steward to overlook the servants, the noblewoman would take charge and make sure everything is running smoothly. The servants who work for the king were called serfs; they were peasants who were bound to the castle grounds and separable from the land by the lord's manumission only. These villagers, did not necessary lead a boring life. Karen Cushman, who wrote Catherine, Called Birdy, states that "...Villagers put aside their hard, tedious lives to dance around the Maypole, jump the bonfires on Midsummers's Night, and share Christmas with their lord and lady." (168) For many of these hard-working men and women, living in the castle was not only fun, it was a way of life.Walking into the noisy marketplace, there are merchants walking up and down and setting up their stalls up for their wares to be displayed. Tantalizing smells fill the air and make one's nose twitch. The calls of the merchants ring loud and clear, yelling their pitches such as, "Here my good man, sample this fine brew!" and, "The best of the marketplace is HERE! Step riiiight up!" Some interesting shops to look out for in the marketplace include the wine seller, the cobbler, the tiler, and the glazier. Wine was had at almost every meal, and it was a shame not to have any at a feast. People sometimes brewed their own ale, which was the only safe drink, even for children, until a couple hundred years later when piped water came. There were many cobblers in the marketplace; high heels had just been invented and were meant only for the most fashionable of ladies. Another interesting occupation was being a tiler, someone who makes and places tiles on rooftops to keep the rain out. Glaziers made glass for windows, ornaments, and jewelry. Strolling though the marketplace is an adventure in itself; there is much to grok.The advanced professions during this time lay mostly in the medical sciences. There were no doctors or surgeons, so one would have to go to the barber. People ca...
