wherewith it is easily mixed, as I have seen
by experience. Within their doors also, such as are of ability do oft
make their floors and parget of fine alabaster burned, which they
call plaster of Paris, whereof in some places we have great plenty,
and that very profitable against the rage of fire. In plastering
likewise of our fairest houses over our heads, we use to lay first a
line or two of white mortar, tempered with hair, upon laths, which
are nailed one by another (or sometimes upon reed of wickers more
dangerous for fire, and make fast here and there saplaths for falling
down), and finally cover all with the aforesaid plaster, which,
beside the delectable whiteness of the stuff itself, is laid on so
even and smoothly as nothing in my judgment can be done with more
exactness. The walls of our houses on the inner sides in like sort be
either hanged with tapestry, arras work, or painted cloths, wherein
either divers histories, or herbs, beasts, knots, and such like are
stained, or else they are ceiled with oak of our own, or wainscot
brought hither out of the east countries, whereby the rooms are not a
little commended, made warm, and much more close than otherwise they
would be. As for stoves, we have not hitherto used them greatly, yet
do they now begin to be made in divers houses of the gentry and
wealthy citizens, who build them not to work and feed in, as in
Germany and elsewhere, but now and then to sweat in, as occasion and
need shall require it.

This also hath been common in England, contrary to the customs of all
other nations, and yet to be seen (for example, in most streets of
London), that many of our greatest houses have outwardly been very
simple and plain to sight, which inwardly have been able to receive a
duke with his whole train, and lodge them at their ease. Hereby,
moreover, it is come to pass that the fronts of our streets have not
been so uniform and orderly builded as those of foreign cities, where
(to say truth) the outer side of their mansions and dwellings have
oft more cost bestowed upon them than all the rest of the house,
which are often very simple and uneasy within, as experience doth
confirm. Of old time, our country houses, instead of glass, did use
much lattice, and that made either of wicker or fine rifts of oak in
checkerwise. I read also that some of the better sort, in and before
the times of the Saxons (who notwithstanding used some glass also
since the time of Benedict Bis