In 1330 only about 5% of the population could read or write. It was
extremely rare for peasants to be literate. Some lords of the manor
had laws banning
serfs from being educated.
It was usually only the
sons from rich families that went to school. There were three main
types of schools in the 14th century: the elementary song-school,
the monastic school and the grammar school.
The elementary song-school
was usually attached to a large church in a town. At this type of
school young boys were taught to sing Latin hymns and songs. If there
was an educated priest available the boys might learn how to read
and write.
Monastic schools were for
boys being trained for the church. The boys were taught by monks and
all lessons were concerned with religious education. Monastic schools
sometimes taught local boys from poor families. In exchange for lessons
these boys worked as servants in the monastery. For example, sometimes
boys from Yalding were given permission to work at St. Mary Magdalene
Priory in Tonbridge. This priory had been established by Richard de
Clare in 1140.
Grammar schools were usually
part of a cathedral or large church. The main concern of these schools
was to teach boys Latin grammar. Grammar schools were very similar
to the schools established by the Romans. As well as grammar the boys
were taught logic (the art of arguing) and rhetoric (the art of public
speaking). They also followed the Roman example of not spending much
time on subjects such as mathematics and science.
Oxford and Cambridge were
the two main centres of learning in England. Founded in the 12th century,
these two universities took boys as soon as they were considered to
be ready for advanced studies. This meant that some of the boys were
as young as thirteen.
(1)
A woodcut of an elementary song school.
Students at Oxford and
Cambridge obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree by attending an agreed
number of lectures. If they wanted a Master of Arts degree they had
to stay for another three years. As well as studying, these students
had to become teachers at the university.
Elizabeth
de Clare, who
inherited a third of the family estates after the death of her brother
at Bannockburn, took a keen interest
in education. After the death of her third husband in 1322, Elizabeth
decided against marrying again.
Elizabeth was one of the
richest women in England. However, unlike a lot of rich people, Elizabeth
believed it was important to help the poor. Her accounts show that
in one five-month period she gave help to over 5,000 different people.
Of these, 800 received a daily allowance from Elizabeth.
Elizabeth de Clare disagreed
with the view that serfs should not go to school. She arranged for
a large number of people who lived in her villages to be educated.
She also paid for those boys who showed talent to be educated at Oxford
and Cambridge universities.
In 1336 Elizabeth supplied
the money for the foundation of Clare College, Cambridge. This provided
an education for twenty scholars. As well as donating a considerable
amount of money she also became involved in deciding what the students
should study. Students at Clare College attended lectures on law,
medicine, religion and the arts.
(2)
Law passed by King Richard II and his Parliament in 1391.
No serf or villein....
should put his children to school.
1. Write a few sentences
about the following types of school in the 14th century: (a)
elementary song-school, (b) monastic school, (c) grammar school.
2. Describe what Elizabeth
de Clare did
to improve the education of the peasants who lived in the villages
that she owned.
3. Read law 30 of the village
Custumal and source B. Give as many
reasons as you can why some people did not want the serfs to learn
how to read and write.
4. Write a debate between
Elizabeth de Clare and Ralph, Earl of Stafford, on the advantages
and disadvantages of educating serfs.
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