Section 8 — Leisure and Entertainment

Although many aspects of town life were difficult and people worked hard, they also participated in many leisure activities. They enjoyed quite a few days off from work, too. In medieval times, people engaged in many of the same activities we enjoy today. Children played with dolls and toys, such as wooden swords, balls, and hobbyhorses. They rolled hoops and played games like badminton, lawn bowling, and blind man’s bluff. Adults also liked games, such as chess, checkers, and backgammon. They might gather to play card games, go dancing, or for other social activities. 

Townspeople also took time off from work to celebrate special days, such as religious feasts. On  Sundays and holidays, animal baiting was a popular, though cruel, amusement. First, a bull or  bear was fastened to a stake by a chain around its neck or a back leg, and sometimes by a nose  ring. Then, specially trained dogs were set loose to torment the captive animal.  

Fair days were especially festive. Jugglers, dancers, and clowns entertained the fairgoers.  Minstrels performed songs and recited poetry and played harps and other instruments. Guild  members paraded through the streets, dressed in special costumes and carrying banners. 

Guilds also staged mystery plays in which they acted out Bible stories. Often they performed  stories that were appropriate to their guild. In some towns, for instance, the boat builders acted  out the story of Noah. In this story, Noah had to build an ark (a large boat) to survive a flood that  God sent to “cleanse” the world of sinful people. In other towns, the coopers (barrel makers)  acted out this story, too. The coopers put hundreds of water-filled barrels on the rooftops. Then  they released the water to represent the 40 days of rain described in the story.

Mystery plays gave rise to another type of religious drama, the miracle play. These plays  dramatized the lives of saints. Often they showed the saints performing miracles, or wonders. For  example, in England it was popular to portray the story of St. George, who slew a dragon that  was about to eat the king’s daughter.