How to Survive in Medieval England

by Toni Mount

Overview

An in-depth guide to life in medieval England, including class, housing, spirituality, fashion, grooming, food, commerce, jobs, health, law, war, and more.
 
Imagine you were transported back in time to Medieval England and had to start a new life there. Without mobile phones, ipads, internet, and social media networks, when transport means walking or, if you’re fortunate, horseback, how will you know where you are or what to do? Where will you live? What is there to eat? What shall you wear? How can you communicate when nobody speaks as you do and what about money? Who can you go to if you fall ill or are mugged in the street? However can you fit into and thrive in this strange environment full of odd people who seem so different from you?
 
All these questions and many more are answered in this new guidebook for time-travelers: How to Survive in Medieval England. A handy self-help guide with tips and suggestions to make your visit to the Middle Ages much more fun, this lively and engaging book will help the reader deal with the new experiences they may encounter and the problems that might occur. Know the laws so you don’t get into trouble or show your ignorance in an embarrassing faux pas.
 
Enjoy interviews with the celebrities of the day, from a businesswoman and a condemned felon, to a royal cook and King Richard III himself. Have a go at preparing medieval dishes and learn some new words to set the mood for your time-travelling adventure. Have an exciting visit but be sure to keep this book at hand.
 
“Fun and creative. . . . If you want a handy guide to take on your journeys to the past or you just want a book to better understand the past, I highly suggest you read this book, “How to Survive in Medieval England” by Toni Mount.” —Adventures of a Tudor Nerd

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781526754424
Publisher:	Pen & Sword Books Limited
Publication date:	07/08/2022
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	176
Sales rank:	17,755
File size:	18 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Toni Mount is an author of historical non-fiction and a teacher. She’s a member of the Richard III Society’s Research Committee, a costumed interpreter at historical events and belongs to the Crime Writers’ Association. She writes regularly for history magazines, has produced online courses for www.MedievalCourses.com and creates the Sebastian Foxley medieval murder mystery novels. Toni has a Masters Degree in Medieval Medicine, Diplomas in Literature, Creative Writing, European Humanities and a PGCE. She lives in Kent with her husband.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction 1

Setting the scene 2

Preparation for your journey 8

It is your duty to work 10

Chapter 2 Social Structure and Housing 14

Class structure - How do the poor live? 14

Class structure - How do the wealthy live? 20

Class structure - How do the middling sort live? 24

Mind your language 26

Chapter 3 Beliefs and Religious Ideas 28

Work and holidays 30

Fasting 32

Sex 33

What would be my beliefs about death and the dead? 35

How would I deal with death? 38

How would I worship? 41

Chapter 4 Clothing and Appearance 43

Sumptuary Laws 43

What kind of clothes would I wear? 48

Lacings 52

Where would I get my clothes? 52

How would I look after them? 55

How would I look after my skin and hair? 55

Chapter 5 Food and Shopping 58

What would I eat? 58

Staple foods - bread and ale 60

How would I cook the food? 64

How would I buy food and goods? 68

Money, weights and measures 71

Chapter 6 Health and Medicine 73

What diseases would I be most vulnerable to? 75

How healthy would I be? 76

What is my life expectancy? 79

How useful are physicians? 81

What is the difference between a physician and a surgeon? 86

Chapter 7 Work and Leisure 88

What is the attitude to work? 88

What kinds of jobs are available? 89

What kinds of jobs are available to women? 90

Femmes soles 93

What do women do if they have no job? 95

What entertainment is available? 97

How would I relax? 102

Chapter 8 Family Matters 103

Marriage 103

Divorce 107

How are women treated? 108

How are children treated? 110

How are children educated? 112

Pets 114

Chapter 9 Warfare 117

How often would I go to war? 117

What type of warfare would I practise? 120

Studying the art of war 123

What are my chances of survival? 125

How would I be treated as a veteran? 127

Chapter 10 Law and Order 130

How would I behave as a citizen? 130

How is the country policed? 131

The piepowder courts 133

How are criminals prosecuted? 134

Out on bail 137

Forest law 138

Oddities of the law 139

Conclusion 144

Notes 145

List of Illustrations 150

Suggested Further Reading 152

Index 153