“Unkynde neighbores, bakbiteres, breke-cheste, brawlers and chiderers.”
Piers Plowman B gives us a long list of mischief makers of various types. I find the term ‘breke-cheste’ interesting for it’s metaphorical implications. This propbable translation demonstrates. “Unkind neighbors, back-biters, chest (as in chests of drawes) breakers, brawlers and those who chide (usually without cause).” None of these people is to be admired. And it isn’t a far stretch to see brawlers as people who break chests and other types of furniture. Perhaps the ‘chests’ being broken are human chests. Such a reading gives the term the much darker connotation of murderer. For those whose upper torsos were broken in the Middle Ages had scant chance of survival. Given the meaning of chest as a part of the human body the original quote, direct from it’s source, is not some amusing list of mischief-makers but rather a list of dark schemers and destroyers.
It would be appropriate for cautious medieval folk to get ready and prepare safety measures in anticipation of these schemers and destroyers. Don’t you think? Please leave a comment and describe how you imagine a medieval yeoman (not a noble or cleric) might prepare him or her self to prevent the harm caused by these schemers and destroyers.
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