Michael JECKS - The Devil's Acolyte

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, events or locales, is entirely coincidental.

Abbot’s Lodging

A separate building in the western wall of Tavistock’s monastic plot.

Acolyte

The term denoting an inferior church officer, usually an assistant or sometimes a novice.

Alms

Donations of food, or money, or clothing to the poor and needy, for example beggars at the Abbey’s gates or the lepers living at the Maudlin.

Almoner

The monk whose duty it was to distribute almsto the poor.

Calefactory

A room in the convent set aside for relaxation. Here, the monks could sit with a mug of ale and let their aches and pains drift away.

Centenar

In the King’s Host, the officer in charge of a hundred men.

Coining

This was the process by which tin was assayed or tested. It was taken to a coinage town (e.g. Tavistock), where it was weighed, a corner was chipped off and checked, and the amount of tax due was called out and paid before the ingot was stamped ready for sale to one of the waiting pewterers. We know that there were five such coinings per annum at Tavistock in 1303.

Commission of Array

The feudal Hostwas available to the King for his wars. As a matter of duty, all able-bodied males aged between sixteen and sixty were inspected by the Commissioners of Array, and the best taken, in theory.

In practice, like so much of medieval life, corruption was rife.

Dorter

Monks’ dormitory.

Frankpledge

Every boy over the age of twelve was expected to swear an oath that he would keep the peace himself, but he also had a duty to prevent others from being fractious. By the terms of this pledge, if a crime was committed, the whole community was penalised.

‘Gardy Loo!’

This was the cry of ‘Gardez l’eau! ’ or ‘Watch out! Water!’ which housekeepers roared before emptying their chamber pots into the street. See kennelbelow!

Host

Under ancient feudal law each man in the kingdom must arm himself with those weapons suitable for his status, and present himself whenever called. These men, whose attendance was based upon their loyalty to their master, whether it be the knight, his lord, or the King himself, had to serve a set number of days, usually living off the land, and then might return home.

Indentures

Because the Hostwas growing unwieldy and insufficient for a task such as the defence of assets in France, for example, indentureswere gradually introduced. An indentured man could expect board and lodging, pay while fighting, a uniform and other perks. A contract was written and then torn in two, one half kept by the lord, one by the serving warrior. The indentureswere the tear-marks in both halves which could later be matched to prove the validity of either half.

Kennel

This was the large gutter which ran down the middle of a street.

Layrwyta

In the days when all peasants were slaves, their owners were reluctant to see too much breeding. Children were an expensive overhead. One way to prevent expense was to fine women who were sexually incontinent; thus the layrwytawas a tax on children born out of wedlock.

Medarius

The Abbey’s monk who purveyed mead, ales and wines for the community.

Morning Star

A simple but deadly weapon, consisting of a club with nails hammered into the top.

Receiver

Towns with their own markets raised considerable sums of money. Receiverswere responsible for collecting up all the money owed to the town, and for keeping a true and accurate accounts. As with so many offices in medieval times, this post was widely open to corruption.

Reivers

An old term for the thieves, blackmailers and murderers who commonly raided on either side of the Scottish Marches. Often, little wars were begun as a direct result of their predations.

Reredorter

Behind the dorter, the communal toilets.

Salsarius

The monk who was responsible for looking after the monastery’s stock of salted meats and fish, so important during the winter months.

Shavaldour

During Edward II’s turbulent reign many men decided to take what they could without reference to the law. Shavaldours were marauders who raided and robbed all over Durham and the area of the Marches. Many knightly outlaws proliferated at this time, and weren’t to be brought to heel until Edward III launched the Hundred Years’ War and gave them a new, and more profitable, focus for their energies.

Stannaries

The name given to the districts where tin was mined and smelted. Men living there were exempt from local laws because they were the King’s own. They answered only to the Stannary Courts and the Stannary Parliament.

Undercroft

The name given to the vaulted cellars beneath the Abbey’s buildings; used for storage.

Vintenar

A commander of twenty men-at-arms in the King’s host.

Sir Baldwin de Furnshill

Once a Knight Templar, Sir Baldwin is Keeper of the King’s Peace in Crediton. He is known to be an astute investigator of crimes.

Simon Puttock

The Bailiff of Lydford, Simon is responsible for law and order on the moors, under the watchful eye of the Warden of the Stannaries, Abbot Robert Champeaux of Tavistock.

Hugh

Simon’s servant. Hugh is a moorman and understands Dartmoor and its folk.

Sir Roger de Gidleigh

The Coroner of Exeter, responsible for investigating cases of sudden death over a substantial area of Devonshire.

Abbot Robert Champeaux

Of all Tavistock Abbey’s Abbots, Abbot Robert was probably the most influential in his day. Taking on his post with a debt of some £200 in 1285, he soon made the Abbey profitable. One of his inspired ideas was to buy the Wardenship of the Stannaries.

Augerus

Steward to the Abbot himself, Augerus is responsible for the Abbot’s stores and seeing to his master’s private needs.

Gerard

New to the Abbey, Gerard has been tempted into thefts by older, unscrupulous men.

Mark

This monk is salsariusat the Abbey (see Glossary ).

Peter

Once a monk in a northern Priory, Peter came south after being attacked by Scottish marauders, and was grateful for Abbot Robert allowing him to live in Tavistock as Almoner.

Sir Tristram de Cokkesmoor

The King’s Commissioner of Array, Sir Tristram has the responsibility of recruiting men for the King’s army.

Joce Blakemoor

Receiverof the tin at the five coinings held at Tavistock, Joce is an important local man within the Burgh.

Walwynus