ale: an alcoholic beverage varying in strength, drunk by almost everyone at the time, as water could be unsafe to drink unless drawn from a pure spring
alexanders: an edible flowering plant grown in the medieval kitchen garden, the taste of which is described as a cross between celery and asparagus
ambulatory: a passageway in a church behind the altar, sometimes divided into small chapels
Angelus: an evening bell, signifying a time of prayer for reflection and giving thanks
apse: the area in a church behind the altar
armaria: a librarian in a monastery
bastarda, Anglicana, Textualis, uncial: various terms related to handwritten fonts
braies: an article of underclothing similar to shorts or breeches, made from linen or wool
calefactory: a warming room, sometimes heated by a system of under-floor ducts
chancel: the raised platform at the east end of a church on which the altar stands
coif: a close-fitting cloth cap, worn alone or under a veil or hat by both sexes
conversa (f, plural: conversae): a resident of a convent who works as a laborer and is not ordained as a nun
coppice: a sustainable method of wood gathering that takes shoots from ground level instead of felling the tree, resulting in a tree without a main trunk
croft: farm
daily office: prayers said at certain intervals every day (see “The Daily Offices” at the beginning of this book)
fitchet: a slit opening in the seam of a dress that allows access to a pocket. A medieval “pocket” was not sewn in, but a pouch attached to a belt, worn inside or outside the outer garment
fuller: a person who processes woven woolen fabric to make it thicker
gesso: a material that lies under paint or gold leaf, made with a binder (usually animal glue) mixed with chalk, clay or pigment
gruit: an ale made with herbs, spices or other additives
habit: a simple gown worn by a nun or monk
hurdy-gurdy: a stringed instrument played by turning a crank, which rubs a wheel against the strings
illuminated manuscript: any book containing handwritten text and paintings, typically with parchment pages, created for either secular or religious purposes
kneeler: a prayer desk with a surface for kneeling and a ledge on which to place a prayer book
lady: the title of a noblewoman, typically the wife of a lord (see below)
lime: a mineral compound that can be used as an ingredient in paint, especially white paint
lord: a loose term denoting members of a high social class who had authority over others, whether as landowners or military leaders
madder: a plant-based dye ranging from peach to red, also used medicinally
mastic: an aromatic gum that is added to paint as a binder or varnish
miniature: any painting in an illuminated manuscript, regardless of size. “Miniature” refers to “minium,” a red lead-based pigment
muller: a glass instrument with a flat bottom for grinding pigments
nave: the main and largest section of a church, where the congregation gathers
paternoster: the Christian prayer, often called the Lord’s Prayer, which begins, Our Father Who art in Heaven
pattens: wooden overshoes meant to raise one’s feet above wet or muddy ground
peasant: any member of society not of the nobility. Peasants could be poor or wealthy, free or bound to a lord
psalter: a prayer book containing the Book of Psalms
psaltery: a stringed musical instrument similiar to a small harp
quarter days: days beginning each quarter of the year, when rents were collected and town authorities appointed (see “The Quarter Days” at the beginning of this book)
reeve: an elected official who oversaw work on a lord’s manor
rood: a cross
rood screen: in a church, a tall, openwork separation wall between the chancel and the nave
scapular: a long cloth with an opening in the center for the head that is worn as part of a religious habit
shawm: a medieval double-reed woodwind instrument similar to an oboe
terre verte, aka prason: a green pigment—literally, “green earth”
theriac: an ancient medicinal concoction that could serve as an antidote or a sedative
weld: a plant-based dye yielding a range of soft greens
wimple: a cloth worn under a veil, from beneath the chin upward to the top of the head
woad: a dark blue plant-based dye similiar to indigo
Bald’s Leechbook (9th century AD)
De Materia Medica, by Dioscorides (50–70 AD)
De Poetica, by Aristotle (ca. 335 BC)
Martyrology, by Bede (8th century AD)
Physica, by Hildegard von Bingen (1150–58 AD)
The Rule of Saint Benedict, by Benedict of Nursia (516 AD)