This week in Ambermead
19 November 1353 to 17 June 1354
November 1353 to June 1354 in the village: 73 days worth remembering, among them 1 wedding, 1 death.
The latest days
15 June. Rain most of the morning, then a thunderstorm in the afternoon. Walter of Fairford, a soldier back from the king's army in France, came in from the road with a limp and a sack and slept in the church porch. The Shepherds' bees swarmed, and they got the swarm into a new skep.
14 June. Two travelers came in from the road and stayed the night at the inn: Robert of Oakham, a juggler and tumbler who plays the pipe and tabor, and Henry of Oakham, a wool buyer's man from the town, looking over the clip before the merchants come. Joan has the barley all in, the neighbors' turns done and the team brought through the sowing.
12 June. After Mass on Corpus Christi, the Host was carried round the churchyard under a canopy, over a path strewn with flowers, and the day stayed clear for it. Sir John also said a Mass for the Shepherds, in return for their kindness.
10 June. Beatrice Shepherd gave birth to a son, Stephen, today. It was a court day in the hall too, under a cloudy sky. Elena Brewer and Beatrice Shepherd were each fined 4d for brewing and selling ale against the assize, the rules on how ale is made and sold. Adam Fisher and John Carter came up for being taken in the lord's wood by night, and there were two cases of beasts in the corn: Beatrice Shepherd against Stephen Brewer, and Henry Cooper against Thomas atte Well. The steward has put it all to the lord.
9 June. Beatrice Shepherd lent the priest's household 5d until market day, one more small loan among the several she has made them. Across the way, the Shepherds' bees swarmed again, and they were caught in a new skep.
June 1354
- The Shepherds' bees swarmed, and they were taken in a new skep.
- The manor court sat in the hall. Before it: Adam Fisher and John Carter, taken in the lord's wood by night; Beatrice Shepherd against Stephen Brewer, beasts in the corn; Henry Cooper against Thomas atte Well, beasts in the corn. The steward has put it all to the lord.
- By the steward, at the manor court: For brewing and selling ale against the assize, the court amerced Elena Brewer 4d, Beatrice Shepherd 4d.
- The Shepherds' bees swarmed, and they were taken in a new skep.
- The Shepherds' bees swarmed, and they were taken in a new skep.
- The Brewers' bees swarmed, and they were taken in a new skep.
May 1354
- Roger Warrener, the lord's warrener, came on Adam Fisher and John Carter at the warren before light, with two coneys out of the lord's warren. They must answer for it at the manor court.
- By the steward, at the manor court: For brewing and selling ale against the assize, the court amerced Elena Brewer 4d, Beatrice Shepherd 4d.
- By the steward, at the manor court: Henry Cooper was let off for snaring in the lord's warren with a last warning.
- Rogation: Sir John led the procession round the bounds and the fields, blessing the crops.
- John of Thornbury and Thomas atte Well made a loveday, Joan Brewer standing between them, and drank on it. Thomas paid 3d damages and 2d for the lord's licence to agree, and John's plea was withdrawn.
- Robert Fisher is in bed with the flux.
- May Day: the young ones were up before dawn bringing in the may from the woods, and Maud Miller was Queen of the May. There was dancing on the green all afternoon.
April 1354
- The manor court sat in the hall. Before it: Henry Cooper, taken in the lord's warren by night — the second time this year; John of Thornbury against Thomas atte Well, beasts in the corn. The steward has put it all to the lord.
- By the steward, at the manor court: For brewing and selling ale against the assize, the court amerced Elena Brewer 4d, Beatrice Shepherd 4d.
- By the steward, at the manor court: Alan Shepherd's ask about meadow ground for hay was answered: the old terms stand.
- By the steward, at the manor court: Thomas atte Well's ask about rent for the empty holding by the mere was answered: the old terms stand.
- Hock Tuesday: the men had their turn and caught the women, 11d more for the church.
- Thomas atte Well is in bed with a fever.
- Hock Monday: the women caught the men and bound them till they paid their forfeits, 1s 2d for the church.
- Peter Miller and Stephen Brewer made a loveday, Adam Brewer standing between them, and drank on it. Stephen paid 2d for the lord's licence to agree, and Peter's plea was withdrawn.
- Isabel of Kingsley is in bed with the ague.
- Alan Fisher is in bed with the ague.
- Edith atte Well and Roger Warrener made a loveday at the inn, Beatrice Shepherd standing between them, and drank on it.
- Thomas atte Well and Roger Warrener made a loveday, Beatrice Shepherd standing between them, and drank on it. Roger paid 2d damages and 2d for the lord's licence to agree, and Thomas's plea was withdrawn.
- Roger Warrener, the lord's warrener, came on Henry Cooper at the warren before light, with a coney out of the lord's warren. He must answer for it at the manor court.
- The manor court sat in the hall. Before it: Thomas atte Well asks the lord about rent for the empty holding by the mere; Alan Shepherd asks the lord about meadow ground for hay; Thomas atte Well against Roger Warrener, a pig in the garden; Peter Miller against Stephen Brewer, a furrow over the mere. The steward has put it all to the lord.
- By the steward, at the manor court: For brewing and selling ale against the assize, the court amerced Elena Brewer 4d, Edith atte Well 2d, Beatrice Shepherd 4d.
- By the steward, at the manor court: The Coopers asked the lord's mercy and were refused.
- Thomas atte Well and Roger Warrener made a loveday, Beatrice Shepherd standing between them, and drank on it. Roger paid 2d for the lord's licence to agree, and Thomas's plea was withdrawn.
March 1354
- Alice Warrener was buried in the churchyard, on the south side.
- Alice Warrener, 26, died of a fever.
- Beatrice Shepherd lent the priest's household a peck of seed, to be given back at the harvest.
- Alice Warrener is gravely ill with a fever.
- The manor court sat in the hall. Before it: Thomas atte Well against Roger Warrener, a furrow over the mere; the Coopers ask the lord's mercy. The steward has put it all to the lord.
- By the steward, at the manor court: For brewing and selling ale against the assize, the court amerced Elena Brewer 4d, Edith atte Well 4d, Beatrice Shepherd 6d.
- John of Westcott, a pilgrim on the way to Walsingham, to Our Lady's shrine, with a staff and a scrip, came in from the road and slept by the Shepherds's hearth.
- Stephen of Ashby, a pilgrim keeping a vow made on a sickbed, walking barefoot to St Thomas, came in from the road and slept by the Warreners's hearth.
- Adam Fisher came from Fairford with his wife Joan and three children, Alan and Robert and John, and took up the empty forge.
- Joan of Stanton, a pilgrim keeping a vow made on a sickbed, walking barefoot to St Thomas, came in from the road and slept by the Millers's hearth.
February 1354
- By the lord's ruling: Thomas atte Well was amerced 6d for snaring in the lord's warren a second time, and lost the snares; Peter Miller and Stephen Brewer stood pledge for his good behavior.
- The manor court sat in the hall. Before it: Thomas atte Well, taken in the lord's warren by night — the second time this year. The steward has put it all to the lord.
- By the steward, at the manor court: For brewing and selling ale against the assize, the court amerced Elena Brewer 4d, Edith atte Well 2d, Beatrice Shepherd 4d.
- Stephen Brewer is in bed with a bad cough, caught from Margaret Smith.
- Roger Warrener, the lord's warrener, came on Thomas atte Well at the warren before light, with a coney out of the lord's warren. He must answer for it at the manor court.
- Hugh Smith is in bed with a fever.
- Elena Brewer is in bed with a bad cough, caught from Margaret Smith.
- Agnes Fletcher saw the steward about a hand at the plough; he will put it to the lord.
- By the steward, at the manor court: For brewing and selling ale against the assize, the court amerced Elena Brewer 4d, Edith atte Well 4d, Beatrice Shepherd 4d.
- By the steward, at the manor court: For brewing and selling ale against the assize, the court amerced Elena Brewer 4d, Edith atte Well 2d, John of Thornbury 4d, Beatrice Shepherd 4d.
- Alan Shepherd is in bed with a fever.
- Isabel of Kingsley saw the steward about what the Warreners need; the old terms stand for another year.
January 1354
- Word came down the north road that a fire in the night at Northshire took their mill and the houses beside it. The village gave 1s at Mass for the burnt-out families, and Northshire is carting its corn down to be ground at our mill till theirs is rebuilt.
- Alan Shepherd saw the steward about meadow ground for hay; he will put it to the lord.
- The manor court sat in the hall. Before it: the ale-tasters' presentments. The steward has put it all to the lord.
- By the steward, at the manor court: The Warreners asked the lord's mercy and were refused.
- By the steward, at the manor court: For brewing and selling ale against the assize, the court amerced Joan Brewer 4d, Edith atte Well 4d, John of Thornbury 2d, Beatrice Shepherd 4d.
- Stephen Brewer and Elena Smith were married at the church door. They live with the Brewers.
- Plough Monday: Adam Brewer, Roger Warrener, Alan Shepherd and Robert Fowler dragged a plough round the houses and collected 1s 2d for the plough-light in church.
- Agnes Fletcher saw the steward about the hire of his ox team; the old terms stand for another year.
- The banns of marriage between Stephen Brewer and Elena Smith were read at Mass for the third time.
December 1353
- The banns of marriage between Stephen Brewer and Elena Smith were read at Mass for the second time.
- Roger Warrener saw the steward about the loan of his oxen for the spring ploughing; the old terms stand for another year.
- Edith atte Well saw the steward about the egg and honey money; the old terms stand for another year.
- The manor court sat in the hall. Before it: the ale-tasters' presentments; the Warreners ask the lord's mercy. The steward has put it all to the lord.
- By the steward, at the manor court: For brewing and selling ale against the assize, the court amerced Joan Brewer 4d, Beatrice Shepherd 4d.
- By the steward, at the manor court: Thomas atte Well was amerced 1s for poaching in the lord's wood.
- The banns of marriage between Stephen Brewer and Elena Smith were read at Mass for the first time.
- Stephen Brewer and Elena Smith are betrothed. The banns will be read at Mass on the next three Sundays, and no one is married in Advent and Christmas, so the wedding waits till 14 January 1354.
- Word came by a carter on the road that Agnes Fletcher's sister Emma has married at Long Marston.
- Word came by a carter on the road that Joan Brewer's sister Alice has married at Hatherley.
- The manor court sat in the hall. Before it: Thomas atte Well, taken in the lord's wood by night; the ale-tasters' presentments. The steward has put it all to the lord.
- Stephen Brewer paid Robert Fowler 1d, for the pottage he brought in the flux and the herbs for Joan.