sister_raphael | WTF Medieval Jobs (Reply)

So apparently, prostitute rounder-upper was an actual job. I'll just go out on a limb here and say there was a bit of a line up to be selected, and for the follow-up guarding them duty.

The attentive amongst you will notice that there are two kinds of prostitutes mentioned here- both the St Ives Fair ones and the other ones. What this indicates, is that there were women who were licensed to ply their trade in certain specific areas, usually at the exits of the grounds and had, generally speaking, permission to be there.

The other kind, indicated the presence of women who were not the usual ones. Perhaps they were unlicensed and had no business to be there, or perhaps they were women who followed the fair circuit. Perhaps they were just women who weren't usually prostitutes but thought they'd take advantage of the fair to get a little cash on the side. Any way, a clear distinction was being made between the two kinds.

I feel it was a job tackled with a certain amount of zeal by Ralph de Armeston and his cohorts, but imagine the mortification of being rounded up if you weren't one!