The Chronicle
August 1353
1 August 1353
Lammas, the feast of the first loaf, and the rain kept falling. At Mass the first loaf from the new wheat was blessed, so harvest is properly here. Stephen Brewer took pottage to Maud at the Millers, and Adam Brewer called at the house too.
2 August 1353
Another quiet, overcast day in Ambermead, the day after Lammas, with the first loaf from the new wheat now blessed. Stephen and Adam Brewer both called on the Millers again, as they did yesterday. Robert of Milford, a thatcher looking for roofs to mend, came in off the road and slept by the Coopers' hearth.
3 August 1353
Harvest is underway on a cloudy day in Ambermead, and Stephen Brewer spent it helping the Smiths bring theirs in. He also carried pottage to Maud at the Millers, as he has the last few days.
4 August 1353
Maud Miller is up again after her fever, and Stephen Brewer took pottage to the Millers' door once more today, with Adam Brewer calling in as well. The banns for Adam Brewer and Joan of Thornbury were read at Mass for the second time. That means one more reading before they can marry. Two travelers came in from the road. Nicholas of Long Marston, a Dominican friar and a learned preacher, is on his way to the priory in town and had a bed at the priest's house for the night. Richard of Long Marston, a day laborer walking from village to village for harvest wages, slept in the church porch. It was a clear day for it.
5 August 1353
Clear skies over the harvest fields today. Stephen and Adam Brewer both stopped in at the Millers' house, which has seen plenty of visitors since Maud got over her fever.
6 August 1353
Harvest is moving along in the clear weather. Adam Brewer and Beatrice Mason spent the day helping the priest's household bring in their harvest. Simon of Long Marston, a pedlar with a pack of needles, pins, ribbons, laces and little knives, came in from the road and is lodging the night at the inn.
7 August 1353
Edith atte Well and Henry Cooper both stopped at the Millers' house today, Edith to see Juliana and Henry to see Maud. Maud only got up from her fever a few days ago, so the house has had a steady run of visitors. The weather stayed clear, good for harvest.
8 August 1353
Edith atte Well stopped in at the Millers' house today. It's the second day running she has been over there, after her visit to Juliana yesterday. The sky stayed clear, and with harvest underway, it was a good day to be out and about.
9 August 1353
Clear skies over the fields today, good weather for harvest. Henry Cooper spent the day helping the priest's household bring in their crop. Edith atte Well called on the Millers again, as she did yesterday.
10 August 1353
Joan of Thornbury stopped by the Millers' house today. It was a clear, bright day, good for the harvest still going on in the fields.
11 August 1353
The banns for Adam Brewer and Joan of Thornbury were read at Mass for the third and last time. Banns are the public notice of a coming marriage, and three readings give anyone a chance to object. Nothing now stands in the way of the wedding. It is a clear day in the middle of harvest, with the wheat standing ready in the fields.
12 August 1353
Adam Brewer and Joan of Thornbury were married at the church door today, a day after the banns were read for the third time at Mass. Joan now lives with the Brewers, so the household at the inn has four people under its roof. The sky was clear for it, and the wheat harvest is under way in the fields. Stephen Brewer and Adam each stopped in at the Millers' house too.
13 August 1353
Stephen and Adam Brewer both called on the Millers today. Adam is a day into married life with Joan, who now lives at the Brewers' with him. The sky stayed cloudy, and with harvest under way that was a fair day for cutting.
14 August 1353
Edith atte Well stopped in at the Millers' house today. It was a cloudy day, and the wheat harvest is well under way across the fields.
15 August 1353
Thomas and Edith atte Well both stopped by the Millers' house today, under an overcast sky. Edith was there yesterday too. The Millers have had a steady run of neighbors this week, and the newly married Adam and Joan Brewer now share the Brewers' house with Stephen and Beatrice.
16 August 1353
Elena Smith is in bed with the flux today, so the forge has one fewer pair of hands on a gray, overcast day. The Smiths' house has five people, with William Baker working the forge.
17 August 1353
Overcast in Ambermead today, with the harvest work going on around it. Stephen and Adam Brewer both called on the Millers again. Adam has been a regular there, even in his first week as a married man. The rubble and rotten thatch were cleared out of the ruined cottage at the west end of the village, so the plot is empty and ready for whatever comes next. Adam also took a pike from the lake. Elena Smith is still in bed with the flux, which started yesterday.
18 August 1353
Clear weather over Ambermead on 18 August, with harvest in full swing. Elena Smith is still in bed with the flux, and Adam Brewer took her a remedy of herbs today. Beatrice Mason went to see Peter at the Millers. Two men on the road came in at the end of the day. Simon of Westcott and Richard of Westcott both served in the king's army in France and are walking home together. Simon has a limp and a sack. They slept in the church porch.
19 August 1353
Rain today, and two callers at the Smiths' door. Edith atte Well stopped by, and so did Sir John. Elena Smith has been in bed with the flux since the 16th, so the house has had a steady stream of visitors this week.
20 August 1353
Rain all day, and a thunderstorm came through in the evening. The manor court sat in the hall, and Stephen Brewer had a costly day: 4d for brewing and selling ale against the assize (the set rules for price and quality), and 3d for a straying pig, plus 2d paid to Henry Cooper for the damage to his garden. Thomas atte Well was fined 3d for his cow in Stephen's wheat and paid 6d damages. Peter Miller was fined 3d for snaring in the lord's warren. At the Smiths' house, Margaret Smith, 9, is in bed with the flux, which she caught from Elena Smith. Adam Brewer and Thomas atte Well called in during the day.
21 August 1353
Rain today, and Elena Smith is up again after the flux. Margaret is still in bed with it. Edith atte Well and Sir John both stopped at the Smiths' house. Edith made the first wheel of cheese at dawn and set it in the cellar. She means to take it to market to help pay for hiring a lad.
22 August 1353
Beatrice Mason and Alan Shepherd are betrothed. The banns, the public announcement of a coming marriage, will be read at Mass on the next three Sundays, and the wedding can take place from 9 September. Beatrice, 22, has worked for the Brewers since early June. Rain all day, with a thunderstorm in the afternoon. Edith atte Well and Sir John both called at the Smiths' house.
23 August 1353
Rain today, and the Smiths' door saw a few visitors. Beatrice Mason called in, and Joan Brewer brought Margaret a remedy of herbs. Margaret, 9, caught the flux from Elena a few days ago. Elena is back on her feet after her own bout.
24 August 1353
Another quiet, clear day, and the Smiths' door saw visitors again. Adam Brewer and Beatrice Mason both stopped by. Elena is up from the flux, and Margaret is still on the mend, so the house is getting plenty of company.
25 August 1353
Margaret Smith is up again after the flux, just days after Elena was on her feet, so the Smiths' house is back to full strength. Stephen and Adam Brewer both called at the mill today. At Mass the banns for Beatrice Mason and Alan Shepherd were read for the first time. Two more readings to go, and the wedding can be from 9 September. At the mill, Maud Miller hung wet sacks over the door. She means to speak plainly to her mother tonight about her father's cough.
27 August 1353
A pedlar named Agnes of Brookfield came in off the road today, carrying a tray of combs, thread, spoons and cheap brooches. She is staying the night at the inn. With harvest still on and the sky clear, it was a good day to be on the road, and anyone short of thread or in need of a new spoon knows where to find her.
28 August 1353
Clear skies today, with the harvest still going. Adam and Joan Brewer both stopped by the Millers' house, the same house the Brewers have been looking in on for days.
29 August 1353
William Baker, who came to work the forge for the Smiths in June, has left. The household could no longer pay him and feed him, so they settled what they owed and he walked home to Long Marston. Adam Brewer and Beatrice Mason both stopped at the Millers' house today, as Adam did yesterday. The weather stayed clear, good for the harvest still being brought in.
30 August 1353
Peter Miller spent the day helping the Brewers with their harvest. It was a clear day for it, good weather to get the last of the cutting and carrying done.