d at six o'clock, in order, says the
household book that all my lord's servants may rise early, (p.170.) Only
twenty-four fires are allowed, beside the kitchen and hall, and most
of these have only a peck of coals a day allowed them. (p.99.) After
Lady-day, no fires permitted in the rooms, except half-fires in my
lord's and lady's, and lord Piercy's and the nursery, (p.101.) It is
to be observed, that my lord kept house in Yorkshire, where there is
certainly much cold weather after Lady-day. Eighty chalders of coals,
at four shillings and twopence a chalder, suffices throughout the whole
year; and because coal will not burn without wood, says the household
book, sixty-four loads of great wood are also allowed, at twelvepence a
load.(p.22.) This is a proof that grates were not the used. Here is an
article. "It is devised that from henceforth no capons to be bought but
only for my lord's own mess, and that the said capons shall be
bought for twopence apiece, lean, and fed in the poultry; and master
chamberlain and the stewards be fed with capons, if there be strangers
sitting with them." (p. 102.) Pigs are to be bought at threepence or a
groat a piece; geese at the same price; chickens at a halfpenny; hens
at twopence, and only for the abovementioned tables. Here is another
article. "Item, it is thought* good that no plovers be bought at no
season but only in Christmas* and principal feasts, and my lord to be
served therewith and his board-*end, and none other, and to be bought
for a penny apiece, or a penny halfpenny at most." (p. 103.) Woodcocks
are to be bought at the same price. Partridges at twopence, (p. 104,
105.) Pheasants a shilling; peacocks, the same. (p. 100.) My lord keeps
only twenty-seven horses in his stable at his own charge. His upper
servants have allowance for maintaining their own horses, (p. 126.)
These horses are six gentle horses, as they are called, at hay and hard
meat throughout the whole year, four palfreys, three hobbies and nags
three sumpter horses, six horses for those servants to whom my lord
furnishes a horse, two sumpter horses more, and three mill horses two
for carrying the corn, and one for grinding it; whence we may infer that
mills, either water or windmills, were then unknown, at least very rare;
besides these, there are seven great trotting horses for the chariot or
wagon. He allows a peck of oats a day, besides loaves made of beans,
for his principal horses; the oats at twentypence