Glossary

*Journey Into Astoria* also uses many terms and concepts based on the Middle Ages and culture.

## Glossary

### Terminology

* **Abbess** – The head of a convent.
* **Abbot** – The head of a monastery.
* **Almoner** – The obedientiary in a monastery who gave alms to the poor and sick.
* **Anchorite** – A person who lives a solitary life for religious reasons.
* **Bagpipe** – Wind instrument.
* **Bailey** – The enclosure within an outer castle wall.
* **Barbican** – Additional fortification for a gate of a castle or a town.
* **Bascinet** – Pointed helmet, usually with a visor.
* **Benefice** – An office of a priest, vicar or rector, usually associated with a parish.
* **Bouche á court** – Meals in the lord’s household offered as part of the payment in a contract for military services.
* **Calefactory** – A warming-room in a monastery.
* **Chapter** – The daily gathering of a monastic community.
* **Chapter-house** – The dedicated space in a monastery where the daily chapter was held.
* **Cheat** – Bread made from whole wheat from which the bran had been removed.
* **Chevauchée** – A mounted campaign of raids in enemy territory, the aim of which is to do as much damage as possible.
* **Cloister** – A covered area in a monastery used for study.
* **Coat of plates** – Piece of leather or thick cloth to which iron plates had been riveted.
* **Demesne** – The land used by the lord of the manor for his own provisions. It was exploited by the lord and farmed by his own serfs. It was separate from the land leased to tenants.
* **Dormitory** – The room in which monks slept in a monastery.
* **Fletcher** – Maker of bows or arrows.
* **Franciscan** – A member of a specific mendicant order.
* **Friar** – A member of a mendicant order.
* **Gauntlet** – An armoured glove.
* **Hall** – The main room in a house or castle.
* **Hovel** – A small building, usually of a very simple construction.
* **Indulgence** – A reduction in penance after confession by a penitent authorised by the pope or a bishop. It allowed the person who had confessed his sin to replace his penance with a work of charity or a specified act such as a pilgrimage or a contribution to the building of a church.
* **Indenture** – Contract between a soldier and his commander detailing the terms of his service. It was a contract in two parts, both written on the same piece of parchment which was separated by a jagged cut. Each party to the contract kept one part.
* **Infirmary** – Part of a monastery which housed the monks who were sick or who were too old and infirm to take part in the normal monastic life.
* **Lavatorium** – The covered area where monks washed their hands before meals.
* **Library** – Place in a monastery in which books were kept.
* **Lute** – Stringed musical instrument.
* **Mail** – Flexible ‘fabric’ made by joining iron or steel rings together with rivets.
* **Manorial Court** – Court held to manage legal issues arising on a manor.
* **Maslin** – Bread eaten by most people. It was made from wheat and rye flour mixed together.
* **Monastic Gatehouse** – Entry to and exit from a monastery.
* **Motte** – Raised mound on which a defensive tower was built, forming a basic castle.
* **Pandemain** – High-quality white bread made from finely ground and sifted wheat flour.
* **Pardoner** – A secular clerk or friar who carried indulgences.
* **Patis** – Extortion money paid to mercenaries to prevent them attacking towns or villages.
* **Pattens**– Raised wooden shoes for wearing over indoor slippers when walking outside.
* **Pipe and Tabor** – Wind and percussion instrument.
* **Recorder** – Wind instrument.
* **Reeve** – A position responsible to the lord of the manor for his village.
* **Refectory** – The area in a monastery where monks ate.
* **Rerebrace** – Piece of armour protecting the upper arm.
* **Sacrist**  – The obedientiary in a monastery responsible for the altars, sacred vessels and the fabric of the church.
* **Summoner** – An official of the ecclesiastical courts whose job it was to bring people accused of the relevant crimes to be tried there.
* **Tourte** – Bread made from husk and flour, probably used for trenchers.
* **Trencher** – A slice of coarse bread onto which food was put during a meal.
* **Vielle** – Stringed musical instrument.
* **Villein** – An unfree peasant (serf) who occupied land belonging to the lord of the manor.
* **Warming room** – A room where monks could work in the warm in winter.
* **Wastel** – Fine white bread.