A medieval English term for yeast. ## History of the word This word appeared in the book [["English Food - A People’s History" by Diane Purkiss]]. So I searched online for info about it and it seems it's a little tough to find much history or sources for the word. Most of the articles on the internet reference [this Guardian article on beer](https://www.theguardian.com/science/blog/2011/jul/29/science-magic-beer). There's [this post](https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/36141/is-it-true-that-yeast-was-once-called-godisgoode) from [[2011]] on Stack Exchange that is well researched. And the best source they could find is a [1963 Middle English dictionary](http://books.google.com/books?id=1ltiHI7NNycC&pg=PA190&lpg=PA190&dq=%22bicause%20it%20cometh%20of%20ye%20grete%20grace%20of%20God%22&source=bl&ots=UvA-7JkwCA&sig=w1z7wY6QXi6BiZ-uKLx0Z_6Ioto&hl=en&ei=5_IzTqaZINHpgQfK8_XmDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&res) and [this entry](https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/middle-english-dictionary/dictionary/MED18945) in the University of Michigan's [Middle English dictionary](https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/middle-english-dictionary/dictionary). They did also reach out to the journalist Andy Connelly who wrote the Guardian article to ask for their source and they responded with: > ...I would love to say that I had a water tight source for the origin of "godisgoode" but I don't. The term is all over the blogs and books on beer so I accepted it as fact. However, it could be a convenient, rather than actual, fact (like Marie Antoinette's "let them eat cake" line). I have set a couple of friends on looking into the relevant places to search out a source if we find one I will let you know. Connelly later got in touch again and said that "he and his team did not, in fact, get any further than the online ME [Middle English] dictionary". The Middle English dictionary has this definition: > Berme, otherwise clepid goddis good, withoute tyme of mynde hath frely be goven..to ye value only of a ferthyng..bicause it cometh of ye grete grace of God. Roughly translated into modern English it reads: > Berme, also called 'god's good', has been freely given for as long as anyone can remember, but only to the value of a farthing, because it comes from the great grace of God. A lot of websites that talk about Goddisgood use "Notices of Norwich Brewers' Marks 1468-69" as their source. I can't find that exactly. But did manage to find the ["Notice of Norwich brewers' Marks and Trade Regulations"](https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/library/browse/details.xhtml?recordId=3236381)" which was an article that appeared in ["Norfolk Archaeology Volume 5" (1859)](https://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/library/browse/issue.xhtml?recordId=1180095). This is the [reference](https://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/middle-english-dictionary/bibliography/BIB892?rid=hyp.594.19991101t123123) the Middle English dictionary uses. And as they shorten the full title to "Notices of Norwich Brewers' Marks …" I'm guessing that's why websites aren't including the "and Trade Regulations" at the end. I can't work out where the 1468-69 is date coming from exactly. The article doesn't have a date for the section in question. But it does say it's a section from the "Books of the Corporate Assembly" of [[Edward IV]]. And seeing as he was in his 1st reign in the [[1468]]-69 date quoted, it's probably a fairly accurate date. Anyway, here's the relevant extract, loosely translated into modern English via [[GPT-4]]: > The Mayor of this City commands on behalf of the King that all brewers who brew for sale within this City shall keep the assize (measurements and quality standards) according to the Statute, and upon pain of the ordained punishment. ==Whereas yeast, otherwise called 'god's good'==, since time immemorial has freely been given or delivered for bread, wheat, malt, eggs, or other honest reward to the value only of a farthing at most, and no one refused, ==because it comes from the great grace of God==. Certain persons of this City, calling themselves common brewers, for their individual profit and benefit, have now newly begun to take money for their said 'god's good', even for the least part of it, be it ever so little and insufficient to serve the payer therefore a halfpenny or a penny, and furthermore exalting the price of the said 'god's good' at their own will against the old and commendable custom of all England, and especially of this City, to the great hurt and slander of the same City. Therefore, it is ordained and provided, That no brewer of this City shall from this time forth take from any person for delivering, giving, or granting of the said 'god's good' in money or other reward above the value of a farthing. He shall for no maliciously feigned or sought reason warn or restrain the said 'god's good' to any person who will honestly and lawfully ask for it and pay therefore the value of a farthing, for their own use personally only, except upon pain of forfeiture of 3 shillings and 4 pence as often as any of them do contrary, provided always that this ordinance does not extend to any old custom between the said Brewers and the Bakers reasonably had and used. <details> <summary>Click here to read the original Middle English.</summary> <p><blockquote>The Maior of this Cite comaundith on ye Kynges bihalve yt alle man of Brewers yt shall brewe to sale wtynne this Cite kepe ye assise accordyng to ye Statute & uppon peyne ordeyned. And wheras berme, otherwise clepid goddis good, wtoute tyme of mynde hath frely be goven or delyved for brede, whete, malte, egges, or other honest rewarde to ye value only of a ferthyng at ye uttermost & noon warned, bicause it cometh of ye grete grace of God. Certeyn psones of this Cite callyng them selfe comon brewers, for their singler lucre & avayle, have nowe newely bigonne to take money for their seid goddisgood, for ye leest parte therof be it never so litle & insufficient to s've ye payer therfore an halfpeny or a peny, & ferthermore exalting ye pce of ye sd Goddisgood at their pper wille ageyns ye olde & laudable custome of alle Englonde, & spally of this Cite, to grete hurte & slaunder of ye same Cite. Wherefore yt is ordeyned & pvided, That no man of brewer of this Cite shall from this tvme foorth take of eny psone for lyveryng, gevyng or grauntyng of ye sd goddisgood in money nor other rewarde above ye value of a ferthyng. He shall for no malice feyned ne sought colour warne ne restreyne ye sd goddisgood to eny psone yt wille honestly & lefully aske it & paye therfore ye value of a ferthyng, their owen use prsonally sved oonly, excepte uppon perne of forfetur of iijs. iiijd. as often as eny of them do contrary, fforseen alwaye yt this ordynaunce streche not to eny olde custom bitwix ye sd Brewers & ye Bakers resonably hadde and used. (Page 324)</blockquote></p> </details> So it does appear to be true that "goddisgood" was a word for yeast. And based on the language above, in 1468 it had been a word for yeast "since time immemorial". So whilst this might be the first written reference for it, it had very likely been in use for a long time before then. Other links: - h2g2:[ The History of Bread Yeast](https://h2g2.com/entry/A2663110) - https://www.thefreshloaf.com/node/56042/godisgoode-bread