The Mad Monk of Gidleigh

Glossary

Benefit of Clergy

If a priest or monk was accused of a crime, he could claim the ‘benefit’ of being tried only by his peers in an ecclesiastical court. This meant that he was safe from penalties of life and limb – he couldn’t be hanged. To prove his eligibility, he had to recite, usually, the pater noster in Latin or a similar sequence that only a cleric would be expected to know.

Chevauchée

A small band of warriors on a raiding party; the name was given to the raid or campaign as well as the group itself.

Frankpledge

All the male inhabitants of a vill were automatically members of the Frankpledge. At the age of twelve they had to swear to keep the peace and to restrain anyone who did not. All members were answerable for any infringements and for damages caused by others. This system was imposed by the Franks (the Normans) after the invasion.

Grace

In the 1300s Grace could be said either before or after the meal, unlike today when it is invariably spoken before the meal.

Leyrwyte

A fine imposed on women for sexual incontinence.

Pater Noster

The ‘Our Father’ prayer; at the time of Baldwin and Simon, it was known only by priests and recited in Latin.

Petty Treason (petit treason)

The term given to simple treachery. It was the treason of a serf to his master, or even a wife to her husband, as opposed to high treason, which was treachery against the Crown.

Placebo

This was the evensong of the dead, known from the first word of the service.

Seven Interrogations

The seven questions asked by a priest to confirm that a dying person believed in God, the scriptures, Jesus, and that God would forgive those who sincerely regretted their sins and offences.

Seyney

Many monks lived in conditions of extreme hardship, and there were times when they had to be sent away for a short period to recover. At such times, they would be rested and given better food, including good cuts of meat. This recreational period was known as a ‘seyney’.

Stannaries

The Stannaries of Devon were any locations in which miners claimed to have found tin to mine. These sometimes lay beyond the bounds of Dartmoor, which at the time was a relatively small area.

Vill

A basic administrative area. It could mean a single farm, a hamlet, a small town, borough or city. Every part of England belonged to a vill. In later years, the vill or group of vills grew to become a ‘parish’, but this did not happen until the Tudor period.