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Yale. Her. Mythical beast used as a badge, but of rare occurrence. The yale was a creature about the size of a horse, somewhat like an antelope, with horns and tusks. The horns were able to move and turn independently; the tail was like that of a lion. The yale was used as a *supporter of the *escutcheon of John, duke of Bedford (d. 1435), and third son of Henry IV. It was first described by Pliny.

Yard 1. Enclosed piece of land attached to a building. It also came to indicate a space where animals were kept.

Yard 2. The measure we know as being three feet was originally a ‘cloth measure’. The Latin tres pedes faciunt ulnam = three feet make a yard (ulna = a yard). However, ulna originally meant the length of an outstretched arm (ulna also being the anatomical term for the fore-arm). There is a story which has Henry I making the length of his own outstretched arm the standard. – Cf. CUBIT

Yardland [yard of land]. Orig. a 7c *tenement which was created by taking one *rood (one quarter of an *acre) from every acre in a *hide. Later, it determined the relationship between lord and tenant in which the tenant is a freeman working a quarter hide or *virgate at an agreed rent; the lord was obliged to provide a house if he wished both work and rent. – Cf. next; FURLONG

Yardling. A *villein holding a *yardland.

Year books. These works were an important, if little known, part of early printing in England. However, the texts themselves are the work of unknown hands. It is thought that they were produced by law students, who took notes in the courts and organised them for teaching and, of course, for printing. William de Mechlinia was their earliest printer, but it was Richard Pynson who produced the largest sequence of these books when William ceased printing in 1490. They were closely studied both by students and practising lawyers. Manuscript copies date from the last quarter of the 13c. It is certain that they would have been widely available at the *Inns of Court. As a series, the year books continued until the 1530s. That they were well used can be seen in the marks and underlinings in copies, both MS and printed, to be found in law libraries today. – Cf. BRACTON; Tractatus de Legibus

Yellow. Experimentation in the 14c resulted in a yellow for use in stained glass being made with silver nitrate. – Cf. MADDER; ORPIMENT; POT METAL

Yelm. Basic bundle of straw used by a thatcher when thatching a roof. [< OE gilm = a handful, a sheaf]

Yeoman. Holder of a small estate, of perhaps 60 acres or more. He was a freeholder, whose land was worth 40s but he was not one of the gentry. Also, one of the attendants in a royal or other household, more than a groom but less than a *squire. Sometimes a yeoman would have a specific rôle, e.g. yeoman of the *king’s wardrobe in the royal household.

Yett. A metal grating, sometimes with a wood backing, with locking bars and hinges used to secure and barricade narrow passages against attack. They are still to be found in many churches on the English–Scottish border; these churches have extra protection, e.g. stone-vaulted ceilings which would not burn. The villagers would hide themselves in stone towers during murderous cross-border raids, using a yett in a specially narrowed passage which could be defended easily and was fire-proof. ‘Yett’ is a northern form of ’gate’.

Yoke 1. Kentish area of land = c.50–60 acres. – Cf. RAPE 1; WAND

Yoke 2. Wooden frame which linked oxen together and to the plough; also, three spears joined together beneath which defeated soldiers were made to march as a sign of that defeat.

York plays. A cycle of *mystery plays performed at York. They are first mentioned in 1387, although by that time they had a history behind them – just how long is uncertain. Certainly, by 1397 they were famous enough to prompt a visit by Richard II. – Cf. CHESTER PLAYS; MIRACLE PLAY; MYSTERY PLAY; WAKEFIELD PLAYS

Yrthling. Lit. ‘earthling’. A husbandman or farmer.