John Stewart, Commendator of Coldingham

At the table

Ale quality was strictly regulated

In cities, burgh officials known as ale-tasters were appointed to inspect ale quality and enforce prices to ensure fair trade. These officials took an oath to appraise batches without showing favor or fear to any brewer.

What people wore

Workday and Holiday Clothing Restrictions

Sixteenth-century sumptuary laws restricted labourers and husbandmen to wearing only grey and white clothing on workdays, while allowing them light blue, green, or red on holidays.

Getting around

Travelers relied on guides and land routes

Travelers often required local guides because defined roads were scarce, and they frequently crossed open, unfenced land to reach their destinations. journeys for royal justice circuits typically progressed at a rate of about 20 miles per day.

What it cost

High Cost of Subsistence Goods

Rising costs of basic goods hit the poor harder than the rich because subsistence households relied heavily on expensive domestic agricultural products like grain and ale.

Music

Church music and the Reformation impact

In the early 16th century, Scottish churches commonly used organs, while high-status occasions featured trumpets, shalms, and clarions. By the mid-16th century, the Reformation led to the removal of organs and the disbanding of choirs in many churches.

Daily life

Classical Schooling for Future Professionals

Education at the Dunfermline Grammar School focused on classical Latin and Greek literature to prepare students for employment in the Church or advanced legal studies.