Hamilton High School - Hamiltonian Yearbook (South Hamilton, MA)

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ipon a mrn v;ho you know is innoconL - New, in noj;nrd to tho nock- .oce, I realize it is r. prucioos hoj.rlcom r.s it has been in rour family for gonorntions. You mr.y keep it, raid in tlio meantime, [ will see that your son is given work so that you and your wife nay be properly provided for. The traveler continued on his v ay, glad that he had been exon- erated from the accusation of tho old man, but firmly resolved that pc v;ould stop at the horses of no more strangers. E. Parkins. ’41 MEDIAEVAL MANNERS AND CUSTOMS LEARNED PROM IVANHOE The seniors have completed reading and anaylzing Ivarihoe . Not only v ere the several plots intensely interesting, but much was learned about the mediaeval manners and customs of the twelfth cen- tury, as v;ell as the gradual amalgam-.tlng of the Norman and Saxon races . yvhen the Normans conquered the Saxons, they brought with them to England their Norman language. The Saxons were iiorcely resent- ful toward their conquei ' ors and would not accept the new language; so for many years it was difficult for these tv o races to under- stand each other. It took nearly three centuries of gradual fusing of these two races before our present English language was fully developed . Means of cooking foods and of heating houses v erc very crude. Huge fireplaces v ere constructed for these purposes, but they were not built into chimneys. The only means of c-scc.pe for the smoke was through holes in the roof provided for that purpose; this, of course, was most unsatisfactory, for the greater part of the smoke circulated around the room depositing soot on the walls and beams, making the air heavy and obnoxious. Foods consisted of moats, wines, baked cakes, and pasties. The v;ino for the bettor class v as usually of , the best, the serfs be- ing given the inferior. Tho raeats consisted of beef, pork, and wild game. Venison was a dish fit only for tho Normans as the Saxon yeomen v cro forbidden to hunt in the king ' s forests. Tho foods V( orc placed upon tho center of tho tables and each person helped himself. If moat was desired, the partaker cut off a huge chunk v ith his hunting knife. Table knives, forks, and spoons wore unknown. Hunks of meat and bone wore hold in the hand while tho meat was gnawed off tho bone. As towels and napkins also wore not known, largo pieces of bread v cro placed on the table, and they were used to wipe the dripping grcaco from face and hands. The crumbled bread and the bones were then throvm to dogs lying about waiting for these morsels. VJhcn it became necessary to wash tho hands, they v;ere dried by waving them tlirough tho air, this was con- sidered m.oro genteel than wigin,--: them on tho clothes I The dress of the Saxon and Normav.ns was quite different. Tho Normans dressed for pomp and stylo, usually wearing long tunics

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ilaborc-tely trimr,iccl and docora ' cc c.; v Lile dno oaxcns oonsidcred com- ‘ort and convenience in dress and v ore Hmoc- short tunics ' heir legs were bared and they wore rough buskins on their feet. For their homes, the Normans built huge castlo-liko structures 3 f stone, usually upon a hill top; those were surrounded with stone Aralls and moats. These castles or i ' ortresscs, (which they really were) v ere cold, bleak, and barren. They usually contained a miser- able, dark, damp dungeon v here prisoners too frequently endured horrible tortures. The Saxons built long, lov , rambling dv ellings of v ood. These buildings seldom exceeded one or one and a half stories in height. They contained a large banquet hall Y here the entire household ate, and several sort of lean-tos which v;ere used as sleeping quarters. The main manor house and all of its out-buildings, which housed the serfs and animals, was surrounded by tv o or more palisades of pointed logs as well as a moat. The Saxons v ero serious minded and not much given to sports, but the Normans vjere fond of games and amusements. The latter v;cre adventuous and enjoyed v ar and bloodshed. When not engaged in fighting on the battloficld, they indulged in mimic v arfare knov n as the tournament. These tournariients took place upon large fields. Tiers of seats v;ere arranged on each side of the field and, when combats were taking place, they v ere alv ays well filled with spec- tat ' . rs, for tournaments during the. tv elfth century were fully as popular, and I should imagine even more exciting, that ball games today. Prevalent also at this period v ero the historic crusados, frustrated attempts to regain Jerusalem and the Holy Sepulchre from the Saracens. The Crusades made famous the orders of the Knights Templars and the Hospitalers, or Knights of Saint John, They were combined military and religious organizations v hich were pledged to do their designated parts in aiding the struggle to repress the in- fidel Saracens, and to recapture Jerusalem and the Holy Sepulchre for the Christians. Many other customs worthy of note wore learned from this marve- lous talc, but time and space prevents me from enumerating more. I close Y ith the statement that though I learned much interesting English history from Ivanhoo, I scouired the greatest admiration for Rebecca, daughter of Isaac of York- -that beautiful Jev ess v ho would have sacrificed her life to uphold her honor and the religion of her people, E. Wallace 40 Fred v alkcd confidently into English room after school to do some extra v ork to bring up his English mark, Mr, Boyd: I haven’t very much for you to doj boaides, I haven’t e- nough time to correct it, Fred; Oh, that’s all right, you v ouldn’t notice the little I wou3.d do anyway.