jan 1, 1545 - maine bread

Description:

The finest white bread, a York delicacy. From pain-demaine, that is bread of our Lord, said to be so named because the figure of our Saviour was imprinted on it (SS120/261). The earliest references are in Latin and French, from the fourteenth century (OED) and the evidence is explicit later in the assize of bread in York: 1411-2 <i> videlicet, panis oboulati dominici, vulgariter vocati Anglice a halpenny symnell of mayn brede. </i> A memorandum in the same document then has: <i> touchant payne demayn wastelles and symnelles </i> (SS120/167). Other York references include: 1452 <i> Pro alio pane vocato payne de mayne iiijs </i> (SS45/143); 1494 <i> he put to saile maynbred and levagn bred whiche was chaffed and myldewed and unholsome </i>(YRS103/106); 1533 <i> paid for a pottell of mavesey and mayne brede when we lokyd over the evydences, vijd </i> (CCW155). The word was in wider use by the sixteenth century: 1528 <i> Item in mayne bread 1s </i>, Skipton (Whit2/308); 1545 <i> 3 dussen of men bread to the said bune </i>[boon] <i> 3s, </i> Bridlington (YRS80/70).

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