[MR] BBC & History Blog: Boy Bishop Token Found in Norfolk

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

How appropriate that during the Christmas season a medieval yuletide
artifact has just been found in Norfolk.

The item is a "Boy Bishop" token. Until stopped first by Henry VIII, and
again by Elizabeth after Bloody Mary's brief Catholic revival, the
tradition of nominating a choir boy to be a "stand-in" for a bishop during
the Christmas season was common in England. These boys led processions
where lead tokens resembling real money were distributed to the poor. The
tokens could be redeemed for food during the Boy Bishop's "reign".

This particular token was found near Oxburgh Hall in Norfolk, and is
thought to have been issued by the powerful Abbey at Bury St. Edmunds, some
30 miles from the find site.

Take your pick. The story can be found on the History Blog at
https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/69071 and on the BBC at
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-suffolk-67750116 .

More about the Boy Bishop tradition is at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boy_bishop .

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
Continuing a quest to keep Merry Rose relevant and in business.