The following citation from October 26th Patent Rolls for 1402 gives an interesting glimpse of Carpenter weavers. This quotation needs a bit of commentary, which I was happy to find in an important study of English trade, by Eleanora Carus-Wilson, entitled MEDIEVAL MERCHANT VENTURERS. The author explains that the most important area for overseas trade in medieval England was (excluding London) Bristol. The city itself was the location for the brokerage of goods. All the cities on the many river systems that emptied into the Bristol Channel were the source of material for trade. The city in our subsequent quotation is Shrewsbury, and was a major production center for export cloth, according to Carus-Wilson. A surprise to me was that the Wye River Valley (consult a good map with detail) was an important wool-producing region, producing the best wool in England, right in Leominster in Hereford. The Herefordshire (not Hertfordshire) connection to the Carpenters had always perplexed me. They were there in force from the 1200s (more in them at a later date). Another problem for me was the Gloustershire origin of Bishop John Carpenter of Worcester. All the above places are on the water network into the Bristol Channel and all intimately connected to wine import and cloth export- the Carpenter lifeblood. This is all a fruitful area of study for a later date. The following is meant as just an introduction to this greater theme: “Protection for one year, for Lewis Couper, Reginald Oswaldestre, ‘cordwaner’, Edmund Oswaldestre his brother, John Furbour, Griffitz Corvyser, Matthew Fissher, Geoffrey de Mardenhole, Lewis Taillour, David Knokyn and Edward Cordwaner, burgesses of Shrewsbury, and Matthew Carpenter, David Carpenter, John Taillour, Edward Carpenter and Geoffrey Carpenter of the same town, weavers, and their men and possessions; on the complaint that although they were always true lieges of the king and his progenitors in times past and wished to be during his life, and from their youth have dwelt within the town and found security for their good behavior, nevertheless they have been imprisoned and annoyed by the bailiffs of the town and others.” The historical background of these incidents was the Welsh rebellion of the early 1400s at the time of Henry IV. The French were feared to join the Scots in an invasion of England; so not a good time for ‘denizen’ Carpenters with strong foreign connections. The interesting theme here is they are foreign and rich enough to suffer oppression by local authorities, but powerful and rich enough to receive protection by the crown. This theme is repeated many times for foreign merchants in England. As you read the above document, please do not imagine a family of Carpenters at their looms, waiting for a quiet moment to consult their tarot cards. Notice the phrase “and their men”. Better to picture several Carpenter families running large scale weaving operations, with copious indentured workers young and old, turning out cloth for Bristol, and eventually export to overseas ports and markets. Of course there would be Carpenters on the other end waiting to retail. What a bunch! Sincerely, Professor Carpenter