2.9. Of Pallaces belonging to the prince, and court of Englande. Cap. 9.

Of Pallaces belonging to the prince, and court of Englande. Cap. 9.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 IT lyeth not in me to ſet downe exactly the number and names of the palaces, belong|ing to the Prince, nor to make any deſcrip|tion of hir Graces Court, ſith my callyng is and hath béene ſuch, as that I haue ſcareely preſumed to péepe in at hir gates, much leſſe then haue I aduentured to ſerch out & know the eſtate of thoſe houſes, and what magnifi|cent behauiour is to to ſéene wythin them. Yet thus much will I ſaye generallye of all the houſes and honours appertaining vnto hir grace, that they are buylded, eyther of ſquare ſtone or bricke, or elſe of both, & ther|vnto although their capacity and hugeneſſe be not ſo monſtrous, as the lyke of dyuer [...] Forren Princes, are to be ſéene in y^e maine, yet are they ſo curious, nete, and commodi|ous as any of them, both for conueighaunce of offices and lodginges, and excellencye of ſcituation, which is not the leaſt thing to bée conſidered of. Thoſe that were buylded be|fore the tyme of King Henry the eyght, re|taine to theſe daies the ſhew & Image of the auncient kinde of workmanſhip vſed in this lande, but ſuch as he erected doe repreſent a|nother maner of paterne, which as they are ſuppoſed to excell all the reſt that he founde ſtanding in thys Realme, ſo they are & ſhal|be EEBO page image 93 be a perpetuall preſident, vnto thoſe that doe come after, to followe in their workes, and buyldinges of importaunce. Certes Maſon|ry did neuer better flouriſh in England then in hys tyme, and albeit that in theſe dayes there be manye goodly houſes erected in the ſundry quarters of thys Iſland, yet they are rather curious to the eye, then ſubſtaunciall for continuaunce, where as ſuch as hée did ſet vp excel in both, and therefore may iuſt|ly be preferred aboue al the reſt. The names of thoſe which come now to my rẽmebrance, are theſe.White hall. Firſt of al White hall at the weſt ende of London (which is taken for the moſt large and principall of all the reſt) was be|gun by Cardinall wolſey, and enlarged and finiſhed by king Henry y^e eyght. Néere vnto y^t is.S. Iames S. Iames, ſometime a Nonry, builded likewiſe by the ſame prince. Hir grace hath alſo Otelande, Aſheridge, Hatfelde, Haue|ring,Oteland. Aſheridge. Hatfelde. Enuelde. Richemõd. Hampton. Woodſtocke Enuéeld, Richemond, Hampton court, (begonne ſometime by Cardinall Wolſey, and finiſhed by hir Father) and therevnto Woodſtocke, erected by king Henry the ſeconde, in which the Quéenes maieſty de|lighteth greatly to ſoiourne, notwythſtan|ding that in time paſt it was the place of hir captiuity, when it pleaſed God to try hir by affliction and calamity.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 2 3 Windſor.For ſtrength Windleſor or Winſore, is ſuppoſed to be the chiefe, a caſtell buylded in tyme paſt by king Arthur, as it is thought, & repayred by Edwarde the third, who erec|ted alſo a notable Colledge there. After him diuers of his ſucceſſours, haue beſtowed ex|céeding charges vpon the ſame, which not|withſtanding are farre ſurmounted, by the Quéenes maieſty nowe lyuing, who hath appointed huge ſommes of money to be em|ployed vpon the ornature, and alteration of the mould, according to the fourme of buyl|ding vſed in our dayes. Such alſo hath béene the eſtimatiõ of this place, that diuers kings haue not onely béene enterred there but alſo made it the chiefe houſe of aſſemblye, and creation of the Knightes, of the honoura|ble order of the Garter, then the which there is nothing in this lande, more magnificent and ſtately.Gréene|wiche. Gréenewiche was firſt buylded, by Humfrey Duke of Gloceſter, vpon the Thames ſide 4. miles eaſt from London, in y^e tyme of Henry the ſixt, & called Pleſance. Afterwards it was gretly inlarged by king Edwarde the fourth, garnyſhed by king Henry the ſeauenth, and finallye made per|fite by king Henry the eyght, the onely phe|nir of his time, for fine and cutious maſon|rye.Dartforde. Not farre from this is Dartforde, and not much diſtaunt alſo from the ſouth ſide of that ſayd ſtreame, ſometime a Nonnery, but now a very cõmodious Pallace, wherevnto it was alſo cõuerted by king Henry y^e eight El [...]ham as I take it, was buylded by king Henry y^e third if not before. [...] There are be [...] theſe moreouer dyuers other, but what ſhal I néede to take vpon me to repeate all, & tell what houſes the Quéenes maieſtie hath, ſith all is hirs, and when it pleaſeth hir in the ſõ|mer ſeaſon, to recreate hir ſelfe abroade, and viewe the eſtate of the countrey, euery no|ble mans houſe is hir Pallace, where ſh [...] continueth d [...]ring pleaſure, and till ſhée re|turne againe to ſome of hir owne, in which ſhe remaineth ſo long as pleaſeth hir.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The court of England which neceſſarily is holden alwayes where the Prince lyeth, [...] is in theſe dayes one of the moſt renowmed and magnificent courtes, that are to be found in Europe. For whether you regard the ryche and infinite furniture of houſholde, order of Officers, or the interteinement of ſuch ſtrã|gers as dailye reſorte vnto the ſame, you ſhall not finde many equall thervnto, much leſſe one excelling it, in any maner of wiſe. I myght here if I woulde (or had ſufficient diſ|poſition of matter conceyued of the ſame) make a large diſcourſe, of the honourable ports of ſuch graue councellours, and noble perſonages, as giue their dailye attendance vpon the Quéenes maieſty there. I could in lyke ſorte ſet forth a ſingular commendati [...] of the vertuous beautie, or beautiful vertues of ſuch Ladies and Gentlewomen, as waite vpon hir perſon, betwéene whoſe amiable counntenaunces and coſtlineſſe of attyre, there ſéemeth to be ſuch a daily conflict and contention, as that it is verye difficulte for me to geſſe, wheter of the twaine, ſhal beare away the preheminence. [...] This farder is not to be omitted to the ſingular commendation of both ſorts & ſexes of our Courtyers here in Englande, that there are verye fewe of them, which haue not the vſe and ſkyll of ſundry ſpeaches, beſide an excellent vaine of wryting, before time not regarded. Truely it is a rare thing with vs nowe, to here of a courtier which hath but his own language, & to ſay how many Gentlewomen & Ladies there are that beſide ſound knowledge of the Gréeke & Latin tongues, are therto no leſſe ſkilful in y^e Spaniſh Italian & French, or in ſome one of them, it reſteth not in me: ſith I am perſwaded, that as the noble men, & gen|tlemen, doe ſurmount in this behalf, ſo theſe come very litle or nothyng at all behind thẽ, for their parts, which induſtry go [...] continue.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 Beſide theſe thinges I coulde in like ſorte ſet downe the wayes and meanes whereby EEBO page image 84 our auncient Ladies of the Court doe ſhun & auoyde ydleneſſe, ſome of them exercyſing their fingers with the néedle, other in caule|worke, diuers in ſpinning of ſilke, ſome in continuall reading either of the holye ſcrip|tures, or hyſtories of our owne, or forren na|tions about vs, whileſt the yonger ſort in y^e meane time, applie their Lutes, Citharnes, prickeſong, and all kindes of Muſick, which they vſe only for recreation and ſolace ſake, when they haue leyſure, and are frée from attendaunce vpon the Quéenes maieſtye, or ſuch as they belong vnto.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 I myght finally deſcribe the large allow|ances in offices, and yerely lyueries, & ther|vnto the great plentie of Golde and Syluer Plate, the ſeuerall péeces whereof, are cõ|monlye ſo great and maſſye, and the quan|ty therof ſo abundantly ſeruing all the houſ|holde, that if Midas were nowe liuing and once againe put to his choiſe, I thinke hée coulde aſke no more, or rather not halfe ſo much, as is there to be ſeene and vſed. But I paſſe ouer to make ſuch néedeleſſe diſcour|ſes, reſoluing my ſelfe, that euen in this alſo the excéeding mercy and louing kindeneſſe of God doth woonderfullye appeare towardes vs, in that he hath ſo largely indued vs with theſe his ſo ample benefites.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 In ſome great Princes Courtes, it is a worlde to ſée what lewde behauiour is vſed among dyuers of thoſe that reſorte vnto the ſame, & what whoredõe, ſwearing, rybaldry atheiſme, dicing, carding, carowſing, drun|kenneſſe, Glotony, quareling, and ſuch lyke inconueniences, doe daily take holde, and ſometimes euen among thoſe, in whoſe e|ſtates ſuch behauiour is leaſt conuenient: all which inormities, are eyther vtterly ex|pelled out of the Court of Englande, or elſe ſo quallified by the diligent endeuour of the chiefe officers of hir graces houſholde, that ſeldome are any of theſe thinges apparantly ſéene there, with out due reprehenſion, & ſuch ſeuere correction, as belongeth to thoſe treſ|paſſes. Finally to auoyde ydleneſſe, and pre|uent ſundrye tranſgreſſions, otherwiſe like|lye to be commytted and done, ſuch order is taken, that euerye offyce hath eyther a Byble, or the bookes of the Actes and mo|numentes of the Church of Englande, or both, beſide ſome hyſtoryes and Chronicles lying therin, for the exerciſe of ſuch as come into the ſame: whereby the ſtraunger that entereth into the Court of Englande vpon the ſodeine, ſhall rather imagine himſelfe to come into ſome publicke ſchoole of y^e vniuer|ſities, where many giue eare to one that rea|deth vnto thẽ, then into a Princes Pallace, if you conferre this with thoſe of other nati|ons. Would to god al honorable perſonages woulde take example of hir Graces Godly dealing in this behalfe, and ſhewe their con|formitie, vnto theſe hir ſo good beginninges: which if they woulde, then ſhoulde manye grieuous enormities (where with GOD is highelye diſpleaſed) be cut of and reſtreined, which nowe doe reigne excéedingly, in moſt Noble and Gentlemens houſes, wherof they ſée no paterne within hir Graces gates.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 The firme peace alſo that is mainteyned within a certaine compaſſe of the Princes Pallace, is ſuch, as is nothing inferiour to that we ſée daily practized in the beſt gouer|ned holds, & fortreſſes. And ſuch is the ſeuere puniſhment of thoſe that ſtrike, wythin the limites prohibited, that without all hope of mercy, benefite of clergie, or ſanctuary, they are ſure to looſe their ryght handes, at a ſtroke, and that in very ſolemne maner, the fourme whereof I will ſet downe, and then make an ende of this Chapter, to deale with other matters.

Compare 1587 edition: 1 At ſuch time therefore as the party tranſ|greſſing is conuicted by a ſufficent enqueſt impanelled for the ſame purpoſe, and the tyme come of thexecution of the ſentence, the Sergeaunt of the kings woodyarde pro|uydeth a ſquare blocke, which he bringeth to ſome appointed place, & therwith al a great béetle, ſtaple, and cordes, wherwith to faſten the hande of the offendor, vnto the ſayde blocke, vntill the whole circumſtance of his execution be perfourmed. The Yoman of the Scullary lykewyſe for the tyme beyng doth prouide a great fire of coales harde by the blocke, wherein the ſearing yrons are to be made readie againſt the chiefe Surgeon to the Prince or his Deputie ſhall occupie the ſame. Vpon him alſo [...]oth the ſergeaunt or chief farrour attend with thoſe yrons, whoſe office is to deliuer them to the ſayd Surgeõ when he ſhalbe readie by ſearing to vſe the ſame. The grome of the Salary for the time beyng or hys Deputie is furthermore ap|pointed to be readie with vineger and colde water, and not to depart from the place vn|till the ari [...]e of the offender be [...]ounde vp & fully dreſſed. And as theſe thinges are thus prouided ſo y^e Sergeaunt Surgeon is bound from time to time to be readie to execute his charge, and ſeare the ſtump, when the hande is taken from it. The ſergeaunt of the ſellar is at hande alſo with a cup of red wine, and likewyſe the chiefe officer of the pantry with Manchet bread to giue vnto the ſayde partie, after the execution done, and the ſtomp ſea|red, as the ſergeaunt of the Ewery is with EEBO page image 94 clothes, wherein to winde and wrap vp the the arme, the yoman of the pultrie with a cocke to lay vnto it, the yoman of the Chaũ|drie with ſeared clothes, and finally the mai|ſter cooke or his Deputie with a ſharpe dreſ|ſing knyfe, which he delyuereth at the place of execution to the Sargeaunt of the Lar|der, who doth holde it vpright in hys hande, vntill thexecution be performed, by the pub|licke Officer appointed therevnto. And this is the maner of puniſhment ordayned for thoſe that ſtryke within the Princes pallace, or limites of the ſame. The lyke priuilege is almoſt giuen to churches and churchyardes, although in maner of puniſhment great dif|ference doe appeare. For he that bralleth or quarrelleth in eyther of them, is by and by ſuſpended ab ingreſſu eccleſiae, vntil he be ab|ſolued, as he is alſo that ſtriketh wyth y^e fiſt, or layeth violent handes vpon any whome ſo euer. But yf he happen to ſmite wyth ſtaffe, dagger, or any maner of weapon, and the ſame be ſufficiently founde by the Verdict of twelue men at his arrainement, beſide ex|communication, he is ſure to loſe one of hys eares wythout all hope of recouerye. But if he be ſuch a one as hath béene twyſe con|demned and executed, whereby he hath now none eares, then is he marked with an hote yron vpon the chéeke, & by the letter F, which is ſeared into his fleſh, he is frõ thencefoorth noted as a common barratour, & fray ma|ker, and thereunto remayneth excommuni|cate, till by repentaunce he deſerue to be ab|ſolued.