Getting Wasted in the Middle Ages...

[Music] the medievals consumed alcohol all the time at every event whether that was a wedding a funeral a business negotiation or the completion of an apprenticeship they really didn't need an excuse they even drank at work all day every day which begs the question were the people who lived through the Middle Ages always drunk it makes you wonder how they could work fight their many wars or even function properly when they were all constantly hammered welcome to Medieval Madness ale ale everywhere but not a drop to drink by the 14th century Brewing was a common

occupation in towns and cities across England ale was sold out of houses and on the streets on Market Day alcohol could be bought at stalls in the marketplace and there was even more brewing and drinking at fairtime the buying and consumption of alcohol was seen as a necessity rather than a luxury red red wine for the wealthier people there were ins they first appeared in the 12th and 13th centuries usually located in towns and had plenty of staff to look after their Rich patrons inside the in bids known as tapsters and chamberlains would see to

the client's every need even the Osa or groom was there there to look after the guest's horse in 1578 the York magistrates insisted that all inke Keepers had to have at least six quote comely and decent honest beds for guests these people had money and came from the merchant or professional classes in 1390 a man named John PR was in London on Business from Oxford University he stayed at an in in St Bennett's Parish his room was burgled while he was out and the grand sum of 200 Shillings was stolen in coins and bonds a

huge amount of the time and the equivalent of over £65,000 today which only goes to show the caliber of the customers using these sort of establishments business negotiations often took place in the end technically trading was supposed to be done exclusively in the marketplace where it could be taxed and regulated however this didn't stop many from exchanging contracts in the ins and having a celebratory drink afterwards most Ordinary People couldn't afford to pay for the wine or the lavish meals that were sold in the in Tavern came somewhere between the inn and the lowly Ale

House here those with a little more money in their pockets could purchase a cup of wine taverns were essentially drinking houses for the rich and lovers of good wine as one Pilgrim needly put it one Tavern on patoso in London had two floors with 30 seats on each story The Galley on Lombard Street had quote eight tables seats and trestles pots and barrels of renish gas gun and MSY wine in 1330 to try and slow the culture of drinking King King Edward II ruled that no wine under the price of 3 p a gallon should

be sold because quote there be more taverns in the realm than there won to be drinks after work ale houses on the other hand were for the Ordinary People dank dark and smelling of stale ale with rushes thrown across the floor they were Rowdy places full of laughter tall tales and bodyy songs they existed simply for the entertainment of the masses and were full to the brim with everyone and anyone from Carters and Carpenters to gong farmers and from Sailors to strumpets for the commoners there were alcoholic alternatives to beer rough cider was produced in

large quantities in the west and south of England in the late Middle Ages at the manner of alistan and Sussex over 500 gallons of cider were made every year day laborers were often paid in food and drink for their toil providing strong ale was seen as a way of keeping employees motivated and well-nourished the better the the higher the calories and landowners would often fight over workers by offering the strongest a it's not known how the workers were able to remain productive though when they were loaded with high strength beer it's thought that ale may

have constituted up to half of the daily calorific intake of an English peasant in 1289 Carters at Battle Abbey Manor and fairing were given rye bread cheese and Ale in the morning fish meat and more drink at midday and more Ale in the evening before going home 100 years later in Nottingham some mowers were given pottage bread beef pork lamb Veil and Ale to mow the Lord's Meadow they were allowed to enter the Mana another three times for a refill of more drink then they were given a bucket ofil to take home at the end

of their shift Beer Money communal activities were always a good excuse for heavy drinking and on those occasions it was even encouraged religious and seasonal festivals like witson michelas and otide saw the charitable concept of church alil in some areas called Scot or leale the idea was that people would donate beer or the ingredients to brew a batch of Ale and then buy it back by the cupful it was a way of raising funds sometimes as charitable donations to the poor in Wilshire during the 13th century at the Devils the Scott Ale went on for

3 Days on the last day any bachelors in the village were encouraged to drink any ale that was left for free as long as they could stand up communal drinking often took place in the churchyard and the church authorities regarded the drunken Affairs as ungodly as they often led to disorder there were attempts to ban the church ale and although the clergy were forbidden from taking part this order was often ignored and the event was held away from the holy building instead with the clerics joining in Archbishop langum went so far as demanding the excommunication

of anyone taking part in quote these common drinking bounce patches matches and dispatches drinking was a part of medieval life from birth neighboring women who helped with a birthing would bring drink with them as they assisted in the labor this was for nourishment and to fortify them during the ordeal a special drink was brewed known as mother's coddle which consisted of warm ale with added wine sugar and spices it was meant to sustain the woman's strength during childbirth it was seen as an essential part of the process for mothers to have booze even even when

they were in labor and to help in their healing process after once a child was born the parents were expected to provide drinks for the guests at the christening just as it is today drinking was an accepted part of marriage celebrations bride's ale was a tradition practiced by most families and involved either the bride or her mother bringing a batch of Ale for friends and neighbors to enjoy the catch was they had to pay a ridiculous amount for the Tipple the prophets went to the happy couple as a wedding gift the tradition became so popular

in England that the words Brides ale merged to form the word Bridal but the church was not happy and 100 years after Bishop langum had called for the Banning of Scott ALS bride ales were prohibited in the parishes of Canterbury many couples exchanged their vows or marriage contracts where else but in the tavern this could cause problems though as one woman discovered when she was dragged before the ecclesiastical courts apparently she had contracted a marriage with a man who had proposed to her in the tavern one night as they were drinking the woman argued that

just because she chose to accompany a man for drinks didn't mean that she was now contracted to marry him on the death of a wealthy person large quantities of alcohol were consumed at the wake in 1319 at the funeral of the bishop of Winchester in suuk London 1100 gallons of Ale were consumed people would often leave instructions in their will that drink had to be given to the poor on the expectation that they would then pray for the soul of The Departed when the will of Steven Thomas of Lee in Essex was read out in

1417 had stipulated that quote 10 bushels of maltt should be brewed after his death so that every poor man might have a gallon of Ale some Wills also made provision of alcohol for their loved ones for example a widow might be provided with a certain quantity of wine for the rest of her life have another in the aftermath of the Black Death living standards Rose along with wages as the demand for land declined there were too many jobs of available and not enough people to fill the vacancies many abandoned their Villages and migrated to the

towns and cities by the beginning of the 15th century a Craftsman in the south of England was able to buy four gallons of good ale with a day's wages that's three times the amount he would have been able to purchase 100 years previously the poorer villagers and towns people who probably drank buttermilk or water from Wells and springs because they could not find the money for beer were now able to afford it and more people than ever were drinking alcohol this caused sir John forcu to now remark that the English peasantry drank no water unless

it be for devotion the demon drink just as it does today too much alcohol could lead to accidents trouble aggression fights and even murders many towns imposed a curfew on their citizens to prevent people from falling into rivers and getting into brawls making it home was no guarantee of safety either when someone was badly intoxicated did like one man from Oxford named John AOL who was very drunk and died after dinner sitting to eat with a knife in his hand when he not only fell asleep but also fell on the knife and was wounded around

the navl Henry doodley also died by falling on his knife when he was drunk and stumbled in his bed chamber and there's a couple who appeared in the Oxford coroners roles quote in the 25th year of king Edward Adam G and Marjorie his wife had been at a Tavern and were drunk beyond measure went to bed left the candle burning and fell asleep Marjorie was burned even to the belly and died the next day Adam could not save her and scarce escaped his hands and feet burnt to the bones or William who was standing at

the top of his London tenament stairs drunk and naked one August Night in 1336 sadly William who was relieving himself misjudged his footing and fell to the floor where he perished there is always the possibility that violence will occur when people consumed too much alcohol which is what happened to Arnold and JN who by all accounts were friends or at least friendly they sat together consuming a Tipple in a Tavern known as the mosis in 1420 it wasn't long before resentment flared and because of the alcohol Arnold was more than a little rude about Jon's

concubine affronted Jon drew his dagger and attacked His companion pinning him to the floor of the tavern then Arnold drew his knife and stabbed his friend killing him for the medal's drink and drunkenness were a socially accepted part of life after all it wasn't called Merry Old England for nothing thank you so much for watching this episode of Medieval Madness please do subscribe if you're enjoying these videos and I'll see you next week for another one until then hope you all have an awesome week cheers