J Jellicoe
"Held the oar to him"
Arrived at Finsbury Fields I saw what was certainly the finest and busiest Sight I had ever yet seen in my Life; which indeed is not saying much. The Fields themselves were open and pleasant, with plenty of Windmills in full Rotation in the Distance; their white Sails playing afore a dark Rain-cloud; and the Stretes that led to them beyond Moor Gate, full of Shops kept by Bowyers, Fletchers, and Stringers. Here, on the open Ground, we found, I say not Crowds, but Shoals of lithe and limber 'Prentices; and of athletic Freemen, too, and grave and weighty Citizens, where was Room for all—with Archers' Butts set up in various Directions; and an infinite Number of the finest young Men the City could turn out, practising at them with their long Bows; none of them being allowed to shoot at a Mark nearer than eleven score Yards. Numbers of the Masters, standing by, were watching, encouraging, and applauding them, to their great Increase of Emulation. Others again were using their Wasters and Bucklers, others kicking the Football; in the more open Ground, Citizens' Sons were racing on Horseback, and some of them practising Feats of War; others were wrestling, leaping, and casting the Stone. And on every Hand, Venders of Cakes and Suckets. On the Field, we came unawares upon Master Hewet, who spake us kindly, and noted not the Matter of Miles' Sunday-gown. And so the Day ended.
As we went Home, Miles told me how the Mayor, Aldermen, and Sheriffs were accustomed on St. Bartholomew's Day to see the City Officers wrestle with all Comers, at a set Place in Clerkenwell; and, two or three Days after, to witness the shooting of the broad Arrow, both of which I thought I should much delight to behold; but was quite unfit for when the Time came; as thou, in due Course, shalt know.
CHAPTER III
Ye Disposition & Economy of Master Hewet's House
My Master's House had six Stories, the lowest of which was sixty Feet above the River. First came the Kitchen, which, being partly sunk in the Arch, might, if not in a Bridge, have been counted parcel-underground. It had a Casement just over the Key-stone, and no thorough Draught; the Larder being a Lean-to or Afterthought, stuck outside like a Bird's Nest against the Wall. Level with the Strete lay the Shop, with a small Ware-room or Writing-closet adjoining; and, behind it, three Steps above it by Reason of the Kitchen beneath, the common Sitting-room, overlooking the River. A narrow, steep Stair led to the Floor above, which had Mistress Fraunces's Sleeping-chamber, wherein lay Mistress Anne, over the Shop, and a Summer-parlour, which for that it had a Balcony over the River, commonly went by the Name of the Balcony Room. It was hung with blue Buckram; and, by Reason of its Pleasantness, Mistress Fraunces made it her chief Sitting-room, while Mistress Anne played with her Dolls. Also there was a Closet wherein lay Tib. Above this was a large Chamber that covered the whole Floor from Front to Back, with a Window at either End; and, because of its projecting and overlapping the Floor below, was sundry Feet the longer: this Room was wonderful pleasant, and commonly called the Green Lattice, or Lattice-room, from having a large green Lattice that overlooked the Thames. In my Master's early married Days, which he was wont to say had been, like those of many a young Husband, his poorest and happiest, he had been glad to let off this Chamber to a Lodger.—His Father dying, and leaving him Money, he left the retail for wholesale Business, gave up his Lodger, and used the best Chamber himself; but with Wealth came, as usual, a Counterpoise: his Wife died untimely in this same Chamber; whereon he conceived a Dislike of it; and Mistress Fraunces then coming to reside with him and occupying his old Quarters, he mounted up to the fourth Story, to a Room that o'erlooked the Strete. Above this was Tomkins' Attick, and, last of all, our Loft. The Wind whistled fearsomely up there, o' Nights, and made the Walls rock round us; not that there was often any one wakeful enough to mind it.
In the Green Lattice, though unoccupied, there stood a carven Oak Bed, with dark green Hangings, lined with yellow Fustian, and Linen a Miracle for Whiteness, ready for any chance Guest. I thought, boy-like, as I glanced in, passing up and down, 'twas fit for the Sleeping Beauty to lie in during her Trance of a hundred Years. There was a great Jar of dead Rose-leaves, that smelt rarely; and I always had the Notion they had been gathered by Mistress Anne's Mother. I wondered, with a strange yet pleasing Awe, whether her Ghost ever walked here, now that her little Girl passed Hours in the Room by herself, singing over her Dolls; and thought it might perhaps steal softly in and keep about her when we little wisted.
Tib, the Cook, made and kept but few Friends. She was turned of Forty, and had a notable scorched Face, that looked like a Kitchen Fire. Also she was a Woman of much Thirst, both for Ale and News; and would have been counted a notable cleanly Woman, had she not been so dirty. For Example, she would set the House afloat with Bucketfuls of cold Water, till only Noah's Dove could have found Rest for the Sole of its Foot; and yet, the next Minute, would fling a Tub-full of Dish-water straight into the River, on the Heads of any Passengers that might hap to be shooting the Arch. She got into Trouble, once or twice, for this.