The Riddle of St Leonard's

almoner

one of the canons, whose work was to give alms (food and drink) at the gate (at St Leonard’s, probably the Water Gate on Footless Lane), and also to go out of the house in order to visit the sick, infirm, blind and bed-ridden of the locality

ambergris

a fragrant waxy secretion of the intestinal tract of the sperm whale, often found floating in the sea, used in medicine for its aroma

Barnhous

the undercroft of St Leonard’s infirmary in which the children were housed

cellarer

the canon in charge of supplies of meats and victuals; at St Leonard’s he was often submaster

corrody

a pension or allowance provided by a religious house permitting the holder to retire into the house as a boarder; purchased for cash or by a donation of land or property

Gog and Magog

biblical reference; Gog and the land of Magog were the enemies of Israel; it was believed that the reign of the Antichrist would be heralded by the return of Gog and Magog

grammar school

a school in which the emphasis was on the
Trivium
(grammar, rhetoric and dialectic), or the analysis and use of language, preparing the student for university; St Leonard’s operated a grammar school

grandame

grandmother

houppelande

men’s attire; a flowing gown, often floor-length and slit up to thigh level to ease walking, but sometimes knee-length; sleeves large and open

jongleur

a minstrel who sang, juggled and tumbled

Keeper of the Hanaper

head of the department within Chancery that received fees paid on charters and letters under the great seal, paid the wages of the Chancery staff and bought materials for the office, and accounted for the whole proceeds annually at the exchequer; also received payments of fines by recipients of chancery writs; called the hanaper because the documents waiting to be sealed were kept in a hamper (hanaper)

Lammas

first of August, when the Archbishop of York held an annual fair

lay sister

a woman who takes the habit and vows of a religious order, but is employed mostly in manual labour and is exempt from any studies or choir-duties

leman

mistress

manqualm

an Anglo-Saxon word for plague, pestilence

Martinmas

feast of St Martin, 11 November

mazer

a large wooden cup

messuage

a plot of land occupied by or intended for a dwelling house

Petercorn

income supporting St Leonard’s Hospital, dependent on the harvest (Peter’s corn)

prebend

the portion of the revenues of a cathedral or collegiate church granted to a canon or member of the chapter as his stipend

rood

cross

Queen’s Receiver

officer in the Queen’s household who gathered in revenue which he then disbursed at the Queen’s order in lump sum, paid over to her treasurer; Ravenser had power to act as the Queen’s attorney in any court in England

sext

noon

spital

early English word for hospital, later ‘spitalhouse’ and ‘hospital’

staithe

wharf

strays

common grazing area

sweetwater

a medicinal bath of mallow and sweet-scented herbs

swine gall

exactly what it says; medieval medicine was not without its oddities

trencher

a thick slice of brown bread a few days old with a slight hollow in the centre, used as a platter

vespers

the sixth of the canonical hours, towards sunset