The Chronicle
January 1354
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1 January 1354
New Year's Day, and the eighth day of Christmas, came in overcast and was dark again by four. Elena Smith called on the Warreners, and Peter Miller was back at the inn helping the Brewers with their firewood.
2 January 1354
Still laid up and sitting up in bed, Alice Warrener mended a shirt each for the Brewers and the atte Wells, her way of paying back their kindness through her long weeks down. Agnes Fletcher did the same in her own way, carrying a peck of meal over to the Smiths. And Elena Smith lent the Coopers 5d to tide them over till market day.
3 January 1354
Adam Brewer spent the tenth day of Christmas helping the Millers get their firewood in, two days after Peter Miller did the same at the inn. An overcast day, and dark again by four.
4 January 1354
Fresh ale at two doors this week: the atte Wells and the priest's household both brewed to sell to the neighbors. Henry Cooper spent the wet day helping the Brewers with their firewood, and Thomas atte Well called on the Millers. Rain all day, and dark by four.
5 January 1354
Twelfth Night at the inn, and Roger Warrener found the bean in the cake, so he was king of the night. Earlier, at Mass, the banns between Stephen Brewer and Elena Smith were read for the third and last time, which means nothing now stands in the way of the wedding. Agnes Fletcher took pottage to Alice at the Warreners, and Peter Miller helped the atte Wells with their firewood in the drizzle.
6 January 1354
Epiphany, the last of the Twelve Days, came in with a drizzle and was dark by four. Agnes Fletcher saw the steward about hiring his ox team, and the old terms stand for another year. Thomas atte Well went over to see Peter at the Millers, and John of Thornbury called on the Warreners.
7 January 1354
Thomas atte Well and Sir John both called at the mill today. At the church door the Brewers and the Millers gave alms to the Warreners, and the Shepherds gave theirs to the Coopers. A cloudy day, dark by four, with Christmas now behind everyone.
8 January 1354
Showers on and off, and dark by four. Joan Brewer called on the Warreners, and Henry Cooper gave the priest's household a hand with their firewood.
9 January 1354
An overcast 9 January, dark by four. Alice Warrener, still in bed, sat up and hemmed two coifs, the close linen caps women wear, one for the Coopers and one for the Fletchers, in return for their kindness. Edith atte Well and Robert Fowler both called on the Warreners, and Robert set new hurdles along the Smiths' croft where the hedge had worn thin.
11 January 1354
A clear, cold day, with dark coming on by four. Thomas atte Well walked over to see Peter at the Millers, and Henry Cooper called on the Warreners.
12 January 1354
A clear, cold 12 January. The Coopers took a peck or two of rye to market and sold it to pay back Elena Smith, and with that their debt to her is cleared.
13 January 1354
Plough Monday came in with snow on the ground. Adam Brewer, Roger Warrener, Alan Shepherd and Robert Fowler dragged a plough from door to door and collected 1s 2d for the plough-light, the candle the ploughmen keep burning in the church. Stephen Brewer and Thomas atte Well both called on the Millers.
14 January 1354
Stephen Brewer and Elena Smith were married at the church door on 14 January, and Elena now lives with the Brewers. The same day the manor court sat in the hall: Joan Brewer, Edith atte Well and Beatrice Shepherd were fined 4d each and John of Thornbury 2d for brewing and selling ale against the assize, the rules on ale's price and strength, and the Warreners asked the lord's mercy and were refused. Robert Fowler, his work at the Brewers done, was paid what he was owed and went home to Kingsley. Edith atte Well helped the Millers with their firewood, Thomas called on Peter there, and Adam of Hatherley, a gray friar begging his way from village to village, had a bed at the priest's house.
15 January 1354
Rain all day on 15 January, the ground soaked through and dark by four. Thomas atte Well called on the Millers, and Henry Cooper was out helping the Warreners get their firewood in. A traveling cooper, Thomas of Fairford, who mends tubs and buckets and sells new staves, came in off the road and took a bed at the inn for the night.
16 January 1354
A gray, drizzly 16 January, with everything underfoot soaked. The atte Wells brewed a batch of ale to sell to the neighbors, and got two pairs of hurdles in return for past kindnesses, one from Roger Warrener and one from Alan Shepherd. Peter Miller ground a sack of the Brewers' corn without taking his toll, the miller's usual cut of the grain, as thanks for their kindness, and Adam Brewer was up at the Warreners' helping with the firewood.
18 January 1354
A clear 18 January, dark again by four. A gray friar, William of Westcott, one of the Franciscans who go from village to village preaching and begging their bread, came in off the road and was given a bed at the priest's house for the night.
19 January 1354
A clear, cold 19 January, dark by four. Beatrice Shepherd carried a pot of pottage up to Alice at the Warreners.
20 January 1354
Another clear day on 20 January, the feast of St Fabian and St Sebastian, and dark again by four. Edith atte Well and Henry Cooper both called on the Warreners.
21 January 1354
Showers on and off for St Agnes's Day, 21 January, and dark by four. Stephen Brewer called on the Warreners.
22 January 1354
Showers again on 22 January, dark by four. The Shepherds got their thatch patched between them, and Stephen Brewer lent the Coopers 5d to see them through till market day.
23 January 1354
Bad news came down the north road on a drizzly 23 January: a fire in the night at Northshire took their mill and the houses beside it. Ambermead gave a shilling at Mass for the families who were burnt out, and until Northshire's mill is rebuilt they'll be carting their corn down to be ground at ours. Closer to home, Alan Shepherd went to the steward about meadow ground for hay, and the steward will put it to the lord. Roger Warrener made the Brewers a pair of hurdles and Alice Warrener took the Coopers a peck of meal, both in return for their kindness.
24 January 1354
Snow on 24 January, the eve of St Paul's day, and dark by four. Beatrice Shepherd called on the Millers.
25 January 1354
Snow again for the feast of St Paul on 25 January, and dark by four. Emma of Hatherley, a juggler and tumbler who plays the pipe and tabor, came in off the road and took a bed at the inn for the night.
28 January 1354
A thief got into the atte Wells' fold in the night and made off with one of their sheep. They raised the hue and cry, the old custom of shouting the neighbors out to give chase, but he was gone into the dark. With a sheep worth well over a shilling, that's a real loss to a house going into the lean end of winter.
29 January 1354
A quieter day after the theft. Joan Brewer called on the Millers, and the atte Wells brewed a batch of ale to sell to the neighbors.
30 January 1354
Edith atte Well had two callers on a clear, cold 30 January: Sir John brought her a remedy of herbs, and Beatrice Shepherd carried over a pot of pottage. Candlemas, the feast of candles on 2 February, is three days off.