Horsebread was a type of bread produced and consumed in medieval Europe. At the time, it was considered to be of low quality, made from a seasonal mix of legumes, such as dry split peas, and bran[1] along with other non-wheat cereal grains such as oats, rye, and acorns. It was one of the cheapest breads available.
| Type | Bread |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Medieval Europe |
| Main ingredients | Legumes, grains, nuts, roots |
| Horsebread Act 1540 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act concerning baking of Horse-bread. |
| Citation | 32 Hen. 8. c. 41 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 24 July 1540 |
| Horsebread Act 1623 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
 | |
| Long title | An Act concerning Hostlers and Inn-holders. |
| Citation | 21 Jas. 1. c. 21 |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 29 May 1624 |
As the name suggests, it was primarily used as a feed supplement for horses, being more compact and easier to digest than bulkier feed like hay.[2] Horsebread was given to work horses to help them recover, and special horsebread recipes were developed for race horses as part of their training.[2]
During times of siege or famine, the less-expensive horsebread could sustain the population, and was consumed by the very poor "even in times of plenty".[2][3] It was associated with poverty, since those who could afford white bread, which was the most labour-intensive, and therefore expensive bread, considered horse bread and other breads like rye or barley breads unfit for their position in society.[4]
The making and selling of horse bread was controlled by law. In 1389 an act of parliament, The Statute of Victuallers and Hostellers (13 Richard II c. 8.) specified that hostelers and inn keepers were not permitted to make horse bread for sale, but that it could only be made by certified bakers, and that the weight and price of loaves should be, "Reasonable after the price of Corn in the Market."[5] No punishment was specified for offenders. In 1402, under king Henry IV (4 Henry IV c. 25.) the fine was set at three times the value of the bread sold.[6]
In 1540 under king Henry VIII (32 Henry VIII c. 41) these terms were amended so that any hosteller or inn keeper in a town where there had been no baker for seven years, was permitted to make horse bread for sale as long as the price was reasonable, "according as the price of the graynes of corn that now is."[7] This was confirmed in 1623 by a further act under king James I, "An Acte Concerning Hostlers or Inholders" (21 James 1. c. 21) where justices of the peace were given authority to set the fine as they saw fit.[8]
White breads were generally eaten by the middle class and wealthy, because of the labour involved in refining flour. This is in contrast with modern whole-grain breads, which are typically seen as premium-priced health foods or gourmet foods. This is partly because modern flour has a higher gluten content than flour produced in medieval Europe, so bread made from less-refined flour is more palatable than it would have been during the Middle Ages.[9]
See also edit
- Brown bread – another European bread that was originally considered undesirable
- Polenta – as a staple food of the poor in early modern northern Italy
- Sprouted bread
- Whole wheat bread
References edit
- ^ Hanawalt, Barbara (26 June 2017). Ceremony and Civility: Civic Culture in Late Medieval London. Oxford University Press. p. 95. ISBN 978-0-19-049039-3. Retrieved 3 August 2022 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b c Rubel, William (2006). "English Horse-bread, 1590–1800". Gastronomica. 6 (3): 40–51. doi:10.1525/gfc.2006.6.3.40. ISSN 1529-3262.
- ^ Lin-Sommer, Sam (22 July 2022). "For Centuries, English Bakers' Biggest Customers Were Horses". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
- ^ Davis, James (22 November 2005). "Baking for the common good: a reassessment of the assize of bread in Medieval England". The Economic History Review. 57 (3): 465–502. doi:10.1111/j.1468-0289.2004.00285.x. ISSN 0013-0117. S2CID 154643188.
- ^ [1] Statutes of the Realm Vol 2 (1377-1509) p. 83.
- ^ [2] Statutes of the Realm Vol 2 (1377-1509) p. 160.
- ^ [3] Statutes of the Realm Vol 3 (1509-47) p. 856
- ^ [4] Statutes of the Realm Vol 4 part 2 (1586-1625) p. 476.
- ^ Sim, Alison (1996). The Tudor Housewife. Glouchestershire: Sutton Publishing Limited. p. 11. ISBN 978-0-7735-2233-6.
External links edit
- Mediaeval Horsebread. Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary.
- For Centuries, English Bakers’ Biggest Customers Were Horses. Atlas Obscura.
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