!6 PROLOGUE
So to the music of whetstone striking on scythe the work
began, and the mowers bent to their task, sweeping down the
"grass iawide swathes, as they slowly moved from side to side of
the piece allotted to them. John was glad to see old William
Honiset already in the field. He could no longer use a scythe,
but he was very crafty in the straightening and sharpening of
obstinate blades, and the whole day long sat under a great beech
tree in one corner of the field with hammer and stone and put a
new edge on many a scythe before nightfall. As the sun rose higher
and higher the blades swung to and fro, while up and down the
field moved a man, with a stave in his hand, whose duty it was to
oversee the workers. John looked at him as he passed, recalling
his own early days, and how often he and the father of this man
who now stood over him had worked together in this very
meadow, for they had been partners, or "marrows", as the
country people termed it, and so did whatever was possible to
help one another. But, in his old age, his friend hud bought his
freedom at a great price, for he had paid to the Lord Prior six
marks of silver, the savings of a lifetime, and as much as the
yearly income of Sir William, the vicar, himself. Now, therefore,
his son was free of everything except a few small services from
time to time, of which this was one.
The workers paused to sharpen their scythes, or for a mo-
mentary rest, or better still to listen while some belated arrival
poured his tale into the ear of an incredulous reeve, or while
some careless fellow, who was working in laasy or incompetent
fashion, was soundly berated by the hayward. At other moments,
again, there was a most welcome respite, for this was fortunately a
"wet boon ", and old Alice atte Mere, who had only a tiny cot on
the edge of the village, held it on the homely tenure of carrying
ale to the workers at these boons* Hence, she was continuously
going to and fro from the manor house for reinforcements of
ale which the thirsty labourers seemed to consume almost as
soon as it was doled out to them. Although this was only the
drink rationed out to the manorial servants, and was not exactly