The Medieval Manor (1956)

[Music] [Music] mon breth Castle weather beaten battle scar it stands high upon a hill where some hundred years ago the first Baron of Mont bre raised its heavy stone walls and mighty Towers symbols of power and Security in return for security the people who live around Mont bre acknowledge the lord of the castle as their Master they labor for him pay him homage and seek in him a protector against Invaders and [Music] tyrants this morning as is his daily custom sir Giles deont breath makes the rounds to oversee the guards he starts with a guard on the East Tower and gives orders for the day to the captain of the Guard from the tower sir Giles can survey the guarded moat below and Beyond it the land his land The Villages farms and forests that are his to rule and his to [Music] protect in the government of the Mana community he is aided by the senal the caretaker of his estate this morning the senal reports that the Surfs are grumbling because special donations will be expected from them at witson tide sir Giles has set this spring holiday as the wedding day for his son Phillip and it is customary to demand donations from the Surfs whenever a Lord's son marries while sir Giles listens to his sential report he takes the way through the West Tower to make sure that all the gods are Manning their stations below the tower on the Upper Terrace of the castle his son Phillip the young bridegroom to be practices swordmanship with his Squire from the castle Terrace the sential leads his master to the outer Courtyard where the life of the montre community busily moves along sheltered behind the Fortress walls all looks peaceful this morning still war is an everpresent threat and because danger is everpresent Artisans and Craftsmen ply their trades within the protection of the walls producing Goods for the Manor hall and for the whole community here blacksmiths shape plowshares Tanners and saddle makers fashion leather goods and armorers repair the weapons of war or manners such as Mt bre are like Islands set alone in a sea of wasteland and Forest sometimes surrounded by impassible mud small isolated worlds which came into being after the Roman Empire had crumbled under the heels of invading Barbarians from the East the Conquering horde descended upon Rome and swept away the central government Roman Garrison towns vanished and Europe was left in chaos it was then that small land owners driven by the need for protection gave up the titles to their Farms to larger land owners or successful Warriors who could give them shelter and security so gradually a new community organization emerged the Mana Community with a new way of life which we call the feudal way of life or feudalism a society based upon the servant Master relationship in which the surf pays homage to his Lord the Lord to his Superior he in turn to his Superior and so on and on up to the very top of the social ladder to the king word that there will be a wedding at witson tide spreads fast in the warmth of the Community Oven The gossips Gather to discuss the coming occasion one of the women who washes for the hall displays the beautiful garments which will soon Adorn the ladies of the castle [Music] hush the young Master's coming hurry L Baker show me the morning's yield of bread this hot yet my Lord fairly done my man a goodly show here accept this what fetches thou I bring a Black Goose for the kitchen in the hall Move Along Peter Grimes as land is the source of all wealth and power in the Middle Ages so Gil influence is reckoned by the size of his domain the position of the surf too is determined by the extent of his landholding at Mt bre the workload is portioned out fairly the Surfs are permitted to elect from amongst themselves a representative to guard their rights and dealings with the Lord this is a hard year surf John grimel complains of the lack of rain for no matter how small the yield he knows the Lord will still claim his rent unchangeable custom has decreed that the surf must pay the Lord a fixed rent in work and services John grimel and the other serves work all the land on the manor this shaded area represents the Lord's own domain worked by the Surfs for the master these black areas represent the land a portion to the village in which John gml lives John and his neighbors rotate their crops one year they grow wheat or rye the next oats or barley peas or even beans each year one field lies fellow so that its soil May rest this again is a time-honored custom followed by all the Surfs of the region Good Wife grimel attends to her house when she is not busy in the fields today John has returned home earlier than usual because his plow needs attention he is proud of his home it is one of the best in the village John is considered one of the foremost surfs in the community this is why the senal often comes to him when he has special problems to discuss this time it is the wedding donations that he has come to talk about John reminds the senal that this has been a year of drought and hard on everyone he himself is already giving the Lord two days a week in labor and a good portion of all he grows the wedding donation will have to be small Here Comes John's son Peter humble greetings to thee sir Sena from whence come you from the mill this Miller is a cherish man to the poor peasant and is not wholesome flowers so sore but filled with crushed stones and filth then walk with me and we shall look to [Music] this the Miller unlike the members MERS of the grimel family is not a surf he is a Freeman usually freemen have no land their special skills make them useful to the manor Community even though the Miller is a Freeman he too must pay the Lord a rent for Milling privileges I hear plaints about you look at this flower the senal demands that the Miller examine the flower ground for Peter gml show me this flower against which you have pled in this way the senual helps maintain order in the Mana Community is good flower there are stones in it you care for not but your own share the Surfs will have you in court come on Peter on Court days the senatal presides over the Lord's court today Miller Tobias has been brought before the court to be tried before a jury of villagers the Miller complains that the Surfs are Troublesome against the orders of the law many are grinding grain in their homes and thus cheat the Miller of his share while Tobias pleads before the senal the jury examines the flower Tobias too has a chance to explain his side of the case to the jury the jury system began in this way and captured the people's sense of justice throughout Western Europe jurors what say you it's B FL has he been fine before twice before Oh Miller you have been before this court for the same offense previously for the same offense you should be fine 20 pieces it's only a small sum pay gladly Miller for the money that you paid today will serve a holy cause for over the years at Mont bre a custom has sprung up decreeing that on certain Court days the fine shall go not to sir Giles but to the church the church a mighty and all inspiring word in the Middle Ages where other Unity is lacking the power of the church is the cement that holds together the many dissimilar groups of the feudal world to the powerful it is an everpresent reminder that they are humble before God master of all the world to the lowly surf if provides a glowing Ray of Hope for improvement for the church teaches that Lord and a surf are equal alike before God and God recruits his servants from all classes of society The Mont breath priest like many others is of humble Origins yet when he speaks in matters of the Soul his voice is that of the mighty Church of Rome all must listen to it near monre Castle lies the ABY of monre the Lord uses the services of its ecclesiastics two monks are permanently engaged to serve the manner one as the keeper of Records the other as reader for the young ladies and noblemen most of the learning of the time most of the history and traditions of the region are preserved by the ecclesiastics of the castle and the nearby ABY as the wedding day draws near activities in the lady's quarters increase into the sheltered inner Court wandering Merchants find the way going from Manor to Manor Bing goods from the East and spreading news and gossip in their wake the noble ladies clamor for fine silks rich damasks and Shining satins from the Orient they ask for rugs and carpets for The Bleak Castle floors and for themselves the luxuries of fine jars and vases spices and perfumes as a result of the Crusade routs to the East Long closed by the moslims were flung open to the Western World and Commercial exploration parties set out from Genoa and Venice across the Mediterranean seeking new roots to the East and its Treasures finding profit in it for themselves Muslim rulers opened their Frontiers to The Adventurous Traders from Italy wison tide has come the mass has been read and the wedding is over isn't it beautiful blue and gold how fair these are the ceremony was most beautious Alice it is for thy sake on my sons that we Feast this wits and tide now take heart and calm thyself and for for the rest of the day be marry but make case I hear one coming sir Gil your ladyship come in come in indeed my Lord you are ever a welcome visitor here I come but to tell my admiration for The Marvelous apparel of the ladies and we for our part will praise you for the most wondrous Tiara bestowed by you upon your new daughter I would not intrude my presence but make haste I pray the ladies the whole Court awaits your [Music] coming from The Village Green come sounds of rejoicing for this day at least the hard drudgery of ordinary life is forgotten as all the villagers enjoy the food and Ale provided by the castle [Music] only the cooks are hard at work on their table stands an assortment of many spices bearing testimony to how much Mont breath like other manners has come to depend upon trade with the East young Peter grimel is assisting in the kitchen but his heart lies outside but his comrades are resting for the prize of the day and as the Surfs enjoy their robust Sports the noble guests have daintier games to amuse them shuttle a poor runner of bad [Music] mitt and JY pal a similar sport archery for the men Folk and archery for the gentle ladies the ladies also enjoy the sport of riding come there that's the plate in the Great Hall the boards are spread with a banquet for the mon breaths and the tuni bals the families now unit Ed by Mary in honor of the occasion the young couple are placed in the revered position next to the noble lady and the Lord of Mont breth [Music] on festive days such as this it is usual for the Lord to display his generosity perhaps by granting special privileges to one or more of his subjects thou Peter Grimes so you bethink thee ever more of this day I set thee free I pledge my life to my master go you to my son and give him thanks for you are beholden to him and now to Feast one and [Music] all and so the successor to Mont breth starts out in a new phase of his life someday he is to become the lord of the manner to whom the villagers will pay their homage as he in turn honors his protector riding to battle with him as a vassel in the tradition of the time but before long this tradition in which he has been reared is to change from the scholars tucked away in their remote monasteries are to come strange speculations about the shape of the earth which will fire men's imaginations daring them to sail upon Uncharted Seas on Voyages of Exploration with the expansion that is to follow exploration Nations will become unified as kings Take Over Control of smaller communities in their domain and guarantee safety to their subjects so gradually the Fortified castles no longer needed as havens of protection no longer self-contained worlds turn into mere manner houses and the way of life called feudalism Slips Away into Legend and memory [Music] [Applause] [Music]