SCA Life

Over time words fall out use. They become unusual, making people smile or widen their eyes. Then they become archaic, known only to enthusiasts or scholars. Finally, they may vanish altogether. I’ve always been a fan of unusual, archaic and just plain bizarre words. So, today I present you with a list of some interesting medieval words beginning with the letters A, B & C. The source for all spellings and definitions is “The Orb: On-line Reference Book for Medieval Studies.”

ADSCRIPTICIUS: A type of serf. One who is bound to the soil.

ADULTERINE CASTLE: A castle built with out one’s lord’s approval.

AMBER: A measure of four bushels.

ANGYLDE: The money compensation which a wronged person is entitled to receive.

ASSART: To turn woodlands into pasture or cropland. To assart lands within a forest without license is a grave offence.

BARID: From the Latin “veredus”, Greek “beredos”, a post-horse (cf. German “Pferd”), the term commonly applied to the post and intelligence services of Islamic states and also to the couriers, mounts, and stages. The head of the organization was called Sahib al-Barid, or “postmaster.”

BIRELE: Cup-bearer.

BLODWITE: The fine for drawing blood.

BONDES: Heads of families; freemen serving as vassals.

BOVATE: Amount of land which could be worked by a team of oxen in a year.

BYRBAN: Beer money.

CAMERA: A workshop for men, a term mostly used in Italy.

CAN, CANNE: Clearance, averment.

CARUCATE: A measurement of land, equal to a hide (used in the Danelaw), fixed at 100 acres in England in the year 1194.

CAVAGIUM: Head tax.

CEORL: In Anglo-Saxon England, the free tenantry. Occasionally, if these could acquire enough land, they might move up to become thegns.

CHANTRY: The endowment, either in perpetuity or for a term of years, of a priest to celebrate mass for the soul of the founder.

CHARTULARIUS: An officer who drew up documents; a serf freed by charter.

CISTA: A chest.

CORRODY: A pension, in the form of lodging at a monastery, or an allowance of food, clothing, etc., granted to a lay person.

CUVELLA: A bucket, pail, or tub.

CYNE: Kin.

Finally, for more word fun, check out my post on SCA jargon here.

CYNE, CUVELLA, Corrody, cista, chantry, chartularius, ceorl, cavgium, camera, can, byrban, SCA, Society for Creative Anachronism, beer, medieval, middle ages, renaissance, history, bovate, blondes, blodwite, birele, barid, adscipticius, amber, adulterine, castle, angylde, assart