The Chronicle
June 1353
1 June 1353
Cloudy start to June, and the Millers' door stayed busy. Stephen Brewer and Adam Brewer both stopped by the house today. Over at the inn, Robert of Elmstead came in from the road and took a bed for the night. He tells stories and knows Guy of Warwick and Robin Hood by heart, so the evening there may be a good one.
2 June 1353
Two neighbors called on the Warreners today: Adam Brewer and Thomas atte Well. Roger, Alice, Amice and Margery have been in the village only a few days, since they came from Hatherley to keep the lord's warren, the land where his rabbits are kept. It was a cloudy day.
3 June 1353
Two new hands arrived in Ambermead today. Beatrice Mason, 22, from Elmstead, is now the Brewers' servant, serving and brewing at the inn for 6s a year and her keep. William Baker, 21, from Long Marston, has joined the Smiths to strike and work the bellows at the forge, for 10s a year and keep. Both houses said there was more trade than hands. The road brought two guests on a gray, overcast day. Geoffrey of Oakham, a wool dealer's factor with a tally stick and a sharp eye for a fleece, took a bed at the inn. Ralph of Norton, a pilgrim walking barefoot to St Thomas to keep a vow made on a sickbed, stayed the night with the priest. Stephen Brewer called on the atte Wells, and Adam Brewer on the Warreners.
4 June 1353
Overcast in Ambermead today, and a quiet one for visiting. Adam Brewer stopped by the atte Wells' house, and Thomas atte Well went over to see the Warreners, the newest family in the village.
5 June 1353
Overcast in Ambermead today, and a quiet one. Stephen Brewer stopped in at the atte Wells', and Thomas atte Well went over to the Warreners'. Joan has finished the leaves on the second altar veil in green and red thread. She plans to teach Cecily the crosses before Midsummer. She has also split her feverfew bed and has cuttings rooting on the windowsill. Starting tomorrow, she means to hand them out to her neighbors.
6 June 1353
Overcast in Ambermead today, and a quiet one for visiting. Adam Brewer called on the Warreners, the family newly arrived to keep the lord's warren. Beatrice Mason, who joined the Brewers' inn as a servant earlier this week, carried pottage over to the atte Wells.
7 June 1353
Overcast today, and a pair of musicians came in from the road. Agnes of Thornbury, a minstrel with a fiddle, and Gilbert of Thornbury, who plays the pipe with her, work the inns between the fairs. They lodged the night at the inn. Adam Brewer and Thomas atte Well both called on the Warreners, who have been getting plenty of visitors since they arrived to keep the lord's warren.
8 June 1353
Overcast today, and a steady bit of visiting. Stephen Brewer and Thomas atte Well both called on the Warreners, the newest household in the village. Emma of Hatherley, a pilgrim bound for Our Lady's shrine at Walsingham, arrived on foot with her staff and scrip and was given a bed at the priest's house for the night.
9 June 1353
Overcast today in Ambermead, and a quiet round of visits. Thomas atte Well stopped in on the Warreners again, as he has the last couple of days. Sir John, the priest, called on the Brewers.
10 June 1353
Clear skies over Ambermead on 10 June, with haymaking close at hand. Adam Brewer and Thomas atte Well both stopped in at the Warreners' house today. Thomas has now been there three days running, and the Warreners, new to the village since last month, are getting a steady stream of callers.
11 June 1353
Adam Brewer and Thomas atte Well both stopped in at the Warreners' house today. Thomas has now called there every day for four days running, and Adam was there yesterday too. The Warreners have only been in the village a few weeks, and it's a clear, bright day for getting to know the neighbors.
12 June 1353
Walter Smith, 7, is in bed with spots and a fever. Elena Smith, the Smiths' house has five people, and she stopped in at the Warreners' today. Adam Brewer also called there, as he has most days this week, and Thomas atte Well has been there nearly every day too. The new warrener's family seems to have no shortage of company. A clear day for it.
13 June 1353
Rain today in Ambermead. Adam Brewer and Thomas atte Well both stopped in on the Warreners, as they have the last few days. Walter Smith, 7, is still in bed with spots and a fever. A pilgrim, Robert of Fairford, came in off the road this evening. He is walking barefoot to St Thomas to keep a vow he made on a sickbed, and the priest gave him a bed for the night.
14 June 1353
It was a clear day in Ambermead, and the neighbors kept to their errands. Thomas atte Well stopped at the Brewers' house. Edith atte Well took a pot of pottage to the Smiths, where Walter is still in bed with spots and a fever.
15 June 1353
Overcast today in Ambermead. Walter Smith, 7, is still in bed with spots and a fever, and Beatrice Mason took pottage to the Smiths' house. Adam Brewer paid another call on the Warreners, who have been settling in since they arrived to keep the lord's warren.
16 June 1353
Clear skies over Ambermead today. Beatrice Mason took pottage to the Smiths again, where Walter, 7, is still in bed with spots and a fever. Adam Brewer stopped in on the Warreners, as he has the last few days.
17 June 1353
Adam Brewer stopped by the Warreners' house again today, the fourth day running. He also carried pottage over to the Smiths, which Edith atte Well and Beatrice Mason have been doing in turn over the past few days. It was a clear day, good weather for the hay.
18 June 1353
Adam Brewer stopped in at the Warreners' again today, the fourth day running. He also carried pottage over to the Smiths, which Beatrice Mason has been doing on other days this week. The sky stayed clear, and the long June light made for an easy walk between the houses.
19 June 1353
Clear skies over Ambermead on 19 June, with haymaking season in full swing. Adam Brewer stopped by the Warreners' house again today, as he has most days this week. He also took pottage over to the Smiths, where Beatrice Mason had been carrying it earlier in the week.
20 June 1353
Clear weather on the 20th, and two more men off the road. Nicholas of Bradwell and Robert of Bradwell, archers who served together in France, are walking home with their pay long spent. They came into Ambermead with a bow on Nicholas's back and slept in the church porch. Adam Brewer was out and about again. He called on the Warreners and took pottage to the Smiths, as he has on each of the last few days.
21 June 1353
Walter Smith, 7, is up and about again after a bout of spots and a fever. Pottage has been going to the Smiths' door for days, and today it came from Adam Brewer and from Edith atte Well. It's a clear day, and the Smiths' house is a little less worried tonight.
22 June 1353
Adam Brewer stopped in at the Smiths' house today, after several days of carrying pottage there while Walter was laid up with spots and a fever. Edith atte Well paid a call at the Brewers'. The sky stayed cloudy all day, a mild one for the eve of Midsummer.
23 June 1353
Midsummer Eve, and the bonfire was lit on the common tonight. Doors around the village were hung with birch and St John's wort. Adam Brewer and Joan of Thornbury leapt the fire hand in hand. Earlier, Adam and Edith atte Well both called on the Smiths. Ralph of Ashby, a pedlar with combs, thread, spoons and cheap brooches on his tray, came in from the road and is lodging the night at the inn.
24 June 1353
It's Midsummer Day, the feast of St John the Baptist, and the village is under cloud after last night's bonfire on the common. Birch and St John's wort still hang on the doors. Stephen Brewer and Adam Brewer both called on the Smiths today.
25 June 1353
Adam Brewer and Joan of Thornbury both stopped in at the Millers' house today. A cloudy day, but it didn't keep anyone indoors. Christina of Fairford, a minstrel with a fiddle who works the inns between the fairs, came in from the road and is lodging the night at the inn.
26 June 1353
Margaret Smith, 8, is in bed with the flux, a bad stomach upset. She's the second child in the Smiths' house to be laid up this month, after Walter's fever. Elena has finished the plough hinge for Peter Miller. It goes to the mill by Sext, around midday, and it settles what Peter was owed for threshing. Thomas atte Well and Joan of Thornbury both stopped by the Millers' house today. A cloudy day, and a cooler one after the Midsummer fires.
27 June 1353
Agnes of Long Marston, a pilgrim on her way to Walsingham and Our Lady's shrine, arrived on the road today. She carries a staff and a scrip, the small bag pilgrims wear on a strap. Sir John gave her a bed for the night. It's a cloudy day, and she has a long way still to go.
28 June 1353
A cloudy day in Ambermead. Margaret Smith, 8, is still in bed with the flux, and Edith atte Well took pottage to the Smiths' door. Joan of Thornbury went over to see Maud at the Millers.
29 June 1353
Adam Brewer carried pottage to the Smiths' door again today, as neighbors have been doing since Margaret, 8, came down with the flux a few days ago. Thomas atte Well stopped in at the Millers'. The sky stayed cloudy, and it was a mild, easy day for walking between houses.
30 June 1353
Pottage went to the Smiths' door twice today, first from Adam Brewer and then from Thomas atte Well. Margaret, 8, has been in bed with the flux since the 26th, so the house has been well looked after. The rain kept falling through the day.