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The household of a Tudor nobleman

Paul v. B. Jones · 1918 · Scanned text · Free in the US

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About this book

Author
Paul v. B. Jones
Language
English
Published
1918
Length
107,831 words · about 7 h 33 min
Sections
13 reader sections
Text
Scanned text, read from page scans by OCR; may contain errors
Rights
Public domain in the United States

 

Contents (13)

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Front matter

♦7?

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Preface

In this study I have sought to describe the organization and management of one of the most remarkable institutions of Tudor England; the noblemen's households indeed, were central institutions in the life of that age, from whatever aspect — social, intellectual, economic, or other — it be viewed. The materials used, chiefly household accounts and regulations, have been those available in print; the titles are relatively few, but the content of most of the items is exceedingly rich ; could they be thoroughly exploited, in fact, a very complete picture of English manners and customs, during that most fascinating period, could be drawn from them, since the Stewards or other responsible Officers set down in their books every expenditure, whether it were a progress with its lavish, costly outlay, or the purchase of a pipe for the household Fool. These documents overlap the Tudor period chronologically, Lord John Howard's Accounts beginning in 1462, while those of Lord William Howard of Naworth end with the year 1640; so little fundamental change was there, though, during the interval, in the methods of household management — tradition and dearly loved precedent ever working for uniformity — that the construction of a composite from them has been, I believe, a safe venture.

I began this study as a graduate student, and therefore it is not possible to thank here all those to whom I am deeply indebted for advice and other help. Especially, however, am I bounden to Professors Earle W. Dow, of Michigan, and Edward P. Cheyney, of Pennsylvania, for scholarly direction and criticism. From their instruction, as good old Jamie Melville said of the teaching of his beloved Knox, "I took away sic things as I could comprehend;" had my limitations been fewer, this book were the better ! Professor Cheyney allowed me to select this subject for study from his list of proposed monographs in the period he has so ably made his own, and he generously advised me during my investigations and writing. Also I am grateful to Professor Charles H. Cooley, of Michigan, who kindly read a first draft of parts of this work, suggesting many corrections and changes which were very useful to me. My sister, Mrs. Edwin P. Nutting, read the entire manuscript, improving it materially, and my wife has helped me through the tedious proof-reading and indexing, for which assistance I am pleased here to thank them both. And finally I express now my sincere appreciation of the courteous, helpful service of the Librarians of the Universities of Pennsylvania and Michigan, of the Philosophical Society of Philadelphia, and of the New York Public Library, which I have so freely enjoyed — also of the careful cooperation of those of The Torch Press who have handled this book for me.

Paul V. B. Jones University of Illinois January, 1918

Contents

Chapter page

I The Personnel of the Household 9-23

II The Family and the Servants 23-63

Chapter I The Personnel Of The Household

So noble a man, so valiaunt lord and knyght, Fulfilled with honor, as all the world doth ken;

At his commaundernent which had both day and nyght Knyghtes and Squyers, at euery season when lie calde vpon them, as meniall houshold men ; . . . 1

John Skelton.

"The English are serious like the Germans; lovers of show, liking to be followed wherever they go by whole troops of servants, who wear their master's arms in silver fastened to their left arms; . . . " 2 Thus wrote Paul Hentzner, a Brandenburg jurist, who was traveling in England in 1598. As a foreigner, he was much impressed by the ostentatious display of part of the household equipment of an English nobleman. How he would have been struck by the survey of a complete establishment in operation! Unfortunately, however, his lively observations on the manners of the English are brief indeed and we must draw our own picture of that remarkable institution.

The household of an English nobleman in the Tudor period was an exceedingly large and complicated organization. The term "household/' as then used, included as well the master's family as his servants. This gave to the average menage a considerable membership, and made of the large households veritable communities of men.

A learned man who well knew the age of the great Queen, writing early in the 17th century, mentions an earl who "kept ordinarily in his house two hundred persons . . . " 3 Extant household books kept by different great noblemen of the time under consideration demonstrate the truth of this affirmation.

i Skelton, Lament on the Doulourous Dethe of the Erie of Northumberland, Dyce edition, 1.

2 Paul Hentzner 's Travels in England, London, 1797, 63.

3 Brathwait, Household of an Earle, 11.

In 1469, two hundred and ninety-nine people made up the domestic establishment of George, Duke of Clarence. 4 This was above the average in size, while the much less pretentious household of John Howard, Duke of Norfolk, was almost as far below the mean. The latter nobleman paid wages to sixty-five servants in his employ on October 9, 1483, and while there were certainly a few other people in this establishment, it is impossible to say how many. 5

At Michaelmas quarter (September 29th) in the third year of King Henry the 8th, (1512) one hundred and sixty-six men, women, and children, all told, were listed on the check-roll of Henry Algernon Percy, the 5th Earl of Northumberland 6 — most of these in office directly for the maintenance of his stately house. Sir Thomas Lovell, in 1542, paid wages to ninety-seven servants, while the Earl of Rutland, his son, remunerated ninety-one for services done in the 28th year of Henry the 8th ; 7 but the real number in the latter 's employ, possibly then, and certainly in 1539, was nearer one hundred and thirty-five. 13 About the middle of the 16th century, Richard Bertie and his Countess were hiring some eighty servants, besides gardeners, dairy-maids and laborers, which servitors, if duly enumerated, might easily make the number of people ordinarily living at Grimsthorpe House more than one hundred. 9

There were over one hundred and fifty hirelings in service for Henry, Earl of Worcester, who lived from 1577-1646. His was an establishment similar to the dignified household maintained by the great Earls of Derby, Edward, and Henry, after him. In May of 1587 when house was "set up" at Lathom, one of the family manors in Lancashire, one hundred and eighteen people were living right with the Earl Henry in "daily attendance;" 10 s Howard Household Boolcs, 468-470. The doubt as to the exact number of servants in this establishment arises from the fact that, while there are numerous mentions of servants in these household books, they do not contain any official lists as do most of the other similar accounts.

s Northumberland Household Boole, 1827 ed., 45.

7 MSS. of Duke of Eutland, 4, 260-261.

9 Grimsthorpe House Papers, 459-460.

io Stanley Papers, Part 2, 23-37.

285] THE PERSONNEL OF THE HOUSEHOLD 11

while in 1590 his servants alone numbered one hundred and forty through additional help — footmen, laundresses and others, which were required in several of the departments. 11

Lord "William Howard of Naworth Castle in Cumberland, never, at least from 1612 until his death in 1640, regularly employed so many as eighty servants. In 1633 the names of seventy-eight were on his pay roll, 12 but the number varies between 1612-1640 inclusive, from forty-five in the former year, 13 to seventy-eight in 1633. 14 This lesser state was probably due to Howard's taste and needs, or to his status among the nobility, rather than to any great change in the domestic arrangements of this entire class of English society. "We have already noted the comparatively small establishment of John Howard, Duke of Norfolk, of a much earlier date, as well as the great household of Lord "William Howard's contemporary, Henry Earl of "Worcester. 15

Every household, as observed, consisted of two groups of people. Comprising the first were the noble lord and his own family, often enough with various kin, close relatives, who also lived and had their being beneath his roof. The second group was a large body of household servants of various standings and degrees, from the three or four great officials always at the head of the group, together usually with young noblemen, some of them wards, trying their prentice hand at the life, later perhaps to be their own, and the several ecclesiastics always in a household, down through the ranks of yeomen and grooms, chamber and dairy maids to the bands of youngsters set to work in the kitchen or the brew house, where their little abilities were useful.

The distinction, however, between family and servants, was in some households made somewhat obscure, at least so far as the higher servitors were concerned, by the frequent practice of filling the more important offices with members of the family.

The princely estate of the great 5th Earl of Northumberland,

12 Household Books of Lord William Howard of Naworth Castle, 501.

!5 An average household had a membership of about one hundred and thirty souls, if we may found an average on these eleven representative houses flourishing at different times in the Tudor period.

already mentioned, well famed in its day for its majesty, was one of the largest and most elaborate of all the households of which detailed record remains. In the year 1512 there were "daily abiding in the Earl's house," maintained and maintaining, the following interesting people: Of the family, the earl, with his wife, the Lady Catherine; their three sons — Henry, Lord Percy, the heir and subsequently 6th Earl of Northumberland; the second son, Thomas, and the third, Ingelram, Percy, both, of course to become knights. There was at this time only one daughter in the family — the little Lady Margaret, All these children were youngsters, if we may judge from the well equipped nursery. In addition, the earl's brothers are mentioned as included, at least at times, in the household. Of these there were three — Sir "William, knight ; Allan, clerk, and Joseline Percy. Of domestics, whose chief if not only duty was attendance upon these of the family, there were several — a yeoman and a groom for my young lord and his brothers; two "rockers" and a child to attend in the nursery; three gentlewomen and two chamberers for Lady Catherine, and three servants for each of the earl's brothers. 16

At the head of the household were four chief officers the Chamberlain, Steward, Treasurer, and Comptroller. Not to define here the positions of these men, it will suffice to say that in concert or singly they were in charge of the other servants and much of the household management. Each of these officers had certain men and boys detailed especially to serve him ; thus the Chamberlain's group, with that dignitary himself, counted seven, including his chaplain, clerk, two yeomen, ' ' a child of his chamber, " and his horsekeeper. The Steward had likewise his clerk, child and horsekeeper; the Treasurer, a clerk and horsekeeper, and the Comptroller "charged" was also allowed but the two, viz., a clerk and a horsekeeper.

16 This entry is a bit obscure ; it reads : ' ' My Lordes Brether every of theym with theire Servaunts iiij as to say if thei be Preists his Chapelyn his Childe and his Horskepar And if he be other ways his Clerk his Childe of his Chambre and his Harskepar. " — Northumberland Household Boole, ed. 1827, 43. Is the meaning, that the service differed according to the character of the first servant, or, as seems more likely, if one of the brothers should be a finest, then his attendants were chosen accordingly? According to Bishop Percy, the Allan Percy mentioned above was Warden of Trinity College at Arundel in Sussex. Op. cit., xxiv.

287] THE PERSONNEL OF THE HOUSEHOLD 13

Next in rank were the Dean of the Chapel, and his servant; the Surveyor 17 and his; two members of my lord's council, 18 each of whom had his servant, and the Secretary, who was also allowed his man. There were six Chaplains: an Almoner who had a servant if he was a "maker of interludes," the servant to write the parts; if the Almoner were not the happy possessor of that joyous forte then he stood alone; a Master of Grammar, a riding Chaplain for the Earl Percy, a Sub-dean, a "Gospeller," that is, a priest who read the Gospel, and a Lady Mass Priest.

Two Gentlemen Ushers were allowed a servant, while especially for the noble Earl Percy, were two Carvers, two Sewers (servers of food), and two Cup-bearers, each pair of which had its man, unless these young men were in the household ' ' at their friends finding," or support, under which condition each was to have his own servant — an interesting note which gives us a bit of the procedure connected with the very prevalent practice of placing young noblemen or gentlemen 's sons in great houses for a part of their early training. For the "board's end" 19 were two Gentlemen "Waiters with their one servant. Of henchmen, and "young gentlemen" at their friend's finding, 20 there were five — three of the former and two of the latter. There was one ' ' Officer of Arms" who might be either a Herald, or a herald's attendant — a Pursuivant, 21 and two Yeomen Ushers of the Chamber.

The Chapel service was highly estimated, for no fewer than fifteen people were required to conduct it. Nine of these were men styled ' ' Gentlemen of the Chapel, ' ' being the Choir Master, two tenors, four "counter-tenors," the "Pistoler," that is, one whose duty was the reading of the Epistle, and "one for the organs;" the other six were children — trebles and means.

Two men marshalled the Hall and had the customary servant

i? An officer whose duties had to do with the estates of Earl Percy.

18 A body of men whose advice and assistance were required in running the household, attending to petitioners, etc.

is That is, the end of the dining-table in the Great Chamber, where the earl and his family sat at meals.

2 o I do not think that there is any confusion between these young men "at their friends finding" and the carvers, cup-bearers, etc., spoken of above. These latter might, or might not, be supported in the household by their friends.

2i Northumberland Household Boole, 35.

between them. There were also a Yeoman Usher of the Hall, six Yeomen of the Chamber, and five Yeomen Waiters, while the so-called "yeoman officers" of the household were eleven; one of the Robes, one of the Horse, one of the Vestry, one of the "Ewery" — the place where the ewers, or hand basins and certain other utensils were kept, a yeoman officer of the pantry, one of the cellar, one of the buttery, a yeoman cook ' ' for the mouth, ' ' one each for the bake and brew house, and a yeoman porter.

There were twenty grooms and groom officers. Five were called Grooms of the Chamber, of which three were delegated "to ride with my Lord," while of the other two it was decreed that one was "to bide at home," while his companion was especially for the service of Lady Catherine. Three were Grooms of the Wardrobe who devoted their time respectively to the "robes," the beds, and to the gowns of Lady Percy. Further, there was a groom for each of the following posts: the ewery, pantry, cellar, and the buttery; two for the kitchen, of which one was "for the mouth," and the other for the larder, and finally — there were a Groom of the Hall, a Groom Porter, a Groom of the Stirrup, a Groom of the Palfreys, a Groom Sumpterman, a Groom of the ' ' Chariot. ' '

Ten youngsters besides the Children of the Chapel, were enrolled for duty, one in each of these places — the Wardrobe, Kitchen, Scullery, Stable, "Chariot," Bakehouse, "Butchery," Catory, Armory, and finally — one to assist the Arras-mender. 22

A small corps of minstrels were regularly paid to render their pleasing services, the members of which were performers upon the tabour, the lute, and the rebeck — a sort of three string fiddle ; 23 while a seemingly miscellaneous group included the Footman, two Falconers, a Painter, Joiner, Huntsman, and the Under Almoner of the Hall, whose specified duty was to serve the Grooms of the Chamber with wood; but of all functions, more later.

The little army of ten clerks must have kept the whole establishment duly footed up and balanced ! They were sub-divided among the following departments — Kitchen, Signet, 24 Foreign

22 As his title implies, a man to keep the arras or wall-hangings in repair.

24 Pertaining to all work like letter-writing, which had to receive the earl's seal. Vide ibid., 328.

289] THE PERSONNEL OP THE HOUSEHOLD 15

Expenses, 25 Brevements, 26 the Clerk "Avenar," 27 "Works," 28 Clerk of the ' ' Wearing Book, ' ' 29 and one, an assistant ' ' to write under the clerks of the Foreign Expenses. ' ' The solitary miller brings up the rear!

Turning now to a somewhat later period, we note substantially the same impressive personnel assembled for the proper maintenance of his Grace Henry, the Earl of Derby. All, of the one hundred and eighteen people, who, in May of 1587, were enrolled in this nobleman 's household, belonged, with the exception of five, to the serving group. Those five were the Earl Henry's brother, Sir Edward Stanley, and four servants in his employ.

At the head of the establishment stood the customary high officials — Mr. Steward, Mr. Comptroller, and Mr. Receiver-General, 30 each having three servants of his own. The earl had also an Auditor and a private Secretary, though these places are not mentioned in his check-roll. 31 Of Gentlemen Waiters, there were eight, including Mr. Bushey, the earl's page. Two Clerks of the kitchen, Wm. Aspinowle and Mychell Doughtie conducted the important office in their charge. There was but one Chaplain, Sir Gilbert Towneley — a remarkable change wrought by the Reformation, from the kind of religious administration maintained in the Northumberland household.

The nineteen yeomen officers, six of whom were alternatives, had duties in the following stations: the Chamber, where were two Yeomen Ushers: the cellar, in which either Richard Makin, or Jhon Lawton served : the Hall, choice lying between the services of ffransis (sic) Hamlet or Edward Parker: Porters, either Anthony Wells or Edward Spenser: Butlers, either Edward Ellis or Jhon Mordant : the pantries, where either William Doddile or Thomas Wilson might be stationed : the ewery where was to be found either William Marson, or Jhon Barber : the ' ' wardrobe of beds," regularly requiring the time of three men, the

25 Probably expenses incurred outside of the household expenses, strictly considered. Vide ibid., 398-400.

26 Brevements were accounts of food, etc., dispensed.

27 A clerk in charge of oats and other horse feed.

28 Improvements, repairs, etc.

29 A book in which account of linen, etc., in use was kept 3 ° I.e., of rents, fees, etc.

3i Stanley Papers, Part 2, 31, 35, etc., and Introduction of the same, vi and note.

two Parkers, Henry, junior and senior, and Edward Mason: while lastly, two of these yeomen officers — Richard and "William Mollynewx, were arras men.

Six men, Richard Borrowes, Edward Halsall, William Edling, Gilbert Holme, Edward Smythe, and Edward Stockeley, exercised the office of Grooms of the Chamber to the Earl Henry, while two more, Thomas Plombe and Thomas ffietcher (sic) were paid as sub-grooms. The twelve Yeomen Waiters, Petter Wroe, Thomas ffoster, Robert Doughtie, Thomas Hayworth, Geordge Hayworth, Cvttberde Gerrarde, Richard Lockevell, Robert Smythe, Petter Hille, Thomas Simcock, Richard Travers, and Jhon Siddall, had their ranks further recruited in hunting season by one, Thomas Bickerstath.

Edward Derby, the immediate predecessor of the Earl Henry, maintained a company of minstrels in his household, 32 but at this time the only musicians were the two trumpeters, Jhon King and Geordge Campion.

The great kitchen service required the labor of eleven men, including an alternative, and two of the number, Jhon Blackeladge and Henry Taillior were appointed especially for work in the scullery. One William Gawen held the very careful post of Caterer, while there were two slaughtermen, two bakers, two brewers, a malt-maker, a candle-man, three footmen, two Almoners, two carpenters, a gardener, a " rough caster " or plasterer, two "hop-men," and two laundresses — Margaret Scaresbrike and Ellen Gaskell, who appear to have been the only female servants in the entire establishment.

There were thirteen men in the barn-yard brigade — William Wainewright, Yeoman of the Horses, Gilbert Parstcote, coachman, Ewan Wainewright, Hugh Bury, "yeoman of my Lord's stoeroppes," Jhon Pollet, Jhon Vergus, yeoman of the "waineryes," Hugh Leylonde, Jhon Mollyneux, Ewan Simcote, Hugh Cropper, Henry Standishe, Henry Otie, and George Mosscroppe. With this humble crew, and listed in the most lowly place in the whole roll, was one who probably little cared ' ' Henry ye ffoolle. ' ' 33

The only important difference between a small household, like that of John Howard, Duke of Norfolk, and the very large estab-

32 Whittaker 's Hist, of Craven, 233. Cited by Ed. Raines in his introduction to the Stanley Papers, Part 2, vi. ss Stanley Papers, Part 2, 23-27.

291] THE PERSONNEL OP THE HOUSEHOLD 17

lishments, like the two whose memberships have just been given, lay largely in the number of servants employed, rather than in the general character and purpose of the help.

There were few members in the family of Lord John Howard of Stoke in Suffolk, in 1481; in fact, besides the lord and his lady were only their young daughter and her youthful husband, Lady and Lord Berners, Nor did Howard, as we have noted earlier employ the small army of household servants so many of the nobility hired. While it is quite impossible to tell completely what were the official positions of his servitors, withal, the list of known vocations in his household was very much like those of the larger houses.

Lord John had his Steward, a man named Bliant 34 who faithfully attended to the manifold duties of his weighty office during 1482 and 1483, being made Comptroller sometime late in the latter year, 35 when another Steward was at once appointed. 36 In 1483 the Receiver was one Ovy, 37 while the Auditor was John Knight ; 38 that same office was filled for the two previous years, however, by a man with the euphonious appellation of Watkyn Fulbone. 39 Wodde, or Wood was the Treasurer, 40 while a Secretary, an official unmentioned before the elevation of the Lord John to his dukedom is in service subsequently. 41 A priest, Sir William Davys, commonly addressed as "Sir William," was given wages regularly; his employment was varied, however, and he was certainly not the sole administrator to the spiritual needs of the Howard household. Another priest, Sir Pers or Perys Aleghe, of the parish of "Polsted," received 8.s for his first Mass before Howard and his Lady, and Lord and Lady Berners, which he sang on Sunday the 26th day of May, in the 22nd year of Edward the 4th. 42 So much for the principal officials as they were usually ranked.

Among the lesser servitors, the Caterer was for some time a

si Howard Household BooJcs (Collier), 74.

4i Howard Household Boolcs (Collier), 441, 465, etc. 42 Ibid., 208.

Richard Wolman, 43 but that office was later filled by a man called Holt. In this household furthermore were all those servants, usually officially called yeomen and grooms, though here we are able to distinguish them only in terms of their places. Thus constantly mentioned were Lawrence of the Hall, 44 Nicholas Wardrobe, 45 Nicholas of Buttery, 46 Oliver the Butler, 47 Robin of Stable, 48 Richard of Stable, 49 Webbe of Stable, 50 Will of Bakehouse, 51 Andrew of Chamber, 52 Maud of the Kitchen, 53 Jak of Kitchen, 54 Hary of Cellar, 55 Edmond of Ewery, 56 , the Footman, 57 etc.

There was a Clerk of the Kitchen, 58 whose brother, with the apt cognomen of " Gauge, " may have been his assistant. A brewer, a baker, and a cook were of course hired. 59 The cook was assisted by "Jak" above noted, who may have been one of the children of the kitchen. We may complete this general group, by including in it two men whose presence about the place at Stoke must have been welcome then, and whose names delight us yet to-day, though they afford us but a mute and pathetic vision of once bright souls. Surely the hours were not all leaden, where "Nicholas the singer" and "Thomas the Harper" lived! 60

Unfortunately Stoke was by no means exempt from the annoying ravages of rats and moles, and two professional exterminators of these two varieties of vermin — a "rat man" 61 and ss Howard Houstfwld Books (Collier), 135.

293] THE PERSONNEL. OF THE HOUSEHOLD 19

a ' ' mole killer, ' ' 62 drew wages occasionally in their official capacities. Howard also employed a "bird taker" 63 whom it is perhaps unfair to associate thus with the pest fighters. This may have been the fellow called another time the "partreche taker," 64 or still again, "the faconer. " 65

Lord John Howard followed the prevalent custom of busying various groups of children about the house in one capacity or another, and he also paid for the services of a few female hands. Thus at Stoke there were youngsters regularly in the kitchen, buttery and stable, while another little band of five sang in choir at the Chapel Service. 66 These young folk were known habitually, like their older prototypes, in the terms of their service — as " the Children of the keching, ' ' 67 or, individually, "Campbell, lad of the Kechyn," 68 "Colte, child of the Eatery," 69 "Little Richard of the Chapel," 70 or "Edward of the Chapel." 71 This same indiscriminate merging of name in office also occurred with the women servants; thus there was "Anes chamberer, " 72 "Katherine of Chamber," 73 also another Katherine, or better, "Cateryne the washer." 74 All these, and a maid of the dairy were regularly hired.

We have not yet, however, taken note of all the people who lived out their days in Lord Howard's little orbit. Particularly were there four others in his household of whom we would so gladly learn more. The first of these was a young man called Diago, 75 perhaps a foreigner to whom Howard grew attached, when he was on the continent, at Calais or elsewhere. What Diago did to earn his salt, we are unable to say, but money was from time to time given him in pittances, and he was kindly

67 Hoioard Household BooTcs (Collier), 151.

74 Ibid., 51; also 211, 301, etc., for dairy maid.

taken care of at Howard's expense once when he was ill. 76 The second lad, known as ' ' Tousan ' ' — w r as a page probably, for he seems to have been a favorite, and often with Lord John, who supplied his wardrobe ; now it was a new boublet of white and blue/ 7 or a pair of hose, 78 a bonnet, 79 gown, 80 or perchance a pair of shoes. 81 The other two were ' ' fools, ' ' and in this respect Howard seems to have surpassed the rest of the nobility. The one, "Tom Fole," as he was called, was for the entertainment of the house proper, while his companion in nonsense had the kitchen for his sphere of activity. 82

Though an establishment employing many less servants than the immense households, Lord Howard's menage did have about the same departments as their 's. Having surveyed in detail the composition of these three characteristic noble houses, we can say further, that neither the household of Richard Bertie 83 and his Countess, nor that of the Earl of "Worcester present any remarkable variations from those we have examined here, and while there were some curious special servants hired both by Sir Thomas Lovell and his son, the Earl of Rutland, there were few duties assigned to them which could not have been equally well handled by some of the numerous yeomen officers, yeomen, or grooms of the other establishments.

Finally, custom in regard to the servants suitable for a nobleman's equipment had crystallized by the beginning of the 17th century. The earlier practices had become stereotyped and slight indeed are the changes which have crept in. At that time a model establishment, according to an observant man, the poet and litterateur, Richard Brathwait, 84 must have included the following offices: Of chief officials, three were indispensable, so Ibid., 99.

si Ibid., 56.

82 Howard Household Boohs (Collier), 228, 284, 324, etc.

83 See Appendix A for summaries of the households of the Berties and the Earl of Worcester, and the full lists of all the servants in the establishments of Lovell and his son.

84 R. Brathwait, Household of an Earle, 3-4. ' ' What officers and Servants the state of an Earle requireth to have," etc.

295] THE PERSONNEL OP THE HOUSEHOLD 21

these being the Steward, Treasurer, and Comptroller ; while the services of an Auditor and a Receiver could be used, yet, as Brathwait tersely expresses it ". . . theese are extraordinary, and two of the cheefe Officers (being men of experience) may supply those places; the one in taking accompt, the other in receiving rents and profitts, and there by free the Earl from fees that belong to those Officers. ' ' Thrifty leeway also made it optional whether there were a "Clarke Comptroller" or not, that official being likewise the holder of a sinecure "if the cheefe Officers be painefull in their places."

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