their
shields and helmets and with dainty tracings they ornamented their pots
and jugs. They wove linen in fine patterns and knew how to make dyes.
They were fond of music and told stories to one another of dragons and
heroes and the great dreams of men.
When their chief died, they raised a mound over his grave; sometimes,
too, great pillars of stone. They carried presents of corn and meat and
fruit to put upon the grave, because they thought he might need them on
his long journey. In some parts of the country, there are pillars of
stone set up in circles. It is thought that perhaps the Britons used
these as temples, praying and making their offerings under the sky, in
sunshine and starshine.
The Romans said that the Britons loved riding wild horses, which they
had tamed, and they were so skilful that however fast they galloped,
the rider could make the horse stand quite still at any moment. They
sometimes rode in chariots and drove furiously. When they went into
battle they armed their chariots with sharp knives and cut the enemy
down on both sides. But they did not use their chariots often, for they
would rather tend flocks in the fields than go to war.