This is an extract from the Parliament Roll of 1406. It was published in ‘The Statutes of the Realm: a collection of the Acts of the Parliament of England from earliest times until 1707’. Catalogue ref: C 65/68 m. 2.
Extract:
Transcript (Medieval French):
Chacun homme ou femme de quele estate ou condicion qil
soit, soit fraunc de mettre son fitz ou file dapprendre lettereure a quelconque escole
que leur plest deinz le Roialme
Translation:
Each man or woman of whatever estate or condition [social status] be, be theythat son or daughter to obtain learning at whichever kind of theirfree to set school that pleases him within the Realm.
Task 6 – Women and education
- Does the law concerning education of girls and boys in Source 6a surprise you? Give your reasons.
- Can you explain why the education of girls and boys would be different at that time?
- What does the poem in source 6b infer about the education that girls received?
- What does source 6c suggest about education for girls?
- What does source 6d say about what kinds of education were available for girls?
- Looking at all the sources together, what do you think girls’ educations were like at this time?
- How different is education for girls and boys today?