Chapter XIV: Part 14

Mr. Hilles was a good Catholic. Amidst a multitude of religious poems of a Catholic kind, there is not one which could be construed as implying a leaning towards the Reformers; while under a certain legend of St. Gregory some indignant Protestant of the next generation has written a passionate anathema calling it lies of the devil and other similar hard names. A private diary of such a person therefore, of the years in which England was separated from the Papacy, is of especial interest:--

"1533. Stephen Peacock, haberdasher, mayor. "This year, the 29th day of May, the Mayor of London, with the aldermen in scarlet gowns, went in barges to Greenwich, with their banners, as they were wont to bring the Mayor to Westminister; and the bachelor's barge hanged with cloth of gold on the outside with banners and bells upon them in their manner, with a galley to wait upon her, and a foyst with a beast therein which shot many guns. And then they fetched Queen Anne up to the Tower of London; and in the way on land about Limehouse there shot many great chambers of guns, and two of the King's ships which lay by Limehouse shot many great guns, and at the Tower or she came on land was shot innumerable many guns.

"And the 31st day of May, which was Whitsun even, she was conveyed in a chariot from the Tower of London to York-place, called Whitehall at Westminster; and at her departing from the Tower there was shot off guns which was innumerable to men's thinking; and in London divers pageants, that is to say, "One at Gracechurch; "One at Leadenhall; "One at the great Conduit; "One at the Standard; "The Crosse in Chepe new trimmed; "At the conduit at Paul's Gate; "At Paul's gate a branch of Roses; "Without at the east end of Paul's; "At the conduit in Fleet Street; "And she was accompanied, first Frenchmen in-- coloured velvet and one white sleeve, and the horses trapped, and white crosses thereon; then rode gentlemen, then knights and lords in their degree, and there was two hats of maintenance, and many chariots, with lords and many gentlewomen on horseback following the chariots; and all the constables in London were in their best array, with white staves in their hands, to make room and to wait upon the Queen as far as -------; and there rode with her sixteen knights of the Bath; and on Whit-Sunday she was crowned at Westminster with great solemnity; and jousts at Westminster all the Whitsun holidays, and the feast was kept in Westminster Hall, and jousts afore York Place called Whitehall.

"This year, in the beginning of September, Queen Anne was delivered of a woman child at Greenwich, which child was named Elizabeth.

"Item, this year foreign butchers sold flesh at Leadenhall, for the butchers of the city of London denied to sell beef for a halfpenny the pound according to the Act of Parliament.

"1534. Christopher Ascue, draper, mayor. "This year, the 23rd day of November, preached at Paul's Cross the Abbot of Hyde, and there stood on a scaffold all the sermon time the Holy Maid of Kent, called [Elizabeth] Barton, and two monks of Canterbury, and two Friars observant, and two priests and two laymen, and after the sermon went to the Tower. Also this year, on Palm Sunday even, which was the 28th day of March, was a great sudden tempest of wind, and broke open two windows at Whitehall at Westminster, and turned up the lead of the King's new Tennis Play at York Place, and broke off the tyles of three goldsmiths' houses in Lombard Street, and folded up the lead at Pewterers' Hall and cast it down into the yard, and blew down many tyles of houses in London, and trees about Shoreditch.

"Item, the first day of April, which was tenebre Wednesday, Wolf and his wife, that killed the two Lombards in a boat upon Thames, were hanged upon two gibbets by the water-side between London Bridge and Westminster; and on the Monday in Easter week the woman was buried at the Crossed Friars in London.

"Item, the 20th day of April, the parson of Aidmary (sic, but the real person was the priest of Aidington in Kent) Church, in London, was drawn on a hurdle from the Tower of London to the Tyburn and there hanged and headed. Item, two observant Freers drawn on a hurdle and both hanged and headed. Item, two monks of Canterbury, one was called Dr. Bocking, drawn on a hurdle and hanged and headed. Item, the Holy Maid of Kent was drawn on a hurdle to Tyburn and hanged and headed; and all the heads set upon London Brigge and on the gates of London. Item, the 11th day of July, the Lord Dacres of the north was conveyed from the Tower of London to Westminster to receive judgement for treason, but there he was quit by a quest of Lords. Item, all men, English and others being in England, were sworn to be true to the King and his heirs between Queen Anne and him begotten and for to be begotten. Item, the Lord Thomas Garrard, of Ireland, beheaded the Bishop of Dublin, called Doctor Alien, as he would come into England. Item, a general peace cried between the King of England and the Scottish King for their lifetime. Item, there was a great sudden storm in the Narrow Sea, and two ships of the Zealand fleet were lost, with cloth and men and all, for they sank in the sea.

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"Sir John Champneys, mayor. "This year, in November, came over the high Admiral of France as ambassador from the French King, and he had great gifts and his costs provided for as long as he was m the Realm. "1535. Item, the fourth day of May, the Prior of the Charterhouse in London, and two other monks of the Charterhouse in other places, and the father of the Place at Sion, being in a grey habit, and a priest which was, as men said, the vicar of Thystillworth, were drawn all from the Tower of London to Tyburn and hanged and their bowels burnt, the heads cut off, and quartered, and the heads and quarters some set on London Brigge, and the rest upon all the gates of London and on the Charterhouse gate.

"Also shortly after the King caused his own head to be knotted and cut short, and his hair was not half an inch long, and so were all the lords, and all knights, gentlemen, and serving men that came to the court.

"Item, on Whitsun even was a great thunder in London. Item, the fourth day of June, a man and woman, born in Flanders, were burnt in Smithfield for heresy. Item, the 19th day of June, three monks of the order of the Charterhouse were drawn from the Tower to Tyburn, and there hanged and headed. Item, the 22nd day of June, the Bishop Rochester was beheaded at the Tower Hill, the head set on London Brigg and the body buried at Barking Churchyard. Item, the 6th day of July, Sir Thomas More, that sometime was Chancellor of England, was beheaded at Tower Hill, and his head set on the Brigg and the body buried in the Tower. Also this year the power and authority of the Pope was utterly made frustrate and of none effect within the Realm, and the King called Supreme Head under God of the Church of England; and that was read in the Church every Festival day; and the Pope's name was scraped out of every mass book and other books, and was called Bishop of Rome.

"1535-6. Sir John Allen, mercer, mayor. "At the beginning of the time the sheriffs put away each of them six servants and six yeomen till they were compelled by the common counsel to take them again.

"Item, the Kennell Rakers of London had horns to blow to give folks warning' to cast out their dust. Item, every man that had a well within his house to draw it three times in the week to wash the streets."

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The murder committed by Wolf and his wife, which is mentioned in the Diary, created so much sensation that it was discussed in Parliament, and was made the subject of a statute. The extraordinary beauty of the woman was used as a decoy to entice the merchants into a boat where the husband was concealed. They were killed and thrown overboard, and the wife, acting much like Mrs. Manning, took the keys from the body of one of them, went to his house and rifled his strong box. The burial of her body, while her husband was left upon the gibbet, was occasioned by a circumstance too horrible to be mentioned.

Next "follow parts of the statutes of England every craftsman victualler shall be ruled":--

"MILLERS.

"First, the assise of the miller is that he have no measure at his mill but it be assised and sealed according to the King's standard, and he to have of every bushel of wheat a quart for the grinding: also, if he fetch it, another quart for the fetching; and of every bushel of malt a pint for the grinding, and if he fetch it another pint for the fetching. Also, that he change nor water no man's corn to give him the worse for the better, nor that he have no hogs, geese, nor ducks, nor no manner poultry but three hens and a duck; and if he do the contrary to any of these points his fine is at every time three shillings and four pence, and if he will not beware by two warnings the third time to be judged to the pillory.

"BAKERS.

"Also, the assise of bakers is sixpence highing and sixpence lowing in the price of a quarter of wheat; for if he lack an ounce in the weight of a farthing loaf he to be amerced at 20d.; and if he lack an ounce and a half he to be amerced at 2s. 6d., in all bread so baken; and if he bake not after the assise of the statute he to be adjudged to the pillory.

"BREWERS.

"Also, the assise of brewers is 12 pence highing and 12 pence lowing in the price of a quarter of malt, and evermore shilling to farthing; for when he buyeth a quarter malt for two shillings, then he shall sell a gallon of the best ale for two farthings, and so to make 48 gallons of a quarter malt. When he buyeth a quarter malt for three shillings, the gallon three fathings; for four shillings, the gallon four farthings; and so forth to 8 shillings, and no further. And that he set none ale a sale till he have sent for the ale taster, and as oft as he doth the contrary he to be merced at six pence; and that he sell none but by measure assised and sealed, and that he sell a quart ale upon his table for a farthing. And as oft as he doth the contrary to sell not after the price of malt, he to be amerced the first time: 2 pence, the second time 20 pence, the third time three and four pence; and if he will not beware by these warnings, the next time to be judged to the cucking stole, and the next time to the pillory.

"AN ORDINANCE FOR BAKERS.

"By the discretion and ordinance of our lord the King, weights and measures were made. It is to know that an English penny, which is called a round sterling and without clipping shall weigh 32 corns of wheat taken out of the middle of the ear, and twenty pence make an ounce, and twelve ounces make a pound, which is twenty shillings sterling; and eight pounds of wheat maketh a gallon of corn, and eight gallons make a London bushel, which is the eighth part of a quarter.

"When the quarter of wheat is sold for a shilling, then the wastell, well boulted and clean, shall weigh six pounds sixteen shillings. The loaf of a quarter of the same corn and the same bultell shall weigh more than the said wastell two shillings. The symnell of a quarter shall weigh less than the said wastell two shillings, because that it is boyled and clean. The loaf of clean wheat of a quartern shall weigh a coket and a half, and the loaf of all corns of a quartern shall weigh two cokets; and it is understood that the baker so may get of every quarter of wheat as it is proved by the King's bakers four pence and the bran, and two loaves to furnage of the price of two pence; and three servants a penny farthing, and two grooms a farthing; in salt a farthing; in yeast a farthing, in candell and in wood three pence, in bultell allowed a farthing.

"Two or four loaves are made to be sold for a penny: none other kind of bread to be made of great price, but only two or four loaves to a penny. There is no bread made to be sold of three quarterns nor of five quarterns; also, there shall be no bread made of corn the which shall be worse in breaking than it is without. It is to know that of old custom of the city of London, by authority of divers Parliaments affirmed for divers weights which the citizens of London suffer in the bakers which they have had and have been wont to have in every assise of bread, the setting of two pence in a quarter of wheat above all foreign bakers in the realm of England; so that in assise of wheat when a quarter wheat is sold for five shillings, then it shall be set to the bakers of London seven shillings for assise; and so of every other assise two shillings to the increase.

"The assise of bread after that above contained truly may be holden after the selling of wheat; that is to say, of the best price, of the second price, and of the third, and as well wastell bread as other bread shall be weighed after, of what kind so ever it be, as it is above, by a mean price of wheat; and then the assise or the weight of bread, shall not be changed but by six pence increasing or distressing in the selling of a quarter of wheat. Also, the baker shall be amerced 2s. 6d., and his quartern bread may be proved faulty in weight; and if he pass the number he shall go to the pillory, and the judgment of the trespass shall not be forgiven for gold nor silver; and every baker must have his own mark on every manner bread; and after eight days bread should not be weighed: and if it be found that the quartern bread of the baker be faulty he shall be amerced 15d., and unto the number of 2s. 6d. And it is to know that the baker ought not to go to the pillory, but if he pass the number of 2s. 6d. default quartern bread, and he shall not be merced, but if the default of bread pass 15d.

"The rule set upon White Bakers and Brown Bakers, --The rule is that white bakers should inowe make and bake all manner of bread, and that they can make of wheat: that is for to say, white loaf bread, wastell buns, and all manner white bread that hath been used of old time; and they inowe make wheat bread sometimes called Crybill bread, and basket bread such as is sold in Cheep to poor people. But the white bread baker shall bake no horse bread of any assise, neither of his own neither of none other men's, to sell. The brown baker shall inowe make and bake wheat bread as it cometh ground from the mill, without any boulting of the same; also horse bread of clean beans and peason; and also bread called household bread, for the which they shall take for every bushel kneading bringing home 1 penny; but they shall bake no white bread of any assise, neither of their own, neither of none other men's, to sell. And what person of the said bakers offend in any of the articles above writ, shall as oft as he may be proved guilty pay 6s. 8d., half to the use of the Chamber of London, and the other half to the use of the master of the bakers.

"THE ASSISE OF BREAD WITHIN LONDON.

"Mem.--That the farthing loaf of all grains, and the farthing horse loaf, is of like weight.

"Mem.--That the halfpenny white loaf of Stratford must weigh two ounces more than the halfpenny white loaf of London.

"That the penny wheat loaf of Stratford must weigh six oz. more than the penny wheat loaf of London.

"The halfpenny wheat loaf of Stratford must weigh three ounces more than the halfpenny wheat loaf of London.

"Three halfpenny white loaves of Stratford must weigh as much as the penny wheat loaf.

"The loaf of all grains: that is, the wheat loaf, must weigh as much as the penny wheat loaf and the half-penny white loaf.

"The chete white loaf must weigh 12 oz.

"The chete white brown loaf must weigh 18 oz."

After so much solid matter, our repast shall be completed with something of a lighter kind. A list of "Divers good proverbs" is curious, as showing the long growth and long endurance of established maxims of practical wisdom. They are written in a distinct and singular hand, not to be traced elsewhere in prose or poetry:--

When ye proffer the pigge open the poke. Whyle the grasse growyth the hors stervyth. Sone it sherpyth that thorne wyll be. It ys a sotyll mouse that slepyth in the cattys ear. Nede makyth the old wyffe to trotte. A byrde yn honde ys better than three yn the wode And hevyn fell we shall have meny larkys. A short hors ys sone curryed. Though peper be blek yt hath a gode smek. Of a rugged colte cumyth a gode hors. Fayre behestys makyth ffolys fayn. All thyngs hath a begynyng. Wepyn makyth pese dyvers tymes. Wynter etyth that somer getyth. He that ys warnyd beffore ys not begylyd. He that wyll not be warnyd by hys owne fader He shell be wamyd by hys step fader. Pryde goeth beffore and shame comyth after. Oftyn tymys provyth the fruyght aftore, The stok that hyt comyth off. Hyt ys a febyll tre thet fallyth at the fyrst strok. Hyt fallyth yn a day that fallyth not all the yere afore. Whyle the fote warmyth the shoe harmyth. A softe flyre makyth swete malte. When the stede ys stolen shyt the stabyll dore. Merry hondys makyth lyght werke. When thou hast well done hange up thy hachet. Yt ys not all gold that glowyth. Often tymys the arrow hyttyth the shoter. Yt ys comonly sayd that all men be not trew. That nature gevyth no man can tak away. Thys arrow comyth never owt of thyn ownne bow. Sone crokyth the tre that wyll be. When the hors walowyth some herys be loste. Thys day a man, to-morrow non. Seld sene sone forgotyn. When the bely ys ffull the bonys would have craft. Better yt ys to be unborn than untawght. He that no good can nor non wyll lern, Yf he never thryve, who shall hym werne? He that all covetyth often all lesyth. Never hope, herte wold breste. Hasty man lakkyth never woo. A gode begynnyng makyth a gode endyng. Better yt ys late than never. Poverte partyth felyshype. Brente honde flyre dredyth. Non sygheth so sore as the gloton that may no more. He may lyghtly swym that ys held up by the chyn. Clyme not to hye lest chypys fall yn thyn eie. An skabbyd shepe ynfectyth all the ffolde. All the keys hange not by one manys gyrdyll. Better yt ys to lese cloth than brede. He that hath nede must blowe at the cole.

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Of all the treasures of the volume, the richest are perhaps the hymns and metrical prayers to the Virgin, of which there are great numbers and every variety. Some are in English, some in English and Latin. Here are three in different styles:--

Mary mother, thee I pray. To be our help at Domys day;

At Domys day when we shall rise, And come before the high Justice, And give account for our service, What helpeth then our clothing gay?

When we shall come before his doom, What will us help there all and some? We shall stand as sorry grooms, Ycald in a full poor array.

That ylke day without lesing, Many a man his hands shall wring. And repent him sore for his living, Then it is too late as I you say.

Therefore I rede ye both day and night, Make ye ready to God Almight; For in this land is king nor knight, That wot when he shall wend away.

That child that was born on Mary, He glads all this company, And for his love make we merry, That for us died on Good Friday.

Mater ora filium, Ut post hoc exilium, Nobis donet gaudium Beatorum omnium.

Faire maiden, who is this bairn That thou bearest in thine arm? Sir, it is a Kingis son, That in Heaven above doth wonne. Mater ora filium, etc.

Man to Father he hath none, But himself God alone; Of a maiden he would be borne, To save mankind that was forlorn. Mater ora filium, etc.

Three Kings brought him presents, Gold, myrrh, and frankinsense, To my Son full of might, King of Kings and lord of right, Mater ora filium, etc.

Faire maiden, pray for us Unto thy Son, sweet Jesus, That he will send us of his grace In Heaven on high to have a place. Mater ora filium, etc.

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Ave Maria, now say we so, Maid and mother were never no mo.

Gaude Maria, Christis moder, Mary mild, of thee I mean, Thou bare my lord, thou bare my brother, Thou bare a lovely child and clean, Thou stoodest full styll withouten blyn When in thine ear that errand was done. The gracious Lord thee light within, Gabrielis nuntio.

Gaude Maria, yglent with grace, When Jesus, thy Son, on thee was bore, Full nigh thy breast thou gave him brace, He sucked, he sighed, he wept full sore; Thou feedest the flower that never shall fade, With maiden's milk, and song thereto; Lulley, my sweet, I bare thee, babe, Cum pudoris lillio.

Oh, Gaude Maria, thy mirth was away When Christ on cross thy Son did die Full dolefully on Good Friday, That many a mother's son it sye. His blood us brought from care and strife, His watery wounds us wisshe from woe. The third day from death to life Fulget resurrectio.

Gaude Maria, thou birde so bright, Brighter than blossom that bloweth on hill, Joyful thou wert to see that sight, When the Apostles so smet (sic) of will, All and some did cry full shrill When the fairest of shape went you fro, From earth to Heaven he stayed full still, Motuque fertur proprio.

Gaude Maria, thou rose of ryse, Maiden and mother, both gentle and free; Precious princess, peerless of price, Thy bower is next the Trinity; Thy Son as lawe asketh a fight, In body and soul thee took him to; Thou reigned in Heaven like as we find In coeli palacio.

Now blessed birde, we pray thee abone, Before thy Son for us thou fall, And pray him as he was on the rood done, And for us drank aysell and gall, That we may wonne within that wall, Wherever is well withouten woe, And grant that grace unto us all In perenni gaudio.

SEQUUNTUR MIRABILIA.

Ad fadendum unumquemque hominum duo capita.

Sume sulphur et argentum vivum, et pone ad lumen lampadis, et unusquisque putabit socium suum habere duo capita.

Ut homo videatur habere duo capila equina.

Accipe medullam equi, et ceram virgineam, et fac candelam, et accende.

Ut omnia instrumenta in damo appareant serpentes.

Recipe serpentem, et toque, et sume pinguedinem ejus, et fac candelam cum alia cera, et iliumina.

Si vis facere lumen per vim animi.

Accipe vermes qua lucent de nocte et pone in vase vitreo continente radium solis quousque fiet aqua, et tune pone illam in lampade, et lucet sicut candela, et probatum est.

Ut homines ardere appareant.

Recipe sanguinem leporis, et ceram virgineam, et fac candelam, et illumina.

Item capiatis argentum vivum, et ponatis ipsum in aliquo vitro, et etiam aquam ardentem, et aquam vitae, et projiciatis tres vel quatuor guttas in igne--si fuerat aliqua mulier corrupta statim debet mingere et non aliter.

"Gossips mine" has been printed from another manuscript by the Percy Society. To most readers of Fraser, however, it is likely to be new. I select it from the humorous poems as being capable (which most of them are not) of being printed without omissions. The necessary discretion, it will be seen, has been supplied by the author.

How gossips mine, gossips mine, When shall we go to the wine.

I shall tell you a good sport, How gossips gather them of a sort, Their sick bodies to comfort, When they meet in land or street.

But I dare not for your displeasure, Tell of these matters half the substance; But yet somewhat of their governance, So far as I dare I will declare.

Good gossip mine, where have ye been; It is so long sith I you seen. Where is the best wine, tell you me. Can ye aught tell? Yea, full well.

I know a draught of merry go down, The best it is in all the town. But yet I would not for my gown, My husband wist. Ye may me trist.

Call forth our gossips, bye-and-bye, Eleanour, Joan, and Margery, Margaret, Alice, and Cecily; For they will come, both all and some.

And each of them will something bring, Goose or pig, or capon's wing, Pasties of pigeons, or some such thing. For we must eat some manner meat.

Go before, between, and tween, Wisely that ye be not seen; For I must home and come again. To wit I wis where my husband is.

A strype or two God might send me, If my husband might here see me. She is afeared, let her flee, Quoth Alice then,--I dread no men.

Now be we in the tavern set, A draught of the best let him fet, To bring our husbands out of debt; For we will spend--till God more send.

Each of them brought forth their dish, Some brought flesh and some brought fish, Quoth Margaret meke--now with a wish, I would Anne were here; she would make us cheer.

How say ye, gossips, is the wine good ? That is it, quoth Eleanour, by the rood. It cheereth the heart and comforts the blood. Such jonkets among shall make us live long.

Anne bade fill a pot of muscadell; For of all wines I love it well. Sweet wines keep my body in hell. If I had it not I should take great thought.

How look ye, gossips, at the board's end. Not merry, gossips? God it amend, All shall be well, else God it defend, Be merry and glad, and sit not so sad.

Would God I had done after your counsel; For my husband is so fell; He beateth me like the Devil in hell; And the more I cry the less mercy.

Alice with a loud voice spake then: I wis, she said, little good he can, That beateth or striketh any woman, And specially his wife, God give him short life.

Margaret meek said, so might I thrive; I know no man that is alive That give me two strokes, but he shall have five. I am not afeard though he have a beard.

One cast down her shot, and went away. Gossip, quoth Eleanour, what did she pay? Not but a penny! So, therefore, I say She shall no more be of our lore.

Such guests we may have enow, That will not for their shot allow. With whom came she? Gossip, with you? Nay, quoth Joan: I came alone.

Now reckon our shot, and go we home, What cometh to each of us but threepence? Pardye, that is but a small expense For such a sort, and all but sport.

Turn down the street when ye come out, And we will compass around about. Gossip, quoth Anne, what needeth that doubt, Your husbands be pleased when ye be eased.

Whatsoever any man think, We come for naught but for good drink. Now let us go home and wink, For it may be seen where we have been.

This is the thought that gossips take. Once in a week merry they will make, And all small drinks they will forsake; But wine of the best shall have no rest.

Some be at the tavern thrice in the week, And so be some every day eke, Or else they will groan and make them seek, For things used will not be refused.

We have thrown our net almost at random; yet there are few palates which will not have found something to please them among the specimens which we have brought together. Let us repeat our hope that the entire collection may before long be committed to the more secure custody, as well as the more accessible form, of a printed volume.

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