On Medieval State and Feudalism: Forme of Curry
Maryani
Among the rare Medieval cookbooks, Forme of Curry is a great source of information on the kings diet. Written by King Richard II master-cooks, Samuel Pegge in 1390, the book has become public domain through Project Guttenberg in 2005. In 2008 the photograph of its original pages was published. At the same year BBC aired a show on this topic called Clarissa and the King’s Cookbook.
Comparing Richard II cookbook and Lopez’s description of Medieval diet, I believe that the majority of us do not want to live in the Medieval time. Imagine a world without sugar and spices; vegetarian life style of bread and porridge; more than 200 days in a year without meat. Even Richard II himself has to bow down to the Church regulation. Hence Forme of Curry contains many recipes on fish. One familiar recipe is sweet and sour braised fish. Even though sugar and spices have become more affordable by the late 14th century this is a recipe that rich people can afford only. One record shows that Richard II spends around 10,000 pounds for one feast. With an average daily wage of 5 pence and a maximum two pounds in one year, Richard’s spice spending equals with 5,000 people annual income.
Forme of Curry provides a snap shot on how the world has changed. England kings in the late Medieval time enjoyed lavish meals because of the emerging merchant class. The class that considered to be an unworthy for gentlemen (Lopez 8); the cast out class in the feudalism turns the old system away. The emerging cities as trading centers require complex administrations. Hence by default it is resulted in a new governmental system, the modern state. The modern state provides securities because it shifts loyalty from persons/kings to abstract concepts/institutions. (Strayer 11 & 13) This change of loyalty has removed power from a handful of men to the common people.
Not only the emerging class that weakened feudalism but also because the peasants class was transformed into a group of people with power. Black Death around 50 years before Richard II reign has opened opportunity for peasant to have bargaining power. Lacking of labor, landowners are willing to pay peasants higher wages. Realizing the change of season, this lower class starting to pursue for justice. Around 10,000 peasant marched to London to protest the poll taxation in 1381. This event is known as the Peasants’ Revolt or the Great Rising of 1381.
Richard II overcame the revolt but certainly he did not learn that the time had changed. Power and loyalty were gradually shifted from one man to institution based on abstract concepts. Forme of Curry is truly evidence on how the old system must be thrown away. Richard II ignores the parliament suggestions to lower the tax by simply said, “I will not dismiss one scallion from my kitchen.”