It's Party Time

Robert de Boynton was knight of the shire for Yorkshire in 1309; knight of the shire was the county's representative in Parliament. How does someone living in a tiny village on the eastern edge of the county become well enough known to be selected for such a prestigious post?

The first step in an answer is straightforward. Everyone lived in tiny villages. Boynton, with a population of about 100, was neither larger nor smaller than the villages in which the other leading persons in the county lived. Tiny was the way of life: a manor house for the lord, a few small houses for the tenants, and a church for everyone.

Even if Robert was neither advantaged nor disadvantaged by living in Boynton, we still do not know how he, and others, became known broadly enough to carry on the business of Yorkshire.

Start with the deeds. Members of the landed gentry did a lot of land trading, and some of their deeds have come down to us. Here is one:

346. Marrow of St. Peter and St. Paul, I Edward II (June 30, 1308). Demise for life by Robert, son and heir of William de Sywardeby, to Arnald Peny, of a toft and two butts of land in the vill and territory of Sywardeby; the toft lay by the toft of Richard Ernes and the two butts were called Ernelandes; at a yearly rent of 3s. 6d. payable at the usual terms. Witnesses, Sirs John de Heslerton, Robert de Bovington, knts., Arnald de Buketon, William his brother, John de Marton, John son of Laurence. Sywardeby. [Charles Clay (1926) Yorkshire Deeds vol. 5, YASRS vol 69, p. 128.]

Notice the number of persons involved: Robert Sywardeby conveyed to Arnald Peny and there were six witnesses, including Robert de Boynton. That is eight persons. The transaction happened in Sywardeby, but more than half of the persons involved probably did not live in Sywardeby. Robert Boynton did not. The Buketons did not. And it is unlikely that John de Marton and John son of Laurence did. Witnessing a deed was not just a matter of running down to a lawyer's or a real estate office.

A call went out, and people from all over eastern Yorkshire came to town to make the transaction. A deed was an opportunity for social interaction.

Most of the documents that survive have this same character. In 1309 the king needed money so he commissioned . . .

Aug. 26. 1309. Westminister. Membrane 37.

Appointment of ... together with a clerk to be chosen by them, to assess and levy the twenty-fifth upon all movable goods in the county of ... for the war in Scotland, and to pay the same into the Exchequer on the morrow of the feasts of St. Hilary and Holy Trinity. Any two of the commissioners with the clerk to form a quorum.

The like appointments of the undermentioned, viz:--

John de Haslarton, John de Creppinge, Alexander de Cave, Robert de Boynton, John de Hothum, Robert Uthred, co. York. [Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward II, vol. I, 1307-1313, Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1894, p. 184.]

Robert and five others were commissioned to collect the taxes in Yorkshire so the king could pursue the war with the Scots. Collect the money, he said. And they had to figure out how; he gave them no instructions except they could hire a clerk and it should take two to constitute a quorum. Because they lived all over the county in tiny villages, such as Boynton and Sewerby, they had to travel to get together to plan and to constitute a quorum.

Collecting taxes was an opportunity for social interaction.

And my favorite example -- breaking and entering.

Jan 29. 1313. Windsor Membrane 3d.

Commission of oyer and terminer to John de Insula, Richard de Bernyngham, Roger de Clitherom and John de Donecastre, on complaint by Robert de Everyngham that Nicholas de Meynille, Thomas Gobarn, William Wodman, John de Eston, John le Kokesone, John Le Levediman, Simon le Warener of Brotton, Robert de Boynton, Laurence son of William Gold of Sexhou and Michael de Rosels, together with others, came by night with horses and arms, and at Everyngham, co. York, abducted Lucy his wife, whom they found there, and carried her away, together with his goods, which they still detain. By fine of 40s. [Calendar of Patent Rolls, Edward II, vol. I, 1307-1313, Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1894, p. 549.]

Robert and nine of his friends were accused of "came by night with horses and arms, abducted Lucy his wife, and carried her away, together with his goods."

The king commissioned four persons to investigate a crime that ten persons were accused of commiting. And a different place of residence was identified for each of the ten. Most, like Robert de Boynton, lived in a village that matched their last name. Those who did not, have their village identified -- Simon le Warener of Brotton, for example. If they did it they had to get together to do it because they lived all over eastern Yorkshire.

This is thuggery as an opportunity for social interaction.

By now the point is pretty clear -- the records we have suggest there was lots of social interaction among the landed gentry of the early 14th century in Yorkshire.

But how did they do it? There were few highways -- whether super or not. Their mustangs ran on grain rather than gasoline. When you got to town there were no hotels or motels.

It's party time! Social interaction meant opening your home for visitors who would spend [at least] the night -- and party. Spending the night was necessary given the distances and the mode of transportation. Partying was optional -- but you will notice that a brewery was a standard part of a manor, which suggests that partying was an option frequently chosen.

Lords of the manor built houses to accommodate the need for entertaining guests. Wharram Percy was a village about the size of Boynton, and less than twenty miles away. Excavations of that site produced descriptions of and a floor plan for a manor house there. The manor house was pretty self contained. It had buildings for livestock, but also for baking and brewing and cooking. It had a large hall, about 20 feet by 40 feet, for the manorial court when problems arose among the tenants or for partying when visitors came to town. And it had enough private rooms for the family and guests.

There were thousands of tiny villages in England and hundreds in Yorkshire. Each village gave its name to a family -- the Boyntons, the Percys, the Sewerbys. And each lord of the manor built a home ready for partying because that was how they did the county's business.