OF SIX MEDIAEVAL WOMEN 



dependants of all sorts in charge of the carts 

 containing the necessaries of travel. These 

 necessaries were generally packed in wooden 

 coffers, some of which were simple chests, 

 whilst others opened like a cupboard and were 

 fitted with drawers. To preserve such coffers 

 from damp and damage, they were put into osier 

 cases covered with cow-hide. And with all this 

 motley company and baggage, there are but few 

 records of accidents. The accounts tell of a 

 small occasional expenditure in consequence of 

 the breakdown of a chariot, or the fall of a valet 

 from his horse, or the upsetting into a river of a 

 cart conveying the Countess's wardrobe. But 

 such misadventures were not taken very seriously 

 by these folk, seasoned to discomfort. Valet or 

 chariot was mended, or the floating garments 

 were recovered, and on went the easy-going 

 company, singing by the way, and with horns 

 blowing as they neared some castle or village 

 where a halt was to be made for the night. 

 The absence of any mention of the removal of 

 furniture from castle to castle during these 

 periodical wanderings, save a small bed for 

 Mahaut's own use, leads us to infer that greater 

 luxury then prevailed than in the days of her 

 great-uncle, Louis the Ninth, when even Royalty 

 itself thought it no hardship to have beds and 

 other necessary pieces of furniture carried by 

 beasts of burden from place to place according 

 to the movements of the Court. This frugal 

 ind homely custom on one occasion very nearly 



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