SC - feedback requested

[Stefan li Rous]

Jadwiga Zajaczkowa said:
> Comment: the practical reason why we have less info on what peasants
> bought compared to other classes is simply that a good deal of what we
> know about what people bought and owned is from inventories, account
> books, and legal documents that have survived.

A good part of what we do know about peasant life is from court records
and such. I suspect that there is a lot more information in there than
has been explored to date. Maybe some researcher will do some research
on this some day. I think it is much more likely to turn up some evidence
of spice buying by the peasants than specific food dishes eaten by them.

There was a great range of wealth between different peasants even 
within the same village. Some had enough land that they could rent
some of it out to others. Some had barely enough to survive on even
when hiring themselves out to others. And sometimes serfs had a
greater income than peasants that were free. I was reading an
excellant book on this a few months ago, before I set it aside and
lost it in the maelstorm of papers here at the house. I do remember
it was written back in the 1930s or 40s. I'll try to remember to post
the biblographic info when I find it.

- -- 
HL  Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
Mark S. Harris             Austin, Texas           stefan at texas.net
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****