We start with the subject of houses and furniture. When Henry VIII. began to reign, well-to-do people in towns lived, as a rule, in houses built principally of timber, the fronts being often ornamented with rich carvings of fanciful and grotesque objects. The upper storeys projected; so much so, indeed, that in a street people in the attics on either side could almost shake hands. There was a reason for building in this way. As the houses were of perishable material, each storey gave protection from the weather to the storey beneath it.
Such a quantity of timber being used, there was a great danger of fire, and the warning of the bellmen who proclaimed the hours of the night in London was certainly needed, when, to their instructions to “be charitable to the poor, and pray for the dead,” they added, “Take care of your fire and candle.”
The labouring people in the country lived in houses constructed of the first things that came to hand—often nothing but wattle and mud or clay. When the mud or clay cracked, under the influence of summer’s heat or winter’s frost, it was a simple matter with the same material to “stop a hole to keep the wind away.” Ventilation was very defective, and Erasmus attributes the frequent sicknesses with which England was then visited in a great measure to the want of fresh air in the dwelling-houses.
The ideas that regulated the furnishing and decoration of the houses of the upper classes form a marked contrast to those prevailing nowadays. The furniture was more massive, and there was less of it. The bedchamber of Henry VIII. contained only a couple of joint cupboards, a joint stool, two hand-irons, a fire-fork, a pair of tongs, a fire-pan, and a steel mirror covered with yellow velvet.
Carpets came into use before the reign of Henry VIII. was far advanced, though in the reign of Queen Mary rushes still strewed the floor of the presence-chamber. Feather beds were used in Henry VIII.’s reign by the upper classes. When they went travelling, they were no longer content with the floor or a hard bench at halting-places, but generally carried portable beds (packed in leather cases) with them on horseback. In the lower ranks of life straw pallets, or rough mats with a round log for a pillow, formed the ordinary provision for sleeping.
Ladies’ dresses amongst the nobility in Henry VIII.’s reign had a certain formality, but in many points were elegant and becoming. Early in the sixteenth century they were made low and cut square about the neck: the sleeves were tight at the shoulder, but suddenly became very large and open, showing the puffed sleeves of the under-dress. The long skirts were worn open in front to the waist, showing the kirtle or petticoat. Sometimes, however, dresses were worn high, with short waists and a small falling collar.
At a little later date the sleeves of dresses were puffed at the shoulders, and when the dress was made open above the girdle, what was called a “partlet”—a kind of habit-shirt—was worn beneath it, and carried up to the throat.
Sleeves were one of the strong points of the ladies of those times. They were independent articles of clothing, and were attached at pleasure to the rest of the costume. “Much splendour,” says Mr. J. R. Planché, “was lavished on this part of the dress, and its various fashions were singularly quaint and elegant.” Amongst the inventories of Henry VIII.’s reign we find “three pair of purple satin sleeves for women; one pair of linen sleeves, paned with gold over the arm, quilted with black silk, and wrought with flowers between the panes and at the hands; one pair of sleeves of purple gold tissue damask wire, each sleeve tied with aglets of gold; one pair of crimson satin sleeves, four buttons of gold being set on each sleeve, and in every button nine pearls.”
Necklaces and other ornaments of jewellery were much worn. No dress was complete without a girdle, and from the girdle was suspended by means of chains such articles as tablets, knives and purses. Sometimes, in place of the chains, the girdles themselves had a long pendant, which was elaborately decorated.
We get a glimpse of the style of dress amongst commoner folk, in the history of a famous clothier known as “Jack of Newbury.” When Jack was married, the bride, in her wedding costume, must have cut quite a picturesque figure. “The bride,” we read, “being dressed in a gown of sheep’s russet and a kirtle of fine worsted, her head attired in a billiment (habiliment) of gold, and her hair, as yellow as gold, hanging down behind her, which was curiously combed and plaited, according to the manner of those days, was led to church by two boys with bride laces, and rosemary tied about their silken sleeves.”