Trivia Time!
Social Media Trivia Answer for July 10, 2021
B – selling bread underweight
The assizes of bread were a series of laws that all governed the price of bread which was measured by weight. The earliest versions of these laws in England were implemented under King Henry II (King Richard’s father!) Under this law, bakers could be fined if they were caught cheating their customers by overcharging or selling small loaves. In order to make sure they couldn’t be accused of ripping off their customers, bakers would add a small loaf as an extra when someone bought a dozen. This is thought to be the origin of the term “baker’s dozen”.
In the middle ages, water wasn’t that safe to drink so most everyone (including children) drank mead which had a low alcohol content – enough to kill germs so it was safe.
References:
https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/source/breadbeer.asp
https://www.wordorigins.org/big-list-entries/bakers-dozen
Social Media Trivia Answer for July 17, 2021
A – Returning a runaway serf who claimed to be free
Under King Henry II, common law was established which gave certain rights to its citizens. One of these was the Writ of Neifty which meant that the Sheriff couldn’t return a runaway serf if they claimed to be free; however, the Sheriff could still arrest you and have the courts decide if you were really “free”.
It’s often said that it was illegal to eat mincemeat pies at Christmas but no actual law has been found. It may have been frowned upon but it was not illegal.
References:
https://www.british-history.ac.uk/lincoln-record-soc/vol2/xxxi-xxxvi#anchorn2
https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=873149ed-f8ff-43e8-994a-637e4c58be59
Social Media Trivia Answer for July 24, 2021
B – Wearing a suit of armour in the House of Parliament
The Statute forbidding the Bearing of Armour was enacted by King Edward II in the year 1313. This law prohibits people from wearing armour in the House of Parliament and is still in effect today!
Marrying someone below your rank was referred to as a morganatic or “left-handed” marriage.
This practice had implications for the family when it came to inheritance but it wasn’t illegal.
References:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/aep/Edw2/7/0/section/wrapper1
https://www.britannica.com/topic/morganatic-marriage
Social Media Trivia Answer for July 31, 2021
A – Hunting a deer in the king’s forest
After the Norman Conquest, many of the forests, and all their contents, were declared to be “the King’s land”. This meant that people could not hunt deer in what was considered the king’s forest – which included all of Sherwood!
Most of the time killing a person was also illegal; however, if they had killed your family member then you had the right to revenge which was known as a “blood feud”. Although it was legal, it wasn’t all that common (especially by the 12th century) because there were other systems in place to achieve justice.
References:
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/inspire-me/obscure-medieval-laws/
https://earlyenglishlaws.ac.uk/reference/essays/forest-law/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/feud-private-war
https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdfplus/10.2307/2851780
Social Media Trivia Answer for August 18, 2021
B – Fairs by barbers
In the middle ages (and up to the early 19th century), a barber was also the “tooth puller”. They would use a piece of equipment called a pelican and had to work quickly since anaesthetics were not yet available. Tooth pulling would quite literally be performed at local fairs. The tooth puller would tell stories, sing, dance, juggle, and of course pull the tooth!
References:
https://sinclairdds.com/
https://
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
Social Media Trivia Answer for August 25, 2021
B – Those who were wounded
In the middle ages, a hospital’s primary function was to provide hospitality to anyone who needed shelter but they also helped with providing treatment for the sick and injured.
Most births took place at home in the designated ‘birthing room’. Hospitals were a last resort, and only used by unmarried women or women who were otherwise not safe at home.
References:
https://www.historytoday.com/
https://www.historyextra.com/
Social Media Trivia Answer for September 8, 2021
A – Taken to a church
“Insanity” (meaning either mental illness or other unwanted behaviours) was thought to be caused by an imbalance of the humors or by demonic possession. Because the cause could be physical or spiritual, there were both physical & spiritual treatments. One of the treatments was to seek the help of a saint who would be found in a church.
References:
https://www.encyclopedia.com/
https://core.ac.uk/download/
Social Media Trivia Answer for September 15, 2021
B – Wipe their mouths
According to the Book of Courtesy written sometime after 1452, one should “Keep [their] cup clean and when [they] drink, wipe [their] lips”.
For more on medieval etiquette, click here: https://www.medievalists.net/
Social Media Trivia Answer for September 22, 2021
A – Geoffrey Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer lived from 1343-1400. He was an English poet and the author of the Canterbury Tales, Troilus and Criseyde, and A Parliament of Foules.
For more on Geoffrey Chaucer, click here: https://www.biography.com/
Robin in the Hood Medieval Festival