[Sca-cooks] Duties of a Cook, 13th Century

[Daniel Myers]

Great find - thanks for posting this!

I especially like this part:  "He is himself to bring the last dish, and
place it before the king; and then the king is to present him with meat
and drink."

- Doc


> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: [Sca-cooks] Duties of a Cook, 13th Century
> From: Johnna Holloway <johnnae at mac.com>
> Date: Fri, September 03, 2010 12:36 pm
> To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
> 
> 
> While doing the search on the "dish of butter," the Venedotian Code as  
> found in the volume on Google Books
> I came across a list of duties for the Cooks who served the King and  
> the Queen in Wales.
> 
> Ancient laws and institutes of Wales; comprising laws supposed to be  
> enacted by Howel the Good: and anomalous laws, consisting principally  
> of institutions which by the statute of Ruddlan were admitted to  
> continue in force. London] Printed by command of His Late Majesty King  
> William IV under the direction of the Commissioners on the Public  
> Records of the Kingdom, 1841.
> 
> 
> page 47 and 49 with the Welsh on 46 and 48 for The King’s Cook
> 
> XXI. [OF THE COOK.]
> 1. The fifteenth is the cook.
> 2. He is to have his land free; his horse in attendance; his linen  
> from the queen, and his woollen from the king.
> 3. He is to inhabit the kitchen ; and he is to have his necessaries  
> from the steward and the land maer.
> 4. He is to have skins of all the small animals which come to the  
> kitchen with their skins on; that is to say, he is to have one third,  
> and the steward two thirds.
> 5. He is to taste each dish that he shall season.
> 6. He is to have the fragments, and the tallow, and the entrails.
> 7. He is himself to bring the last dish, and place it before the king;  
> and then the king is to present him with meat and drink.
> 8. His protection is, from the time he shall begin to prepare the  
> first dish until he shall place the last before the king, to convey an  
> offender away.
> 9. The steward is to supply him with all herbs to season his dishes;  
> such as pepper, and other herbs.
> 10. He is to eat with the servants.
> 11. His lodging is with the steward.
> 12. He is to have one share of the supper silver.
> 13. "His saraad is six kine, and six score of silver, to be augmented.
> 14. His worth is six score and six kine, ^to be augmented/
> 
> page 59
> 
> xxix. Of The Queen's Cook, This Treats.
> 1. The seventh is her cook.
> 2. He is to have his land free; his horse in attendance; and his linen  
> from the queen, and his woollen from the king.
> 3. He is to be supplied by the steward with all his necessaries for  
> the kitchen.
> 4. He is to taste each dish that he may prepare.
> 5. His protection is the same as that of the king's cook.
> 6. His lodging is with the steward of the king.
> 7. His saraad is six kine, and six score of silver.
> 8. His worth is six score and six kine, to to be augmented.'
> 
> The Venedotian Code is dated early 13th century.
> 
> Hope you enjoy it
> 
> Johnna
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