Mistress, Maids and Men: Baronial Life in the Thirteenth Century - Softcover

Based mainly on the household roll of Eleanor de Montfort (sister of Henry III and Countess of Leicester) in the year 1265, this work reveals in close detail the social organisation and domestic life of a self-sufficient and mobile unit, typical of the households of the great barons. Earl Simon's extraordinary political position, as the rebellious leader of the baronage, is studied with reference to the role of the ruling elite within society. MISTRESS, MAIDS ANDE MEN offers a wealth of detail and reconstructs the daily fare and activities of the family: what they ate and drank, what they wore, how they amused themselves, and how much it all cost. In addition to the roll, the author has drawn on contemporary treatises on etiquette and household management to present a complete picture of the social customs and outlook of the time.

Margaret Wade Labarge was educated at Radcliffe College and Oxford University. She was a part-time lecturer in Medieval history at Ottowa University and Carleton University between 1950 and 1962 and a visiting professor at many other universities both in Canada and abroad. She is the author of nine books, is a Member of the Order of Canada and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. She lives in Ottowa, Ontario.