Harvest-reeve

The person with the authority to oversee the workers harvesting the crops of a landed estate.

"From the household book of another family comparable with the Pastons we can see in exact terms what a burden was placed on the housewife. A typical entry runs: 'Victuals expended throughout the month [August 1413]. Wheat baked, 8 quarters 4 bushels; wine [blank]; barley and drage malt brewed, 18 quarters; beef, 2 carcasses, 3 quarters; pork, 5 pigs and 1 quarter; 1 young pig; 22 carcasses of mutton; 2 lambs; 1 capon; 333 pigeons; 1 heron; 460 white herrings; 18 salt fish; 6 stockfish.' The reason for such a mass of food is given when we turn to see the numbers to be catered for daily. To take the first of August as an example: on this day the lady entertained a friend, and sat down with eight of her household to all meals, and in addition the harvest-reeve and sixteen workers came to the manor hall for their midday repast. As a result the pantry had to provide some sixty loaves, and an unspecified amount of ale, while the kitchen used a quarter-side of beef, another of bacon, one joint of mutton and twelve pigeons."

Six Medieval Men & Women, "Margaret Paston," H. S. Bennett (1955).