Thomas Tyndale (1588-1671/2).
<In MS. Aubr. 21, among the notes Aubrey has jotted down for his projected comedy The Country Revel, are a number under the initials of T. T., i.e. of Thomas Tyndale (see p. [190], supra), whom Aubrey took for his model in depicting an old gentleman ('Sir Eubule Nestor') of the heroic age. Some of these opinions of 'an old courtier of the Queen's' are collected here.>
In those days (Elizabetha regina) the great men had a gate (the yettes), and when a senator went to the Parliament-house a-foote, or a horse-back with his foot-cloath, he had at his heeles 1/2 a dozen or 10 tall fellowes with blew coates and badges and long basket-hilt swords. Now forsooth only a laquey and a little spitt-pig[1110].
T. T.—The advantage that king Charles I had: gentlemen tho[1111] kept good horses, and many horses for a man-at-armes, and men that could ride them; hunting horses. Now we are come all to our coaches forsooth! (Sir Philip Sydney[1112]). Now young men are so farre from managing good horses, they know not how to ride a hunting nag nor handle their weapons. So God help the king if, etc.
In Sir Philip Sydney's time 'twas as much disgrace for a cavalier to be seen in London rideing in a coach in the street as now 'twould be to be seen in a petticoate and wastcoate. They rode in the streets then with their rich footcloathes, and servants wayting on them with blewe coates and badge, 6[1113], 8, 12 +.
T. T., an old gentleman that remembers Queen Elizabeth's raigne and court, one of true gravity and prudence, not one that depends upon the grave cutt of his beard to be thought so. He hath seen much in his time both at home and abroade; and with much choler inveighes against things now:—'Alas! O' God's will! Now-a-dayes every one, forsooth! must have coaches, forsooth! In those dayes gentlemen kept horses for a man-at-armes, besides their hackney and hunting horses. This made the gentry robust and hardy and fitt for service; were able to be their owne guides in case of a rout or so, when occasion should so require[1114]. Our gentry forsooth in these dayes are so effeminated that they know not how to ride on horseback.—Tho when the gentry mett, it was not at a poor blind sordid alehouse, to drinke up a barrell of drinke and lie drunke there two or three dayes together; fall together by the eares. They mett tho in the fields, well-appointed, with their hounds or their hawkes; kept up good hospitality; and kept a good retinue, that would venture that bloud and spirit that filled their vaines which their masters' tables nourisht[1115]; kept their tenants in due respect of them. We had no depopulacion in those dayes.
'You see in me the ruines of time. The day is almost at end with me, and truly I am glad of it: I desire not to live in this corrupt age. I foresawe and foretold the late changes, and now easily foresee what will follow after. Alas! O' God's will! It was not so in Queen Elizabeth's time: then youth had[1116] respect to old age.
'Revels—Tho the elders and better sort of the parish sate and beheld the pastimes of the young men, as wrastling, shooting at butts, bowling, and dancing. All this is now lost; and pride, whoreing, wantonnesses, and drunkennesses. Tho the charity of the feast, St. Peter's box[1117], maintayned the old impotent poore.'