n the periods of peace and tranquillity little soldiers are sufficient to patrol the castle, while the bartesche are removed from the battlements. Different it is in time of war. The castle is prepared to resist to besieges and is full of soldiers. While the small lands' lords have only a castle, the more powerful lords possess more than one. They often had, for example a summer residence, even one for winter, one convenient to the transactions, one favorable to control the military operations, depending these on the more or less strategic position. Lords go sometimes to visit their several possessions. A lord owing six castles, however, only passes a few months the year in everyone of them. He passes the rest of his time to the court of the king or fighting in foreign countries.
Therefore it is frequent that a castle, especially in peripherical regions, remains calm for the greatest part of the year, entrusted to people encharged to keep it. But when the lord arrives to stay, or when the king pays a visit to the most beautiful castles, then the castle is in bustle and full of busy people. Rooms, kitchens, warehouses are prepared. It is necessary to supply pantries, to clean up the rooms and the latrines, to do repairs, to put in order the rooms.
During his permanence the lord inspections the thermal baths, he meets the executives of the castle for make sure of everything carried out without problems, he judges the prisoners, and entertains his hosts with hunting, banquets, feasts, and with jousts between knights.