The Middleton Accounts of 1526: #58
The next two entries in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 were dated 5th October. The first was described as a payment to the blind woman at Wollaton for her to buy a petticoat and the amount was 2 shillings 8 pence, which was the equivalent of about £58.84 today. The second was described as payment to Roger Leech, the surgeon. The amount was 20 pence, which was the equivalent of about £36.77 today or, at that time, the equivalent of about 2 days wages for a skilled tradesman.
Today, a petticoat is described as an undergarment worn beneath a skirt or dress hanging from either the shoulders or waist. However, its precise meaning varies over centuries and between countries. In the 14th century, both men and women wore petticoats and it literally meant “small coat”. For men, the petticoat would eventually evolve into the waistcoat. For women, in Tudor England, a petticoat referred to a separate skirt worn with a gown, bedgown, bodice or jacket. It was also not technically underwear, especially from a modern perspective, because it was worn over the smock and was intended to be visible. In fact, the earliest petticoats were worn with open gowns.
Given the notable cost of this charitable garment in the Accounts and the time of year, the petticoat would likely have been made of wool and designed to be warm. It would have most likely consisted of a heavily pleated or gathered skirt that would have been attached to a fitted bodice. To create this skirt, about 3-4 yards (2.7-3.6m) of fabric would have been required and if a cheaper coarse domestic wool was purchased, the amount paid would have been enough to buy nearly 4 yards of fabric. However, it should be noted that the payment was for the woman to buy a petticoat not the fabric. This means that the cost of the labour would have had to be included as well or she was buying it second-hand.
There is one other payment for Roger Leech in the Middleton Accounts. On 26th September 1522, also when the family was based at Wollaton, Roger was paid 12 pence, which was the equivalent of about £26 today or, at that time, the equivalent of about 1 day’s wage for a skilled tradesman. In that instance he had given Sir Henry salve for his foot.
Interestingly, the surname Leech was an occupational surname that derived from the Old English word læce, which meant a medical practitioner. As the medical practice of bloodletting, which was carried out either directly by a surgeon’s blade or through the use of live leeches, was so common the two concepts became permanently associated. Furthermore, the leech (blood-sucking worm), then gained its name from the practitioner, linking the occupation and the worm under the same medieval word.
Physicians and surgeons were very distinct separate occupations in Tudor times. A physician was considered to work with his mind. They were university-trained and were classified as gentlemen. Their focus was on the internal workings of the human body. They would make observations and investigate to diagnose and prescribe treatments. However, they would not carry out any manual procedure, including drawing blood, as this was considered manual labour. Nor would they actively make up a medicine, as this was considered the role of the apothecary.
On the other hand, surgeons, who were often grouped alongside barbers, were considered to be skilled tradesman. They did not go to university but learned their craft through a practical apprenticeship. A surgeon would focus on anything physical or on the outside of the body. This would include broken bones, treating skin ulcers, pulling teeth, treating wounds, amputating limbs, bloodletting and providing topical treatments such as salves. This division has remained in language today because surgeons are still referred to as Mister, whilst physicians are referred to as Doctor.
Further Reading: W. H. Stevenson, Report on the Manuscripts of Lord Middleton, Historical Manuscripts Commission, 1911. pp.347, 385.
Author - Debbie Jordan, Middleton Hall Volunteer.
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