_Master._—What does he give you?
_Huntsman._—He clothes me well and feeds me, and sometimes gives me a
horse or a bracelet, that I may the more joyfully set about my craft.
THE FISHERMAN.
_Master._—What do you get by your craft?
_Fisherman._—Food, and clothing, and money.
_Master._—How do you catch fish?
_Fisherman._—I get into my boat, and place my nets in the river, and I
cast a hook and baskets, and I take whatever they hold.
_Master._—What if they are unclean fishes?
_Fisherman._—The unclean I cast out, and take the clean for food.
_Master._—Where do you sell your fish?
_Fisherman._—In the town.... The townsmen buy them. I cannot catch as
many as I can sell.
_Master._—What sorts of fish do you catch?
_Fisherman._—Eels, and pike, minnows, eelpout, trout, and lamprey, and
such sprats as swim in a river.
_Master._—Why don’t you fish in the sea?
_Fisherman._—Sometimes I do, but seldom, for it is a long row for me to
the sea.
_Master._—What do you catch in the sea?
_Fisherman._—Herrings, and salmon, porpoises, and sturgeon, oysters and
crabs, mussels, periwinkles, cockles, plaice, and soles, and lobsters,
and many such things.
_Master._—Do you wish to catch a whale?
_Fisherman._—No.
_Master._—Why?
_Fisherman._—Because it is a dangerous thing to catch a whale. It is
safer for me to go to the river with my boat than to go with many boats
on a whale-hunt.
_Master._—Why so?
_Fisherman._—Because I would sooner catch a fish that I can slay than
one who can sink or kill not me only but also my mates with one blow.
_Master._—But, still, many catch whales, and escape the dangers, and
obtain a great price therefor.
_Fisherman._—That’s true, but I dare not, on account of the cowardliness
of my mind.
THE FOWLER.
_Master._—What do you say, fowler? How do you snare birds?
_Fowler._—I snare them in many ways: sometimes with nets, sometimes with
nooses, sometimes with lime, sometimes by whistling, sometimes with a
hawk, sometimes with traps....
_Master._—How do you feed your hawks?
_Fowler._—In winter they feed themselves and me; in Lent I let them fly
away to the wood; and in autumn I catch young birds and tame them.
_Master._—And why do you let those that you have tamed fly away from
you?
_Fowler._—Because I do not wish to feed them in the summer, as they eat
too much.
_Master._—But many men do feed tame hawks through the summer, so that
they may have them ready again.
_Fowler._—Yes, so they do; but I do not wish to be so bothered with
them, because I know how to catch many more.
THE TRADER.
_Master._—What do you say, trader?
_Trader._—I say that I am needful to the king, and ealdormen, and
wealthy men, and to all the folk.
_Master._—How?
_Trader._—I get into my boat with my load, and I row over the waters and
sell my things, and I buy things of great price which this land does not
bring forth, and I bring them hither to you, with great danger, over the
sea, and sometimes I suffer shipwreck, with the loss of all my things,
barely escaping with my life.
_Master._—What sorts of things do you bring to us?
_Trader._—Cloaks, and silk, stones of great price, and gold, wonderful
garments, and perfumes, wine and oil, ivory, and brass, copper and tin,
sulphur and glass, and many things like them.
_Master._—Will you sell your things here, for as much as you bought them
there?
_Trader._—I will not. For then what gain is there in my toil? But I will
sell them here dearer than I bought them there, that I may get me some
profit to feed me and my wife and my children.
THE SHOEMAKER.
_Master._—Shoemaker, what useful work do you do for us?...
_Shoemaker._—I buy hides and fells, and by my craft I prepare them, and
from them I make shoes of several kinds, slippers, and shoes, leather
hose, and bottles, bridle-thongs, and trappings, and flasks, flagons,
and purses, spur-leathers, and halters, bags, and sacks; and not one of
you wishes to pass a winter without my craft.
THE REST.
_Master._—Whom have we here?
_Pupil._—I have smiths, iron-smiths, a goldsmith, a silversmith, a
coppersmith, a carpenter, and many other craftsmen.
_Master._—Have you a learned counsellor?
_Pupil._—Truly I have. How can our fellowship be ruled without a man of
wisdom?
THE PUPIL.
_Master._—Well, boy, what have you done to-day?
_Pupil._—I have done many things. Last night, when I heard the tolling,
I arose from my bed, and went to the church, and sang nocturns with the
brethren, and morning lauds ... after that prime, and the seven psalms,
with litanies, and chapter-mass, then terce and the mass of the day;
after this we sang sext, and ate, and drank, and slept, and again we
arose, and sang nones, and now here we are before you, ready to hear
what you say to us.
_Master._—When will you sing vespers or compline?
_Pupil._—When it is time.
_Master._—Were you threshed to-day?
_Pupil._—Not I, for I behaved myself warily.
_Master._—And how about your school-fellows?
_Pupil._—Why do you ask me about that? I daren’t tell you our secrets.
Each one knows whether he was threshed or not.
_Master._—What do you eat every day?
_Pupil._—I still eat flesh-meat, because I am a child living under the
rod.
_Master._—What more do you eat?
_Pupil._—Vegetables, and eggs, fish, and cheese, butter, and beans, and
all clean things I eat, with great thankfulness.
_Master._—Surely you are gluttonous, since you eat everything that is
put before you.
_Pupil._—I am not so greedy as to be able to eat all kinds of food at
one meal.
_Master._—How then?
_Pupil._—Sometimes I eat some kinds of food, sometimes others, in
moderation, as a monk should do, without greediness, because I am not a
glutton.
_Master._—And what do you drink?
_Pupil._—Ale, if I have it, or water, if I have no ale.
_Master._—Don’t you drink wine?
_Pupil._—I am not rich enough to be able to buy wine for myself: and
wine is no drink for children or the foolish, but for those who are
older and wiser.
_Master._—Where do you sleep?
_Pupil._—In the dormitory with the brethren.
_Master._—Who wakes you for nocturns?
_Pupil._—Sometimes I hear the tolling and arise, sometimes my master
awakes me sternly with the rod.
_Master._—My good children and agreeable pupils, your master bids you
obey the divine teaching and that you behave yourselves well in every
place. Go obediently when you hear the church bells into the church, and
humbly bow before the holy altars, and stand reverently, and sing in
time and tune, and pray for your sins, and go out thoughtfully to the
cloister or the school.
EDMUND AND CANUTE (1016).
=Source.=—_Anglo-Saxon Chronicle._ Translated by J. A. Giles. Bohn’s
Library.
ANNO 1016.—... Then befell it that King Ethelred died, before the ships
[of the Danes] arrived. He ended his days on St. George’s mass day, and
he held his kingdom with great toil and under great difficulties, the
while that his life lasted. And then, after his end, all the nobles who
were in London, and the citizens, chose Edmund to be king: and he
strenuously defended his kingdom the while that his time lasted. Then
came the ships to Greenwich at Rogation days. And within a little space
they went to London, and then dug a great ditch on the south side, and
dragged their ships to the west side of the bridge; and then afterwards
they ditched the city around, so that no one could go either in or out:
and they repeatedly fought against the city; but the citizens
strenuously withstood them. Then had the King Edmund, before that, gone
out; and then he overran Wessex, and all the people submitted to him.
And soon after that he fought against the army at Pen, near Gillingham.
And a second battle he fought, after midsummer, at Sherston; and there
much slaughter was made on either side, and the armies of themselves
separated. In that battle was Edric the ealdorman, and Ælmer Darling,
helping the army against King Edmund. And then gathered he his forces
for the third time, and went to London, all north of Thames, and so out
through Clayhanger; and relieved the citizens, and drove the army in
flight to their ships. And then, two days after, the king went over to
Brentford, and there fought against the army, and put them to flight:
and there were many of the English drowned, from their own carelessness;
they who went before the forces, and would take booty. And after that
the king went into Wessex, and collected his forces. Then went the army,
soon, to London, and beset the city around, and strongly fought against
it, as well by water as by land. But the Almighty God delivered it.
The enemy went then, after that, from London, with their ships, into the
Orwell, and there went up, and proceeded into Mercia, and destroyed and
burnt whatsoever they overran, as is their wont, and provided themselves
with food; and they conducted as well their ships as their droves into
the Medway. Then King Edmund assembled, for the fourth time, all his
forces, and went over the Thames at Brentford, and went into Kent; and
the army fled before him, with their horses, into Sheppey: and the king
slew as many of them as he could overtake. And Edric the ealdorman went
then to meet the king at Aylesford: than which no measure could be more
ill-advised.
The army then went again up into Essex, and passed into Mercia, and
destroyed whatever it overran.
When the king learned that the army was upward, then assembled he, for
the fifth time, all the English nation, and followed after them, and
overtook them in Essex at the down which is called Assingdon; and there
they strenuously joined battle. Then did Edric the ealdorman, as he had
oft before, begin the flight first with the Maisevethians, and so
betrayed his royal lord and the whole people of the English race. There
Canute had the victory; and all the English nation fought against him.
There was slain Bishop Ednoth [of Dorchester], and Abbot Wulsy, and
Elfric the ealdorman, and Godwin the ealdorman of Lindsey, and Ulfkytel
of East Anglia, and Ethelward, son of Ethelwine the ealdorman; and all
the nobility of the English race was there destroyed.
Then, after this battle, went King Canute up with his army into
Gloucestershire, where he learned that King Edmund was.
Then advised Edric the ealdorman, and the counsellors who were there,
that the kings should be mutually reconciled. And they delivered
hostages mutually; and the kings came together at Olney near Deerhurst,
and then confirmed their friendship as well by pledge as by oath, and
settled the tribute for the army. And they then separated with this
reconcilement: and Edmund obtained Wessex, and Canute Mercia and the
northern district. The army then went to their ships with the things
they had taken. And the men of London made a truce with the army, and
bought themselves peace: and the army brought their ships to London, and
took up their winter quarters therein. Then, at St. Andrew’s mass, died
King Edmund; and his body lies at Glastonbury, with his grandfather
Edgar....
ANNO 1017.—In this year King Canute obtained the whole realm of the
English race, and divided it into four parts: Wessex to himself, and
East Anglia to Thurkill, and Mercia to Edric, and Northumbria to Eric.
And in this year was Edric the ealdorman slain in London, very justly,
and Norman, son of Leofwin the ealdorman, and Ethelward, son of Ethelmar
the Great, and Britric, son of Elphege, in Devonshire. And King Canute
banished Edwy the Etheling, and afterwards commanded him to be slain,
and Edwy, king of the Ceorls. And then, before the Kalends of August,
the king commanded the widow of King Ethelred, Richard’s daughter, to be
fetched for his wife; that was Elfgive in English, Emma in French.
PEOPLE’S DUTIES AND RIGHTS IN THE TIME OF CANUTE (c. 1025).
=Source.=—_Anglo-Saxon Rectitudines Singularum Personarum._ Thorpe,
_Ancient Laws and Institutes of England_. Translated by W.
THEGN’S law is that he be worthy of his book-right: and that he do three
things for his estate, fyrd-expedition, repair of fortress walls, and
bridge-work. Also on many estates more land-duty arises at the king’s
behest; such is deer-hedge for royal demesne, and equipment for a
war-ship, and seaward, and head-ward, and fyrd-ward, alms fee, and
church-scot, and many other manifold things.
GENEAT’S duty is manifold according to the custom of the estate. On some
he must furnish rent and a grass-swine every year, and must ride and
carry, and lead loads, labour, and entertain his lord, and reap and mow,
trim the deer-hedge, and keep it firm, build and hedge the burh, bring
strange comers to the tun, pay church-scot and alms fee, keep watch by
his lord, and horse-ward, go errands far or near, wherever he is
ordered.
COTSETLA’S duty, according to the custom of the estate. On some he must
every Monday of the year work for his lord, and 3 days every week at
harvest, nor ought he to pay rent. It pertains to him to occupy 5 acres;
more, if it be the custom on the estate; and it is too little, if it
were any less in amount, since his work must be frequent. Let him pay
his hearth-penny on Holy Thursday, as pertains to every freeman. And let
him represent his lord’s demesne if he is ordered, in seaward, and at
the king’s deer-hedge, and at such things as his position requires. And
let him pay his church-scot at Martinmas.
GEBUR’S duties are manifold, in some places they are heavy, and in some
places moderate. On some estates he must work at weekwork two days such
work as is ordered for him every week of the year, and at harvest three
days at week-work, and from Candlemas to Easter three. If he is
carrying, he need not work while his horse is abroad. He must pay on
Michaelmas day 10 rent-pennies, and on Martinmas day 24d., a sester of
barley, and 2 hen-fowls; at Easter a young sheep or two pennies. And he
must lie from Martinmas to Easter at the lord’s fold, as often as it
falls to his share. And from the time of the first ploughing until
Martinmas he must every week plough 1 acre, and himself get the seed
from the lord’s barn. In addition to them 3 acres as a boon and 2 acres
in return for hay; if he needs more hay, he must earn it by ploughing as
he is allowed. He ploughs 3 acres as his rent-ploughing, and sows of his
own barn, and pays his hearth-penny. Two and two feed one deerhound. And
every gebur pays 6 loaves to the swineherd of the demesne when he drives
his herd to mast-pasture. On the estate where this plan exists it
pertains to the gebur that he is given for the stocking of his land 2
oxen and 1 cow and 6 sheep and 7 acres of sown land on his yard-land.
And so after that year let him do all the duties that pertain to him,
and let him be given tools for his work and utensils for his house. When
he dies what he leaves pertains to the care of his lord.
This land-law exists on some estates. In some places it is, as I said
before, heavier, and in some places lighter, since all land-customs are
not alike. On some estates the gebur must pay honey-rent, on some
food-rent, on some ale-rent. Let him who holds the office of steward
take heed that he aye know what are the old land-customs and what the
custom of the people.
To the BEE-KEEPER it pertains, if he hold a swarm by duty of rent, that
he pay therefor according to the custom of the estate. With us the
custom is that he pay 5 sesters of honey as rent; on some estates more
rent is due. Sometimes also he must be ready for many labours at the
lord’s will, besides boon-ploughing, and boon-harvesting, and
meadow-mowing, and if he be well landed he must be horsed, that he may
supply it for the lord’s horse-duty, or lead it himself, whichever he is
ordered. And many things a man in such condition must do, all of which I
cannot now enumerate. When he dies what he leaves pertains to his lord’s
care, except what may be free.
To the SWINEHERD paying pig-rent it pertains that he furnish his
slaughter-beasts according to the custom of the estate. On many estates
the custom is that he furnish every year 15 swine for sticking, 10 old
and 5 young: let him have himself what more he rears. On many estates
the swineherd’s duty is heavier. And let the swineherd take care that
after sticking them he prepare and singe well his slaughter-swine: then
he is entitled to receive his due. And he must be, as I said above of
the bee-keeper, always available for work between-times, and horsed for
his lord’s need. The swineherd who is a slave, and the bee-keeper who is
a slave, after their death are worthy of the same law.
To the SWINEHERD who is a chattel, who keeps the demesne herd, pertains
the sty-pig, and the pluck is his when he has prepared the fat bacon,
besides the rights which pertain to slaves.
To a SLAVE-LABOURER pertain for food 12 pounds of good corn and 2
sheep’s carcases and one good cow for killing: rights of wood according
to the custom of the estate.
To a SLAVE-WOMAN 8 pounds of corn for food, 1 sheep or 3 pennies for
winter-food: 1 sester of beans for fast-food: in summer whey or 1 penny.
To all SLAVES pertain a Midwinter’s feast, and an Easter feast, an acre
for ploughing, and daily in harvest a handful of corn, besides their
dues.
To a FOLLOWER it pertains that in 12 months he have 2 acres, one sown,
the other unsown (let him sow it himself); and his food and shoes and
gloves pertain to him: if he may earn more it is to his advantage.
To the SOWER pertains that he have of every kind of seed one basketful,
when he has first sown all the seed well for a year.
The OXHERD may pasture 2 oxen or more with the lord’s herd in the common
leas, with the knowledge of his overseer. Let him have for his work
shoes and gloves for himself; and his cow for killing may go with the
lord’s oxen.
To the COWHERD pertains that he have the milk of a grown cow for 7
nights after her calving, and the beestings of a young cow 14 nights,
and let his cow for killing go with the lord’s cows.
The SHEPHERD’S due is that he have 12 nights’ manure at Midwinter, and 1
lamb of a year’s youth, and 1 bell-wether’s fleece, and the milk of his
herd for 7 nights after autumnal equinox, and a bowlful of whey or
buttermilk all the summer.
To the GOATHERD pertains the milk of his herd after Martinmas Day, and
before then his share of whey and 1 kid of a year’s youth, if he care
for his herd well.
To the CHEESEMAKER pertain a hundred cheeses and that she make butter
for the lord’s board of milk that has dropped from the cheese-press, and
have for herself all the whey except the shepherd’s share.
To the BARN-MAN pertains the fallen corn at the barn-door in harvest, if
his overseer grant it him and he have earned it faithfully.
To the BEADLE it pertains that for his office he be freer of labour than
other men, for he must be often available: and some piece of land
pertains to him for his work.
To the WOODWARD pertains every tree felled by the wind.
To the HAYWARD it pertains that his work’s reward be acknowledged along
the boundary which lies by the meadow-lea, for he may expect, if he does
not guard this, that men will blame him for the damage: also if he is
given a piece of land, it shall by folk-right lie next the meadow,
because if he slothfully neglect his lord’s, his own is not well
protected, if it be thus situate. But if he protect all well that he
should guard, he is right well worth his pay. [This means that his land
is to be the first to suffer by an incursion of the cattle due to his
careless upkeep of the hedges.]
Estate-laws are manifold, as I said before, nor do we lay down as the
rights over all places those which we before spoke of, but we proclaim
what the custom is where it is known to us. If we learn better, we will
gladly approve and hold by the folk-customs of the place where we then
live: for a man must learn laws among the people gladly, if he does not
want to lose honour among the people. Many are the rights of the folk.
On some estates there pertain to the people winter-feast, Easter-feast,
boon-feast for harvest, drinking-feast for ploughing, mowing-pay,
rick-treat, at wood-carrying one tree from each cart, at corn-carrying
rick-top-feast, and many things that I cannot enumerate. This is,
however, the memorandum for a man’s food, as well as all that I before
this set forth.
CANUTE’S LETTER FROM ROME (1027).
=Source.=—From William of Malmesbury’s _Gesta Regum_, book ii., c. xi.
Translated by J. A. Giles. Bohn’s Library.