in Elizabethan England
As you enter town, you notice a group of children
playing near the river. As you approach, a tall lad breaks off
from the group and walks toward you. He seems to be watching out
for the younger ones who continue to play, heedless to your approach.
The tall lad stops before you and speaks:
"Good Morrow! Rumor has it that we would be getting some
strange visitors. I am William McVain, but you may call me Wiggen.
I can tell you about the life of a child in Elizabethan England
if you would care to dawdle a spell. Now that you have entered
this time period, it has probably jumped out that one of the biggest
differences between the Renaissance and the 90's is the incredible
variety of lifestyles. Many of the the 90's everyday conveniences
are unavailable at this time, mostly because they simply do not
exist. Silverware will not be available until later in the Renaissance,
electricity has yet to be harnessed in a way that can be usable,
and the schooling system is much more of a hassle. Many of the
customs and behaviors of the people living during this time are
also different. You cannot talk back or speak out against the
church, and most of your privileges rely on your social status.
Although this
affects people of all ages, I can tell you how it directly affects
the children of the Elizabethan period."
The first difference that is most noticeable
in children of this time period is the clothing that they wear.
Clothing during this time period is very important. The way you
dress not only represents your wealth, but also greatly signifies
your social status. If a child is dressed inappropriately, their
family is considered poor and poverty-stricken. On the other hand,
if a child is dressed well, the family will be well-respected
and dignified. Girls are heavily dressed. They wear a chemise
(a long, white garment resembling a nightdress), stockings, a
leather corset, a bodice, waist-petticoats, and a gown over it.
Girls and women always cover their hair, usually with a scarf
or a hat. Boys usually dress to resemble their father. They wear
shirts and a fitted jacked called a "doublet". They
wear close fitting hoses (like tights) which are tied by lace,
and breeches are worn over these. Both boys and girls wear cloaks
when it was cold. With all of these tight fitting clothes on,
play can be very uncomfortable for children. It is suspected that
many of these children take off some of these layers when parents
aren't looking. But for the most part, however, children wear
this type of outfit on a regular basis.
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Another question you may have about this time period is what the
children's role is at home. Families at this time are much larger
then they are in the 90's. It is not uncommon for people to have
12 to 15 children. In rich households, there are usually many
servants, leaving the children off the hook. But in poor households,
you are expected to do a great deal around the house. The young
babies represent the first job. Most often older sisters will
take care of this job, as they do in the 90's. Another job to
be taken care of are the daily chores. As mentioned before, there
are no vans or cars, no postal services, no railways, no phones,
no premade breads and products. All of these tasks have to be
done manually, and this responsibility is usually split equally
upon the younger girls and boys. Think about this for a minute.
The milkman will not deliver milk right to your door, any food
our meal you want to eat must be made from scratch, and sometimes
the ingredients you use must be home grown.
These things make it essential for everyone in the household to
do their share. Young girls enjoy helping their mothers with needlework,
thus providing some of the necessary clothes and blankets for
the household. Since there are not many butchers or meat markets,
most of the meat products must be found and killed by ourselves.
This task is usually done by the fathers, but they are often assisted
by the young men. Common meats and products that have to be caught
are cod, shrimp, crabs, oysters, sausages, pigeons, blackbirds,
wild ducks, and partridges. All of these can be caught and made
with a combined effort of all family members. Another task reserved
for children is the collecting of feathers for making mattresses
and pillows. It means that when the chickens or ducks ware killed,
they must collect the feathers and take them to be cleaned. The
final responsibility we will mention is one reserved for children
when they reach an adolescent age. Young men are sometimes sent
to be a page in a nobleman's house, where they are taught the
polite ways of society. Young women usually go to serving homes
to learn how to organize a household and look after things better
for the future.
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Yes , times here in the Renaissance are more than just all work
and no play. Girls and boys of this time period play many of the
games that are now popular in the 90's. Some of the games you
know, such as hopscotch and blind man's bluff, are considered
old games even during the Renaissance. One poet wrote in 1611:
Stoolball is still played in school in the
90's, pitching the bar is the same as "tossing the caber"
in Scotland, nine-holes is a game to roll a small ball into nine
holes cut in a certain pattern, and ten-pins is a variation of
"modern" day ninepins. Football and wrestlingare very
popular but are both very rough, and players often get seriously
injured. Because of this, King James I, in the early 17th century,
forbade anybody at his court to play these violent games.
Other popular games are battledore, shuttlecock, leapfrog, see-saw,
and bowling the hoop. Those who live by a river or a stream learn
how to swim, and fishing is also a very common pastime. Tennis
and billiards are played in noble households, but ordinary people
do not play them during this time. Archery is enjoyed by people
of all ages, and most people have their own bows. Falconry is
very common but mostly enjoyed by adults rather than children.
In falconry, dogs are used to disturb wild birds. These wild birds
are then attacked by falcons.
Children also have a certain amount of toys at home to play with.
Rocking horses and all kinds of toy animals are common, and boys
usually have toy soldiers. All of the toys are hand made and much
more simpler than those of the 90's, but children play with them
often.
It is also not uncommon for a household to
have pets. The most common kind of pet is a dog. Terriers and
Spaniels are the most plentiful breed, and dogs usually make for
great companions and hunting mates. As you can see, life in this
period was a lot of work, but does have many ways to relax and
unwind.
Children of this time period are a very important part of daily
life. The children's roles are very clearly defined and those
who do not follow these roles are punished. Children in poor families
are expected to do chores but these chores are much different
than those of modern times. Like the parents of the 90's, the
parents want their children to dress appropriately, but this is
due to social status not self appearance. Play time is also a
part of Renaissance times, and many of the games they played are
still being played around the world the same way or in variation
during your times. As you can see, children have their very own
special roles in the Renaissance time.
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References:
Harrison, Molly and Shiela Maguire (illustrator). Children
in History: Sixteenth and
Seventeenth Centuries . University Printing House. Cambridge,
G.B., 1978.
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