Monthly Archives: November 2009

This day called up early from my bed by the maid with the cleaning to prepare the house against Father his arrival and the feast tomorrow; then breaking my fast with my brother and sister in law, did discuss further my asking father for money tomorrow, the which George thought would be granted, although he did not want to be about when our mother found out and for what purpose it was, then we talked further of matters financial and he urged me to decide about the land A.C. has for sale out to Hornchurch, for the price is good and it yields upwards to lli. a year in income and that since A. has left England he needs all he can muster to cover his debts; since I will have a payment from the tanneries coming to me in a month’s time as well as rents from the properties in Clerkenwell, I will have more than enough to cover the cost; I will make an offer, the which George is happy to do for me; out to the armorer after breakfast with my man and my armor and they do say they will have the work done by Tuesday the which will include beating out the dents, leathering, and blacking it all anew both in and out to keep it from rust and kanker, and this they will do for xsxd. the which is a fair price for all the work that must be done;

The Royal Exchange in the 17th century.

then on again to the Exchange and found a very good band and falls and then to dinner at the Fleece and thence from there home; read from my book for a time and then about iiij. of the clock comes young Phillipes with a letter from cousin B. inviting me to come again soon especially now as Christmas is coming on; then did discuss further the Netherlands with Robert who is a very bright and perceptive boy and then supper and then to bed.

A.C. is Anthony Cooke a cousin of Luke’s on his mother’s side of the family. Luke owns some property and gets part of his living from the income they produce. If he can buy Anthony’s property he will supplement his income a good deal. Luke’s armor is looking pretty shabby after a season in the field but soon that will all be put to rights. He has found a nice band and hand falls (collar and cuffs) to wear on the big day, and cousin Francis wants him to come on by soon for more fun at Gray’s Inn.

Ffoulkes, Charles. The Armourer and his craft from the XIth to the XVIth centuries. London : Methuen, 1912.

Forgeng, Jeffrey L. Daily life in Elizabethan England / Jeffrey L. Singman. Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 1995.

Jardine, Lisa. Hostage to fortune : the troubled life of Francis Bacon. London: Victor Gollancz, 1998.

This morning F. and I lay somewhat long abed and then up and breaking my fast in his chambers with beer, bread and cheese, then back to the city and home again after quite a pleasant day yesterday; arriving home to find a letter from F.G. who is at Leicester house and bade me come to him this morning and so off went I and making my way there found he and D. both as melancholy as I left them last, and also in a state about the tilts and their part, the which is to be a memorial for Sir P.S., and G. has written three laments one to be read by him, one by D., and the other by whom they know not, for it is the voice of the mourning horse, and I did say that they should write the speech upon a board and have it carried by the horse, and that he should be led in such a way that the sign would not be read by the Queen and those in the gallery until the horse it turned, and they both did favor the idea mightily and cried it up, and D. did say that I should lead the horse in, but I did protest saying that there were others more deserving of this honor, but G. did insist and so it was decided, and then I asked what I should wear for I would need to see the tailor today to have something started, and G. thought I should have a cassock, as befits a horseman, and that it should be black velvet laid with silver lace and that I should have long black boots; I did say my tailor was amaking me a black suit and G. said I must also wear my gorget, arms, breast and back and the sword I carried at Zutphen fight, and so all was decided and after we dined off went I to the tailor again, and explained to him what I would need and that my black suit should be finished by Wednesday next withal and the tailor did say that it would cost me more having to have both so quickly made and that the suit would be now lxs. and the cassock xxxxs.; so home and casting up my accounts again find that I will need to borrow xxvjs. for greater part of the cost of the cassock, as well as the making of a new pair of boots and having my armor polished and I am resolved to have iiijli. of my father when he comes to town on Friday; then out again to the Exchange to buy a good band and falls but did not find any in the shops, the which I did favor, but I must come again tomorrow and see the rest of the shops around the other side, then to the bootmaker to be measured for the new boots and stopping at the armorer to see about bringing by my armor for polishing; and so to supper and drinking wine and tobacco with George in the evening.

The 1586 Accession Day tilts came just exactly one month after Sidney’s death and what records we have of them, talk about poems presumably read by Greville and Dyer, lamenting their friend’s death and then speech of the mourning horse. We have the text of the poems but we know little else. I have worked Luke in and boy is it going to cost him flipping great wadges of cash. Court spectacles were not cheap. His cousin, young Anthony Cook, ran through his inheritance in pretty short order when he went to court and you can bet Luke’s mom will have something to say about all of this.

Alexander, Gavin. Writing after Sidney: the literary response to Sir Philip Sidney, 1586-1640. Oxford University Press, 2006

Jardine, Lisa. Hostage to fortune : the troubled life of Francis Bacon. London: Victor Gollancz, 1998.

Gray's Inn and Holborne from the Agas map of London.

This day feeling quite better, my wound finally no longer tender, and my man did say it pulls together and heals well and I expect much of this is to do with being home in a warm chamber and a clean warm bed and not being out in the noisome air, especially that of the night; the surgeon came betimes and redressed me and too was pleased at my progress and said he would come again on Friday; dressed in clean linen, a good band, my sad murrey suit, black cloak and hat and so off to the tailor to be measured for a new black suit, the which the tailor said would be able to be fit on Saturday so I should come then in the afternoon; then off to Holborne to Cousin B his chambers to dine; I did force myself away from the Paules for I know it would be like unto falling in a well and so I would not get myself out for many an hour if I so much as strayed in; so on and coming Gray’s Inn gate the porter led me to F. his lodgings and so we came in and we were met by young Philipes who did show me in and was most warmly greeted by F. with kisses and embraces, so warm in fact I feared he might luxate my arm again, but then sitting down and having some good claret F. begged me tell him all that had passed this last year and especially the state political in the Netherlands now and his Ldship his governorship and any choice facts and secrets I might have to share and so I did speak until time for dinner and F. only occasionally did ask a question of me or for a clarification, then down to the hall and I feeling rather like a peacock amongst a yard of quails, and I not gaudily dressed this day, but the members all in their black gowns and caps; so we ate a good dinner of boiled beef and mustard and some other dishes and had some good conversation and then back to F. his chambers and more talk the rest of the afternoon and I also played a bit upon the lute but not too much my shoulder being tender and then F. played and I sang some songs and he said there was a new boy recently admitted that was a very fine singer and played upon the lute right well and when I come again he would have him come so we might have some music all together; then it being supper we went again to the hall and had a pottage and so back again and sat and drank of tobacco well into the evening and it being rather late I did stay the night, I lying with F. and my man with young Phiellips.

Luke has a busy day today. He stops to be measured for a black suit so he can return his brother’s to him. The booksellers in Paul’s churchyard are tempting but an awful time sink, no looking, no looking! Cousin B. is Francis Bacon (yes THAT Francis Bacon) who is Luke’s second (or is that third) cousin. He is a bencher at Gray’s Inn and lives in chambers in Coney Court. Members dined in the common hall for their meals and Luke is eating there as well as Francis’ guest. There were successive waves of sumptuary laws to govern what the members could/could not/must wear and that includes gowns and caps which must be worn and boots which must not. Young Phillipes is William Phillipes, junior, younger brother of Thomas Pheillpes the cryptographer who was employed by Walsingham to decode and forge correspondence going in and out to Mary Queen of Scots. William was employed by Bacon as a secretary, factotum and personal companion (if you get my drift…). The new musical boy recently admitted will make an appearance in a while so I’ll not talk further about him now.

Jardine, Lisa. Hostage to fortune : the troubled life of Francis Bacon. London: Victor Gollancz, 1998.

Pearce, Robert R. A guide to the Inns of court and chancery; with notices of their ancient discipline, rules, orders, and customs, readings, moots, masques, revels, and entertainments; including an account of the eminent men of the honourable societies of Lincoln’s Inn, the Inner Temple, the Middle Temple, and Gray’s Inn, &c.; together with the regulations of the four Inns of court as to the admission of students, keeping terms, lectures, examination, call to the bar, &c. &c. &c. London, Butterworths, 1855.

This morning came again the surgeon to see me and who did chastise me for going out on Saturday against his instructions; he did examine my wound and seemed pleased at its progress and then did clean and dress it, he did also examine my shoulder the which continues sore and bruised and he did say it was, considering the hurt done it, healing as best as it might, he then gave me more juice of poppy for my pain so I my sleep might be less troubled, I paid him vj. shillings for his service thus far; it being cold and rainy I stirred not out all the day and spent my time awriting of letters and of this journal; in the afternoon received a letter from Father saying he would be coming to town on Friday but also wanting to know when I would be coming home to see them, sent a reply immediately and reminded him that my health precludes any long journeys for the moment but that I planned to visit in perhaps a weeks time; George was away this day in Gravesend and will be through tomorrow.

This day lay somewhat late abed and then up and at prayers at home, feeling not fit for going out to hear a sermon; then writing letters and in the afternoon comes one from Cousin B, inviting me to dine with him on Tuesday, the which I shall, and then reading until supper and then discoursing a bit afterwards with young Robert about the Netherlands and the wars there, then being tired so soon to bed.

Today is a quiet one for Luke, he probably overdid things yesterday with all his hiking around.

Sidney's Ship the Black Pinnace

This day woke betimes feeling much better and for the first time in many weeks my wound not aching; washed myself and put on clean linen, my shirt being all sweaty and soiled from lying in my sickbed, and so sat up awriting of letters to Father, Marjery, Cousin B., F.G. and Sir R.S.; then reading until F.G. his man Haywood did come bearing a letter from his master, the which did say that Sir P.S. his pinnace had come bearing his coffin and it would be carried to a house in the Minorities and he begged me to come to him at Iron Gate Stairs for the receiving of it, and so while young Haywood waited, I did finish dressing and again put on George his black suit (I must have one made for mine own), and so I and my man went with him to the stairs and G. and D. and some others from the court were there, but fewer than I might have thought, and G. seeing me did embrace and kiss me and D. as well and both with tears in eyes, in the greatest grief at the loss of our friend; finally the barge did come and the coffin was gotten on the hearse and so we followed it afoot to a house not far off belonging to Mr. S. and so the coffin will lie there until the funeral, although we know not when that will be; our unhappy task accomplished we went to a tavern some way off so we might speak privily of this and these past two months, and they both begged me tell them all that had passed and so I did and D. with his eyes full of streams did praise his spotless heart and say he was only like himself and second unto none and G. lamented that he is now left to play the poor poet in his own part; so we stayed sometime longer, then in the greatest sadness we parted and so I home and weary and took a little supper and so to bed not too long after.

Marjery is Luke’s older sister, of whom he is quite fond. Cousin B is cousin Francis over at Gray’s Inn, we’ll hear more from him later. F.G. is Fulke Greville, dear friend and fellow poet of Sidney. Haywood is Ralph Haywood, Greville’s man. D. is Sir Edward Dyer, Sidney’s other great friend and poet. At his death, Sidney’s body was embalmed and then moved from Arnhem on Oct 24. It was put on his ship the Black Pynnes (Pinnace) on November 1 and arrived in England on November 5. The coffin was placed in a house near the Tower of London and there it remained until the funeral.

Rebholz, R. A. The life of Fulke Greville, first Lord Brooke. Oxford, Clarendon Press, 1971.

Sargent, Ralph M. At the court of Queen Elizabeth; the life and lyrics of Sir Edward Dyer. London and New York, Oxford university press, 1935.

This day slept long from the tincture of poppies but was troubled by sickness in my stomach and did vomit several times; in the afternoon came Mr. Baker again and he did clean and dress my wound and seemed pleased at its progress but told me to continue in my bed another day when he would come again; he having gone I ate a bit of pottage but had little taste for it; did write in this journal then being weary, again to sleep.

The laudanum the surgeon gave Luke really knocked him out and this was probably for the best. Unsurprisingly, it has made him nauseous, as opiates are wont to do.

Paré, Ambroise. The apologie and treatise of Ambroise Paré : containing the voyages made into divers places, with many of his writings upon surgery edited and with an introduction by Geoffrey Keynes. Chicago, Ill. : University of Chicago Press, 1952.

This day up and having great discomfort with my wound decided to call upon Mr. Baker and so I sent my man to him to find out if he might see me this day and was surprised when a short time later he did call upon me, explaining that he had business nearby and was happy to consult with me here; he did examine my wound and said he would come this afternoon with his tools, for as I had suspected, I needed to be cut and that once I was cut I was stay abed and that my wound should be cleaned again tomorrow afternoon and that he would give me an ointment of oil of whelps that should be applied then; then awriting letters and reading of one of the books I bought yesterday until he came again and when he did he gave me some tincture of poppies, then had his man lay cloths on the bed and I lay down and he began to cut all the corrupt matter away, the which was no small amount and full of pus and putrefaction, and to make the wound not round the better to let it heal, then he bathed it with water, the which I assume was salt, and with spirits and he put in cloths and lightly dressed it all and gave me more of the tincture so that I might sleep and so I fell in to a very deep slumber.

Luke is finally getting that wound of his seen to. Mr. Baker is Mr. George Baker, surgeon of London. He was a Paracelsian and was a great maker and prescriber of balms and oils for wounds. It was Paracelsus who first made and described laudanum so it would make sense that Baker would give Luke some and oil of whelps (yes by whelps, I mean puppies) which was a popular nostrum, Paré swore by it.

Furdell, Elizabeth Lane. The royal doctors, 1485-1714: medical personnel at the Tudor and Stuart courts.Boydell & Brewer, 2001.

Paré, Ambroise. The apologie and treatise of Ambroise Paré : containing the voyages made into divers places, with many of his writings upon surgery edited and with an introduction by Geoffrey Keynes. Chicago, Ill. : University of Chicago Press, 1952.

This day rose rather late and broke my fast; Stephen and William departed soon after; spent all the morning writing of some letters and of this journal as well as again casting up my accounts to take into accounting all of our expenses of our journey home as well as my pay for my men; out after dinner to Paul’s to see the booksellers and then home and a quiet supper with George, Margaret, William and young Robert, then drinking of tobacco for a while and to bed.

Finally Luke has a day to catch his breath. His Cooke cousins are off to their parent’s home in Essex but he will see them over the winter off and on. The churchyard of St. Paul’s cathedral was the home of the London booksellers.

Picard, Liza. Elizabeth’s London. London : Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2003.

This day up betimes and dressed myself again in clean linen and a very fine clean white band and by and by comes a serving man with a tray with bread and ale that we might break our fast, then soon after come Mr. Hickes, his Ldship his secretary, who was to stay with me all the day and guide me so that I might be allowed entry and not do something untoward; then we went through the palace and I wishing that I might stop and look at the pictures upon the walls, then soon we came to the presence chamber and soon I was called for and in came I before Her Matie. who was all in black with two great strings of pearls about her neck hanging down to her girdle, the which was wrought in gold, and had she fine white shoes all pinked, then I kneeled on my knees and kissing the letter I handed it to her the which she did read and when she was done she said, “be gone,” I tarried for a moment more until I did see the Ld. Treasurer busily waving me away, at the which I rose slightly and backed myself away out of the royal presence; Hickes did meet me at the door and escorted me back to Ld. Burghley his chambers where I was given some dinner and then a boat was hired for us to carry us back to the bridge and Mr. Hickes did tell me that the court is now in mourning by the order of the Queen and he did give me three purses, one from Mr. S., one from his Ldship himself and one from his Ldship on behalf of the Queen; back to George his house and found my men there and all our stuff and I did pay them the money they were owed for their service with me this year, Morgan then took his leave and Parker and Andrews as well, the Cookes did stay to supper and so also will stay the night, then tomorrow they will be off home; up rather late drinking of tobacco with George and telling him of this past year and so late to bed.

Michael Hickes, later Sir Michael, was Lord Treasurer Burghley’s secretary at the time. Poor Luke only really got to see Queen Elizabeth from the waist down, he had a good look at one of her shoes as he was kneeling there. He’s probably fortunate she didn’t pull his hair or box his ears, she’d been known to do that and to people of a higher station than he is. The term “stuff” for one’s possessions is documented to the period and it was applied especially to military items. It is found in Leicester’s household accounts referring to his weapons, armor and other gear.

Hazard, Mary E. Elizabethan silent language. Lincoln : University of Nebraska Press, c2000.

Household accounts and disbursement books of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, 1558-1561, 1584-1586 edited by Simon Adams. Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press for the Royal Historical Society, University College London, 1995.

Misztal, Mariusz. The Elizabethan courtier : ideal versus reality embodied in Robert Dudley Earl of Leicester.Kraków: Wydawn. Nauk. Akademii Pedagogicznej, 2002.

Picard, Liza. Elizabeth’s London. London : Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2003.