About the Prudent Reeve

be gesceadwisan gerefa

A document detailing all that a good 'reeve' (bailiff, steward; public or royal official) should do for the better running of his estate.

Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, MS 383, fols. 66v-69r - "appears to date to the late tenth or early eleventh century on the basis of its literary style and cultural and scholastic focus"

*I can't now trace where I got my text and translation from!

Sé scádwís geréfa sceal âgðær witan gé hláfordes
landriht ge folces gerihtu, be ðám ðe hit of
ealddagum witan gerâddan, 7 âlcre tilðan

timan ðe tó tune belimpð; forðám on

manegum landum tilð bið redre ðonne on oðrum: ge

yrðe tima hrædra, ge mâda rædran, ge

winterdún éac swa, ge gehwilc oðer tilð.

The intelligent reeve shall know both ye lord's

land-right and folk's rights, even as the

old-days counsellors determined; and every crop's season that to the homestead belongs; because in

many lands crops be earlier than in others: whether ploughing time earlier, or pasture earlier, or

winter-pasturing likewise, and every other labour.

Héde sé ðe scire healde þæt hé friðige and forðige
âlce (tilþe) 7 be ðam ðe hit selest sy; and be ðám

hé éac mót ðe hine weder wisað. Hé sceal

snotorlíce smeágean 7 georne ðurhsmúgan ealle ðá

ðing ðe hláforde magan tó ræde.

Heed this who office hold that he protect and promote

each (labour) however it best be; and for that

he also must then by weather be guided. He shall wisely consider and carefully 'through-think' all those things which [for his] lord may be of help.

Gyf he wel aginnan wile, ne mæig he sleac beon ne to
oferhydig; ac he mot ægðær witan ge læsse ge

mare, ge betere ge mætre

ðæs ðe to tune belimpð, ge on tune

ge on dune, ge on wuda ge on wætere,
ge on felda ge on falde, ge inne ge ute;
for ðam to soðe ic secge, oferhogie he oððe

forgyme ða ðing to beganne and to bewitanne,

ðe to scipene oððe to odene belimpað,

sona hit wyrð on berne þæt to ðam belimpað.

If he well to begin wants, he must not slack be nor too

overweening; but he must both know the less (and) the

more, both the greater and the less important matters

that to a homestead relate, both in the farm-yard and on the down, both in wood and in water,

both in field and fold, both indoors and out;

For I tell you a truth, if he be too proud or

negligent to undertake and attend to the things

which belong to cattle-stall or threshing-floor,

the result will soon show itself in the barn.

Ac ic lære þæt he do swa ic ær cwæð:
gyme ægðær ge ðæs selran ge þæs sæmran,
þæt naðor ne misfare, gyf he wealdan mæge,
ne corn ne sceaf, ne flæsc ne flotsmeru, ne

cyse ne cyslyb, ne nan ðera ðinga

ða æfra to note mæge.

But I advise that he do as I before said:

observe both the better and the inferior,

so that neither go wrong, if he can control it;

neither corn nor sheaf, nor flesh nor cream, nor

cheese nor cheese-drug, nor any of the things

that can ever be of use.

Swa sceal god scyrman his hlafordes healdan,
do ymbe his agen swa swa he wylle.
A swa he gecneordra swa bið he weorðra,
gyf he wið witan hafoð his wisan gemæne.

So shall a good shire-man his lord's holdings keep,

do with his own as what he will,

Even as he is more dilligent so be he more worthy,

if he with counselled head goes in common.

Symle he sceal his hyrmen scyrpan mid manunge to
hlafordes neode 7 him eac leanian be ðam ðe

hy earnian.

Always he shall his hire-men sharpen with advice for

their lord's need and them each reward according as

they deserve.

Ne læte he næfre his hyrmen hyne oferweaIdan,
ac wille he ælcne mid hlafordes creafte 7

mid folcriht. Selre him his æfre of

folgoðe ðonne on, gyf hine magan wyldan ða ðe

he scolde wealdan. Ne bið bit hlaforde ræd þæt he

þæt ðafige.

He should never let his hire-men over-rule him,
but he shall direct each one with lord's skill and

according to folk-right. Better him who is ever

out serving than in, if they should rule them that

he should rule. It be not asking lord counsel that he

this allows.

æfre he mæig findan on ðam he mæig nyt beon
7 ða nytte don ðe him fylstan scylan;
huru is most neod þæt he asece hu he
yrðe mæge fyrme geforðian ðonne ðæs tima sy.

He can ever be finding out something to be useful in
and be thinking of useful things to assist him;
however, it is most needful that he searchout how he
a crop [?strength ?] to prosper when that time is.

Me mæig in Maio 7 Junio 7 Julio on sumera
fealgian, myxendincgan ut dragan, Iochyrdla tilian,
sceap scyran, bytlian 7 bóte atan týnan, tymbrian, wudian, weodian, faldian,

fiscwer and mylne macian;

One should in May and June and July in summer
break up land, dung out drag, enclosure-hurdles make,
sheep to shear, to build and to repair fences, cut timber,

cut wood, weed, make a fold (pen for animals),

fish-weir and mill make;

on hærfeste ripan, in .Agusto 7 Septembri 7 Octobri mawan, wád spittan, fela tilða

ham gæderian, ðacian, ðecgan 7
fald weoxian, scipena behweorfan 7

hlosan eac swa, ær to

tune to stið winter

cume, 7 eac yrðe georne forðian;

at harvest reap, in August and September and

October to mow, woad to dig with a spittle, many crops

home to gather, thatch, receptacles/covers and
folds to cleanse, [shippen - cow-house/stalls] attend to and [looze - pigstyes] as well, before to the

[enclosed land surrounding a dwelling] too stiff a winter

comes, and also ploughing earnestly perform.

on wintra erian 7 in miclum gefyrstum timber cleofan, orceard ræran 7 mænige

inweorc wyrcean, ðerhsan, wudu cleofan,
hryðer anstyllan, swyn stigian, on odene

cylne macian - ofn 7 aste 7 fela

ðinga sceal to

tune - ge eac

henna hrost;

in winter plough and in severe frosts timber

to cleave, an orchard/garden to raise and many

indoor-works to work, thresh, cleave wood,
cattle to put in stalls, pigs to shut up in stys, on the threshing-floor a kiln to make - oven and oast and many

things necessary to the

[enclosed land surrounding a dwelling] - moreover

a hen roost.

on længtene eregian 7 impian, beana sawan, wíngeard
settan, dician, deorhege heawan 7 raðe æfter ðam, gif hit mot gewiderian, mederan settan, linsed sawan, wadsæd eac swa, wyrtun plantian 7 fela

ðinga ic eal geteallan ne maeig, þæt god scirman

bycgan sceal.

at Lent plough and graft, beans to sow, a wine-yard
to set, a deer-hedge to hew and soon after that,

if permitted by fair-weather, madder to set, linseed

to sow, woad seed as well, plants to plant and many

things of which I cannot tell all, that a good shire-man

provide should.

A he mæig findan hwæt he mæig on byrig betan; ne
ðearf he na unnyt beon ðonne he ðær binnan bið: oððe hus godian, rihtan 7 weoxian 7

grep hegian, dicsceard betan, hegas godian,

weod wyrtwalian, betweox husan

bricgian, beoddian,
bencian, hors anstyllan, flor feormian oððe

synne sum ðing ðe to nyte mæge.

he may find what he may in the city to improve; no
need he to useless be when he there within be:

either the house improve, make right and cleanse and

entrench hedges, ditch-gaps repair, hedges improve, weeds root up, between houses

[make a causeway with planks or stones], make tables,
furnish with benches, horses enstall, floor cleanse or heed some thing that of use may be.

He sceal fela tola to tune

tilian 7 fela andlomena to
husan habban :

he shall many tools for the dwelling

[make an effort to provide] and many implements for
the house to have:

æcse, adsan, bil, byrse, scafan, sage, cimbiren,

tigehóc, næfebor, mattuc, ipping-iren, scear,

cultur 7 eac gadiren, siðe, sicol,

weodhoc, spade, scofle, wadspitel, bærwan,

besman, bytel, race, geafle, hlædre, horscamb

and sceara, fyrtange, wæipundern; 7 fela

towtola: flexlinan, spinle, reol, gearnwindan,

stodlan, lorgas, presse, pihten,

timplean, wifte, wefle, wulcamb, cip, amb,
crancstæf, sceaðele, seamsticcan, scearra, nædle,

slic.

axe, adze, bill, borer/chisel, shaver, saw, chimbe-iron,

pull-hook, auger, mattock, opening-iron/crowbar, share,

coulter and also a goad-iron, scythe, sickle,

weed-hook/hoe, spade, shovel, woad-spittle, barrow,

besom, beetle/hammer, rake, fork, ladder, horse-comb

and shears, firetongs, weighing-machine, and many

spinning-tools: flax-lines, spindle, reel, yarn-winder, stoddles, web-beam, press, comb-like thing,

carding-tool, ?swift, weft, wool-comb, kip, weaver's rod,
crankstaff, shuttle, seam-sticks, shears, needle, smoothing stone for clothes.

7 gif he smeawyrhtan hæfð, ðam he sceal to

tolan fylstan. Mylewerde, sutere, leodgotan 7 oðran wyrhtan ælc weorc sylf wisað hwæt him to gebyreð; nis ænig man þæt atellan mæge

ða tol ealle ðe man habban sceal.

And if he skilled workmen has, he should with

provide them. Mill-wright, shoe-maker, plumber, and

other artisans, each work itself shows what for each

is necessary; there is no man that can enumerate all

the tools that one aught to have.

Man sceal habban wångewådu, sulhgesïdu, egeðgetïgu 7 fela ðinga ðe ic nü

genæmnian ne can, ge eac meteawel 7

tö ödene fligel 7 andlämena fela: hwer,
lëad, cytel, hlædel, pannan, crocca,

brandïren, dixas, stelmëlas,

cÿfa, cÿflas, cyrne, cÿsfæt,

ceö(l)d(r)an, wilian,

windlas,

systras, syfa,

sådleäp, hriddel, hërsyfe,

tæmespïlan, fanna, trogas,
æscena, hÿfa, hunigbinna, beörbydene,

bæðfæt, beödas, bütas, bleda, mëlas, cuppan, seohhan, candelstafas, sealtfæt,

sticfödder, piperhorn, cyste,

mydercan, bearmteäge, hlydan,
sceamelas, stölas,

læflas, leöhtfæt,

blacern, cyllan, säpbox,

camb, yrsebinne, födderhec, fÿrgebeorh,

meluhüdern, ælhÿde, ofnrace, mexscofle.

One shall have wagon-coverings, ploughing-gear,

harrowing-tackle, and many things that I now

cannot give name to; and also meat-hooks and a

threshing-floor flail, and implements many: cauldron,
leaden-vessel, kettle, ladle, pans, crockery,

[fire-dog, andiron, trivet], serving dishes, scoops,

large casks, small casks, a churn, a cheese-vat,

milk-pails, [wicker? rolled-baskets],

little baskets/hampers,

[?sester-measures i.e. pint-jugs], sieves,

seed-,leap/-lip, riddle (coarse sieve), hair-sieve,

sieve-frame/stand, winnowing-fan, troughs,
ashwood-pails, hives, honey-bins, beer-barrels,

bath-vat, tables, butts, small bowls, basins, cups,

strainers, candle-sticks, salt-cellars,

stick/spoon/twig-case, pepper-horn, chest,

money-boxes, yeast-box, seats,
shambles [stalls/benches], stools,

[jugs (two handled-cups)], light-vat (lamp),

light-place (lantern), leather-bottles, soap-/resin-box, comb, iron/cattle bin?, fodder-rack, fire-screen,

meal-store, oil/eel(?)-skin, oven-rake, mash-shovel.

Hit is earfoðe eall to gesecganne þæt se

beðencan sceal ðe scire healt; ne sceolde he

nan ðing forgyman ðe æfre to note mehte: ne forða musfellan ne, þæt git læsse is, to hæpsan pinn;
fela sceal to holdan hames gerefan & to gemetfæstan manna hyrde.

It is troublesome to relate all that he

should consider who a shire holds; never should he

no thing neglect that ever of use might be: not therefore a mouse-trap nor, what it less is, for a hasp pin;
very faithful should an estate's reeve and

steady men's guardian be.

lc gecende be ðam ðe ic cuðe; se ðe bet cunne

gecyðe his mare.

I declare as well as I know; he who better knows declare it more.

Sources:

Early English Laws website here
Raymond I. Page, 'Two Problematic Old English Words', Leeds Studies in English, n.s. 16 (1985), 198-207 *mexscofle
Christine E. Fell, 'Some Domestic Problems', Leeds Studies in English, n.s. 16 (1985), 59-82