The magnificent and abundant plenty of the King’s Tables, hath caused amazement in Foreigners. In the Reign of King Charles I. there were daily in his Court 86 Tables well furnished each Meal, whereof the Kings Tables had 28 Dishes, the Queens 24, 4 other Tables 16 Dishes each, 3 other 10 Dishes, 12 other 7 Dishes, 17 other 5 Dishes, 3 other 4, 32 had 3, and 13 had each two; in all about 500 Dishes each Meal, with Bread, Beer, Wine, and all other things necessary. There was spent yearly in the Kings House of gross Meat 1500 Oxen, 7000 Sheep, 1200 Veals, 300 Porkers, 400 Sturks or young Beefs, 6800 Lambs, 300 Flitches of Bacon, and 26 Boars. Also 140 dozen of Geese, 250 dozen of Capons, 470 dozen of Hens, 750 dozen of Pullets, 1470 dozen of Chickens, for Bread 36400 Bushels of Wheat, and for Drink 600 Tun of Wine, and 1700 Tun of Beer. Moreover, of Butter 46,640, together with the Fish, and Fowl, Venison, Fruit, Spice proportionably. This prodigious plenty in the Kings Court caused Foreigners to put a higher value upon the King, and was much for the Honour of the Kingdom. The King’s Servants being Men of Quality, by His Majestys special Order went to Westminster-Hall in Term-Time, to invite Gentlemen, to eat of the King’s Acates or Viands, and in Parliament-time, to invite the Parliament-men thereto.
On the Thursday before Easter, called Maundy Thursday, the King, or his Lord Almoner, was wont to wash the Feet of as many poor Men, as His Majesty had reigned years, and then to wipe them with a Towel (according to the Pattern of our Saviour), and then to give everyone of them two Yards and a half of Woollen Cloth, to make a Suit of Cloaths; also Linnen Cloth for two Shirts, and a pair of Stockings, and a pair of Shoes, three Dishes of Fish in Wooden Platters, one of Salt Salmon, a second of Green Fish or Cod, a third of Pickle-Herrings, Red Herrings, and Red Sprats, a Gallon of Beer, a Quart Pottle of Wine, and four six-penny Loaves of Bread, also a Red-Leather-Purse with as many single Pence as the King is years old, and in another Purse as many Shillings as the King hath reigned Years. The Queen doth the like to divers poor Women.
The Form of Government is by the wisdom of many Ages, so contrived and regulated, that it is almost impossible to mend it. The Account (which is of so many Natures, and is therefore very difficult, must pass through many hands, and is therefore very exact) is so wisely contrived and methodized, that without the Combination of everyone of these following Officers, viz., the Cofferer, a Clerk of the Green-Cloth, a Clerk Comptroller, a Clerk of the Kitchin, of the Spicery or Avery, or a particular Clerk, together with the conjunction of a Purveyor and Waiter in the Office, it is impossible to defraud the King of a Loaf of Bread, of a Pint of Wine, a Quart of Beer, or Joint of Meat, or Money, or anything else.
INDEX.
[A], [B], [C], [D], [E], [F], [G], [H], [I], [J], [K], [L], [M], [N], [O], [P], [Q], [R], [S], [T], [V], [W], [Y].
Abbey, traditional origin of, [6]
—— foundation by Sebert, [21]
—— miraculous hallowing of, [21]
—— church, relics in, [24]
—— the, [98]
—— Henry III.’s alterations, [145]
—— tombs in, [162]
—— coronations, [165]
—— —— Henry IV., [165]
—— —— Elizabeth, queen of Henry VII., [167]
—— —— Henry VIII., [168]
—— —— Elizabeth, [168]
—— —— George III., [170]
—— —— Victoria, [170]
Aix Cathedral, [27]
Almshouses, [341]
Anchorite, the, [132]
Apollo, Temple of, [20]
Archers, Richard II.’s, [41]
Aristocracy, history of, [325]
—— caste, [330]
Bacon, [64]
Bailly, Inner and Outer, [48]
Banquet, royal, [269], [277]
Bardwell’s accounts of Westminster, [5]
Barton Street, [338]
Benedictines, [110]
Black Friars, [253]
Blue Coat School, [353], [357], [361]
Breaking of sanctuary by Richard III., [182]
Broken cross, [201]
Brother Ambrosius, [111]
Burdett, Sir Francis, [375]
Burtt and Harrod, story of robbery of King’s Treasury, [150]
Caxton, [211]
—— birth and origin, [217]
—— apprenticed, [219]
Caxton at Bruges, [223]
—— house of, [231]
—— marriage of, [234]
—— at Westminster, [235]
—— death of, [246]
Charles II., Court of, [381]
Charter, Edgar’s, [29]
Chaucer, [162]
Chaucer’s monk, [126]
Chess, [235]
Chivalry, [38]
City without citizens, [1]
—— without industries, [2]
—— without Folk’s Mote, [2]
—— of the Abbot, [2]
Civil Government, [382]
Clock Tower, [82]
Cnut, King, [35]
Cnut’s “Hus Carles,” [41]
College buildings, [53]
Consecration, service of, [139]
Coronation of Elizabeth, [168]
—— of George III., [170]
Coronations in Abbey, [165]
Court, itinerant, [40]
—— of Requests, Whitehall, [49]
—— of Exchequer, [54]
—— under Elizabeth, [267]
—— in reign of Elizabeth and James, [267]
—— of James I., [277]
—— of Charles II., [381]
Cromwell’s prisoners, [374]
Cross of Neath, [155]
Crypt of St. Stephen’s Chapel, [53]
Cunningham, Peter, [216]
Dean, authority of the, [4]
“Desert” of Westminster, [363]
Destruction of first church on Thorney, [20]
Dissolution, [4]
“Domus Anglorum,” [223]
Drokenesford, John de, [156]
Dyfan and Ffagan, [20]
Eagle Tavern, [207]
Edgar’s charter, [29]
Edward the Confessor, [40]
Elections: that of 1741, [294]
—— —— 1784, [294]
Elizabeth, queen of Henry VII., in Abbey, [167]
—— in Abbey, [168]
—— coronation pageant, [168]
Elizabeth Woodville, queen of Edward IV., [182]
Emanuel Hospital, [345]
Essenes, rule of the, [30]
Evil May-day, [87]
Execution in Tothill Fields, [370]
Extent of King’s Palace, [61]
Fair of St. Edward’s Day, [372]
Ffagan and Dyfan, [20]
Fight between London and Westminster, [78]
First church on Thorney, founding of, [20]
George III. in Abbey, [170]
Gourdemains, the witch, [370]
Great College Street, [337]
Great Seal, seizure of, [306]
Green Coat Hospital, [346]
Grey Coat Hospital, [351]
Gunpowder Plot, [78]
Harrod and Burtt, story of robbery of King’s Treasury, [150]
Henry II., [40]
—— IV. in Abbey, [165]
—— VIII. in Abbey, [168]
Historical associations of the Palace, [62]
Holbein Gate, [262]
Horseferry Road, [359]
Hospital, Green Coat, [346]
—— Grey Coat, [351]
House of Lords, old, [49]
Houses of Parliament, [291]
Hugh de Steyninge, [100]
Inigo Jones, [251]
—— —— his design, [260], [261]
Inner and Outer Bailly, [48]
Invasion of Saxons, [20]
Islip, Abbot, [239]
Jews, massacre of the, [96]
Kensington Palace, [250]
Kilburn, the cell of, [147]
King’s House, removal to Whitehall, [76]
King’s Palace of Westminster, 38 et seq.
—— —— —— Painted Chamber, [49]
—— —— —— extent of, [61]
King Street, [186], [335]
——- —— worthy inhabitants, [332]
Knights, ceremony of creation, [165]
Large, Robert, [221]
Loftie’s theory of origin, [31]
Lollardism, [104]
London, map of, [28]
—— a city of palaces, [39]
—— old House of Lords, [49]
—— and Westminster, quarrel between, [78]
Long Meg, [207]
Marsh, great, round Thorney Island, [8]
Masque, “Hue and Cry after Cupid,” [283]
Masques, [283]
Matthew of Westminster, [151]
May-day, Evil, [87]
May-pole, the, [95]
Members for City, [4]
Messengers, service of, [71]
Milton, [337]
Miracle of Hallowing, [21]
Mob in Old Palace Yard, [78]
Monastic life, services, [103]
—— —— rules, [106]
—— —— state of abbot, [118]
—— —— diversions, [122]
—— —— Scriptorium, [146]
Monks, life of, [146]
Murder and sacrilege, [160]
Neighborhood of Sanctuary, [186]
New Palace Yard, [79]
Officers of State, [44]
Old House of Lords, [49]
Old Palace Yard, [78]
Old Pye Street, [365]
Orchard Street, [365]
Ordeal of battle in Tothill Fields, [370]
Pageants, splendor of Richard II., [46], [65]
Painted Chamber, [49], [64]
Palace, picturesque character of the, [61]
—— historical association of, [62]
—— early morning in the, [65]
Palace Yard in 15th century, [82]
Park Lane, [32]
Parliament suspended, [161]
Pickering Cup, [206]
Picturesque character of the Palace, [61]
Pillory, New Palace Yard, Perkin Warbeck, [82]
—— —— —— —— Titus Oates, [82]
—— —— —— —— William Prynne, [82]
Podelicote, Richard, [147]
Prince’s Chamber, [49]
Printing, invention of, [228]
Prisoners of Cromwell, [374]
Quarrel between London and Westminster, [78]
Queen of Henry VII., Elizabeth, in Abbey, [167]
Queen Anne’s Gate, [336]
Queen Square, [336]
Raleigh, [64]
—— execution of, [78]
Ramage, John de, [155]
Recuyell, [234]
Red Pale, [208]
—— —— sign of, [211]
Refugees in Sanctuary, [182]
Richard II., Palace in his time, [38]
—— —— his archers, [41]
—— —— his Court, [44]
—— —— —— —— Harding’s description, [45]
—— —— built Tower, [57]
—— —— asserts himself, [73]
Robbery of Royal Treasury, [147]
Rochester Row, [346]
Roman civilization, [12]
Rosamond’s Pond, [369]
Rule of the Essenes, [30]
Sacrilege and murder, [160]
Sacrist, [154]
Sailor’s riot, [318]
St. Andrew Undershaft Church, [85]
St. James’s Park, [369]
St. Katherine Cree curate, [95]
St. Margaret’s Church, [354], [355]
—— —— parish of, [3]
St. Stephen’s Chapel, [53]
—— —— —— crypt of, [53]
Salutation Inn, [338]
Sanctuary, [173]
—— theory of, [174]
—— refugees, [182]
—— breaking of, by Richard III., [182]
—— neighborhood of, [186]
Saxon Church, destruction of, by Danes, [27]
Saxons, invasion of, [20]
Scrope v. Grosvenor, [281]
Sebert, founder of Abbey, [21]
Service, the, of the Palace, [41]
—— of consecration, [139]
Silent City, [4]
Skelton, John, [194], [195]
“Slender Billy,” [373]
Slums, [363]
Snipe in South Kensington, [30]
Snuff-box, the Westminster, [373]
Spanish prisoner, [159]
Speaker’s Court, [319]
Spenser, poet, [335]
Stanhope, Anne, [339]
Star Chamber, [54]
Steyninge, Hugh de, [100]
Taverns, [340]
Thames highway, [332]
Theory of Sanctuary, [174]
Thorney Island, [3], [5], [6]
—— —— evidence of situation, [7]
—— —— —— of excavation, [9]
—— —— —— of ancient monuments, [11]
Thorney Island, Roman remains on, [10]
—— —— place of trade, [16]
—— —— evidence of tradition, [19]
—— —— founding of first church, [20]
—— —— destruction of first church on, [20]
—— —— evidence of history, [23]
—— —— area of, [34]
Tombs in Abbey, [162]
Tothill Fields, [366], [372]
—— —— execution in, [370]
—— —— tournaments in, [370]
—— —— ordeal of battle in, [370]
—— —— Cromwell’s entry, [374]
Tournaments in Tothill Fields, [370]
Tower built by Richard II., [57]
Trade route across Thorney Island, [15]
Traditional origin of the Abbey, [6]
Vanished palace, [248]
Victoria in Abbey, [170]
Wall of defense, [46]
Watling Street, [20], [32]
Westminster, Bardwell’s account of, [5]
—— older than London, [33]
—— King’s Palace of, 38 et seq.
—— —— —— officers of state, [44]
Westminster, King’s Palace of, service in, [44]
—— —— —— Prince’s Chamber, [49]
—— —— —— St. Stephen’s Chapel, [53]
—— —— —— Painted Chamber, [49]
—— and London, quarrel between, [78]
—— elections, [293]
—— streets of, [331]
—— hustings, 1868, [307]
—— “Desert” of, [363]
—— the snuff-box, [373]
—— slums, [363]
Westminster Abbey, arms of, [99]
—— —— Scriptorium, noted, [146]
—— —— monuments of men of letters, [162]
—— —— Addison on, [164]
Westminster Hall, [54], [85]
Whitehall and Court of Requests, [49]
Whitehall Palac e, [248]
—— —— description, [259]
—— —— destruction, [265]
—— —— plan of, [280]
Woffington, Peg, [336]
Wolsey, Cardinal, [197], [257]
Wool staple, [85]
Wray, Sir Cecil, [307]
—— —— —— posters, etc., [311]
York House, [257]
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Stanley, “Westminster Abbey,” p. 7.
[2] Edward the Confessor’s officers were named respectively the Marshal; the Stallere (Comes stabuli, or Constable); the Bower-Thane (Chamberlain); the Dish-Thane (Seneschal); the Hordere (Treasurer); with, of lower rank, Carver, Cup-bearer, Butler, Seal-bearer, Wardrobe-Thane, Harper, and Headsman.
[3] The rules, it is true, were relaxed in the case of scholars engaged upon any learned work, and there must have been some such scholars at Westminster.