GLOSSARY

Avering

- A medieval con-trick performed by beggars to obtain money. Some beggars would strip themselves, hide their clothes and pretend to have been robbed. Others would fake illnesses by sticking on fake boils made of wax, or tumours made from raw offal, to get alms from townspeople or the church.

Barbette

- A cloth band that went round the face of the wearer under the chin, which together with a band, known as a fillet, around the forehead, was the structure to which the veil, wimple or headdress was pinned.
The barbette was worn by women throughout the thirteen century, but by 1348 it was disappearing, to be replaced with a band that went round the back of the head instead of under the chin. The barbette was still retained by various orders of nuns well into the twentieth century.

Bastles and Peles

- Unique features of the border counties, especially Northumberland, where the constant raids and wars between the Scots and the English meant that people on both sides of the shifting border lived in fear of attack. Peles were oblong towers, built to withstand a siege, with stone walls of about three to four feet thick, in which people could take refuge. Livestock and food were kept in the basement and people occupied the two or three storeys above. Bastles were fortified farmhouses where people would live all year round. They can still be seen today.

Blaunche porre

- This pottage was originally made with small wild song birds such as blackbirds. Birds would have been added on flesh-days, the rest of the year it would have been a vegetarian dish. Today we substitute chicken instead of song-birds but equally it can be made without any meat at all.

1 teaspoon of saffron
4 to six leeks finely sliced
3 onions - chopped
1 pint chicken or vegetable stock
Teaspoon honey
Pinch each of saffron, pepper, cinnamon and cloves
Pinch of ground ginger or few slices of fresh ginger
Left over cooked chicken (optional)

Soak saffron in a little boiling water until water is yellow.
Add all of the ingredients to the chicken or vegetable stock. Simmer gently in a large pan for 6 - 8 minutes.
To serve as a side dish or main dish, drain off most of the stock; otherwise double the stock and serve as a pottage or soup.

Boggart

- A mischievous imp or poltergeist inhabiting country areas. It caused destruction in cottages and farms, making things go bump in the night, causing weeds to spring up in fields and the cows' milk to dry up. It also played malicious tricks on travellers. It usually became attached to a particular place or family and would not leave.

Boy Bishop

- The custom of electing a boy bishop dates back over a thousand years. The boy bishop held office from St. Nicholas Day, patron saint of children, on 6th December, to Holy Innocents Day, 28th December. The boy wore bishops' vestments, carried a crosier and, accompanied by a train of boys in minor orders, took part in services. On the last day he preached a sermon.
The fortunate lad lived in great luxury, just like the adult medieval bishops, during his time in office and presumably was spared the regular birchings which were the bane of the medieval schoolboy's life, for which he must have been very thankful. If he died in office, he was buried as if he was a bishop.
You can see a supposed effigy of such a boy in full bishop's vestments in Salisbury Cathedral.

Bough Cake

- A long stick was threaded with a mixture of dried fruits such as apricots, apples and plums. The fruit was coated in batter and spit-roasted over an open fire. More batter was spooned over the fruits as they cooked until they were covered in a thick layer. Once cooked, the bough cake was rolled in honey and spices before being served.

Brambles

- We may not think of blackberry brambles as a medicinal herb, but they did in medieval times. One of the stranger beliefs was that being drawn backwards through an arch of brambles would cure blackheads, acne and whooping cough.
But more practically the medieval herbals said that the root of bramble boiled in wine would cure sore throats and mouth ulcers. Eating the fresh leaf tips was considered very good for you as it fixed loose teeth - there is probably some truth in that, in that it may well have prevented scurvy. Piles could be relieved by both eating the fruit and applying them externally to piles. And if you are thinking of weaving your own clothes, brambles are a very valuable source of dyes. The fruit dyes sheep's wool grey and dyes silk slate blue; the green shoots produce a black dye.

Brawn and Sharp Sauce

- Fried Brawn, known as Braun Feyez, was made from trimmings of the pig's head, trotters, tail and tongue boiled for hours with onions, spices and herbs. Once the liquid was reduced, the thick mass was left in a cold dish until the meats were set in jelly. The block of brawn was turned out, sliced and fried in lard or butter. It was served with a sour vinegar sauce, Gruant Tartez, to offset the rich greasy meat.

Bull oak

- An ancient hollow oak tree. There were several names for different shapes of hollow oaks. A bull oak was one with a hollow reaching to the ground which was large enough for sheep or pigs or even bulls to take shelter in it.

Camelot

- A medieval pedlar or hawker who also sold or carried news. Camelots had a reputation for trading in goods that were not always genuine or might have fallen off the back of a cart. The name is still used today in France for a street peddler or newspaper seller.

Cattern Cakes

- On St Catherine's day, cattern cakes - made from sweet dough - were eaten for luck, to keep the family safe over winter. In some parts of the country they ate Cattern pies instead - pastries shaped like a Catherine wheel and filled with minced mutton, honey and breadcrumbs.
Wheels of burning straw, once the symbol of the ancient sun god, were rolled across fields for fertility in celebration of St Catherine. A favourite pastime on this day was to jump over a two-foot high lighted candle. If the candle was not extinguished as you jumped (and you didn't catch fire), good luck would follow for the year. The rhyme Jack be nimble, Jack be quick / Jack jump over the candle stick may have originated with this custom.

Commissarius

- Within the Church, he was a man who was personally commissioned by a Bishop to exercise spiritual authority within the Bishop's diocese or See. The Commissarius could preside as a judge in court on behalf of the Bishop.

Cordwainer

- A shoemaker who worked in cordwain or cordovan leather, which was a fine red leather imported from Spain and used to make the best quality shoes and boots. Eventually, cordwainer became the name for all shoemakers.

Cote-hardie

- An open-sleeved supertunic. For men, this was worn over a gipon and shirt. Tight fitting across the chest, it flared into a skirt below the waist, open in front and reaching to the knees. The old and poorer men wore looser and longer cote-hardie reaching to the calves. As the century progressed, fashionable men wore the cote-hardie shorter and shorter until it barely covered the hips.

Demon Star

- Also known as Lilith's star or Algol, is in the constellation Perseus. It was considered the most dangerous star in the heavens, bringing evil and death, for it seems to wink like a great eye. A girl born under its astrological influence was said to bring a curse upon her family and any man she married.
The star appears to wane in brightness over four and a half hours, remaining dim for twenty minutes, then increases to its original intensity for sixty-nine hours. We now know this is caused by a dimmer star eclipsing a brighter one.

Deodand

- from deo dandum 'given to God'. Any object or animal which caused the death of a person was declared deodand and it or its value was forfeit to the Crown. This might include a horse that trampled someone, a tree that the deceased had fallen from, a chimney that had collapsed on them, or hoe that had accidently hit them.

Faith cakes

- St Faith was a third century virgin and martyr, and the patron saint of pilgrims and prisoners. She was martyred by being roasted alive on a brazen bed. When that failed to kill her, she was beheaded.
On her feast day, 6th October, people ate cakes griddled on hot irons, ensuring safe and successful pilgrimages.

Fret

- An open-weave ornamental net which covered the hair. Wealthy women might have frets fashioned from silver or gold thread, or even studded with semi-precious stones.

Green Mist Baby

- a baby born in springtime when the fields appear to be covered with a bright green mist as the seeds begin to germinate. These babies were likely to be of low birth-weight because of the lack of fresh meat, eggs and vegetables in the mother's diet during the winter months when she was pregnant. But those babies who survived the birth, had the good warm days of spring and summer when mother's milk was richer to build up strength before winter. In contrast autumn babies were often bigger when born, but frequently sickened and died during that first winter.

Holly

- From the Old English holen or holegn; always a symbol of good luck. A holly tree growing near the house was thought to protect it from lightning, and a sprig of Christmas Holly should be kept in the house for the rest of the year to protect against lightning.
In the Middle Ages holly was hung in homes to welcome in the good fairies and spirits. Holly must be hung before mistletoe or ill-fortune will be drawn into the house through the chimney on Christmas Eve.
To discover your future spouse, you had to gather nine holly leaves from the female tree at midnight on Friday, tie them with nine knots in a three-cornered cloth and place them under your pillow, then you would dream of your future partner, but only if you kept silence from gathering the leaves to dawn.

Hue and Cry

- The first person to discover a robbery or a body was legally obliged to raise the hue and cry, in other words sound the alarm and rouse his neighbours. On hearing this, all able-bodied men had to start hunting down the perpetrator. Failure to comply with this law meant heavy fines for the individual and often the whole community.

Jack-in-the-green / Devil's Prick

- Botanical name Arum maculatum, (also known as 'Lords and Ladies', because of its resemblance to male and female genitalia).
This poisonous herb had many medicinal uses in the Middle Ages including inducing menstruation. It was also used by young men as a love charm. It was said to have grown at the foot of the cross where drops of Christ's blood fell on it, marking it from that time onwards.

King Bee

- During the Middle Ages, it was believed that a hive or skep of bees was ruled by a male or king bee, not by a female queen. The order and hierarchy of the hive was thought to reflect the structure of both Church and State. Clergy instructed their congregations to look to the bees as exemplary models of how kingdoms and manors should be run. It was not until 1586 that it was discovered that the king bee was actually female.

Kirtle

- A gown worn by women. By the first half of the fourteenth century, the kirtle was cut to reveal the body shape, and moulded to the figure as far as the hips where it widen into folds which swept to the ground.

Lange wortys de chare

- A form of pottage. Pottage was the main meal eaten in the Middle Ages by wealthy and poor alike. There were lots of variations depending on whether it was a flesh (meat-day) or Lenten and fish day.

• 1lb shin beef
• 2 leeks
• 2 onions
• 2 stick celery
• Quarter of firm cabbage
• Salt & pepper
• Beef or vegetable stock
• 4 oz stale white breadcrumbs
• Few strands of saffron

Cut meat into small pieces. Add the meat to 2 pints of stock, bring to the boil, cover and stew until tender.
Meanwhile chop vegetables into large pieces and boil in separate pan for ten minutes. When beef is ready add the vegetables together with a little of the water they were cooked in. Continue simmer until vegetables are soft.
Add breadcrumbs, saffron and seasonings, bring back to the boil and cook for 2 - 3 minutes before serving.

Pinfold

- A stone or wooden enclosure, usually circular, used to corral animals at night. Often to be found on drovers roads, so that herdsmen and drovers could safely contain the flocks while they slept. The term was also used for a pound where stray or confiscated animals could be held until the owner paid his fine.

Pokerounce

- A favourite medieval sweet dish and very easy to make today.

      4 thick slices of white bread
      8 oz (225 g) honey
      Pinch each of: ground ginger, cinnamon and ground black pepper
      Half oz (15g) pine nut kernels

Toast the bread on both sides and cut slices into small squares. Place toast on heated serving dish.
Melt the honey is a saucepan with the spices and pepper for no more than two minutes. Do not let it boil or darken.
Pour honey over the toast then arrange pine-nut kernels in the honey, but standing upright like little chess men or soldiers.
Serve hot. Safest eaten with a fork to prevent burnt or sticky fingers.

Posset

- Unlike the rich dish of eggs and cream which it was later to become, the medieval posset was a warming drink simply made from hot milk slightly curdled with ale or wine. It was sweeten with honey and flavoured with spices such as ginger, cloves and cinnamon. It was thought particularly effective at warding off chills.

Pottage

- The main staple dish eaten at least once a day by everyone, rich or poor. Varying between a thin broth and a very thick stew, its base would be an herb, vegetable or meat stock, to which cereals, peas, beans, vegetables, meat or fish would be added depending on the wealth of the person and the season of the year.

Purefinding

- Collecting dog dung to sell to leather tanners. Dog excrement was vital to purify skins and hides by breaking down the collagenous proteins prior to curing and tanning. Treating the skins with dog excrement was called puering. Dog dung was therefore a valuable commodity in the Middle Ages, with white dung being the most highly prized.

Rastons

- Stuffed bread loaves or rolls. In Medieval times, these were made with sweetened dough fortified with eggs, but the recipe works equally well if you use a small crusty loaf or crusty rolls. Slice off the top. Scoop out the crumbs and mix with fried onions and/or finely chopped fruit, such as apples and apricots. Stir in generous amounts of melted butter, return the mixture to the hollowed-out rolls, replace tops and heat in the oven for 5 - 10 minutes or wrapped in foil in the embers of a fire. Great for eating round an autumn bonfire.

"I swear there is nothing so warming to the stomach on a cold winter's night as sweet bread, hot from the oven, dripping with melted butter, truly a feast for St Barbara's day." (Camelot, in Company of Liars)

Saint John's Wort

- Nowadays we often use it in tablet form, but it is a pretty little flowering garden herb which looks lovely in tubs. In the Medieval times they believed the sap turned red as blood on St. John's day (June 24th) and indeed it does change colour in mid-summer.

It was a powerful herb of the Middle Ages, hung over doorways and windows to keep the evil spirits from the house. The herb itself was prescribed in medieval times as cure for hysteria and forms of madness. The seeds eaten for exactly forty days were thought to ease sciatic, epilepsy and palsy and the leaves when boiled in wine would cure snake bites. But the Medieval physicians also discovered that if the leaves were boiled up and applied to bedsores, inflamed wounds and ulcers, it would sooth and reduce inflammation, and people still use it for that today.

Scots and tithes

- As well each household having to give tithes, a percentage of livestock, grain, candles etc., to the Church on pain of minor excommunication, the Church also demanded scots, or sums of money to perform certain rites such as christenings and marriages, including a soul-scot, money paid to the priest to perform the burial rights, in addition to money which also had to be paid for a Mass to be said for the soul of deceased. This scot was enshrined in law by King Alfred, AD871 - 901, and was hated by the poor who saw it as a tax on death.

Tatterfoal

- A malicious goblin, or - some said - the devil himself, who took the form of a rough-coated horse with glowing eyes and who shone with an eerie blue light. He frightened travellers with his unearthly groans and noises, which were said to sound like the creak of a coffin lid opening or the rattling of great chains. He led the unwary into bogs and caused horses to throw their riders.
To defend themselves against him, travellers were advised to carry an iron horse shoe, a daisy chain or a sprig of rowan tied with a scarlet thread.

Toadsman

- An East Anglian term for a horse whisperer. A man could gain extraordinary powers over horses, pigs and people, by killing a Natterjack toad and carrying the corpse against his chest until it rotted to bones. The bones were floated in a river at midnight. The bone which floated up stream was magic and the person who took hold of it would be pulled across the river by it, after which they would possess the power.

Witch-jar

- These were glass or clay vessels containing thorns, pins, needles and other sharp objects, together with some item belonging to the intended victims, such hair combings or a rag cut from a garment they had worn. The jar containing these objects was filled with the urine of the person casting the spell and sealed. The vessel was then buried under the heath, near an oven or up a chimney.
According to superstition, every time was a fire was lit heating the jar, the victim would experience a burning agony in his entrails and stabbing pains in his limbs as if he was being repeatedly jabbed with red-hot needles. The victim would continue to suffer, until he discovered who had made the witch-jar and had persuaded them to destroy it.
People today renovating old houses or carrying out excavations sometimes unearth witch-jars which have been buried for centuries.