<P> Of roughly equal authority as the steward was the marshal . This officer had the militarily vital responsibility for the stables and horses of the household (the "marshalsea"), and was also in charge of discipline . The marshal, and other higher - ranking servants, would have assistants helping them perform their tasks . These--called valets de chambre, grooms or pages, ranking from top to bottom in that order--were most often young boys, although in the larger royal courts the valet de chambres included both young noble courtiers, and often artists, musicians and other specialists who might be of international repute . Assigning these the office of valet was a way of regularising their position within the household . </P> <P> One of the most important functions of the medieval household was the procuration, storage and preparation of food . This consisted both in feeding the occupants of the residence on a daily basis, and in preparing larger feasts for guests, to maintain the status of the lord . The kitchen was divided into a pantry (for bread, cheese and napery) and a buttery (for wine, ale and beer). These offices were headed by a pantler and a butler respectively . Depending on the size and wealth of the household, these offices would then be subdivided further . The following is a list of some of the offices one could expect to find in a large medieval aristocratic or royal household: </P> <Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="4"> Household offices: </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Administration </Th> <Th> Food and Drink (main) </Th> <Th> Food and Drink (secondary) </Th> <Th> Other </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Household (Steward) </Li> <Li> Marshalsea </Li> <Li> Chamber </Li> <Li> Wardrobe </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Kitchen </Li> <Li> Pantry </Li> <Li> Buttery </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Confectionery </Li> <Li> Cellar </Li> <Li> Poultry </Li> <Li> Spicery </Li> <Li> Larder </Li> <Li> Scalding - house </Li> <Li> Saucery </Li> </Ul> </Td> <Td> <Ul> <Li> Scullery </Li> <Li> Chandlery </Li> <Li> Ewery </Li> <Li> Laundry </Li> <Li> Napery </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th_colspan="4"> Household offices: </Th> </Tr>

High official in the household of a medieval king