Pasttimes & Music
How did the wealthy spend their time? Well, managing their
estates did actually take a lot of their attention. The lord of the manor would
look after the ‘outer accounts’ – the business dealings. Whilst the lady of the
manor would be in charge of the ‘inner or diet accounts’ – the household
expenditure e.g. food and clothing. Yes, there was a steward to do this, but
the owners would have to oversee these things, and decide who was worthy of a
seat at their table.
One was expected to undertake religious obligations too,
mainly so as to avoid time in purgatory.
But once all their duties were complete, there was some time
for leisure.
Ladies often undertook needlework/embroidery. Again, this
also had a practical application as they may decorate wall or bed hangings.
Dancing (and drinking) happened rather a lot. Well, there
were many saints days to celebrate (*shrugs*).
Touring monks would perform religious plays. And travelling
entertainers may enact plays, recite poems, play music, tumble (performed acrobatics),
juggle and sing songs.
Incidentally, the peasant women partook in cottage
industries such as wool/flax spinning and even brewing ale. Or helped to
produce leather, metal or textile wares.
Games
Gambling was popular, usually around games of dice or cards.
Board games were played, especially at Christmastide. Backgammon,
chess, draughts (checkers) and Nine Men’s Morris (aka Merrills) were all
available. And a game of tables may be enjoyed, which was similar to
backgammon.
Shove ha’penny (or Shove Groat, depending on year), was a board
game for commoners. Shovelboard was perhaps the rich person’s equivalent.
Other options were ring toss – small rings were aimed at
small stakes in the ground; similar to quoits. Knucklebones was very much like modern
jacks, but using actual sheep’s knucklenones (*heave*). Or why not play a
rousing game of skittles (similar to ten pin bowling)? Bobbing for apples is
always hilarious, right? Our forefathers enjoyed it just as much as us.
Children’s Games
Hobby horses were ridden. Sometimes the pole would not be
adorned with the representation of a horse’s head! There were also ceramic animal
figurines.
Wooden spinning tops were popular as they could be made at
home. Dolls, were likewise readily supplied. They may even had miniature dining
sets made of crockery for said dolls.
Even tag, tug-of-war, leapfrog and hide and seek seem to
have been enjoyed. And there are many depictions of snowball fights.
Rattles were certainly given to children. Funny how some
things stand the test of time, eh?
Sport
There were, of course, jousting and tournaments. A knight had to be able to show off, after all. The more dangerous the better (*eyeroll*)! Lances, swords and the bow would be included in such events.
Archery practice was mandatory as well as a sport, bear in
mind. So anyone and everyone had access to this. Quite useful in times of
trouble!
A rudimentary version of football was played. A pig’s
bladder would be kicked across a designated area of the village/town. The use
of hands seems to have been allowed. I gather this could get rather rowdy and
injuries were not uncommon.
The men folk could enjoy some manly wrestling if they were
so inclined.
Stoolball (similar to rounders or baseball) was in
existence. I grew up in a town where this was still played!
Hunting comes under this heading, I suppose. The nobles may
hunt on horseback with dogs, often for deer. Or with birds. Falconry was huge. One
should not be seen in public without one’s hawk on their wrist, wot wot.
The female falcon was bigger and fiercer than the male hawk,
so was the most prized. They could catch all manner of unassuming creatures,
such as cranes, ducks, geese, herons, pheasants or even hares. However, they do
moult once per year, which puts them out of service for a while. Men, women,
old and young could enjoy hawking, thanks to it’s more sedate pace. It was also
safer.
In fairness, any quarry was probably enjoyed at dinner.
I’m sorry, but they did also have animal fights. Cocks, dogs,
bulls, bears and even lions were pitted against one another, with gambling heavily
involved (*shudder*).
Music
In churches, one would have been immersed in the haunting
sound of Gregorian Chant.
But music also played a vital part of entertainment. The big
houses would either employ the travelling players/minstrels or have their own
musicians. Minstrels would recite poetry of heroism and romance to the accompaniment
of a harp. Mimes and more instruments were added through the Middle Ages. They also
sang fabliaux; humorous, grotesque stories.
They would serenade the dishes into feasts. And, after dinner,
these minstrels would play the music for dancing.
Musical Instruments
{
Bagpipes
{
Cittern (a bit like a mandolin)
{
Cornett (more like a pipe)
{
Cymbals
{
Dulcimer (string instrument plucked with hammers)
{
Drums (kettle and snare/tabor)
{
Flageolet (similar to a recorder)
{
Flute
{
Gitterm (From 13th century, similar
to a lute)
{
Hand-bells
{
Harp
{
Harpsichord
{
Hurdy gurdy (a lovely name! A crank and string operated
instrument)
{
Lute (from 15th C and very popular)
{
Pipe (3 holed, could be played with one hand)
{
Pipe organs (in churches)
{
Recorder
{
Sackbut (predecessor to the trombone)
{
Shawm (predecessor to the oboe)
{
Timbrel (tambourine)
{
Trumpet (more like horns)
{
Viol (late medieval, predecessor to the cello)
{
Violin
Dance
Country Dancing
These were often performed in lines and involved clapping
and spinning e.g. farandole..
Circle dances such as carol/e and estampie were also part of
the country dance repertoire.
Court Dancing was more reserved/refined and included
things such as bassedanse (there are
variations on spelling); processional dances where the feet did not leave the ground
e.g. pavane.
However, there are later dance manuals showing the haute
dance which had leaps and lifts e.g saltarello (derived from the Italian for ‘to
jump’).
Because there is little documentary evidence of these, there
are contradictory definitions for these forms and where they were used. I
reckon the posh folk still jumped about a bit. But you can be pretty sure the
peasants got loud and lively with theirs as it was usually associated with outdoor
celebrations such as the harvest.
Go on; have a jig. Shake your groove thing!
Oh, talking of which, I created a medieval playlist on YouTube. A selection of authentic songs that I listened to whilst writing. Including a few of my own renditions!
Always in love and
light,
TL
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My book, Love in the Roses is available for pre-order (click here).
To protect her family, she must marry the enemy!
The fictitious tale of a knight’s
daughter, living life as it very well may have been in 1484.
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