Of the VALUE OF LAND, only one entry affords positive information. It relates to land bought to enlarge the little Park of Windsor, for which purpose 4l. were paid for two acres of meadow; but some idea may be formed on the subject from the following items: a farm at Greenwich, purchased for Anne Boleyn in February, 1531, cost 66l. 13s. 4d. but unfortunately we have no idea of its extent; in November, 1530, fourteen loads of Hay, and six loads of Oats cost, with the carriage to Greenwich Park, probably from the immediate neighbourhood, 6l. 2s. 8d.; and in January, 1532, is an entry of 7l. 4s. 4d. for the same quantity of hay at 5s. 6d. the load, and of six loads of oats at 9s. the load, including the carriage to the same place: hence we find that the carriage cost 13s. 4d.; but in May following oats were 6s. 6d. the load.
Of the Rent of Houses we have the subjoined particulars; that of a House for the Henchmen, or to use the words of the MS. "of the house where the Henchmen lie," was 2l. per annum, whilst that "of the one hired for Lord Rochford at Greenwich was 10l. a year." When some ambassadors proposed going to Waltham, a house was hired for them, and the owner was paid 20s.; and it appears from "the Book of Quarterly Payments" before mentioned, that "the rent of a house in London for the standing of the great standards with the rich coats of the guards for half a year" was 17s. 4d.
Liveries. Independently of the falconers, huntsmen, watermen, and other servants, the King's painters regularly received liveries, the cost of which was generally 22s. 6d.: this sum included 2s., the allowance for the badges which were affixed to them; but we find Patch the Fool's man, allowed 23s. 4d. for his livery coat, and to others 26s. 8d. were sometimes given for that purpose.
The following are the sums accounted for monthly, from November 1529 to December 1532:
| £ | s. | d. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1529 | November | 1910 | 15 | 9 | |
| December | 1449 | 9 | 6 | ||
| 1530 | January | 4120 | 13 | 6[143] | |
| February | 4750 | 4 | 3[144] | ||
| March | 2561 | 6 | 7 | ||
| April | 881 | 18 | 0 | ||
| May | 667 | 11 | 9 | ||
| June | 421 | 12 | 4 | ||
| July | 418 | 12 | 9 | ||
| August | 130 | 4 | 9 | ||
| September | 309 | 9 | 11 | ||
| October | 1025 | 13 | 4 | ||
| November | 642 | 6 | 0 | ||
| December | 4464 | 16 | 9[145] | ||
| 1531 | January | 943 | 8 | 7 | |
| February | 528 | 8 | 2½ | ||
| March | 500 | 10 | 3¾ | ||
| April | 516 | 17 | 6½ | ||
| May | 632 | 7 | 8 | ||
| June | 393 | 6 | 6 | ||
| July | 399 | 19 | 9 | ||
| August | 1554 | 18 | 0 | ||
| September | 592 | 16 | 9 | ||
| October | 347 | 12 | 0 | ||
| November | 525 | 16 | 4 | ||
| December | 620 | 19 | 9 | ||
| 1532 | January | 3043 | 9 | 5[146] | |
| February | 323 | 2 | 6 | ||
| March | 318 | 16 | 5 | ||
| April | 846 | 17 | 7 | ||
| May | 273 | 19 | 9 | ||
| June | 736 | 12 | 9 | ||
| July | 8007 | 9 | 11[147] | ||
| August | 645 | 15 | 1 | ||
| September | 525 | 4 | 1 | ||
| October | 2539 | 3 | 1[148] | ||
| November | 3954 | 7 | 9[149] | ||
| December | 961 | 10 | 6 | ||
| Total amount accounted for, | 53,488 | 5 | 4¾ | ||
Besides pounds, shillings, pence, &c. the following coins are frequently mentioned, an account of the value of which between 1529 and 1532, may be acceptable:—
Angels.[150]—A gold coin of the value of 7s. 6d.
Angellots,[151] or Angelet, is described to have been a half-angel, current for 3s. 9d.; but in the only place where it is mentioned in these Accounts, it must have been inserted by a mistake of the writer for Angel, as eighteen Angellotes are said to have amounted to 6li. 15s. i.e. 7s. 6d. each.