Medieval Cookery - Apprenticeship Contract

On September 9, 2006, I took on Avelyn Grene (Kristen Sullivan) as an apprentice in cooking. As part of the ceremony, we had a proper contract drawn up, cut it into two parts, and sealed it.

Avelyn's half of the contract

The text is written in an early fifteenth century French secretary script, executed beautifully in oak-gall ink on vellum by Hrefna in heppna Thorgrimsdottir (Raven Fagelson).

Close-up of the text
(click for full image)

The text was based on a couple different contracts for apprenticeship from the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. Transcribed, it reads:

Þis indenture made þ^e ixth day of ʃeptember, yn þ^e raene of our Soverand lorde King Felix þ^e ijnd, wyttneʃs þat Avelyn Grene doʃʃe bynd hyr ʃelf prentice to Eduard Halyday, cook, ʃo þat he may teach and inʃtruct her yn þ^e cokes krafte for a terme of no leʃs þan i complete and continuous yaere from þis date. During which term þ^e ʃeid Avelyn þ^e ʃeid Edouard as hyr maʃter yn all þynges well and faiþfully ʃhall ʃerue, hys conʃyll kepe, and hys lawfull and honest commaundements euerywhere gladly do. She ʃchall not do damage to hyr ʃeid maʃter wyþin þ^e ʃeid terme to þ^e value of xii pence or more per annum. She ʃchall not waste þ^e godes of hyr ʃeid maʃter nor lend þem wyþout hys order or ʃpecial commaundement. She ʃchall not commit fornication or adultery yn þ^e houʃe of hyr ʃeid maʃter or wyþout during þ^e ʃeid terme nor play any unlawful or unʃeemly gamys whereby hyr ʃeid maʃter may have any loʃs. She ʃchall not frequent a tavern ʃave to do þ^e buʃneʃs of hyr ʃeid maʃter nor ʃchall ʃhe make no promys of wedloke wyþ any man during þ^e ʃeid terme ʃave wyþ þ^e aʃʃent of her ʃeid maʃter. She ʃchall not wyþdraw unlawfully from þ^e ʃeruice of hyr ʃeid maʃter during þ^e ʃeid nor flee nor depart for any reaʃon, until ʃhe haʃ completed hyr apprenticeʃhip. And yf ʃhe ʃchall wyʃh to purchaʃe hyr freedom during þ^e ʃeid terme ʃhe may do ʃo for xxxiij ʃolidi. And þ^e ʃeid Edouard þ^e ʃeid Avelyn hys apprentice yn hys art which he uʃes bny þ^e beʃt and moʃt excellent means þat he knows ʃchall diligently teach and nʃtruch or cauʃe to be inʃtructed by oþers, puniʃhing in due manner, and noþyng to be hyd frome hyr þerof. And alʃo ʃchall find to þ^e ʃame aprentice ʃufficient victuals and apparel lynyn and ʃhoys and all oþer neceʃʃaries during all þ^ee ʃeid terme as ys fitting to be found ʃuch an apprentice of þat art. In wyttines whereof þ^e aforeʃaid parties to þeʃe indentures interchangeably have put þeir ʃeals. Done at Flaming Gryphon on þ^e feʃt of Harueʃt Daies yn þ^e xliʃt yaere.

The seal bears my arms, along with the inscription "SIGILLVM EDOVARD HALIDAI" and my personal motto "CVM GRANO SALIS" (Latin: with a grain of salt). It is pressed into sealing wax made from bees wax and resin, which was kindly provided by Her Grace, Kateryn Bronwen (Katrina Strubler).

My seal, which is attached to Avelyn's copy

The seal is attached to the document by a fingerloop braid made by Emmelyne de Marksbury (Cindy Myers), from silk that she hand-reeled and dyed green with weld and indigo.

The seal with its attaching braid