The Middleton Accounts of 1526: #59

The next entry in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 was dated 7th October. It was described as a reward to Robert Bertull for his marriage. The amount was 20 pence, which was the equivalent of about £36.77 today. In 1526, that amount would have been the equivalent of about two days’ wages for a skilled tradesman, a week’s work for an unskilled labourer and even more for a domestic worker.

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It is likely that Bertull was a servant or tenant on one of the Willoughby estates. However, this is the only entry in the Middleton Manuscripts for this name. Given John Lewissay’s Welsh phonetic spelling of English in the Manuscripts, it is possible that the name, which he spelled as Bertwll, might alternatively have been something like Birtle, Bertwell or Berdwell. Nevertheless, nothing more is known about him.

Further Reading: W. H. Stevenson, Report on the Manuscripts of Lord Middleton, Historical Manuscripts Commission, 1911. p.385.

Author - Debbie Jordan, Middleton Hall Volunteer.

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