The Chronicle
September 1353
1 September 1353
The banns for Beatrice Mason and Alan Shepherd were read at Mass for the second time. Banns are the public announcement of a coming marriage, read three Sundays running so anyone with an objection can speak. One more reading to go. Beatrice also helped the Millers with their firewood. A friar, Nicholas of Long Marston, came in from the road. He is a Franciscan, a gray friar, who preaches from village to village and begs his bread. He spent the night in the priest's house.
2 September 1353
Thomas and Edith atte Well stopped by the Millers' house today. Both Stephen Brewer and Thomas atte Well made it to St Giles's fair in the town. Stephen looked around, and Thomas came away with a brass pot, which is a real prize for any kitchen. A cloudy day, but a good one for a walk to the fair.
3 September 1353
Cloudy skies sent four households up onto their roofs today. The Brewers, the atte Wells, the Coopers and the Millers all patched their thatch before the rains. Stephen Brewer and Beatrice Mason spent the day helping the Millers with their firewood. Two travelers came in from the road. William of Thornbury, a laborer who left his lord's manor for better pay (he doesn't say which manor), slept by the Brewers' hearth. Simon of Elmstead, a groom who went to France with a knight and came back without him, slept by the Smiths' hearth. Roger Warrener went to St Giles's fair in the town and bought cloth for a gown.
4 September 1353
Cloudy in Ambermead today, and firewood is on people's minds as the weather turns. Stephen Brewer helped the Millers with theirs, the second day running that someone from the Brewers' house has lent a hand there. Adam Brewer also went to see Peter at the Millers.
5 September 1353
Two travelers came through on a cloudy day. Ralph of Stanton, a Dominican friar known as a learned preacher, is on his way to the priory in the town and has a bed at the priest's house for the night. Nicholas of Kingsley, a tinker, arrived with his little brazier and a bag of patches, and is lodging at the inn. If you have a leaky pot or kettle, now is the time to bring it out. Stephen and Adam Brewer both called on the Millers today.
6 September 1353
Cloudy day in Ambermead, and a few small changes. Sir John has taken Isabel of Kingsley, 49, into the priest's house to keep it for him. She is paid in grain from the tithe barn, the barn where the village's tenth of the harvest is stored. Sir John also called on the Millers today. Maud Miller has forgiven Joan Brewer. Richard of Westcott, a groom who went to France with a knight and came back without him, arrived from the road and slept in the church porch.
8 September 1353
The banns for Beatrice Mason and Alan Shepherd were read at Mass today for the third and last time. Banns are the public notice of a coming marriage, read on three Sundays so anyone with a reason to object can speak up. Rain fell all day, with a thunderstorm in the afternoon.
9 September 1353
Alan Shepherd and Beatrice Mason were married at the church door this morning, after the banns were read for the third time yesterday. Alan came from Fairford. The couple have taken the empty cottage and three acres, so the Shepherds are now a household of two. Beatrice, who had been the Brewers' servant, also called at the priest's house today, and Thomas atte Well stopped by there too. It was a clear day for a wedding.
10 September 1353
The manor court sat in the hall today, and the steward had a full list. Joan Brewer was fined 4d for brewing and selling ale against the assize, the rules on how and when ale may be sold. The court also heard about the merchet for Beatrice Shepherd's marriage, the fee owed to the lord when a woman marries, and the reeve's report that boon-work, the days of labor owed to the lord, had not been done. The ale-tasters gave their reports too. Two complaints were brought against Thomas atte Well. John of Thornbury says his beasts got into the corn, and Roger Warrener says a pig got into his garden. The steward has put everything before the lord. It was a clear day for it.
11 September 1353
Trouble at the lord's warren this morning. Roger Warrener, who keeps it for the lord, came upon Adam Brewer and Henry Cooper there before light, with two coneys (rabbits) taken from it. Both men must answer for it at the manor court. The day itself has turned out clear.
12 September 1353
A clear day in Ambermead, and a busy one for newcomers. Joan Brewer and Edith atte Well both called on the Shepherds, Beatrice and Alan, who have been married only a few days and are settling into their cottage. The Smiths have taken on Robert Fowler, 21, of Kingsley, to strike and work the bellows at the forge. There is more trade than hands, and he'll earn 10s a year and his keep. William of Ashby came in from the road and slept by the atte Wells's hearth. He's a laborer who left his lord's manor for better pay, and he doesn't say which manor.
13 September 1353
Harvest home today: the last load of corn came in from the fields with the reapers riding on top. With the weather clear, the cart rolled in dry. Adam and Joan Brewer both stopped by the Shepherds' cottage, the newly married couple's first week in their new home.
14 September 1353
The lord gave his reapers and the whole village their harvest supper in the manor hall tonight, a day after the last load of corn came in. It was a clear day, and the Smiths used it to patch their thatch before the rains arrive. Peter Miller called on the Shepherds. Two travelers came in from the road and slept in the church porch: Simon of Hatherley, a day laborer walking from village to village for harvest wages, and Gilbert of Stanton, who served in the king's army in France and is walking home with a limp and a sack.
15 September 1353
A clear day in Ambermead, with the harvest supper behind us and the thatch patched ahead of the rains. Maud Miller called on the Shepherds, who have had a steady stream of neighbors this week. Ralph of Oakham, a pilgrim bound for Our Lady's shrine at Walsingham, arrived on the road with a staff and a scrip (the small pouch pilgrims carry). The priest gave him a bed for the night.
16 September 1353
Clear skies over Ambermead today, and a steady stream of visitors at the Shepherds' door. Thomas atte Well and Elena Smith both called on Beatrice and Alan. That makes four households in three days, after Peter Miller on the 14th and Maud Miller yesterday, now that harvest home is behind everyone.
17 September 1353
Clear skies over Ambermead today, and the Shepherds had more visitors. Adam and Joan Brewer both stopped by. That makes four households calling on Beatrice and Alan Shepherd in the past three days, after Maud Miller, Thomas atte Well and Elena Smith.
18 September 1353
Clear skies over Ambermead today. Edith atte Well and Isabel of Kingsley both stopped in at the Shepherds' house, which makes it a steady few days of callers for Beatrice and Alan. Geoffrey of Brookfield, 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.
19 September 1353
Clear skies again today, and the Shepherds' door stayed busy. Joan Brewer and Edith atte Well both stopped by. That makes a week of neighbors dropping in on Beatrice and Alan since their wedding, and they have had a steady stream of company in their new cottage.
20 September 1353
Clear skies over Ambermead today, and a quiet one for visiting. Thomas atte Well stopped by the Shepherds' cottage, the newlyweds' house since their wedding on 9 September. Henry Cooper called on the priest's household.
21 September 1353
The lord has ruled on the matters raised at the court on 10 September. He dropped the merchet for Beatrice Shepherd's marriage as a wedding gift. Merchet is the fee a family usually pays the lord when a daughter marries. Anyone who skipped the boon-work, the days of unpaid work owed to the lord, has been warned, and the work must be made good. Thomas atte Well paid John of Thornbury 3d for his cow getting into the barley. He also paid Roger Warrener 2d for the damage his pig did, and the pig must now be ringed, with a ring in its nose to stop it rooting. Cecily Cooper called on the Smiths today, and Peter Miller called at the priest's house. The day was clear.
22 September 1353
Clear weather today, and a quiet one. Joan Brewer and Thomas atte Well both stopped by the Shepherds' cottage, where Beatrice and Alan are still settling in as a household of two. Christina of Hatherley, a day laborer walking from village to village for harvest wages, came in from the road and slept in the church porch.
23 September 1353
Quiet day in Ambermead under a clear sky. Edith atte Well stopped in at the Shepherds' cottage, the third neighbor in two days to call on the newly married pair. Henry Cooper paid a visit to the priest's house.
24 September 1353
A wet 24 September. Maud Miller called on the priest's household, and Roger Warrener stopped in at the Shepherds' cottage, still the newest home in the village.
25 September 1353
A gray, quiet 25 September, with Michaelmas four days off. Thomas atte Well and Edith atte Well both called on the Shepherds.
26 September 1353
A clear 26 September. Beatrice Shepherd has learned every verse of the carters' ballad from Maud Miller, and she's been practicing it at home.
27 September 1353
A cloudy 27 September, two days before Michaelmas. Peter Miller called at the priest's house.
28 September 1353
Michaelmas Eve, 28 September, cloudy. Peter Miller came home from the lake with a good string of fish. Simon of Norton, a Franciscan friar (a gray friar, who preaches from village to village and begs his bread), came in off the road and spent the night at the priest's house.
29 September 1353
Michaelmas, 29 September, and the farming year turned over. It was a poor one: 207 bushels from 21 acres, 9 a head, with 195 more bought in, though wages brought in 72s and the flock 27 fleeces and 7 lambs. The Coopers have saved enough to take up 6 more acres and are cottars no longer, and the steward put 10 acres of the lord's own land back under the plough, so there's wage work for anyone who wants it. Peter Miller asked the steward about the mill lease, and the old terms stand another year. Thomas atte Well offered for the empty holding by the mere, and the steward will put it to the lord. Sir John has taken Walter Smith, 7, to teach him his letters. The churchwardens bought new bell ropes for 2s 6d, and Beatrice Shepherd now brews every week, with the neighbors buying.