17th Century Almanac for July – free quarter & contribution
The 17th Century almanac for July – the ‘hungry month’. For so many, the store cupboard was bare by July. The last of the winter’s wheat, barley or rye had gone. There would be no more – and no bread – until the grain in the fields was ready to harvest in August.
Today, we can enjoy July as the ‘month of summer’s prime’. It is time to bask in the long, hot ‘dog days’ of summer. But July was once the hight of the campaigning season. It was a time when armies marched. A time when soldiers descended on towns and villages to demand free quarter, food, fodder and contributions to their cause. And it was a time of terrible battles.
17th Century Life & Agriculture in July – weeding acre strips.
July should see the last of the hay crop gathered in and stacked – vital for feeding horses and store cattle through the winter. In the 17th Century, it was also the last chance to weed the corn and bean fields before harvest. This was unpleasant but necessary work involving huge numbers of people in the fields. Whole families laboured in the open fields in the summer heat weeding the acre strips.
Thistles, dock, dead-nettle, charlock, corncockle, corn marigolds, cornflowers, blackgrass and couch grass roots all needed to be weeded out, by hand. There were no weedkillers. If this work was not done, the grain would be filled with inedible seeds and the fields filled with even more weeds (and less crops) the next year. Today, our farmers are still struggling to control blackgrass that invades and kills wheat.
The ‘Hungry Month’ of July – no bread before harvest
We often have an idyllic view of pre-industrial summer. For sure, the sun must have brought happy times. But we should not forget that July was the ‘hungry month’. Almost all of the last year’s grain would have been consumed. What was left was expensive and probably mouldy. Until the new harvest had started, there was little bread to feed those working long hours in the fields.
Free Quarter & Contribution – marching armies & camp followers
July was also the hight of the campaign season. We often focus on the battles that punctuate a war. But we should never forget the impact armies have on the land and its civilian population. Troops in the 17th Century demanded quartering, food, drink and fodder.
At best, householders were paid sixpence a day per soldier for board and lodging. More usually, they were given a chit to reclaim the cost at the end of the war. This was free-quarter. Armies also expected contributions in terms of taxes to support their cause and war effort. Many were left bankrupt, particularly those who had quartered the losing side.
The arrival of marching troops in July often left communities with nothing, stripping them bare in the hungriest of months. If nothing else, this must have pushed many young men to take up arms, to join the ranks that took their food and beds, or join the Clubmen that resisted them. Young women and boys also left their homes to follow the armies, working for scraps, rather than be left with nothing.
July Battles – Marston Moor, Lansdown, Roundway & Bristol
But July is a month of brutal Civil War battles. It starts with Marston Moor fought on 2 July 1644. This momentous battle will be the climax of Divided Kingdom book #3. But it was a scene of horror for those that witnessed it. The largest battle of the English Civil War, it involved five armies.
July the 5th is the anniversary of the Battle of Lansdown Hill. This was followed by the Siege of Devizes from the 9th, Roundway Down on the 13th and the Storming of Bristol on the 26th. These battles – fought over three weeks in 1643 – are the setting for The Keys of Hell and Death.
Each battle was important in its own right. Combined, they saw the King’s fortunes rise to their highest point during the Civil War. However, Lansdown Hill and Bristol each came at a terrible cost, born particularly by the King’s foot regiments. The Cornish foot never truly recovered.
July Moon, Stars & Humours – Hay Moon, Venus & choleric Leo
As ever, the moon was key to setting the harvest. The fullest crop would come after the full moon. But the weather has to be fair. This year, the Hay Moon will be full on the 10th of July. A new Grain Moon will rise on the 24th to be full on the 9th of August. It will herald the great harvest of our wheat, barley and rye.
The sun rules the July night sky, casting its long twilight. Venus, the morning star, and ringed Saturn will be visible again before dawn. This is the month of Leo, the lion. Those born under its fiery influence were said to have a choleric temperament. According to Galen, their hot and dry humour tended to towards being full bodied, ruddy, fierce, active and valiant.
St Swithin’s Day – Sirius & the ‘dog days’ of summer
Finally, the 15th of July is St Swithin’s Day, said to set the weather for the next forty days. These should be the long, hot ‘dog days’ of summer, following the rising of Sirius in the evening sky. However, the Little Ice Age resulted in unpredictable summers through the 1630s and 1640s, devastating crops.
Today, we know the importance of the ocean currents and the jet stream in regulating our weather and climate. However, in earlier times, we relied upon folklore.
St Swithin was the Bishop of Winchester from 852 to 862. On his request, he was buried in a simple grave where “the sweet rain of heaven” could fall upon him. However, on 15 July 971 his body was enshrined within the cathedral. It is said that the pious Saxon saint was so outraged by this move that a huge storm struck England and it rained for forty days after.
Thankfully, St Swithin’s shrine mostly survived the desecration of Winchester Cathedral in December 1642. But that is another (short) story – DESECRATION.
Follow & Read More of the 17th Century Almanac
Whether you are weeding your crops, or feeding armies, I hope you can enjoy the dog days of ‘summer’s prime’. As ever, if this post has left you with nothing but an empty cupboard, please tell me how to refill it.
I will post more of the 17th Century Almanac, next month. Each article discusses a topic of interest, such as 17th Century Climate Change and conflict, as well as annual activity in Early Modern Britain for that month. If you would like to receive an email notification of the next post, please click the button to follow.
17th Century History – articles, maps & events
In the meantime, this website includes more posts and articles about life in 17th Century Britain, Europe and the Americas at Historical Notes and Maps. These include notes and pages on the impact of the Little Ice Age and The General Crisis of the 17th Century. They include articles on the English Revolution and Great Rebellion. They also include Pike and Shot Warfare and battles of the English Civil War.
You can also find more posts on Early Modern history, Living History and re-enactment at News & Events. You may also wish to read about the English Civil War history talks and battlefield walks I give. If you would like to meet, why not check out the calendar at Charles Cordell Events.
Divided Kingdom – English Civil War historical fiction
The 17th Century almanac blog posts provide a backdrop and set the scene for the Divided Kingdom books. This historical fiction series is set in Early Modern Britain during the English Civil War. These posts are part of their backstory.
The Divided Kingdom books take a fresh approach. They are not based on a single hero. They do not take sides. Their voices – ordinary men and women – face each other in the chaos of Britain in civil war. They are both relatable and sharply relevant today. They are also as historically accurate as is possible.
Please do check out some of the writing at Divided Kingdom Books, including reviews, book tasters and a FREE ebook short story.
See More – social media & the Divided Kingdom Readers’ Club
Alternatively, check out Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or YouTube for more posts. These include notes from my historical research, Living History and English Civil War fiction. They also include upcoming events and opportunities to meet. Or, follow on social media at #DividedKingdomBooks or #EnglishCivilWarFiction on:
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