Gifts of food in late medieval England
Gifts of food in late medieval England
Gifts of food were an integral part of late medieval culture. Small items, such as fruit, might be given by anyone. As part of commensality, sociability, hospitality and charity, food gifts underpinned customary patterns of life; they developed networks of relationships, establishing good lordship, and played an important role in negotiations. Patterns of giving demonstrate the distinctiveness and appropriateness of some categories of foodstuff, and illuminate the purposes of donors. Changes over time can be identified: indiscriminate hospitality or large-scale food alms fell out of common practice after the Black Death and gifts of money were preferred in some circumstances. Giving choice foodstuffs, however, remained a constant.
gifts, food, late medieval england, alms, charity, lordship, social customs
6-18
Woolgar, C.M.
f80a8b12-78cd-4ce7-98b2-6543676b604e
2011
Woolgar, C.M.
f80a8b12-78cd-4ce7-98b2-6543676b604e
Abstract
Gifts of food were an integral part of late medieval culture. Small items, such as fruit, might be given by anyone. As part of commensality, sociability, hospitality and charity, food gifts underpinned customary patterns of life; they developed networks of relationships, establishing good lordship, and played an important role in negotiations. Patterns of giving demonstrate the distinctiveness and appropriateness of some categories of foodstuff, and illuminate the purposes of donors. Changes over time can be identified: indiscriminate hospitality or large-scale food alms fell out of common practice after the Black Death and gifts of money were preferred in some circumstances. Giving choice foodstuffs, however, remained a constant.
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Published date: 2011
Keywords:
gifts, food, late medieval england, alms, charity, lordship, social customs
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Local EPrints ID: 173837
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/173837
ISSN: 0304-4181
PURE UUID: 35e85c63-a2f9-42c2-9c56-a72b10f6a8dd
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Date deposited: 08 Feb 2011 10:10
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:32
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