jan 1, 1559 - farthing bread

Description:

A loaf or a quantity of bread valued at a farthing, a frequent bequest to poor people in early wills. 1493 <i>To poore folks, in farthing brede the daie of my beriall, xxs</i>, York (SS53/78); 1517 <i>xxs to be warred </i>[spent]<i> in ferthyng brede to be dalte to poore folkes</i>, Austhorpe (Th4/143); 1543 <i>all the poore people, everye one a farthing breade</i> Goldsborough (SS26/37). In 1559 Richard Leighe of Holbeck willed poor people to have <i>faringe breade</i>, that is probably farthing bread, although the editor took it to be ‘fairing bread’ - as given at a fair (Th27/253). In the burgess court rolls of Wakefield is the following injunction: 1533 <i>We present baxter for cause he wyll not let thaym make no fardyn bred in or </i>[our]<i> coman baxter hoys </i>[house]<i> as costom was</i> <i>xxs</i> (YRS74/17). The alternative ‘farthing loaf’ was also used: 1500 <i>I will that ther be spendede the day of my berial to every man and child that comes, a ferthing lofe with chese and drynk</i>, Bishopthorpe (SS53/174).

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