Esquires for the Body.
Four Noble, of condition, whereof always two be attendant on the King's person, to array him, and unarray him; watch day and night; and to dress him in his cloaths. And they be callers to the Chamberlaine, if any thing lack for his person or pleasance. Their business is in many secrets, some sitting in the King's chamber, some in the hall with persons of like service, which is called Knight's service. Taking, every of them, for his livery at night, half a chet loaf, one quart of wine, one gallon of ale; and for winter livery, from All-Hallowtide till Easter, one percher wax, one candle wax, two candles pric.[154] one talshide and an half, and wages in the compting-house. If he be present in the Court daily, seven-pence halfpenny; and cloathing with the Household, winter and summer, or else forty shillings, besides his other fee of the Jewel-house, or of the Treasurer of England; and besides his watching cloathing of Chamber of the King's Wardrobe. He hath, abiding in this Court, but two servants; livery sufficient for his horses in the country, by the Herberger. And if any Esquire be let blood, or else fore-watched, he shall have like livery with Knights. Litter and rushes all the year, of the Serjeant Usher of the Hall and Chamber. Oftentimes these stand instead of Carvers and Cup-bearers.
In the "Statutes of Eltham."
Esquires of the Body, every of them, to have ordinary within the Court four persons, of the which to have sitting in the Hall two persons, and the residue ut supra [i. e. to have no meat or drink within the House, but to be at board wages in the town]; and for their bouche of Court, every of them to have for their livery at night, one chet loaf, half a pitcher of wine, and one gallon of ale, one size wax, three white lights, two talsheds, and two faggots.
In the appointment of Herbagage be ordinary for all Noble Estates, and others, for stabling of their horses, and beds for their servants, appointed by the King's Highness, at his Manor of Eltham, the 19th of January, in the 17th year of his Noble Reign.
It is appointed to Knights for the Body, and other Knights, six horses and two beds.
To every Esquire for the Body, five horses and two beds.
[N. B. Every Gentleman Usher of the Privy Chamber, whereof six, six horses and two beds.
Every Groom of the Privy Chamber, two horses and two beds.
Every Gentleman Usher Daily Waiter, three horses and one bed.
Every Gentleman Usher of the Privy Chamber, four horses and one bed[155].]
For the good order of the King's Chamber, it is said, the Pages of the King's Chamber must daily arise at seven o'clock, or soon after, and make a fire; and warn the Esquires of the Body of that hour, to the intent they may then arise, so as they may be ready, and the King's Chamber dressed in every thing as appertaineth, by eight of the clock at the farthest.
Item, that none of the servants of the said Esquires come within the Pallet Chamber; but be attendant at the door, as well at night as in the morning, with such gear as their Masters shall wear. And the said Pages, at the request of the said Esquires, to fetch in, and bear out, their night-gear, and all other their apparel, and likewise to make them ready, both at night and in the morning.
Item, that, if the Esquires for the Body do not arise at the warning of the Pages, so as the King's Chamber may be ready and dressed by the hour afore limited; that then immediately the Pages are to shew the same to the Lord Chamberlain.
[In the appointment of Lodgings, is a chamber for the six Gentlemen and Ushers of the Privy Chamber, to sup in; which explains the above article.]
The Esquires for the Body, mentioned to have been at Eltham at that time, were, Sir Arthur Poole, Sir Edward Baynton, Sir Humphrey Forster, and [Mr.] Francis Pointz.
In the New Book of the King's Household of Edward IV. anno 1478:
Six Knights and five Squires appear to have been on duty for eight weeks from the last day of October, at the end of which they were relieved by five Knights and four Esquires. Sir Roger Ray, being Vice Chamberlain, was in both lists; for it is said afterwards, "We will that Sir Roger Ray, Deputy to my Lord Chamberlain, two Gentlemen Ushers, and two Yeomen Ushers, at least, be always attending upon us."
Yeomen of the Crown[156].
Twenty-four most seemly persons, cleanly and strongest Archers, honest of conditions, and of behaviour, bold men chosen and tried out of every Lord's house in England for their cunning and virtue thereof. One to be Yeoman of the Robes, another to be Yeoman of the Wardrobe of Beds in Household. These two, in certainty, eat in the King's Chamber daily. Other two be Yeomen Ushers of Chamber, eating there also. Another to be Yeoman of the Stole, if it please the King. Another to be Yeoman of the Armory. Another to be Yeoman of the Bows for the King. Another Yeoman to keep the King's Books. Another to keep his Dogs for the Bow. And, except the first four persons, the remnant may to the Hall, as the Usher, &c. or another to keep his best; and thus they may be put to business. Also it accordeth that they be chosen men of manhood, shooting, and specially of virtuous conditions. In the King's Chamber be daily sitting four messes of Yeomen; and all the remnant eating in the Hall, sitting together above, joining to the Yeomen of Household; except at the five Great Feasts of the year, then as many Yeomen of Crown and Chamber as may sit in the King's Chamber shall be served there during the Feast; and every of them present in Court, hath daily allowed in the counting-house three-pence, and cloathing for winter and summer, and ... yearly, or else eighteen shillings, beside their watching cloathing of the King's Wardrobe. And if any of them be sent out by the King's Chamberlain, then he taketh his wages of the Jewel-house, and vacat in the Cheque Roll till he be seen in Court again. Also lodging in the town, or in the country, sufficient for their horses, as nigh together as the Herbiger of Household may dispose; and always two Yeomen of Crown to have an honest servant in to [the] Court, in the Noble Edward's Statutes. And these were called "The Twenty-four Archers de pié courants entièrement devant le Roy par pairs pour Gard [de] Corps du Roy[157]." These were called the King's Watchment. At this [or rather that] day, a Yeoman took but ten shillings for his gown, and four shillings and eight pence for his hosen and shoone. They have nothing else with the Household sans carriage of their beds, two men together, by deliverance or assignment for that carriage of the Controllers, and litter for their beds of the Serjeant Usher of the Hall and Chamber. And if any of them be sick, or let blood, he taketh for all day a cast of bread, one mess of great meat, one gallon of ale; and if it be of great sickness, he must remove out of the Court.
Also, when they make watch nightly, they should be gird with their swords, or with other weapons ready, and harness about them.