Among the household necessaries to be provided are:—Wheet, Malte, Beefis, Muttuns, Gascoin Wyne, Poorks, Veelis, Lambes, Stokfish, Salt Fishe, Whyt Hering, Rede Herynge, Sproits, Salmon, Saltt Elis, Fieggs, Great Rasins, Hopps for Brewynge, Hony, Oile, Waxe, Weik for Lightys, Bay Saltte, White Saltte, Parishe Candell, Vinacre, Lynnon Clothe, Brass Pottis, Mustarde, Stone Crusis, Rughe Pewter Vessel, and All Manner of Spices—Piper, Rasyns of Corens, Prones, Gynger, Clovvez, Sugour, Allmonds, Daytts, Nuttmuggs, Rice, Safferon, and Coumfetts—See Cholys, Char Cholis, Fagoots, and Greet Woode, ‘bicause Colys will not byrne withowte Wodd.’
For the great feasts during the year xx Swannys were to be provided from the Earl’s Carr at Arram, in addition to xxix Does and xx Bukks from his Parks at Leconfield and elsewhere. So also for my Lord’s table were to be bought Capons, Geysse, Chekyns, Pegions (‘iij for jd.’), Cunys (‘ijd. a pece’), Pluvers (jd. a pece’), Mallardes, Woodcokes, Seegulls (‘jd. a pece so they be good and in season’), Styntes (‘vj for jd.’), Quaylles, Snypes, Pertryges, Redeshankes, Dottrells, Bustardes and Larkys (‘xij for ijd.’). Hearonsewys,[[59]] Bytters,[[59]] Fesauntes and Kyrlewes were to be paid for at the rate of ‘xijd. a pece’; but the most expensive dish was one of Cranys, which cost ‘xvjd. a pece.’
What high junketings there must have been at Wressle Castle in the days of ‘Henry the Magnificent’! Did the feasters afterwards pay for their over-indulgence in rich food? An answer may perhaps be supplied from the purchase of ‘xxx Saks of Charcoill for Stilling of Bottells of Waters’—Water of Roses, Water of Harts Tonge, Water of Parcelly, Water of Walnott Leeffs, Water of Prymeroses, Water of Cowslops, Water of Tandelyon, Water of Marygolds and many others—‘all worth,’ each penitent would doubtless declare, ‘xxjs. a bottell.’
In chapter XV. mention was made of the Percy Tomb in the chancel of Beverley Minster. The magnificent canopy of this was built in memory of Eleanor Fitz Alan, wife of Henry Percy of Alnwick, who died in 1328. Henry Percy, fourth Earl of Northumberland, lies buried in the Percy Chapel at the extreme east end of the Minster, and the wife of another Henry Percy lies buried in Hessle Church. But of her burial there is no record but a simple brass inscribed:—
Here vnder lieth Daim an percy wyff
to sir Henry percy....
| Photo by] | [C.D. Holmes |
| The Percy Tomb, Beverley Minster. | |
Other proud nobles of our Riding were the Wakes and the Cliffords. Hugh Wac married the daughter of Gilbert of Gaunt, the first Earl of Lincoln, and his son Baldwin assisted at the coronation of King Richard I. A descendant, the first Baron Wake, fought in the Scots wars of Edward I. Thomas, the third Baron, was granted by Edward III. leave to convert his manor-house at Cottingham into a castle. From him the Wakes of Somerset claim descent.