farthing bread

1) A loaf or a quantity of bread valued at a farthing, a frequent bequest to poor people in early wills.

1493 To poore folks, in farthing brede the daie of my beriall, xxs, York

1517 xxs to be warred [spent] in ferthyng brede to be dalte to poore folkes, Austhorpe

1543 all the poore people, everye one a farthing breade Goldsborough. In 1559, Richard Leighe of Holbeck willed poor people to have faringe breade, that is probably farthing bread, although the editor took it to be ‘fairing bread’ - as given at a fair. In the burgess court rolls of Wakefield is the following injunction: 1533 We present baxter for cause he wyll not let thaym make no fardyn bred in or [our] coman baxter hoys [house] as costom was xxs. The alternative ‘farthing loaf’ was also used: 1500 I will that ther be spendede the day of my berial to every man and child that comes, a ferthing lofe with chese and drynk, Bishopthorpe.

dates 1493 1500 1517 1533 1543 1559

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