f Auditor, Clerk of
Accounts, Purveyor of the Castle, Usher of the Hall, Closet Keeper,
Gentleman of the Chapel, Keeper of the Records, Master of the
Wardrobe, Master of the Armoury, Master Groom of the Stable for the 12
War-horses, Master of the Hounds, Master Falconer, Porter and his men,
two Butchers, two Keepers of the Home Park, two Keepers of the Red
Deer Park, Footmen, Grooms and other Menial Servants to the number of
150. Some of the footmen were Brewers and Bakers.

"_Out offices_.--Steward of Ragland, Governor of Chepstow Castle,
Housekeeper of Worcester House in London, thirteen Bailiffs, two
Counsel for the Bailiffs--who looked after the estate--to have
recourse to, and a Solicitor."

In a delicious old volume now rarely to be met with, called _The
Olio_, published eighty years ago, Francis Grose the antiquary thus
describes certain characters typical of the country life of the
earlier half of the seventeenth century: "When I was a young man there
existed in the families of most unmarried men or widowers of the rank
of gentlemen, resident in the country, a certain antiquated female,
either maiden or widow, commonly an aunt or cousin. Her dress I have
now before me: it consisted of a stiff-starched cap and hood, a little
hoop, a rich silk damask gown with large flowers. She leant on an
ivory-headed crutch-cane, and was followed by a fat phthisicky dog
of the pug kind, who commonly reposed on a cushion, and enjoyed the
privilege of snarling at the servants, and occasionally biting their
heels, with impunity. By the side of this old lady jingled a bunch of
keys, securing in different closets and corner-cupboards all sorts
of cordial waters, cherry and raspberry brandy, washes for the
complexion, Daffy's elixir, a rich seed-cake, a number of pots of
currant jelly and raspberry jam, with a range of gallipots and phials
and purges for the use of poorer neighbors. The daily business of this
good lady was to scold the maids, collect eggs, feed the turkeys and
assist at all lyings-in that happened within the parish. Alas! this
being is no more seen, and the race is, like that of her pug dog and
the black rat, totally extinct.

"Another character, now worn out and gone, was the country squire:
I mean the little, independent country gentleman of three hundred
pounds a year, who commonly appeared in a plain drab or plush coat,
large silver buttons, a jockey cap, and rarely without boots. His travels
never exceeded t