Catching up on my reading of Verso books has resulted in the conundrum in my mind again about the inter-connection between the two. My approach here is to revisit those issues, but in a rambling manner, and not to attain any conclusions, because I have none. Of course, not too long ago the issue was discussed in the journal Cultural and Social History. One of the discussants at that time, Geoff Eley, has recently published a compendium of his essays in which he approaches the matter again, with the intention of reconciling the two strands, including a detailed analysis of Alltagsgeschichte (History Made Conscious: Politics of Knowledge, Politics of the Past (London, 2023)). In The Politics and Poetics of Everyday Life (London, 2023), Kristin Ross, whom I greatly admire, cautions about ‘everyday life’ that it can tend towards conservatism or traditionalism in that it is unnecessarily synchronic and has no account for change and transformation. That same tendency, she implies, might apply to spatial history (a corruption of Lefebvre’s notion of the everyday) and cultural history. (She has, interestingly, much comment on Rancière on impetus for abrupt change (‘Historicizing untimeliness’). Incidentally, some unregenerate Marxists have recently in the same vein heavily criticized the Frankfurt School of Horkheimer and Adorno on similar grounds, for theorizing culture as an independent variable (not least Perry Anderson) (For the Frankfurt School, Stuart Jeffries, Grand Hotel Abyss: The Lives of the Frankfurt School (London, 2016); the Frankfurt School was pessimistic about the trend of consumerism, of course).
Ross has misgivings that cultural history and the history of ‘everyday life’ will become like structuralism and the Annales School, ignoring the ‘mutable’ (pp. 101-11). In this context, it would seem, however, that cultural change can and has caused ruptures, if ‘consumer revolutions’ and ‘consumption’ are apparently always in progress. She illustrates this consequence in ‘Shopping: an introduction to Emile Zola’s The Ladies Paradise’ (Au Bonheur des Dames – now available as a DVD). In acknowledging Debord’s ‘society of the spectacle’, she illustrates how the cultural can be transformative: consolidating bourgeois hegemony (pp. 135-6). I wonder, however, whether, in her search for the disruptive, like her research into the Commune, she is not repositioning the conjuncture.
Geoff Eley is more transparent, perhaps:

By exploring social history in these experiential or subjective dimensions, conventional    distinctions between ‘public’ and ‘private’ might be transcended, and the elusive connection    between ‘the political’ and ‘the cultural’ finally discovered. 

That, he suggests, was the original purpose of Alltagsgeschichte (pp. 139-40). Has the history of ‘everyday life’ retained or lost that intention? There is an affective sense for discovering ‘the everyday’, but does it contribute to the understanding of change and transformation?

The priority [of Alltagsgeschichte]was a social history of subjective meanings drawn from   highly concrete microhistorical settings – not to supplant, but to specify and enrich   understanding of structural processes of social change (p. 142).

I admit that I’m still in a dichotomy. When I read each, I nod my head. As I said, it’s an open blog.

Towards the end of 2023, my ISP informed me that it was abolishing the 20Gb free webspace which was allowed for subscribers for network connection. Since I do also have a hosted server with it, I am now transferring my former website to my hosted server. The new site will differ from the previous one in that there is no home page to collate all content. This decision is deliberate as it involves less work.

The following URLs are operative:

Stubbington manorial records davelinux.info/STUBB/0prelim.html

Leicestershire Historical Atlas …../LEICSATLAS/leicsindex.html

Palaeography tutorial …../PAL/palindex.html (if you require the .exe file, please now email for a CD)

The introduction to Leicester ……/LEIC/index.html

Rutland lay subsidy …./RUTLS/ruthome,html

Lincolnshire lay subsidy …./LINC/lincers.html

Books which I provide for free … /BOOKS/bookindex.html

About me …./DAVE/posindex.html

Other material will be added soon.

https://show.zohopublic.com/publish/7oc9k7208325831224af1bf91f8fc2d0ff61b

https://bit.ly/3dF8613

I have not yet checked to see if this cause is cited or edited by Helmholz but I’ll place it here now and correct later. There are almost no late-medieval cause papers for the (Coventry and) Lichfield Consistory court (which was convened always in the secular chapter at Lichfield, never, of course, the regular at Coventry). The registers, however, occasionally and erratically include memoranda about causes.

Staffordshire Record Office Lichfield Diocesan Records B/C/1/2, fo. 95v

Memorandum quod Johannes Raue comparuit coram Magistro Thoma Raynald officio Consistorii Episcopalis lich’ in Ecclesia Cathedrali lich’ in loco Consistorii eiusdem xix die Mensis Januarii Anno domini Millesimo CCCClxxijo et ibidem Confessus est quod ipse pro matrimonio contraxit cum felicia grene pro ut mulier Dixit *pro vij annis elapsis* et <postea dix> de eadem sussitauit Duos proles et postea Dixit quod precontraxit cum Margeria Worthynton’ et ad hoc probandum produxit duos testes videlicet^ Willelmum Hyll et Henricum Browne quos iudex admisit et iureri fecit de dicendo omnem veritatem in Dicta causa

* sic

^ superscript with caret

<> cancelled

* sic

<> cancelled (struck through)

^ ^superscript with caret

+ one word illegible

Staffordshire Record Office Lichfield Diocesan Records B/C/1/1 fo. 248r

Memorandum quod quarto die ^mensis^ Julii Anno Domini Millesimo CCCC^mo lx^mo nono <comparuerunt> Johannes Haryson’ ^Harys^ de Thomworth’ et <Will> Margareta Parsons ^et Willelmus Hochyns pro at * dicte Margarete Parsons^ de parochia de Sutton’ in Colflyld* in loco Consistorii ecclesie Cathedralis lich’ personaliter comparuerunt <Dictos> coram venerabili viro Magistro Johanne Fox legum Doctore ac Dicti Consistorii officio et pro bono pacis et concordie dictorum Johannis et Margarete compromiserunt in quatuor probos et honestes <vr> viros videlicet Auerey* Marschalld* Thomam Baker Dominum Willelmum Flecher Capellanum de Sutton’ in Colflyd* et Ricardum Malpas arbitratores Inter dictum Johannem et Margaretam electos de et super expensis et denariis temporibus* inter dictos Johannem et Margaretam factis habitis et receptis et quo ad materiam ecclesiasticam eam videlicet causam principalem matrimonii dicti partes debent expectare summam dicti iudicis ^+^ partes quia predicti iurauerunt super sancta Dei Euangelia et per ipsos tacta ^et dictus Willelmus Hochyns pro filia sua ad sancta Dei euangelia et per ipsum tacta iurauit^ de stando laudo et arbitrio ordinacione* in alto et in basso Dictorum arbitrorum <sub pena> in Dictis expensis et denariis sub pena xxs decem solidos soluendos parti presenti a parte non parenti et alterum* decem soluendos fabrice ecclesie Cathedralis lich’ prouiso tamen quod dicti quatuor arbitri infra dictum tempus minime laudauerint <p> tunc partes predicte unanimiter compromiserint in venerabiles viros Dominos Thomam Ferres* et Willelmum Harcowrt … (illegible) ^milites^ imperes indifferentes electos prouiso tamen quod ipsi laudum ferant citra festum Corporis christi proximum futurum et si dicti impares non terminauerint siue laudum tulerint <t> tunc stet causa inter ipsos mota in statu in quo erat tempore huiusmodi compromissi Quo die adueniente quidem Johannes Bradeburne comparuit et certificauit Judici quod Dicti quatuor arbitri siue Abbitratores* ad invicem non ^erant concordati^ <co> concordauerunt Dicte partes eo quod Thomas Baker unus dictorum iiij^orum arbitratorum non erat Domi* ex quo materia erat posita Ius compromissi ideo iudex cum consensu procuratorum dictas partes* videlicet Margaretam Parsons dedit longiorem diem videlicet in diem <q> Martis proximum post festum Apostolorum Petri et pauli Quo die adueniente materia est finita <ac> per dictos arbitros de et super denariis et expensis ut promittitur

Staffordshire Record Office Lichfield Diocesan Records B/C/1/1, fo. 281v

In causa Diffamacionis mota inter Dominum Willelmum Flecher vicarium de Crudeworth’ partem actricem r’ per paynell’ contra Ricardum Ley de Stutton* in Colfyld partem ream partem ream* personaliter Quo die adueniente oblate libelle pro parte Dicti Domini Willelmi et per Dictum Ricardum recepte et incontinente post(ea) dicte partes compromiserunt in quatuor viros videlicet Willelmum segeweke Willelmum Chatteake Ricardum Malpas et Thomam Feysy ^arbitratores^ inter dictas partes inter electos et dicte partes videlicet Dominus Willelmus Flecher et Ricardus Ley I iurarunt super sancta Dei euangelia et per eos tacta De stando arbitrio ordinacionis in alto et in basso Dictorum arbitratorum de omnibus materiis et causis inter Dictos Willelmum et Ricardum ab origine mundi motis seu mouere …+ sub pena <l> x librarum dimidium soluendum parti parenti de parte non parenti et dimidium fabrice ecclesie cathedralis lich’ Prouiso tamen quod huiusmodi arbitrium siue laudum feretur citra dominicam in medio quadragesime Et si Contingat quod Dictos quatuor arbitratores infra Dictum tempus minime laudauerint quod tunc partes predicte unanimiter compromiserint in venerabiles viros Magistrum Ricardum Brakynbrogh \Rectorem de Sutton’ et Dominum Willelmum Harcowrt militem vel aliquem alium loco Dicti Magistri Ricardi et per dictas partes electos impares indiferentes electos prouiso tamen quod ipsi laudum ferant citra festum pasche proximum futurum / et si Dicti impares non terminauerint siue laudum tulerint tunc stet causa inter eos mota in statu in quo erat tempore huiusmodi compromissi

Currently pursuing the implications of this case.

Staffordshire Record Office Lichfield Diocesan Records B/C/1/1, fo. 283r

Memorandum quod x Die Mensis Aprilis Anno Domini Millesimo CCCC lxx^mo in ecclesia Cathedrali lich’ in loco Consistorii eiusdem comparuerunt Thomas Toffte et Johannam* uxorem* Henrici Hordren’ et <co> ipsi compromiserunt in quatuor viros videlicet Thomam Plonte et Willelmum Alcoke Ricardum Sutton’ et Jacobum Sutton’ arbitratores indifferentes inter ipsos electos De <er> et super omnibus omnimodis accionibus querelis in Concistorio Episcopalis* pendentibus prouiso quod Dicti quatuor <ab> arbitri siue arbitratores sic electi finem facient in et De Dictis accionibus citra proximum Concistorium et si contingat quod Dicti quatuor arbitri laudum tulerint post[ea] partes predicte iurauerint super sancta Dei euangelia et per ipsos + De stando laudo arbitrio ordinacione* in alto et in Basso dictorum arbitrorum in Dicta Causa pendenti sub pena C s dimidio soluendo parti parenti a parte non parenti et altero dimidio fabrice <parochie de> ecclesiarum parochiarum de Bydull’ et leke prousio tamen quod huiusmodum arbitrium siue laudum feratur citra proximum Concistorium proximum futurum et si contingat quod Dicti quatuor arbitri infra Dictum tempus minime laudauerint quod tunc <partes predicte> stet materia in statu in quo est in proximo Concistorio videlicet post Dominicam + +

(Defamation cause initiated on 27 Sept. 1468)

Staffordshire Record Office Lichfield Diocesan Records B/C/1/2, fo, 46v

(14 April 1472)

Memorandum quod Alicia Henley et Radulphus Smyth compromiserunt in quatuor viros videlicet Willelmum Wytby Johannem Welbe Radulphum Horchard et Thomam Pase arbitratores inter ipsos indiferentes electos …

(testamentary cause initiated 17 Feb. 1472; expenses declared at 26s. 8d. on 19 Jan. 1473 – fo. 96r)

Staffordshire Record Office Lichfield Diocesan Records B/C/1/2, unfoliated leaf

[20 October 1473]

Memorandum quod in presenti concistorio Elena Tylston’ Margareta Tylston’ et dominus Thomas Tylston’ iurarunt et eorum quilibet iurarit de Stando laudo et arbitrio iiij* virorum domini Willelmi Ypers capellani Thome Wyxtyd seniore*de* arbitrorum inter Dictos communiter electorum

Staffordshire Record Office Lichfield Diocesan Records B/C/1/2, unfoliated leaf

[13 March 1473/74] (Gesnoke c. Hunt in defamation)

Quo die adueniente dicte partes compromiserunt in quatuor virores inferius nominatos

(Initiated 9 November 1473; sentence 14 June 1474 when expenses assessed at 40s.)

Staffordshire Record Office Lichfield Diocesan Records B/C/1/2, unfoliated leaf

Memorandum quod xxvij die Mensis Junii Anno Domini Millesimo CCCC^mo lxxiiij^or comparuerunt Rogerus Segeweke et Ricardus ley pater Willelmi ley in Ecclesie* Cathedrali lich’ pro bono pacis et concordie Dicti Rogerus et <Willelmus> Ricardus nomine dicti Willelmi filii sui compromiserunt in iiij^or viros videlicet Johannem Sutton’ Thomam Feyse Willelmum Depyng de Sutton’ et Johannem Madoke arbitratores pro ipsis electos partes que predicti iurarunt super sancta Dei Euangelia et per ipsos corporaliter tacta de Stando ludo* ordinacione* in alto et in basso Dictorum quatuor arbitratorum sic inter ipsos electorum in omnibus causis que debendent* in lege sub pena xl s xx s parti parenti et reliquos xx s fabrice ecclesie Cathedralis soluendos Prouiso tamen quod huiusmodi arbitrium siue laudum feratur <sancti> Citra Concistorium proximum post festum sancti Mathie Apostoli proximum futurum Et si contingat quod <hui> Dicti iiij^or compromissam non terminauerint seu laudum tulerint tunc set* causa inter ipsos mota in statu in quo erat tempore huiusmodi compromissa

Staffordshire Record Office Lichfield Diocesan Records B/C/1/2 fo. 220v

Memorandum quod xxvj die mensis Julij Anno domini Millesimo CCCClxxiiij quidem Ricardus ley comparuerit coram Magistro Thoma Reynold et iurauit ad sancta dei euangelia quod filius suus Willelmus ley laudum arbitrium in alto et in basso Johannis Sutton Thome feyse Willelmi Depyng de Sutton Colfeld et Johannis Madoke arbitratorum <electorum> inter Rogerum Shepeweke et <io> dictum Willelmum et Johannam uxorem suam electorum in omnibus causis prendentibus inter dictos Rogerum et Willelmum et Johannam ^stabit^ promise

Staffordshire Record Office Lichfield Diocesan Records B/C/1/2, unfoliated leaf

Memorandum quod ix^o die Mensis Augusti Anno Domini Millesimo CCCC lxxiiij^or comparuerunt Dominus Willelmus <Wolf> Wedrufe Capellanus et Johannes Stafford ^junior^ de Cryche in Comitatu Derbeie in ecclesia Cathedrali lich’ et pro bono pacis et concordie <int> dicti Dominus Willelmus et Johannes compromiserunt in quatuor ^viros^ videlicet Radulphum Sacheuerll’ Henricum punte arbitratores pro parte dicti Domini Willelmi electos Henricum Columbell’ ^seniorem^ et Ricardum Page arbitratores pro parte dicti Johannis electos et que causa (+) inieccionis manuum violentarum in dictum Dominum Willelmum Capellanum partem actricem ex parte una et dictum Johannem Stafford juniorem partem ream ex altera que adhuc pendet indecisa partes que predicti iurarunt super sancta Dei Euangelia et per ipsos corporaliter tacta de Stando laudo arbitrio ordinacione* in alto et in Basso dictorum quatuor (+) arbitratorum sic inter ipsos electos in omnibus causis que dependent in lege et que sunt extra legem pro se et omnibus suis ac pro Roberto Marchall’ sub pena x^cim librorum quinque libras ^parti^ parenti et reliquas quinque libras fabrice ecclesie Cathedralis lich’ soluendas prouiso tamen quod huiusmodi arbitrium siue laudum feratur citra festum natiuitatis beate marie virginis proxime futurum Et si contingat quod dicti quattuot arbitratores infra dictum tempus minime laudauerunt adtunc predicte partes unanimiter concensierunt ut Dicti arbitratores eligunt in se imperam promise quod ipse imper (+) laudum ferat citra dominicam ante festum Malie* Apostoli <proxime futurum> proxime ^ex^tunc sequentem et si contingat quod dictus imper non terminauerit seu laudum tulerit tunc set* causa inter ipsos mota in statu in quo erat termpore huiusmodi compromisi

Staffordshire Record Office Lichfield Diocesan Records B/C/1/2, unfoliated leaf

Memorandum quod xxviij die mensis Septembris Anno Domini Millesimo CCCClxxiiij^to comparuerunt <coram> Willelmus Tayler et Willelmus Peyner Rogerus S* Willelmus Ruscheton’ et Rogerus Beynys et Johannes Tayler nomine parochianorum de Dalley et Ricardum Thurtulkoke de eadem compromiserunt in iiij^or* videlicet Thomas Belivant Willelmum pedmore parte dictorum parochianorum et Dominum Ricardum Fewhed vicarium de Madley et Johannem ley de Welynton’ in ecclesia Cathedrali lich’ pro bono pacis habendo inter eosdem arbitratrores inter ipsos electos et (blotch) iurauerunt ad standum dei Euangelia <de Stando> et per ipsos tacta de Stando laudo arbitrio in alto et in basso Dictorum quatuor arbitratorum in omnibus causis inter ipsos parochianos et et* Ricardum Thurtulkoke prouiso tamen quod huiusmodi laudum feratur citra festum omnium sanctorum proxime futurum et >finna> finatione per eos ideo non finita tunc stet in statu in quo &c est

Staffordshire Record Office Lichfield Diocesan Records B/C/1/2, unfoliated leaf

Memorandum quod Anno Domini Millesimo CCCC lxxv^to comparuerunt coram Magistro Thoma Reynall in utroque iure Bacellario ac presedenti Concistorii Episcopalis lich’ ix^o die mensis Maij in <co> loco Concistorii eiusdem et ibidem compromiserunt in iiij^or viros videlicet dominum Radulphum Calcrofte vicarium de Chesturfeld et dominum Henricum Wedurhed vicarium de Dronfeld pro parte Willelmi Turner Rectoris de Clowne et Rectorem de Whytewell’ pro parte Roberti Rotherham de stando*

Staffordshire Record Office Lichfield Diocesan Records B/C/1/2, unfoliated leaf

Memorandum quod xxix^no Die mensis Maij Anno Domini Millesimo CCCClxxvj^o Comparuerunt personaliter in iudicio coram Magistro Thoma Raynald Concistorii aepiscopalis lich’ presidenti Dominus Thomas Cownur de Staffordia Capellanus et Thomas frebanke de Denbeia pro bono pacis et concordie inter Dictos Dominum Thomam et Thomam Frebanke et uxorem eiusdem/ dicti Dominus Thomas et Thomas nomine suo et uxoris sue compromiserunt in sex viros videlicet Willelmum offley Johannem Day et Edmundum Robyns arbitratores pro parte dicti Domini Thome/ Robertum Rowe Johannem Stepulford et Robertum Wendall’ arbitratores pro parte dicti Thome et uxoris sue in quadam causa testamentaria inter Dictos Dominum Thomam partem actricem ex parte una & dictum Thomam et uxorem eiusdem partem ream ex altera que ad huc pendet indecisa partes que predicte videlicet Dominus Thomas et Thomas nomine suo et uxoris sue iurarunt et eorum uterque iurauit super sancta dei Euangelia et per personam Corporaliter tacta de Stando laudo arbitrio ordinacionis in alto et in basso dictorum sex arbitratorum sic inter eos electorum in predicta causa que pendet in lege et omnibus aliis causis inter dictas partes pendentibus sub pena xx li decem parti parenti et reliquas decem libras fabrice ecclesie Cathedralis lich’ soluendas prouiso tamen quod huiusmodi arbitrium siue laudum feratur citra festum sancti Mathei Apostoli proxime futurum et si contingat quod <huiusmodi> predicti sex arbitratores siue amicabiles compositores Dicta onera ac alias materias inter ipsos pendentes non terminauerint seu laudum tulerint tunc set* (recte stet?) causa predicta inter ipsos Dominum Thomam et Thomam et uxorem eius mota in statu in quo erat tempore huiusmodi compromissa

Staffordshire Record Office Lichfield Diocesan Records B/C/1/2 fo. 272v

Memorandum quod xxij die mensis Octobris Anno Domini Millesimo CCCClxxvjto comparuerunt personaliter in iudicis coram Magistro Thoma Reynald et Magistro Rogreo* Wall Dicti Consistorii presidentibus <Rogerus> ^Georgius^ Bulkeley maritus Johanne Bulkey* uxoris sue et Christoferus Dey pro bono pacis et concordie inter dictos <Rogerum> ^Georgium^ <nomine> uxorem suam et dictum Christoferum Dey dictus <Rogerus> ^Georgius^ nomine sue et uxoris sue et dictus Christoferus nomine sue compromiserunt in quatuor viros videlicet Thomam Nores et Georgium Aston arbitratores pro parte dictorum <Rogeri> ^Georgii^ et Johanne uxoris sue <arbitratores pro dicto Rogero electos> et Johannem Crose et Thomam Lathum arbitratores pro parte dicti Christoferus electos in quadam causa testamentaria inter dictos Christoferum <et dictos Ro> partem actricem ex parte una et dictos <Rogerum> ^Georgium^ et uxorem eiusdem partem ream ex parte altera que ad huc pendet indecisa partesque predicte videlicet Georgius Bulkeley nomine sue et uxoris sue et Christoferus Dey iurauerunt et eorum uterque iurauit super sancta dei Euaungelia et per ipsos Corporaliter tacta de stando laudo arbitrio ordinacione* in alto et in Basso dictorum iiijor arbitratorum sic inter ipsos electorum in predicta causa que pendet in lege et omnibus aliis causis inter dictas partes pendentibus sub pena xx li dimidium dicte parti parenti et reliquas decem libras fabrice ecclesie Cathedralis Lich’ soluendas prouiso tamen quod huiusmodi arbitrium siue laudum feratur circa festum sancti leonardi proximum futurum Et si contigit quod dicti quatuor arbitratores citra dictum festum dictam causam ac alias materias inter ipsos pendentes non terminauerint seu laudum tulerint tunc habeant dicti quatuor arbitratores potestatem ad eligendum ipsem ad terminandum et finendum dictam causam ac alias materias sub pena predicte parti <et ecclesie predicte^ applicanda prouiso tamen <h> quod huiusmodi <a> ipsum laudum siue arbitrium feratur citra festum sancte Lucie Virginis proximum futurum et si<c> ^dicta nuper^ dictam causam non terminauerit citra dictum festum tunc stet causa ^predicta^ inter ipsos Christoferum Georgium et Johannam <uxori> uxorem eius mota in statum in quo erat tempore huiusmodi compromisi

Staffordshire Record Office Lichfield Diocesan Records B/C/1/2 fo. 274r

Memorandum quod iijo die mensis Decembris Anno domini Millesimo CCCClxxvjto comparuerunt in iudicio personaliter Willelmus Salmon Rogerus Drewre Ricardus Drewre et Willelmus Drewre coram Magistro Thoma Reynald Consistorii Episcopalis Lich’ presidente et pro bono pacis et concordie inter dictum Willelmum Salmon Elizabet’ <Salmon et Willelmum Salmon> Drewre et Willelmum Drewre dicti Willelmus Salmon nomine sue et Willelmus Drewre nomine suo proprio et dicti Rogerus et Ricardus nomine nomine* Elizabet’ Drewre Matris ipsorum compromiserunt in iiijor viros videlicet Rogerum Whytereson Johannem Cartewryght arbitratores pro parte dicti Willelmi Salmon electorum Humfridum Tyttley de Tyttley et Willelmum Whetley arbitratores pro parte dictorum Elizabet’ et Willelmi filii sui electos in quadam causa testamentaria inter dictum Willelmum <Elizabet> partem actricem ex parte una et dictos Elizabet’ et Willelmum partem ream ex altera que ad huc pendet indecisa partesque dicte videlicet Rogerus* & Ricardus nomine Elizabet’ Drewre matris ipsorum et Willelmus Drewre nomine suo proprio et dictus dictus* Willelmus Salmon iurauerunt et eorum quilibet iurauit super sancta dei Euangelia et per ipsos corporaliter tacta de stando laudo arbitrio ordinancione* in alto et in basso dictorum iiijor arbitratorum sic inter ipsos electorum in predicta causa que pendet in lege et omnibus aliis causis inter partes predictas pendentes sub pena x marcarum quinque parti parenti et reliquas quinque <libras> marcas fabrice ecclesie Cathedralis lich’ prouiso tamen quod huiusmodi arbitrium siue laudum feratur citra festum natiuitatis* Domini proximum futurum Et si contingat quod Dicti iiijor arbitratores citra Dictum festum dictam causam siue materias alias inter ipsos pendentes non terminauerint seu laudum tulerint tunc dicte partes compromiserint in Ricardum Rape in imparem ad terminandum et finiendum dictas materias sub pena predicta parti parenti et ecclesie Cathedrali lich’ applicanda prouiso tamen quod huiusmodi imper laudum siue arbitrium ferat festum sancti Hillarii proximum futurum et si Dictus impar dictas causas siue materias non abterminauerit citra dictum festum … tunc stet causa inter ipsos Willelmum Elizabet’ & Willelmum mota in statu in quo erat termpore huiusmodi compromissi

Staffordshire Record Office Lichfield Diocesan Records B/C/1/2, fo. 316r

In John Herowod of Kinver c. Helen Rowland of Kinver in a cause of fidei laesio et perjurii, 20 January 1477/78

et statim compromiserunt in duos veros* videlicet Hugonem Boland et <Hu> Rogerum Byngham arbitratores inter ipsos electos et dicti Johannes et Elena iurauerunt et eorum uterque iurauit de stando laudum vel arbitrium dictorum arbitratorum sub pena x li prouiso tamen (end)

Staffordshire Record Office Lichfield Diocesan Records B/C/1?2 fo. 324v

Undated (possibly 23 March 1477/78)

Memorandum quod Johannes Kyndur alias Wyntur et Willelmus Pyke pro se compromiserunt in iiijor viros videlicet Robertum Guldeyng et Ricardum Sutton de Schebarne pro parte Johannis Kyndur Johannem puntt de + et Alanum Barkur pro parte dicti Domini Willelmi Pyk De stando laudo dictorum arbitratorum et habent terminum ad + usque ad festum Dominicam* in albys proximum futurum et si contingerit quod dicti iiijor laudum non tulerint tunc habent potestatem ad eligendum imperam et iurauit* ad sancta dei Euaungelia De stando laudo dictorum sub pena iiij li

Staffordshire Record Office Lichfield Diocesan Records B/C/1/2, unfoliated leaf

[undated]

Memorandum quod Jacobus Maynewaryng et Thomas Bestoke compromiserunt in iiijor viros viros* videlicet Radulphum Bestoke et Thomam Rede pro parte Dicti Dicti* Jacobi et Hugonem Dauenport et Reginaldum legh pro parte Thome prouiso quod materia finetur citra festum sancti Johannis Baptiste et aliter stet in eodem statu in quo &c &c

Staffordshire Record Office Lichfield Diocesan Records B/C/1/2 fo. 221r

Memorandum Dominus Rogerus Coltehurst <De> Capellanus De Seyton Johannes Spenser et Ricardus Smyth ^De parochia de Halsall^ comparuerunt in Dominum Ricardum priorem de Broscher <et iurauerunt> et Dominum Ricardum fermen Rectorem De Halsall inter ipsos indiferentes electos De Stando laude et arbitrio … in omnibus causis inter ipsos ipse ab origine mondi motis siue mouendis ab … mundi usque ad presentem Diem et ad ^hunc^ faciendum predicti iurauerunt ad sancta dei euangelia per ispsos corporaliter … sub pena <x li>¬ x li dimidium parti pararenti* et dimidium fabrice ecclesie Cathedralis lich’ prouiso quod huiusmodi laudem siue arbitrium feratur citra festum natiuitatis* Domini proximum futurum aliter …

Image: courtesy of Staffordshire Record Office

Just performing some research into some aspects of the late-medieval ecclesiastical courts on a vague whim. To date, I’ve perused the equivalent of three years (March 1468-June 1471) in the Lichfield consistory court. The data are held in a LibreOffice Base database. A quick and dirty examination produces these numbers.

Total causes	284
fidei laesio	79
defamation	51
testamentary	44
detinue of church goods	24
matrimonial	22
divorce a mensa et thoro	17
tithes	16
adherence to marital vows	6
usury	2

The rest are sundries.

Updating the numbers for 30 March 1468 now to 10 April 1473.

Total causes	493
fidei laesio	157
defamation	76
testamentary	74
detinue of church goods	31
matrimonial	37
divorce a mensa et thoro	41
tithes	25
adherence to marital vows	11
usury	7

Advancing the corpus linguistics, looking specifically at tragedy, the emphasis is on banish and banishment because of the political context.  Exclude/exclusion are not encountered at all.  (Corpora obtained from ProjectGutenberg and run through TextSTAT).

Duchess of Malfi: banished x5; banishment x2. Inc. ANTONIO: ‘My banishment, feeding my melancholy…’

The White Devil: banish/ed 3; banishment 3.  Opening with Ludovico’s exclamation ‘Banished!’.

Although the term is not encountered in A Woman Killed with Kindness, banishment is effectively the fate of Anne (Nan).

Banishment was the sense invoked by urban authorities in their exclusion of their own members who had allegedly contravened expected norms.

So to other obvious observations.  OED has two strands for exclusion: one is tantamount to structural exclusion (i.e. not being admitted); the other to removal – more regularly banishment or ostracism.  The noun exclusion seems fairly rare in literature (I did a brief concordance analysis of Jonson, for example; OED has earliest occurrence in 14th century).  The first concept leads in many directions about rituals of inclusion and exclusion, qualifying status, and access to resources.  The second can be analyzed on various levels from Durkheim’s sacredness of society through functionalism to the latter’s insistence on reintegration and the restoration of harmony – or, more likely, enmity and low-level self-help, continuing ostracism and acrimony.

Here’s another thought prompted by work being conducted by Charmian Mansell.  It returns me to thinking about Social Network Analysis.  One precept which is being neglected now is Time, which used to be taken into account in the earlier literature (esp. in Social Forces).  Time is important for establishing social networks, esp. as support networks.  One might then a priori expect a difference in the capability of domestic servants and servants in husbandry to establish support networks in their place of occupation.  Domestic servants have the Time, but servants in husbandry do not (one-year contracts).  This thought is also apposite for some work which I am undertaking on bankrupts who migrated (London Gazette notices), for their failures disallowed them from making strong support networks and compelled them to move on or, quite often, circular migration back to their place of origin where they had kinship support networks.  What to do about Mark Granovetter’s ‘weak links’ is a constant challenge.

As this Warwick conference approaches, my thoughts return to social interactionism and symbolic interactionism, although the latter (Mead, Blumer) may be a stretch too far.  This consideration has been stimulated too by a recent event in my life, subjective as it may seem in the historical prospectus.  Recently, my college alma mater communicated that this year it would entertain 50th-anniversary recruits (matriculands, as it has it) for its annual dinner.  The insistence, however, on black tie is anathema to some of us (well, me).  I consequently declined to attend.  Is this self-exclusion?  I suggest not entirely.  In part, the culpability rests with the college which is inflexible in allowing lounge suits (those who wish could still retain black tie).  The exclusion is a consequence of interactionism or, as I re-read it, Goffman’s Behavior in Public Places (1963).  It approximates to the expected rules which are not legislative but to which people are expected to conform.  It is not quite a question of Goffman’s ‘situational proprieties’, which are matters of etiquette.  It would be interesting if the participants in their papers address this wider issue: ‘situational proprieties’ (how people who do not respond in the anticipated fashion in face-to-face (public) situations become excluded).