The use of a toilet was often considered optional
In the great houses of the medieval ages nooks and closets designed to house chamber pots were not uncommon. In the early days of the period some even had running water, which flowed to cesspools outside the walls. Many considered their use optional, especially when one needed merely to urinate. Dark corners, empty fireplaces, behind tapestries and curtains, were all acceptable options, particularly among the gentlemen present. Retreating to a hidden closet temporarily removed oneself from the game at hand, the discussion of the hunt, the argument over politics, the convivial bowl, and the feminine company allowed in for the occasion.
That is not to say the use of the privy chamber was more frequent when not entertaining guests. Master and mistress, as well as their immediate servants, frequently answered calls to nature wherever nature found them when it presented the urge. In less affluent homes, the chamber pot was frequently ignored as well. Emptying and cleaning the convenience was frequently inconvenient, as in times of inclement weather. The fireplace offered a warmer alternative in the winter months especially. The use of privies improved as the medieval age advanced. However, throughout the period, and well into the Age of Reason, the use of unintended spaces to take one’s ease indoors was common.