The highest in the land in days of old were not above taking presents, or as we should now vulgarly call them, tips; indeed, these were a recognised source of income. The Earl of Essex, when Keeper of the Regalia in the reign of Henry VIII, saw nothing derogatory in taking presents of money from foreign ambassadors, for it was the custom that he should do so, and it was as much an obligation on the part of those ambassadors to gratify the Earl of Essex as it is in our day to gratify the present Earl of Essex’s butler. The occasion used for this gratifying exchange of courtesies was when the Keeper carried presents from His Majesty to these ambassadors, and these occasions must have been frequent or else the gratifications must have been liberal, for on an average the Keeper counted on making another £300 a year in this way, and again we must multiply that sum by ten to get its present value.
We are indebted to Sir Gilbert Talbot, who was Keeper of the Jewel House in the reign of Charles II, for an exact account of the ancient rights and privileges of his office. These he had received from Sir Henry Mildmay, who was Keeper in the reigns of James I and Charles I, who in his turn passed on what had been enjoyed by Thomas Cromwell, Earl of Essex, Keeper in the reign of Henry VIII.
Sir Gilbert Talbot’s preamble reads:—
“The Master of the Jewel House holdeth his place by Patent, for life, under the Broad Seal of England to enjoy all the perquisites and privileges which any of his predecessors at any time enjoyed.”[[19]]
These are as follows:—
1. A fee of £50 per annum out of the Exchequer.
2. A Table of 14 double dishes per diem.
3. £300 per annum out of the New Year’s gift money.
4. The carrying of presents to Ambassadors.
5. The small presents at New Year’s tide.