It was a great matter, in former Times, to give £10 to bind a youth apprentice; but, in King James the First's time, they gave 20, 40, 60 and sometimes £100 with an apprentice; but now these prices are vastly enhanced, to 500, 600, or £800.
A WATER PAGEANT (1533).
The reign of Henry VIII. is famous for the number and splendour of its pageants. The Field of Cloth of Gold is familiar to all, and every event of any importance was made the occasion of a display of splendid clothing, tapestry, jewels, and allegorical groups. The fashion of extravagance and love of show, which was set by the King, was followed by all who could afford, and the City was in no way behindhand in taking part in these functions. The coronation in 1509, the reception of the French ambassadors in 1518, that of the Legate Campeggio, that of the Emperor Charles, the coronation of Anne Boleyn—all these afforded an occasion for a pageant, and the opportunity was never lost. The following description is of a water pageant in honour of Anne Boleyn.
Source.—Grafton's Chronicles, vol. ii., p. 448.
The xix day of May the Mayor and his brethren all in scarlet, and such as were knights had collars of Esses and the remnant having good chains, and the council of the City with them assembled at Saint Mary Hill, and at one of the clock descended to the New stair to their barge, which was garnished with many goodly banners and instruments, which continually made good harmony. After that the Mayor and his brethren were in their barge seeing that all the companies to the number of fifty barges were ready to wait upon them. They gave commandment to the companies that no barge should row nearer to another than twice the length of the barge upon a great pain. And to see the order kept, there were three light wherries prepared, and in every one of them two officers to call on them to keep their order, after which commandment given they set forth in order as hereafter is described. First before the Mayor's barge was a foyst or wafter full of ordinance, in which foyst was a great dragon continually moving, and casting wild fire: and round about the said foyst stood terrible monsters and wild men casting fire, and making hideous noises: next after the foyst a good distance came the Mayor's barge, on whose right hand was the Batchelors' barge, in the which were trumpets and divers other melodious instruments. The decks of the said barge and the sailyards and the top castels were hanged with rich cloth of gold and silk. At the foreship and the stern were two great banners rich beaten with the arms of the King and Queen, and on the top castell also was a long streamer newly beaten with the said arms.
At three of the clock the Queen appeared in rich cloth of gold and entered into her barge accompanied with divers ladies and gentlewomen, and incontinent the citizens set forwards in their order, their musicians continually playing and the batchelors' barge going on the Queen's right hand, which she took great pleasure to behold. About the Queen's barge were many noblemen, as the Duke of Suffolk, the Marquis Dorset, the Earl of Wiltshire her father, the Earls of Arundel, Derby, Rutland, Worcester, Huntington, Sussex, Oxford, and many Bishops and noblemen, every one in his barge which was a goodly sight to behold. She thus being accompanied rowed toward the Tower, and in the mean way the ships which were commanded to lie on the shore for letting of the barges shot divers peals of guns, and ere she landed there was a marvellous shot out of the Tower as ever was heard there. And at her landing there met with her the Lord Chamberlain with the officers of arms and brought her to the King, which received her with loving countenance at the postern by the waterside, and kissed her, and then she turned back again and thanked the Mayor and the citizens with many goodly words and so entered the Tower.
LATIMER'S EXHORTATION TO LONDON (1549).
Quite early in his career Latimer earned considerable fame as an eloquent preacher, but the boldness with which he proclaimed his religious views, and his denunciations of ecclesiastical abuses, frequently placed him in difficult positions. He lost favour towards the end of the reign of Henry VIII., but on the accession of Edward VI. he regained his old position of importance, and devoted himself to the work of an itinerant preacher. In this character his popular preaching talents exerted a much wider and more permanent influence in the spread of his opinions than his work as Bishop of Worcester could have done; and it is certain that his labours contributed very largely to fix the doctrines of the Reformation in the minds of the people.
Source.—Latimer's Sermon on the Ploughers.
Now what shall we say of these rich artisans of London? What shall I say of them? Shall I call them proud men of London, malicious men of London, merciless men of London? No, no, I may not say so, they will be offended with me then. Yet must I speak. For is there reigning in London as much pride, as much covetousness, as much cruelty, as much oppression, as much superstition, as was in Nebo? Yes, I think so and much more too. Therefore I say, repent, O London! repent, repent! Thou hearest thy faults told thee; amend them, amend them. And you rulers and officers, be wise and circumspect, look to your charge and see you do your duties and rather be glad to amend your ill living than to be angry when you are warned or told of your fault.... But London cannot abide to be rebuked; such is the nature of men. If they be pricked, they will kick. If they be rubbed on the gall, they will wince. But yet they will not amend their faults, they will not be ill spoken of. But how shall I speak well of them? If you could be content to receive and follow the word of God and favour good preachers, if you could bear to be told of your faults, if you could amend when you hear of them: if you would be glad to reform what is amiss: if I might see any such inclination in you, that leave to be merciless and begin to be charitable, I would then hope well of you, I would speak well of you. But London was never so ill as it is now. In times past men were full of pity and compassion but now there is no pity; for in London their brother shall die in the streets for cold, he shall lie sick at the door between stock and stock, I cannot tell what to call it, and perish there for hunger. In times past when any rich men died in London, they were wont to help the poor scholars of the university with exhibitions. When any man died, they would bequeath great sums of money towards the relief of the poor. When I was a scholar at Cambridge myself, I heard very good report of London and knew many that had relief of the rich men of London; but now I can hear no such good report and yet I inquire of it and hearken for it; but now charity is waxed cold, none help the scholar nor yet the poor. And in those days what did they when they helped the scholars? Many they maintained and gave them living that were very papists and professed the pope's doctrines; and now that the knowledge of God's word is brought to light, and many earnestly study and labour to set it forth, now almost no man helpeth to maintain them. Oh! London! London! repent, repent, for I think God is more displeased with London than ever he was with the city of Nebo. Amend therefore; and ye that be prelates, look well to your office, for right prelating is busy labouring and not lording. Therefore preach and teach, and let your plough be doing; ye lords, I say, that live like loiterers, look well to your office; the plough is your office and charge. If you live idle and loiter, you do not your duty, you follow not your vocation; let your plough therefore be going and not cease, that true ground may bring forth good fruit.