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Yeoman

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A yeoman was a late medieval British farmer of middling social status who owned his own land and often farmed it himself. Some yeomen had servants or laborers with whom they would work if they had the means to afford such services. The term Yeoman Farmer was later used to distinguish them from gentlemen, who did not labor with their hands. Some Yeomen had more wealth than the minor gentry, but remained classed as yeomen by choice rather than by limits.

Identfied in the Middle Ages as person owning approximately 40s to 80s worth land annually. This would roughly be equal from 30 acres (1/4 Hide) to 120 acres (1 Hide) of land. In the early 12th Century 40 acres of land was worth about 40s to 50s. In the Assize of Arms of 1252, gives instruction at the small landholder to be armed and trained with a bow and the small landholders of more wealth (wealthy yeomen) would be required to possess and be trained with sword, dagger and the longbow or war bow.

The Concise Oxford Dictionary, (edited by H.W. & F.G.Fowler, Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1972 reprint, p.1516) states that a Yeoman is "a person qualified by possessing free land of 40/- annual [feudal] value, and who can serve on juries and vote for a Knight of the Shire. He is sometimes described as a small landowner, a farmer of the middle classes."

Anthony Richard Wagner, Richmond Herald, wrote that "a Yeoman would not normally have less than 100 acres" and in social status is one step down from the Gentry, but above, say, a husbandman. (English Genealogy, Oxford, 1960, pps: 125-130).

Origin of the term

The word Yeoman is derived from Proto-Germanic Gauja or Gauia meaning district or country, hence, countryman. Ge- is an ancient prefix indicating district in the language of Anglo-Saxons (e.g., Gewisse means district-west-saxons or west saxon district) and is cognate with the Old Germanic Gau-. Other Old Germanic forms are Old Frisian Ga-, Old Middle German Go-, Gothic Gawi-, and Old Low German Gewi-. The rune NG <> may have caused the confusion with yeoman and youngman. Ancient spelling GE-<NG>-RA-MANNAS. Mannwas or Mannus coming from the Germanic rune Mannwaz. Ing or Ong meaning "of the", hence district+of-the+man, in ASJ language meaning "Man of, or, from the District". The NG contracts to "O" and -Ge is now Ye-. Add the letter "O" meaning of the, or from the and this is possibly the source of the old expanded Geongermanna, now eventually is contracted to Yeoman as the possible "er" used to show pluralization is now identifed as Ye(ong)(er)man to Ye(ng)man to Yeoman.

The first functions of the yeoman

Anglo-Saxon term for Geongra Manna or Geongra Mannus was certainly derived from the district or shire country meaning young(er) district-man or district-young(er)-man. Geongra were attendants, retainers, disciples, or followers and companions of a chief dating probably as far back to the days of gaus and early Germanic republics before the rise of feudalism (with lords, dukes, and kings) in ancient Germania. In essence the gau chiefs existed before the king (Koeng or Cyning) existed, showing the antiquity of the gaumann certainly developed as the clans/sibbens settled before the age of kings.

In either post-Anglo-Danish or Anglo-Norman England the term later formed into the word Yongeman or Yongerman. It was known in the early Middle English period (noted in the text Psuedo Cnut De Foresta Constitutiones written in the late eleventh century.) The Yongermen chosen of liberi homini mediocre to range or underkeep the royal forests is the first indicator of yeomen being associated with the forests (both greenwood and royal or manorial hunting forests).

Association with the bow

The Assize of Arms of 1252 AD identify a class long identified with the Yeoman being a 40-shilling freeholder and indicates "Those with land worth annual 40s-100s will be armed/trained with bow and arrow, sword, buckler and dagger". It epitomizes the Knight's Yeoman we see in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (Yeoman's Portrait in the General Prologue). Though historically tied with the yew war bow, the word yeo is probably not derived from the wordyew. The glyph "yogh" is identified with yew tree. The Irish created the glyph "yogh" as well either invented or imported the letter "G", from whence the letter "Y" originates from. Yew was a common material used for war bows and spears. The English war bow, also known as a longbow, was typically but not always made of yew wood. Wych Elm and other woods were used but it was the Spanish, German, and Italian yew that were highly sought after because of its superior qualities and higher availability than English Yew. Arrow shafts were typically made of Ash or Aspen, etc, because of the straightness of the wood and rigid durable qualities. Ash was anciently known to enhance the flight of a spear.

Position in society

The Yeoman represented a status between the aristocratic knights and the lower-class foot soldiers and household servants (pages). The yeoman archer was typically mounted and fought either on foot or on horseback, in contrast with infantry archers, and came to be applied to societal standing as a farmer in particular during the 14th to 18th Centuries. A Yeoman during the 12th and 13th Centuries was primarily a household and military (semi-feudal and feudal) term and associated with the days of private warfare since.

Yeomen are also noted as providing guarded escorts to deliveries of victuals and supplies (as well not only fighting as an elite archer but as a guard to the baggage train as well a protector of the nobility and royalty) to the expeditions of the Hundred Years' War. They also provided escorts for the sovereign and great nobles on their journeys and their pilgrimages across the realm and overseas. Yeomen of the Crown were essentially agents of the king who were allowed to sit and dine with knights and squires of any lord's house or estate. As a retirement were offered a tenure of stewardship of royal forests.

In contracted form Yongeman or Yongerman is most likely of Danish or Northern Germanic origin which eventually became Yeman or Yoman in the Middle Ages and adaptations of Yoeman were noticed. In the early 1300s AD, the word becomes more recognizable with a modern spelling of Yeoman emerged. Certainly by 1363 AD the term was well known as the vernacular became the official language of court, (Yeoman replaces the French term Valet after many years of French and Latin being the formal choices.)

Medieval and Renaissance yeomanry

Later in Medieval history through the Age of Renaissance yeomanry shared attributes with both the upper and working classes, though they had little in common with today's urban middle class. The yeomanry was the first class of the commoners (peasants), in ancient Saxon days would be the equivalent to geneatas or villager. The Yeoman was more military and bound to the manor or estate equal or related to the radman or radcniht (radknight) who would provide escorts, deliver messages, erect fences for the hunt, and repair bridges. He would be given land (copyhold) by his lord for services well rendered. Many similarities exists between radmen/radknights and yeomen of the crown, as yeomen did the same exact tasks but at a higher level for the king or queen's household.

Many duties throughout the centuries

Duties of 'yeomen' were manifold in the Middle Ages through the Imperial Age or 19th Century. They were usually constables of their parish, and sometimes chief constables of the district, shire or hundred. Many 'yeomen' would hold status as bailiffs for the high sheriff, or for the shire or hundred. Other civic duties would include churchwarden, bridgewarden, and other warden duties. It was also common for a 'yeoman' to be an overseer for their parishes. Yeomen, whether working for a lord, king, shire, knight, district or parish are noted for their civic duties as localized or municipal police forces raised by or led by the gentry. Some of these duties, and mostly that of constable and bailiff would be carried down through family traditions. Yeomen are seemingly in a role of ranging, roaming, surveying, and policing throughout their social history. In Chaucer's Canterbury Friar's Tale we notice a yeoman who is a bailiff of the forest.

The earlier word Franklin was the Yeoman's equivalent (a wealthy peasant landowner or freeholder or village official). Franklins in their days would typically be village leaders (aldermen), constables or mayors. Yeomen would find that status in the 14th Century as many of them became leaders, constables, sheriffs, justices of the peace, mayors and significant leaders of their country districts. It was too much for even valets known as Yeoman archers were forbidden to return to parliament indicating they even held power at a level never before held by the upper class of commoners. The further away the district from gentry or burgesses, the more power a 'Yeoman' held in office as well attested in statutes during the reign of Henry VIII.

A yeoman could be equally comfortable working on his farm, educating himself from books, or enjoying country sports such as shooting and hunting. By contrast members of the landed gentry and the aristocracy did not farm their land themselves, but let it to tenant farmers. Yeomen in the Tudor and Stuart period could also be found leasing or renting desirable lands to the minor gentry. However, Yeomen and tenant farmers were the two main divisions of the rural middle class in traditional British society and the Yeoman was a respectable and honorable class.

Isaac Newton as well many other famous people (such as Thomas Jefferson) hailed from the yeoman class. Isaac Newton inherited a small farm which paid the bills for his academic work. Many Yeoman fathers would have the means to send their sons to school to be of the profession, and became classed as gentlemen. Many families of Yeomen status and established good standing would also have sons who would serve in the royal or great noble households providing not menial, but honorable service.

The term suggests someone upright, sturdy, honest and trustworthy. (e.g. "hail, oh stout yeoman of the bar"). As attributed to the qualities of the Yeomen of the Crown, and the Yeomen of the Chamber in the 13th Century to be virtuous, cunning, skillful, courteous, and experts in archery chosen out of every great noble's house in England. The King's Yeoman or King's Valectus (Valetti) is the earliest usage in a recognizable form such as King's Yeman or King's Yoman.

Comparable classes of people

There were rarely people of similar status in other traditional societies and the term is sometimes applied to them. The Franklin is the closest example meaning a freeman and sometimes meaning a French or Norman freeholder. Franklin milites would basically be the equivalent of a Yeoman in the Middle Ages. The Yeoman belonged to a class or status of fighter (usually known as in the third order of the fighting class between that of a squire and a page). This status was much different than what was occurring on the continent in the days of feudalism were the gap between commoners and gentry were far and wide causing much derision between the two. This widened gulf would possibly explaining why outlawry was more common in the regions of France than in England. The 'Yeoman' was unique to England and Wales (In particular South East Wales with the noted famed archers of Gwent, Glamorgan, Crickhowell, and Abergavenny regions, and South West England with the Royal Forest of Dean, Kingswood Royal Forest near Bristol, and the New Forest.) Though the Kentish Weald archers are noted for their skills, as well the Ettrick Archers of Scotland, it appears the bulk of the 'yeomanry' was from the western and northern regions of England and Southern and Eastern Wales. The Welsh have the honors of being the first to be attested of using the 'longbow' in circa 650 AD against the Mercians. The incident of Abergavenny was certainly not unknown to King Henry II, and the later King Henry III who created the Assize of Arms 1252 identifying the 'war bow' as a national weapon for classes of men who held land under 80s or 100s annually. Certainly the 'Yongermen' homini mediocre fell under this classification. By King Edward I's rule the primary bulk of the archers were Welsh who defeated the Scots and eventually who would be used to great success by King Edward III in the Hundred Years' War.

Other uses and references to Yeomen

  • Yeoman is also the name of a United States Naval secretary/clerk. In navies derivative of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, it can denote someone responsible for a specific duty, such as the Chief Yeoman of Signals, or someone acting as an aide to a superior for certain functions, such as the Navigator's Yeoman.
  • Yeomanry Cavalry refers to the extra-judicial military force organized by the property-owning class to defend against French invasion in 18th-century England as well as to protect British occupation in 18th-century Ireland. Yeomanry Cavalry was officially formed in 1794 (formed unofficially circa. 1760s) and eventually became the Imperial Yeomanry in 1899 and then Territorial Army in 1907. Many units retain their 'Yeomanry' designation today and have seen service in both World Wars and today's so-called "war on terrorism".
  • Yeomen of the Guard were established in 1485 AD after the Battle of Bosworth Field and were officially chartered by King Henry VII for their loyal service during the war. Later, King Henry VIII established the Yeomen Warders of the Tower of London, which is the oldest of the Royal Bodyguards in England, and one of the oldest Royal Bodyguards and military organizations in the world. In essence Yeomen of the Guard and Yeomen Warders are direct modern day links to the days of warfare in the Middle Ages.
  • Yeoman is the name given by Owen Aisher, the UK yachtsman, to the succession of racing yachts he owned. The tradition was continued by the family after Aisher's death. Starting with the first then Yeoman II and progressing to Yeoman XXXX and beyond. Yeoman XV (an International 5.5 metre racing yacht) skippered by Aisher's son Robin Aisher won a bronze medal at the 1968 Olympic Games sailed in Acapulco.
  • Yeomen and Yeowomen were also used by York University prior to changing their name and mascot to the Lions. Officially, the change was an effort to be gender-neutral, though many commonly attributed it to the fact that, with the notable exceptions of those enrolled in the school's British History program, few students and staff of York knew what the terms meant.
  • A company named Yeoman produces an item of navigational equipment called the Yeoman Plotter.
  • A company named Yeoman Light Aircraft Company (YLAC) makes affordable private planes.
  • A farm in Ireland known as "Yeomanstown Stud" is famous for its horse breeding.
  • A book "The English Yeoman" by Mildred Campbell is an outstanding work of accomplishment of English Yeomanry since the days of the Tudor Queen, Queen Elizabeth I to the early Stuarts.
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