1. Review of “Loving Friends: Surviving Widowhood in Late Medieval Winchester”
By: Katherine L. French
HIST 2101
Dr Cynthia J Neville
January 19th
2016
Amanda Iliadis- BOO714773
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2. In her article “Loving Friends: Surviving Widowhood in Late Medieval Winchester,” Katherine
L. French examines the way in which widows survived in the stereotypical society of fourteenth
century England. She explains that there is an image embedded in our minds of the typical widow in
regards to appearance and disposition, stemming from medieval and biblical representations. According
to French, widows had friends of both genders, and could rely on networks of relatives and other
associates when their husbands passed on. Therefore, women were not destitute, or 'charity cases' as
they were referred to at the time; but rather, they had the ability to prepare for their widowhood by
writing a will while their husbands were still among the living. A woman who lacked a husband,
therefore lacked protection, and was left vulnerable. The writing of wills allowed women to have a
sense of security over their possessions, estates, and family. Married men also wrote wills that often left
their wives with either property or goods in the case of their death. French describes the process of
writing wills for both married men and women, and the rules that accompany this procedure. She
provides plenty of documented examples of men and women who completed wills in the fourteenth
century, illustrating the importance of such an action for both sexes.
French begins her article by explaining the way that widows were viewed in the fourteenth
century. She addressees that women that had become widowed, were seen as lonely and impoverished,
but that this is a false notion. Although widows were economically worse off than when they were
married, some cases state that they were left wealthy, and therefore it was necessary for them to
manage their own property and affairs. She explains that most women would need permission from
their husbands to write wills, and therefore they would rarely write one. After a woman became a
widow however, she would often need to write a will to fight for that which belonged to her family.
French begins to provide examples of different widowed women in Westminster in the time period, and
the people these women would turn to for aid and comfort. These examples proved useful in
understanding that, acquiring bonds of friendship did in fact help these widows survive their hardships.
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3. As the article proceeds, French explains that wills require executors to divide the estate, and witnesses
who could swear to the legitimacy of the will. More specifically, the executor collects the estate assets,
pays the deceased's debts, and dispenses what remains of the deceased's estate among the beneficiaries.
Then she compares the will writing process for men and women. The executors would vary in number:
women would choose two or more, while men chose more witnesses. This is because men would often
choose their wives to be their executor. French then provides statistical percentages regarding this
process of choosing executors, for both men and women. The results proved that women, already
vulnerable from widowhood, would ensure that their affairs would be handled with care and without
issues, which is why they wanted more than one executor. Comparing the wills of couples, according to
French, further defines the ways in which widows attempted to counter-pose their vulnerability and
their reliance on different networks of friends and associates. French's information regarding wills and
chosen executors would have still been conclusive without the use of that many figures and examples.
Furthermore, French continues to analyze her provided sources in order to compare different
circumstances between widows in Westminster. This process goes on for quite some time, which is
rather unnecessary in proving her argument. However, throughout these examples it becomes clear that,
husbands and wives that shared a common group of friends and associates responded differently to a
widow’s vulnerability. It also became evident that husbands could rely on in-laws and stepchildren,
whereas wives could depend on their own children and their husband’s business associates. This shows
that women placed a higher regard for her own children, than her stepchildren. A pattern among the
examples also remained: each of the husbands in these Westminster cases, had the parish priest as a
witness for his will. The differences among chosen witnesses by husbands and wives, according to
French, was called priority. Furthermore, French states that a prosopographical analysis was done of
the executors of Westminster’s wills, revealing a dense and overlapping network of friends and
associates with many widows drawing on the same prominent men. These men helped widows fulfill
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4. their wills, and helped new widows by serving as co-executors to their deceased husbands’ wills.
Overall, the cases provided by French, demonstrate the contrast in priorities among men and women in
choosing suitable witnesses.
Administering wills was, depicted by French, as a very phlegmatic procedure. The executor
(appointed by the testator), often found it to be a burdensome, time-consuming process in which not
much reward was granted. French states that a testator would leave a small token in gratitude for the
executor's labor, such as clothing, jewelry or even a small sum of money. However, the executor was
obliged to perform his duty for the community, as Christian charity, and to maintain friendships,
regardless of his lack of financial gain. French also addressees the subject of parish-based relationships,
as was indicated in the cases of Westminister's wills. She indicates that the Westminster archives had
been easier for her to recover than those of other cities. However, parish-based relationships were
apparently prevalent, and quite common in London as well.
Near the end of the article, French states that Medieval Europe was filled with anxiety about
women gathering in groups. It was believed that they gossiped, avoided their work, flirted with men,
criticized their husbands, and spent money. Although this was a popular stigma, women still made
friends with other men and women. The truth, according to French, is that women built their
relationships in this way; relationships that would help themselves and their families. Furthermore,
widows relied on a man's status and social standing to help them conquer the vulnerability affiliated
with widowhood, even though they had more legal independence. By engaging with other women in
these group meetings to discuss the matters of the day, they were indeed formulating highly important
relationships. The male executors and overseers that these women chose, often derived from
connections made with their friends in these social groups. French stresses the necessity of women
having strong bonds of friendship and expressing patronage within a community; for these acts would
help them survive the hardships of widowhood in many ways. Without these alliances, as one would
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5. acquire before heading into battle, widows would have a more difficult time coming by a secure future.
It was these male and female relationships between widows and their companions, that protected them
from a cruel and trying world, once their husbands passed on.
French makes some very important claims regarding women of this century, and how their
lives changed without a husband at their side to guide them. Although sexist in modern view, these
allegations were genuine at the time. She implies strength and vitality among widows, which is not
normally a preconceived notion regarding these women. Thus, this idea positions women on the
forefront of liberation, an incursion not often accentuated, even in modern times. Overall, this article
was written very professionally. The content for the most part, was relevant. However, there were more
examples on the Westminster wills and widow cases provided, than necessary for the purposes of
French's argument. Her message, although normally clear, was often lost among those many examples.
I would not recommend fully reading this article, unless of course the figures and examples are of
necessity to you.
French reveals that surviving widowhood was both difficult but attainable in Winchester. It is
clear that having relationships with relatives, friends, and associates could protect and aid widows in
their time of tribulation. She eliminates the common preconception of impoverished and distressed
widows, proving that they are indeed independent individuals that find ways to care for themselves.
Furthermore, wills were executed by married men and women to ensure that property, land, and goods
were issued accordingly, in the presence of witnesses. French convincingly demonstrates the
importance of bonds between men and women in community to enact patronage; and how these bonds
strengthened the lives of widows in fourteenth century England.
5

6. acquire before heading into battle, widows would have a more difficult time coming by a secure future.
It was these male and female relationships between widows and their companions, that protected them
from a cruel and trying world, once their husbands passed on.
French makes some very important claims regarding women of this century, and how their
lives changed without a husband at their side to guide them. Although sexist in modern view, these
allegations were genuine at the time. She implies strength and vitality among widows, which is not
normally a preconceived notion regarding these women. Thus, this idea positions women on the
forefront of liberation, an incursion not often accentuated, even in modern times. Overall, this article
was written very professionally. The content for the most part, was relevant. However, there were more
examples on the Westminster wills and widow cases provided, than necessary for the purposes of
French's argument. Her message, although normally clear, was often lost among those many examples.
I would not recommend fully reading this article, unless of course the figures and examples are of
necessity to you.
French reveals that surviving widowhood was both difficult but attainable in Winchester. It is
clear that having relationships with relatives, friends, and associates could protect and aid widows in
their time of tribulation. She eliminates the common preconception of impoverished and distressed
widows, proving that they are indeed independent individuals that find ways to care for themselves.
Furthermore, wills were executed by married men and women to ensure that property, land, and goods
were issued accordingly, in the presence of witnesses. French convincingly demonstrates the
importance of bonds between men and women in community to enact patronage; and how these bonds
strengthened the lives of widows in fourteenth century England.
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