There
were three sheep to every person. The nearby woodlands no longer
had wolves or lynx who could kill the sheep. Bears and elk are
also gone.
There were still deer, wild boar, wildcats and wild cattle in vast
forests for the lords to hunt. Wood was used for houses, arms,
carts, bridges, and ships.
The villages were still isolated from each other, so that a
visitor from miles away was treated as warily as a foreigner. Most
people lived and died where they had been born. A person's dialect
indicated his place of origin. The life of the village still
revolved around the church. In some parishes, its activities were
highly organized, with different groups performing different
functions. For example, the matrons looked after a certain altar;
the maidens raised money for a chapel or saw to the gilding of the
images; the older men collected money for church repair; and the
younger men organized the church ales and the church plays. Wills
often left property or rents from leased land to the church. Cows
and sheep given could be leased out to villagers. Buildings given
could be leased out, turned over to the poor, used to brew ale or
bake bread for church ales, or used in general as a place for
church activities. Church ales would usually a good source of
income; alehouses would be closed during the ceremonies and
parishioners would contribute malt for the ale and grain, eggs,
butter, cheese, and fruits.
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