The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-10-24
a MEDIEVAL HOUSEWIFE
Pictures Of Home Life and work In tho
Middle Ages


The housewife of the Middle Ages is
seen stepping out Of CHANGERS ''Canter-
hurry Tales" as natural as life in that
May morning of long ago, when the
merry company filed out of the Tabard
Inn to pursue its pilgrimage. She is
dressed in cape and kirtle of blue
stuff; the collar of her cotehardie and
the tapes of her white volupere are en-
broidered in silk. as likewise. her girdle,
and her apron or BARN cloth is as white
as morning milk. She wears broad
silken fillet around her head, a leather
purse attached to her girdle, "tasseled
with silk and pearled with latounn-
that is. studded or impaired with little
metal buttons; on her low collar she
wears brooch as big as the boss of a
buckler. and her ''shoone" (shoes) are
laced high upon her ankles.
The mediaval housewife was very
Industrious woman. She was literally
the head of the household. Everything
in the house was under her charge; she
clothed the whole house with the work
of her hands. Spinning was one of
the most important labors taught
young women. The word '.spinster. !"
now the legal designation of an unmar-
ried woman. had its origin In the fact
that in the early ages spinning was her
special employment In the ballad of
the patient Griselda, the maiden was
engaged in spinning when the Marquis
first saw her. All the illuminated
manuscripts which have come down to
us illustrating the domestic life of the
middle ages show us the '1ady spin
ming" .'the lady carding WOOL" athe
lady at the loom" etc. Every house
hold had its looms and spinning wheels.
The women of the medieval home often
sheared the sheep with their own hands,
and carded and combed the wool and
beat the flax.
The old-time housekeeper was also
physician and surgeon to the household
and all around. Medical receipts in all
periods of the Middle Ages. written by
the fingers of women, are still preserved
in European libraries. 1t was the
women who set the knights broken
bones by skillful manipulations and
healed grievous wounds by cunning
plasters spread by their own fair hands
In that idllvic novel of the thirteenth
century. "Aucassin and .Nicollette." we
see tho heroine acting the part of
surgeon when her lover had dislocated
his shoulder; and in the romance OF
..Elie de St. Giles Ellie, who has beer
wounded, is carried by the fair Rosa
mond into her chamber, where she takes
precious herbs from her Golfer and APP
plies them to his wounds.
Neither the Good Wife of Bath nor
Griselda knew what it was to take up
and put down carpets. They spread
rushcs and sweet herbs on the floor in
stead when they expected company.
They covered the walls of their homes
with tapestry and sat at their meals OIL
heavy wooden benches and stools. The
table was literally board of boards
set on trestles aud covered with cloth.
The good cheer of that old time
would seem strange enough to us
Barley and oaten bread. bacon, boiled
fish, capons, eggs. manchets with vast
quantities of home brewed ale or mead
and sometimes among the mobiles wines
from the Levant covered the mediaval
table. Food was not always plentiful
in the homestead.
The choicest articles of furniture in
the kitchen of the Middle Ages was the
sideboard or court cupboard 1t was
usually richly carved and made with
little compartments. in which small
articles of plate could be placed On
the top the good mothers arranged fol-
display the beakers, tankards. tlagons.
drinking horns. basins and porringers
On the shelves glstened the family
plate, often of pewter, which was OF
value at that time. Beside them were
the lesser utensils forks for .,the
green ginger" the powder box fol
sprinkling green spices over the meats.
the curious carving-kniyes. the clasp.
knives, the spoons and that singular
vessel called the ''maser cup" manu-
featured from the knottiest wood and
handsomely ornamented with silver
which was used on great occasions like
Christmas to pass around warm spiced |
drink, of which all the company must
partake.
There was no stove in the medieval
and even chimnevs were rare.
hearth in the middle of the room. the |
smoke passing out from a hole in the |
roof. Even in castles only two or three |
of the largest rooms had cover" or |
fire hearth; around these the servants
and house carls sat shivering in the |
cold winter months. Later, some of the |
queens had braziers or small iron fur |
naces in their rooms.
The days work done, the spinning
wheel set away. the children tucked in
their racks, the bolts of the door drawn
the fire smolderng on the stone hearth |
and the feeble rush light burning low in
It's socket, the good wife and her bus-
band sought the chamber where stood |
.he great posted sett-work bedstead. :"
covered with its ..harden sheets" (made |
If coarse flax, tear sheets {of fine
lax, ''fioor beds' (wool coverlets. J |
pillow beets' and "counter-points"
quilts made in squares of contrasting
,olors).
Thus lived and dined and slept the
of the Middle Ages. Doubt
ess she thought herself favored crea-
ure. but who of her nineteenth century |
listers would care to go back and live
n those good old timesP n-P hiladel-
,hid Press.