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IV.—Inventories made for Sir William and Sir Thomas Fairfax, Knights, of Walton, and of Gilling Castle, Yorkshire, in the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 January 2012

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Extract

The Inventories of Household Goods and Farming Stock which I have the honour of laying before the Society of Antiquaries have been copied by me from the original manuscript which is preserved in the library of Nostell Priory. They occupy some of the latter pages of a large folio volume, the earlier leaves of which contain lists of Yorkshire musters taken in the latter years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth. The volume had probably been purchased by Sir William Fairfax, as it has his initials W. F. on both the covers.

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Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © The Society of Antiquaries of London 1884

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References

page 121 note a Clements Robert Markham, C.B., F S.A., Life of the Great Lord Fairfax, p. 2.

page 122 note a Ducatus Leodiensis, p. 66.

page 123 note a A bottle for casting or sprinkling perfumes, Nares, Glossary, sub voc. Cf. Archaeologia, vol. xxxvi, p. 293Google Scholar, vol. XLII. p. 353.

page 123 note b Livery was applied, according to John Gough Nichols, Esq., F.S. A., to “articles made in a quantity, according to a fixed pattern, for distribution in the several apartments.” The Union Inventories, p. 44.

page 124 note a A number of things of the same sort fitting into each other, the smaller within the larger, was called a nest. We hear of nests of bowls, goblets, weights, and counters. Cf. Mem. of Ambrose Barnes, p. 210. Marston, Dutch Courtesan, act i. sc. 1. Archaeologia, vol. xxx. p. 26, vol. xxxvi. p. 293Google Scholar.

page 125 note a See Promptorium Parvulorum, vol. i. p. 41Google Scholar.

page 125 note b In the Sacrist's Roll of Lichfield Cathedral A.D. 1345 occurs “unus pannus de Turky de dono regis.” Journal of Derbyshire Archæological Society, vol. iv. p. 112Google Scholar; and in the Inventory of Goods of Churches of Surrey in the reign of Edward VI. p. 34, we find “j vestment of Turkey worcke with a green crosse.”

page 126 note a In the Archaeologia, vol. xxxviii. p. 364Google Scholar, verder is explained as meaning “a kind of tapestry representing foliage.” This word occurs several times in the Inventory of the Priory of St. Martin's, Dover, taken 27 Henry VIII. See Mon. Anglic, vol. iv. pp. 542, 543Google Scholar.

page 127 note a The initials of Sir Nicholas Fairfax, the former owner (see p. 121).

page 128 note a A trundle signifies a small wheel or castor; a trundle-bed was a low bed which ran on castors and which could be pushed beneath the larger bed when not in use, commonly used by servants who slept in their masters or mistresses' rooms. Cf. Archaeologia, vol. XL. pp. 324, 341Google Scholar. Mon. Anglic, vol. iv. p. 542Google Scholar.

page 129 note a Contrepointe …. couverture de lit piquée point contre point, a counterpoint or counterpain for a. bed.” Boyer, Dict. Royal François-Anglois, 1727. “Contre-pointeur …. Ouvrier en contre-pointes, a qnilter or counterpoint maker.” Miege, New Dictionary French and English, 1679. Cf. Taming of the Shrew, act ii. sc. 1.

page 129 note b Chist is the North-country form of chest. It occurs in Havelok, p. 222. The Editor possesses a linen chest inscribed “This is Esther Hobson chist 1637.”

page 129 note c Pillows.

page 130 note a The hair cloth on which malt was laid when put upon the kiln. See E. Chambers' Cyclopaedia, 1738, sub voc. Malt.

page 130 note b Reckin-hook, that is the hook which hangs in the reek. The hook by which a pot is suspended over a fire.

page 130 note c A tripod for supporting a pot on a fire. “One brasse pott, iij pannes, brandryt, cressyt, iiijs.” Invent, of Thomas Bobynson of Appleby, Lincolnshire, 1542. “Brander” seems to be the Scottish form of the word. See Dunbar, Social Life in Former Days, p. 212. Cf. Catholicon Anglicum (E.E.T.S.), p. 40.

page 130 note d Soa, soe, signifies a large tub. It is now commonly used to indicate a brewing-tub only, but it is sometimes employed for the large tub in which clothes are steeped before they are washed. Danish saa, a pail; Icelandic sâr, a cask. It occurs in Havelolc

“He kam to the welle, water updrow,

And filde there a michel so.”—Line 932.

page 130 note e The moulds in which cheeses are made.

page 130 note f Washing-tubs.

page 131 note a Probably an ark or chest in which to keep bread. The word is new to me. It occurs again p. 30.

page 131 note b The best wheaten bread.

page 131 note c Latten, the mixed metal of which monumental brasses were made. See Parker, Glossary of Gothic Architecture, sub voc.

page 131 note d A tray. “A voyder vpon the table then haue

The trenchers and napkyns therein to receaue.”

Seager's Schoole of Vertue, in Manners and Meals in Olden Time (E.E.T.S.), p. 342,1. 376.

page 131 note c A gantree or gantry signifies a wooden frame used to support a barrel or a low shelf of wood or masonry in a dairy on which the milk-vessels stand. It is sometimes, though rarely, used to denote the shelves on which coffins stand in a burial-vault.

page 132 note a Pans having “kilps,” that is semi-circular iron handles affixed to them. Many curved or semicircular objects are called bows, as the bow of a fishing net, the cap wire used to make the borders of Women's caps stand off, the handle of a key, the aroh of a bridge, or the arcades of a church.

page 132 note b Pans having ears.

page 132 note c The strong iron bar in an open chimney from which cooking vessels were suspended.

page 132 note d A baker's shovel. Cf. Jackson, Shropshire Word Book, p. 318. Catholicon Anglicum, p. 273.

page 132 note e Gridirons.

page 132 note f Handmills, it is confidently stated, have been in use until a very recent period. Archaeologia, Vol. xliv. p. 285Google Scholar. Quern-stones, small and large, are mentioned in the Excise Act of 1656. Scobell, , Acts and Ordinances, vol. ii. p. 475Google Scholar.

page 132 note g A box for salt.

page 133 note a A board on which bread or pastry is made.

page 133 note b To bolt is to sift meal. At Mereval Abbey, Warwickshire, there were at the time of its suppression “iij troves to boult and to knede in.” Mon. Anglic, vol. v. p. 485Google Scholar.

page 133 note c A kimling is a large tub made of upright staves hooped together in the manner of a cask. “A kimling in Lincolnshire, or a kimnel as they term it in Worcestershire, vas coquendae cerevisiae.” Littleton, Lat. Dict. 1735. Cf. Ripon Act Book (Surtees Soc), pp. 182, 371.

page 133 note d A brewer's sieve.

page 133 note e A basket.

page 133 note f A brewing tub.

page 133 note g A brewing vessel, a tub into which the sweet liquor is drawn off. “A lead, a mashefatte, a gylfatt with a sooe, xvs.” Invent, of Roland Stavelly of Gainsburgh, 1551.

page 133 note h A large hollow wooden shovel.

page 134 note a Pillow cases. Cf. Mon. Anglic, vol. iv. p. 542Google Scholar. Dunbar, Social Life in Former Days p. 209.

page 136 note a Shutters. Window shutters are called “shutts ” in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire at the present time.

page 136 note b A fire-grate. Cf. Catholicon Anglicum, vol. xxxv. p. 63Google Scholar. Raine, Hist. North Durham, pp. 101, 243.

page 136 note c A fabric manufactured at Tournai. Cf. Mon. Anglic, vol. v. p. 485Google Scholar. Archaeologia, vol. xxv. p. 444Google Scholar, vol. xxx. p. 4, vol. xl. p. 323, vol. xliii. pp. 207, 215.

page 137 note a Mary, eldest daughter of Sir Thomas Fairfax, wife of Sir Thomas Layton.

page 138 note a A musical instrument. “The orpliarion was shaped like a lute, but differed in being strung with wire.” Nares, Glossary, sub voc.

page 139 note a A covering of any kind, frequently used in the northern dialects for the clothes of a bed.

page 140 note a A heckle is an instrument made of steel pins fixed in blocks of wood, by means of which the fibres of flax and hemp were worked. Wooden heckles are yet in use in Switzerland.

page 141 note a Second daughter of Sir Thomas Fairfax, wife of Robert Stapleton of Wighill.

page 142 note a This seems to have been a piece of plate won at a race. I have not identified Bellman Lawne.

page 143 note a In 1629 Lord William Howard gave xxs. for “one litle silver morter.” Household Boohs (Surtees' Society), p. 266. A lady tells me that she has seen a silver mortar about two and a half inches high, which she thinks was intended for pounding scents.

page 143 note b Nares explains “posnet” to be “a small pot or skillet,” and adds that the word but seldom occurs. In 1590 John Nevil of Faldingworth, Lincolnshire, had ij posnets valued at six shillings. Midl. Counties Hist. col. 11, p. 31.

page 144 note a In the margin there is a note, “One of these webbs cutt.”

page 144 note b Probably a fabric of an inferior red colour.

page 144 note c These are run through with a pen and the following note attached, “These 2 webs rased out were taken forth for bleaching, and put in againe the 14 of August.”

page 145 note a Inferior linen.

page 145 note b Third son of Sir Thomas.

page 145 note c Second son of Sir Thomas.

page 146 note a Skellet, skillet = a saucepan. “Denying her the liberty so much as to boyl a skillet of milk for her crying and hunger-bitten children.” Walker, , Sufferings of the Clergy, vol. ii. p. 399Google Scholar.

“Like skillets mixʼd with sauss-pans tyʼd

Round Tinker Tom on eʼery side.”

Ward, Edward, Don Quixote, vol. i. p. 365Google Scholar.

page 147 note a Stang is a stake or pole. Anglo-Saxon stenge. Here it means either the pole from which the slaughtered oxen were suspended or the piece of wood used to distend the bodies after they were disembowelled.

page 147 note b “Brigs ” is a term used to indicate a wooden frame used by brewers to set the terns upon. This seems to have been an iron frame of a like kind.

page 147 note c A sinker is a circular board which fits into the cheese vat and is used in pressing the cheese.

page 147 note d Pails.

page 147 note e Ky[r]ne, i.e. churn.

page 147 note f A wooden bowl with a linen bottom used for straining milk.

page 147 note g Tubs in which refuse food is put. Swill is the common name for hog-wash, and the vessel used to hold it is called a swill-tub.

page 148 note a Kit usually signifies a vessel into which cows are milked, formed of staves hooped together, with one of the staves longer than the rest, which forms a handle. These butter-kits were probably vessels of this sort used for the purpose of containing the butter when removed from the churn before it was made up into pounds.

page 147 note b An alembic, a vessel used for making distillations.

page 147 note c hop-basket.

page 147 note d Probably a scraper.

page 147 note e When a largequantity of bread was made at once it was formerly the custom in farmhouses for the kneading to be done by the feet instead of the hands. It was therefore necessary to cover the dough with a sheet.

page 149 note a Andirons, fire-dogs.

page 149 note b A regal, a musical instrument. See Nares, Glossary.

page 149 note c Arms.

page 149 note d Needlework.

page 149 note e Shovel.

page 149 note f Wickerwork.

page 150 note a A child's chair.

page 150 note b A chair made of straw.

page 150 note c A chair made of turner's work. A turning-lathe is still called a throw.

page 150 note d A chest.

page 150 note e Some piece of mechanism of which a pulley formed a part. “Gin ” formerly had a wider meaning than it now has, and could be used for any uncommon piece of mechanism.

page 150 note f Diaper.

page 151 note a Churns.

page 151 note b Pails.

page 151 note c A wash-tub.

page 151 note d Ears.

page 151 note e Ewes of more than one year old.

page 151 note f A lamb weaned from its mother but still unshorn.

page 151 note g A sheep once shorn.

page 151 note h A castrated male sheep.

page 151 note i Gimmer, gimber = a female sheep that has not been shorn. Cf. Arthur Young, Lincolnshire Agriculture, p. 320.

page 151 note k An imperfect ram, one that is half castrated, commonly called a rig. See Halliwell, Diet, sub voc. riggot. Jackson, Shropshire Word Book, sub voc. riggil.

page 152 note a “Mug sheep, the white-faced breed from which the improved Leicester breed originated.” Dickenson, Cumberland Glossary (E.D.S.), p. 65.

page 152 note b There is no heading in the original. The above is taken from a table of contents near the end of the volume.

page 152 note c Probably contraction for “Enfants.”

page 154 note a An inkstand.