James Master's Life 1647-1655

JAMES MASTER'S LIPE, A.D. 1647-8. 157 After leaving Trinity College, Cambridge, in July 1647, James Master paid visits to various country gentlemen. At Sir Thomas Pelham's place, Halland Park, Laughton, near Lewes, Sussex, he spent ten days, August 23 to September 4. He mentions passing through Grinstead as he went, and through Godstone as he returned. Mr. Hewett seems to have entertained him for one night while he was Sir Thomas Pelham's guest. Sir Thomas Pelham's mother had been Mary Walsingham, the aunt of James Master's step-father, Sir Thomas Walsingham. In September 1647 he visited his uncle Bourne, and Sir John Tonstall (probably his step-sister's husband), but only for a day or so ; he also went to Eichmond. In October, en route for East Langdon Court, near Dover, to stay with his cousin Eichard Master (eldest son of Sir Edward), he visited Harbledown and Canterbury. At the old hospital in Harbledown he purchased, for 15s., nine of the wooden bowls, or mazers, that were customarily sold there. Three of these bowls, which he calls " cans," were made of tamarisk wood, and six were of yew. I t is interesting to hear of the traffic in these bowls, and to learn the materials of which they were made. During his stay at Langdon Court he went on one day to Dover, and on another to Deal, where he was taken, over a ship lying at anchor. Tfpon a third day he went to St. Eadegund's Abbey and there visited Mr. Edolph. Eeturning, he spent a night or two at Canterbury Deanery, which was at this time rented by his uncle, Sir Edward Master, M.P. for Canterbury, who was buried in the Cathedral ten months after this, in August 1648. Sir Edward's portrait, by Vandyke, was subsequently hung by James Master as an ornament in his house, Votes Court. He made his way home through Maidstone and Eochester, to Scadbury in Chislehurst. His travelling was done on horseback, and he was accompanied by a mounted groom, whose red livery suit and cloak cost £5 in December; a frieze coat for the groom cost 10s., and four holland caps were bought for him at the end of the year. The groom's wages were £4 per annum. Shoeing the two horses for five months (July 1 to Nov. 19, 1647) cost only 9s. Mr. Dell and Mr. Goldwell of Bexley received calls from Mr. Master in November, and in March 1648 he spent two nights in Carshalton. On the 3rd of April, he went vid Stratford-by-Bow to Cambridge, to make his adieux. Before finally quitting Cambridge, he went on the 10th of April 1648 to see Audley End, the mansion of his step-sister-inlaw's father, the Earl of Suffolk, and spent two nights at Newmarket, where racing obtained under the Commonwealth as it does now. The two butlers of Trinity obtained a gratuity of 6s. when he left the College on the 13th of April. It is noted that the young gentleman who took Mr. Master's College chamber, when he left it, was named "Eawnes." Probably this was another Kentish man, one of the family of Eaunce, whose descendant is Mr. Eaunce De Laune of Sharsted, near Sittingbourne. We may note the purchase of a barrel of oysters and four bottles of Ehenish wine, 158 JAMES MASTER'S MEE, A.D. 1648. as well as a prospective glass or telescope on tbe 24th of Eebruary, His fees on admission to the Society of Lincoln's Inn in May 1648, as a student for the Bar, amounted to a64 15s., and his commons at Lincoln's Inn cost 8s. per week. One of his amusements then was cockfighting, at which in that month he lost 21s. in two days. At this time Smithfield was not merely a market for sheep and oxen. Mr. Master bought there, for £13, a little bay nag (May 15, 1648), which in June was sent out to graze in Mereworth Park", for a fortnight, at a cost of 2s. per week. He- had paid £20 in the previous November for a tall black gelding, with white star on his forehead and two white feet. In June following he paid £24 for a sand-coloured mare. In brilliancy of appearance, the gentlemen under the Commonwealth seem to have far exceeded anything we of this age have imagined. Mr. Master bought in May a gold and silver bit, and in June a blue velvet saddle with silver fringe and lace upon it. When riding on this saddle, wearing his white Spanish leather boots (see June 9), his sword having its hilt double gilt (June 13), and his many " points " of ribbon, he must have looked rather unlike the modern idea of a Puritan gentleman of the period. Eor. the amusement of hawking he purchased. (June 24) two common sparrow-hawks, and three days later an expensive goshawk (an " Ey esse Tercell Gentle "). He paid 12s. " for all trimming for myself and my hawk " at the end of July. Next July (1649) also he mentions a sparrow-hawk being brought to him. Other pastimes are indicated by his dining at the cockpit in June, and his expenditure at " the Cherrye Garden " in July. The Cherry Garden was visited by him every July for several years. He attended at Bromley Pair on the 25th of July, and bought there a cheap gelding, wall-eyed, for £6 5s. In August, as he contemplated buying the manor of Gimmingham in Norfolk, he crossed the Thames at Greenwich, and made a tour through Essex into Norfolk, having with him three horses. He visited Sir Eoger North at Eougham, spent one night at Norwich, another at Cromer, and thence went to look at Gimmingham. Eefcurning, he stayed three nights at Norwich, went to Yarmouth, and thence came back to stay at Sir William Paston's. He went back during the first days of September, through Bury St. Edmunds, Newmarket (where he spent a night), and Newport in Essex. Then he went into Sussex, getting his horses shod at Nutley in Maresfield, and made short visits to Sir Thomas Pelham and Mr. Hewett. In the park of the latter a man was killed hy a stag, and James Master gave 10s. to the widow. He returned through East Grmstead. When at home again, at Scadbury in Chislehurst, he went, for shooting probably, to Hall Place iu Bexley for one day (Sept. 28) on his first visit to Mr. Eobert Austen, who twelve years later was created a baronet, and with whom Mr. Master seems to have been on familiar terms tor many years after this. He paid other visits JAMES MASTER'S LIPE, A.D. 1648-9. 159 in October, one to Sir Edward Bathurst, and one to Sir Stephen Scott at Hayes. In the same month he purchased three pounds of tobacco at 3s, 6d. per pound, aud made his largest payment for a horse, viz., £40 for a bay mare of Lord Dunbar's breed, six years old. . A dog match drew him to Kingston-on-Thames on the 9th of November, and he there won 13s. in bets. In the following Eebruary, he lost 10s. " at a cock fighting." _ (i At this time he was engaged in some legal business. "M1 ' Hales the lawyer " got a fee of 10s.; "Mr Coleburnethe scrivener," first 5s. and later 10s.; and " M1' Woolrich the lawyer 10s." The deeds (of conveyance probably) were drawn by Mr. Coleburne in Eebruary 1648-9. On the 5th of January 1648-9, he purchased a smart pair of green silk stockings for 19s.; and two months later he paid his second visit to Audley End, Lord Suffolk's place in Essex. In the following May he seems to have been, for a few hours, at Mr. Eoper's house in Eltham. In April, he bought Is. worth of oranges and lemons, three' lobsters and a quart of boiling oysters for 6s. 6d., and two pecks of oysters for Is. 6d. On the 24th of May he purchased in London some " sack." He describes it under two names: 16-a- gallons of canary at 5s. per gallon, and 3^- gallons of "backraek" at 4s. 8d.; thus making together 20 gallons of " sack," In June he lost £3 15s. at cards, in two days. In July he took lessons in singing from Mr. Cook, who charged 25s. for a month's teaching; other lessons were taken from him in October for a month, and again in December for a third month. Preparatory to paying visits in Berkshire, in August 1649, he obtained a gay suit of "right Erench scarlet" (as the stuff for the cloak cost 45s. a yard, it must surely have been velvet), lined with taffeta silk, and trimmed with thirty gold and silver flat buttons. Scarlet mohair and scarlet "serge de shaloon" were used for the coat and doublet of this suit, the materials for which cost over £15, and the making £4 15s. Thus gaily attired he visited. Sir John Hippesley, at Warfield; then, having baited at Twyford, he went on to stay with Sir Humphrey Eorster, at Aldermaston. On leaving Sir Humphrey's he spent a night at Marlborough, and went on to Bath, where he abode for three weeks, visiting the Cross Bath and the Queen's Bath, and losing £4 10s. at cards. While at Bath, he made a day's excursion to Bristol, where he spent 5s. in purchasing " Bristol diamonds," and 10s. in Prench plums, that is, " 7 lbs. of prinellaes." Eeturning from Bath, in September, he again visited Sir H. Eorster, and Sir J. Hippesley (baiting at Maidenhead this time instead of at Twyford), and crossed the Thames at Pulham. At the end of October Mr. Master ordered a laced coat, made of Spanish cloth (costing 15s. the yard), and trimmed with 19 yards of gold and silver galloon lace, which at 4s. 7d. an ounce cost 50s. 5d. Por the making he paid the tailor 27s. 6d., so that this " close coat laced " cost him £5 9s. A Erench castor hat and a band were obtained for 32s. 6d., and when October began he set 160 JAMES MASTER'S LIEE, A.D. 1650. out for Essex, and paid a visit to his cousin Mr. Bourne. Travelling everywhere on horseback, he found it expedient to provide himself with a pair of pistols for his saddle. During October and November, he twice spent a day at Mr. Eoper's in Eltham, and one day he was at Mr. Knight's. He spent three days at the end of November in visiting Votes in Mereworth, which he determined to purchase later on. Certain writings about the property were now prepared by Mr. Colebourne, tbe scrivener, to whom he paid 10s. for them on the 1st of Eebruary following. • During January 1649-50 he procured a smart waistcoat of watchet satin, trimmed with four yards of gold and silver lace; and he expended 56s. for 96 yards of ribbon. Of this ribbon, 72 yards were made into 96 points; which were subsequently "tagged" for 2s. His white gloves, with 4 yards of ribbon, cost 5s.; but his amber gloves and their trimming were obtained for 4s. These, and a sad coloured cloth suit of " drab de Berry," seem to have been ordered in view of visits which he paid in Pebruary to Lord Suffolk's place, " Audley End," and to Newmarket. His journeys upon this occasion were made in coaches. It would seem, from several entries, that, when passing through London, he was able to hire a chamber there, at this period, for the trifling sum of 4s. a week. In March Mr. Master, upon seeing Lady Ann Walsingham's child, gave 2s. 6d. to the nurse; probably this child was his godson and step-nephew, James Walsingham. In March 1650, he speaks of giving 10s. to Captain Jaques, and in January 165^ he mentions cousin Jaques. Mr. Master had maternal relatives of this name. His mother's aunt, Elizabeth Cowper, married Mr. John Jaques, and was the mother of Sir John Jaques, who died in 1650. A new pastime is mentioned in April 1650, when this entry appears, " Lost at scales, 2s." In the following month, legal proceedings were taken by Mr. Master against Sir Andrew Cogan, who owed him money. He employed Mr. Kemp, an attorney, to sue Sir Andrew, and to take out a writ against him. Asparagus was purchased on the 15th of May; and a week later he united with Sir Thomas Walsingham (his step-father) in purchasing a Dutch goshawke, which cost £5; while a month afterwards he got a " sparrhawke " for Is. In each of the months May, June, and July he bought- a new horse, and from an entry in July we learn that he sent his bay mare and two colts to graze in Buckhurst Park (near Withyham), paying £2 15s. for their feed during fifteen weeks. His groom's livery is mentioned in the same month as being made of red cloth, faced with ash-coloured baize. The depreciation of silver money is alluded to frequently in this Expense-Book. We may speak of it, once for all, here, in citing an explanatory entry made on the 30th of July 1650. When he wished to change silver into gold he was obliged to give 21s. 4d. or more for every sovereign. Thus having himself fifteen sovereigns, he obtained for them in silver £16 2s. 6d.; being 21s. 6d. for each sovereign. When, however, he himself wished to change silver JAMES MASTER'S LIES, A.D. 1650. 16 1 » • - i - - " money, amounting to £22s he.obtained for it, in gold, only £20 10s,, and a shilling over in' silver—being charged not quite 21s. 4d. tor each sovereign. , An entry on the 8th of August mentions Sir Thomas Piers of Stonepit in Seal (Mr. Master writes the name as " Peirce"), who had married his first-cousin, Audrey Master, a daughter of Sir Edward Master. We may notice, on the 16th of the same month, the use of the word " vamping " for repairing a pair of boots; this word " vamping " recurs frequently throughout the book. Next day he paid 2s. for " dogges for the hawke;" and a month later bought cloth to line the goshawke's perch. In_ October, beef was bought for the goshawk, and also a pair of " craines." Eor a week or ten days after the 21st of August he was at Halland, in Sussex, staying withSir Thomas Pelham. There, as usual, he lost money at cards.; this time his loss amounted to £6. While at Halland, his horse fell lame; it was named "Weeks," and had been bought for £20 in July. Consequently he bought of Mr. Pelham (his host's eldest son) a grey mare, six years old, giving for it £15 in money, in addition to the lame horse. In September he spent a couple of days at Oxenhoath with Sir Nicholas Miller. In October he saw the child of his "sister' Tunstall" and gave 2s. to the nurse; possibly he was the"child's, godfather. The mother' was probably Catherine, daughter of Sir Thomas Walsingham. Of the bowling green James Master seems to have been an. haUtuS. In October 1650 he records his losses there at £8 18s. 6d. They had swallowed up abet of &5 10s. which he had won from," Sir Humphrey Eorster, at a footmatch. At the end of 1651, he enters, at £6 lis., his losses, at bowls and cards, during the year. Ten days in October were spent at Sir Thomas Pelham's in Sussex by Mr. Master, who in that month caused the woods on the Votes Estate, at Mereworth to be "viewed" on his behalf by two experts to whom he paid 10s. in the following month he caused the Eecords in the Exchequer to be searched respecting the title to lands at Peckham and Swanton, adjacent to Yotes. He likewise took the legal opinion of Sir Charles Dalison as to Votes and Little Peckham, paying him a fee of 20s. Probably by the advice of Sir Charles, he caused searches extending over a term of fifteen years to be made at the offices at the Eolls. Einally, he purchased the property from his stepfather, Sir Thomas Walsingham, for £8000; the sale heing completed on the 27th of November. Mr. Master spent four days at Votes during the first week in December. The legal expenses connected with the conveyance of the estate amounted to £10 2s. The sport of hawking was enjoyed by our Kentish gentleman at the beginning of November at Mr, Scot's, probably at Hayes Place. He gave half-a-crown to Mr. Scot's falconer. He was entertained at the New Year in Lady Scot's house there, and gave a gratuity of 2s. 6d. to the "musick at my Lady Scot's." He gave 2s. to the music at the same lady's house on the 20th of Eebruary. On the 6th of January 2s, 6d. was given to the music at home, at Scadbury. YOi. XVIII. u 162 JAMES MASTER'S IIIPE, A.D. 1651. Christmas boxes had been given to Mr. Eoper's groom (at Eltham) and to the smith's and shoemaker's men. New Year's gifts he always presented to the servants of his stepbrother Walsingham, in whose house at Scadbury he was boarded and lodged. This year, in January 1650-1, they received from him 35s. (that is 10s. more than he paid for a week's board for himself and his man). The sport of " setting" has been mentioned before in his Expense-Book, and on the 31st of January 1650-1 he bought for 7s. a spaniel whelp, " to make a setter." A fortnight afterwards he sent the " bitch into Essex to be taught to set." In the middle of Eebruary he visited Sir Nicholas Miller, at Oxenhoath, and borrowed of him £1000 at 7 per cent; giving to Sir Nicholas a mortgage to that amount upon the West Peckham lands. A lawyer or scrivener, named Brattle, was paid 12s. for drawing the mortgage ; and the same gentleman got 10s. when the mortgage was renewed twelvemonths after. Archery was a pastime observed in April.. On the 16th of that month he bought half a dozen arrows, and caused an old bow to be trimmed up. A shooting-glove, brace, etc., were obtained nine days later. In May a "flight-net" was made. Two pounds of thread with a pound and a.half of flax were used for this purpose. In December he bought a cord for the flight-net. Asparagus and gooseberries were purchased on the 13th of May for 4s.; and eight pounds of heart-cherryes for 4s. on the 9th of July. Eipon claims celebrity for its spurs, although in the present day we seldom, or never, hear them specifically mentioned. Mr. Master, however, tells us-distinctly that on the 19th of July 1651 he bought a pair of Eipon spurs for 2s. 6d. In preparation for a visit of two days in August, to Tunbridge Wells, which was at this time rising into importance and fashion, he paid considerable attention to his headgear. In July he bought a Erench shag hat and band, on the 19th, for 14s.; a demy castor, on the 24th, for 27s. 6d.; and two days later paid 2s. 6d. " for new dying my hat, and a new lining to it." These, however, were trivialayments in comparison with that of £3 10s. for a Erench beaver at on the 7th of October. _ Erom Tunbridge Wells he went on to spend one night with Sir Nicholas Miller, at Oxenhoath, and gave gratuities to the servants there, which amounted to 7s. 6d. At the end of August hevisited Mr. Edward Manning at St. Mary Cray; and he began September at his cousin's, at Stonepit, in Seal (Sir Thomas Eiers), At Hadlow on the 11th he spent a night, and inspected the Court- Lodge at West Peckham, where he ordered repairs to be done. • The responsibilities of property had made themselves already felt; and Mr. Master had to pay a fee of 20s, on the 10th of September to Mr. Turner (a lawyer) for " keeping two court barons " for him. A contemplated visit for a fortnight to Sir Thomas Pelham in Sussex caused him to order from his tailor a new cloak of Spanish-' I JAMES MASTER'S LIEE, A.D. 1651. 163 cloth, a doublet lined with taffeta and adorned with 216 silver buttons, 72 yards of sixpenny ribbon for points, and 24 yards of fancy ribbon (at Is. the yard) to trim these garments. Elanders lace, costing £3, made him bands and cuffs; 2 yards of lace (costing 23s.) formed his boot-hose tops; the making of these lace ornaments cost 8s.; and at the same time he bought a band, cuffs, and boothose tops of plain cambric for more general use. All these were provided at the end of September and beginning of October 1651, and. his visit to Sir Thomas Pelham lasted from the 13th to the 27th of the latter month. During that fortnight, he spent £6 there. Mr. Master returned direct to Scadbury, in Chislehurst, where he gave half a crown to "ye musick" on the day of his return. Similar gifts are entered on the day after Christmas Day and on the following " Twelfth Day." Evidently these " Puritan " times were not so dull as we are inclined prvmd facie to suppose. The interest paid for money was very large at this period. To Capt. Johnson and Mrs. Dubois 8 per cent, per annum was paid for loans of £200 and £300 repectively; and Sir Nicholas Miller got £7 per cent., on £300 which he had advanced to Mr. Master, and also on that other sum of £1000, already mentioned in Eebruary 1651. Hence we learn that at this time our Kentish gentleman was using £1800, for the loan of which he paid £131 per annum. At the same time the Chamber of the City of London paid him only 6 per cent.,. upon £2700 of his, which remained in the hands of the Corporation. We learn the cost of bedding, in November 1651, by the payment of 70s. for a " second-hand " quilt of green silk, and 40s. for six sheets, also at second hand. The smartness of apparel at this much maligned period is again exemplified, by the payment of 5s. for a pair of scarlet worsted halfstockings (in Nov.) and of 9s. for a pair of sky-coloured silk " tops" in December. In the following Eebruary another pair of scarlet worsted stockings was purchased for 6s. The sword was constantly worn, and its hilt getting discoloured was sent to be " boiled," in November, when, also, a " seareloth scabbard " was obtained for it. Another fortnight was spent in Sussex, during December, at Sir Thomas Pelham's, when the sum of £7 Is. 6d. was expended. Three months later a still more expensive fortnight was spent there in Pebruary and March 1652, when £11 15s. was " spent. " These sums betoken losses at cards. A grey mare, having been hors de combat, was put out for treatment at Bishopstowne, for 8 weeks in the three last months of this year; and then in January she was sent for 11 nights to Halfpeny the farrier to be fired; he got 10s. for this blistering operation. The " Herbert" mare was sold at London iu April for £15. Meanwhile her master bought, from Lieut.-General Fleetwood, a " dunne stone nag, eight yeers old," for £32. The General's groom got a sovereign, upon the transaction. Dancing lessons were taken by our Diarist in January and Eebruary 1652 ; the dancing-master coming to him 8 times, for £1. Mr. Master spent two days, in January, at Eoot's Cray, where is. 2 164 JAMES MASTER'S LIRE, A.D. 1652. the Walsinghams had property, and where his half-brother, Erancis Walsingham, lived ten years later. The first two days of Eebruary he spent at St. Mary Cray, with Mr. Manning, who two years later married his sister. The purchase of a new saddle, of cloth with a fringe of gold and silk, and other horse furniture, in January, preceded his appearance at ahorse race (at Carshalton), where he "lost" £2 ; but in April his losses, at two other " horse matches " there, amounted to £5 and £3 10s. respectively. A " footmatch," got up by Mr. Howard (probably a son of the Earl of Suffolk), attracted Mr. Master on the 11th of Eebruary. To attend it, he spent a night at Barnet; and in betting, or backing the candidates, he lost £3. Not until March (1651-2) did he pay the costs (£8 6s.) incurred in transferring to him, 9 months or a year before, the fee-farm rent of 3 manors in Lincolnshire, which he then purchased. These manors were called Crowle, Luddington, and Eastoft. They yielded to him an income of £137 per annum, paid by Mr. William Pierrepoint, who seems to have rented them. The local taxes upon this rent amounted, however, to 3s. in the pound. The conveyance deeds of the property he bought at Yotes and West Peckham cost £5 ; which sum was paid to Mr. Coleborne in August 1652. His Kentish property yielded him at this time about £188 per annum. Por the West Peckham Court Lodge Parm he received about £75 per annum from " Goodman " John Miller. The tenants of Yotes in Mereworth paid him £105 per annum up to Michaelmas 1651, when he probably took the land into his own hands; after that time he received only £12 15s. from Yotes. Goodman Hony paid £5 5s. per annum for something in or near Mereworth. Goodman Wats and Goodman Penn paid £3 5s. for other holdings. In addition to this he received (in 1651 and 1652) £162 per annum for interest paid by the Corporation of London. Thus his total income at that time was about £400 per annum. What was the cause of his ceasing to receive the large rent from Yotes does not appear. Soon after this time, he began to call in his capital which was in the hands of the Corporation. Large repairs were begun at the Court Lodge at West Peckham in October 1651, and continued in 1652. Boards costing £5 10s. were brought from London by water to New Hythe; 2 floors were laid, and the thatch was renewed. As, in Pebruary, black ribbons and cloth for a coat were purchased, and in March a pair of black buckram stockings (costing 8s.), I infer that Mr. Master then probably went into mourning for some relative. In November he paid 16s. for one periwig, and just before Christmas he bought another for 15s., and a pair of " white serge stockings laced " costing also 15s., having purchased, a few days before, 3 pairs of gloves, and 3 yards of black ribbon. On the 18th of April occurs the. unusual entry " given at y° Sacrament Is." A similar entry appears on April 10,1653. Northfleet Pair attracted Mr. Master on the 18th of May, and JAMES MASTER'S LIEE, A.D. 1652. 165 he spent there 3s. 6d. In December he attended Sevenoaks Pair. Maidstone Assizes drew him to the county town (where he spent 37s.) on the 29th of July. He dined at G-reenwich at a cost of 15s. on the 2nd of August. Twelve days later he spent a night at Epsom. Eor a new suit, of Spanish cloth clothes, on the 27th of August, he bought 18 yards of silver lace (weighing 14 ounces), and, some ten days later, a pair of green silk "tops." Three loads of upland hay cost him £8 18s., a quarter of oats 18s., and 200 walnuts Is. in September Eor Spanish tobacco, in November, he paid 7s. a pound. His visits this year included a short stay with his cousin Eichard Master, at East Langdon, early in October, and an expensive week at Newmarket and Lord Suffolk's place (Audley End) in November. At the close of this year we near of repairs done at Yotes, and get a glimpse of the rate of wages for artisans. Carpenters and masons earned each Is. 6d. a day. Several books were added to Mr. Master's library during 1652. The principal work was Sir Walter Ealeigh's History of the World, which cost him 20s. Mr. Dalison had this volume still in his library at Hamptons, not long ago, with the autograph in it of " Ja. Master." Alexander Eosse's Continuation of the History cost him 15s. Blith's Second Boole of Husbandry; Perkins' Reformed Cat7wlic7c; JEsop's Fables in English; Cleopatra, a romance; Tlie Wild Goose Chase, a comedy; a book about Ohess, and another on Usury, were all bought during this year. There is an interesting memorandum respecting Mr. Master's final departure from Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1648, which I had not Been when I sketched that part of his life. It runs thus :—" I received,. ye 13 of Aprill 1648, of M1 Bradshaw my Tutor, and Mr Croydon, for ye Eurniture of my Chamber (which cost me £1015s.) deducting a third part, ye sum of £7 10s." He heard Christmas " musick" at Lady Scott's (Hayes Place) on December 13th; and at the house of the rector of Chislehurst, the Eev. Eichard Edwards, on the 4th of January 1652-3; as well as at home, at Scadbury (Mr. Thomas Walsingham's), on the 6th; and on each occasion he gave to the performers 2s. or 3s, This music at Christmastide seems then to have been an honoured institution. Sir Leonard Eerby gave him music rather later, at St. Paul's Cray Hill, on the 2nd of Eebruary, when the performers got 3s. from Mr. Master. The lady of this house was Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Percyval Hart of Lullingstone, who married Sir Leonard Eerby. The apparel of Mr. Master, on these occasions, may be imagined from entries of the purchase, for £6 10s., of Spanish cloth (for a suit and cloak) on January 20th; the expenditure of £3 5s. upon boots and shoes; 9 dozen yards of sixpenny ribbon for "points;" 2 dozen yards of fancy ribbon ; a pair of jessamin gloves (at 3s. 6d.) ; a pair of sea-green silk boot-tops; and on Pebruary 3rd another new periwig (one in November, and one in December, notwithstanding) . In March 1653 he made presents to some lady or ladies, as we learn from his purchase of 6 pair' of women's white gloves (9s.), 166 JAMES MASTER'S -LIPE, A.D. 1653. and a pair of women's green silk stockings, costing the large sum of 16s. Mr. Master's maternal grandmother died in 1653,1 believe,_ at Eulham. She was Judith, daughter of John Cowper; she married Eichard Bourne, on whose death she married Thomas Hill, of Eulham, and she bore his name when she died. To her grandson, James Master, she left £5, in token of remembrance. In consequence of her death he would wear mourning, and we read of his paying 13s. for black taffata boothose in June; and lis. 6d. for black silk " tops " and black gloves together with 3s. 6d. for 5 yards of black ribbon in July. Eor making a sad-coloured cloth suit, and coat, with buttons, he paid £6 3s. Od. in July, but probably the materials were bought in May. In November he paid £11 for making 2 mourning suits, and a third suit of stuff. He was at London, at Yotes, at Seal, and at Oarshalton in April; at Chelsea, Oarshalton, Kingston on Thames, and at Hadlow, in May; at Hadlow, at Croydon Eair, and at Yotes in June ; at London, and at Eulham (2 nights) in July. In October he spent a fortnight at East Langdon with his cousin Eichard Master, having just before attended the wedding of some dependant, named John Hinger. He this year purchased several books ; one by Sir Hugh Plat, one on Physic by Lady Kent; one on the Jewel of Contentment by Burroughs; three medical books by Culpeper; and a volume of travels by Sir H. Blount; as well as an eighteenpenny book about fruits. His payments for hay were large. A load of marsh hay, in Eebruary 1653, cost £3 12s., in March £3 9s.; half a load of truss-bound hay cost £1 17s. in May; for 4 loads of marsh hay he paid £12 8s. iu August; and he paid £5 12s. for three loads in Eebruary 1654. Thus, during 12 months he bought 9| loads of bay, at a cost of £26 18s. In 1653, he also purchased 9 | quarters of oats, for £7 18s.; the usual price being 18s. a quarter. Eor a bay uag, he hired grass, during five weeks, for 18s.; and for a sorrell mare's meat, while "she was at paceing," he paid 8s. in December. Two bushels of beans cost him 8s. in Eebruary. He bought a little chestnut nag, in August, for £12 5s.; and a bay stoned nag, of Tedbury breed, in November, from Lord Nottingham for £25. Shoeing his horses, in. 1653 cost him only 22s. The charge for " breaking " a young horse in September Jwas £ 1 . The custom of the period, for goldsmiths to lend money (like bankers) is exemplified by an entry in November. He then borrowed £150 from a London goldsmith-named Abbot; and he mentions that he did this at.Mr. Abbot's shop. In September we learn that he purchased a fourth periwig, and that his other three were at the same time freshly curled. These, however, did not suffice. In January 1654 he: purchased a fifth periwig, and caused the other four to be freshly curled- Of music at Ohristmastide 1653, he mentions only that at Scadbury for which he contributed 10s. His Christmas or New Year JAMES MASTER'S JJIEE, A.D. 1654. 167 gifts to household servants of his stepbrother (with whom he resided) at Scadbury, amounted to 23s. 6d. Goloshoes (galoches) are mentioned in January 1654. He bought them with a pair of Spanish leather shoes, over which no doubt they were to be worn! These, with new cambric bands and cuffs, 3 pairs of gloves, 3 hats newly dyed, the 5 periwigs, and new " tops " of white serge, he needed for use when paying visits at Bourne (Essex) and at Halland in Sussex (Sir Thomas Pelham's) at the beginning of Eebruary. Six months after this Sir Thomas died, in August 1654. Later on, in the spring, Mr. Master spent ten days at Winchester, in May. Next month, new watchet silk '' tops " were obtained, and Mr. Master mentions a fresh device for his hair. He paid 14s. for " a new border of haire, and curling 2 others." Immediately after this purchase, he alludes to a visit paid to his " Aunt Eaylton," who has not been mentioned before. To her house he went again, in September, for nearly a week, after spending a week with his uncle Sir William Cowper, Bart., of Eatling Court in Nonington. At the end of the same month he spent a week in Essex at his cousin Bourn's, at Bobbingworth. _ Thence he went on to Lord Suffolk's place, Audley End, where he remained, for ten days, until the 4th of October. Business called him to Greenwich at the end of October to sell his hoops. At first I mistook these for hops ; but, probably, they may have been hoops, made from loppings of his woods at Yotes. He attended Sevenoaks Eair on the 4th of December. This year in May he spent £22 16s. 6d. in materials for making a chariot. It was lined with serge, that cost 3s. lOd. a yard, trimmed with silk fringe (18 ounces in weight) worth £2 3s. As to horses, he in 1654 bought a little black nag, 7 years old, for £5 15s. in May; two breeding mares, in August, from Lord Montague; and a bald gelding (with 4 white legs) in November, for £16 4s. The last-named horse he purchased from his halfbrother Erancis Walsingham of Eoots Cray, who at this time could have been scarcely 20 years old. On the 11th and 12th of July he was at Maidstone for the election of Members of Parliament for the county, It was a very singular election, at which no less than I I knights of the shire were allowed to be chosen to represent Kent. Never before or since has the county been so largely represented. At the present time (1889) it has eight divisions each represented by one knight of the shire. This Parliament, elected in July 1654, sat for a few months only. Its sessions began in September and it was dissolved ni the following January. The books purchased by Mr, Master in 1654, were (i.) Cleopatra, Part. I I . ; (ii.) an English version of Justin Mavtyn's History ; (iii.) Biana; (iv.) Zootomia, by Eic. Whitlock; (v.) The Academy of Moguence; (vi.) On Infant Baptism, by Mr. Carter; (vii.) a book written by Mr. Oawdrey; (viii.) Lambert's Justice of tlie Peace; (ix.) Tlie Complete Ambassadour (an expensive volume, costing 10s) • and (x.) On Architecture, by Sir Henry Wotton. ' 168 < JAMES ^ MASTER'S LIPE, A.D. 1655. Beaver hats appear among his expenses in March 1654, when he paid £2 6s. 6d. for a Prench demy castor with silk band; again, in the following March, he bought for £2 5s. Od. a similar hat. He began the year 1655 with a visit of ten days to the new owner of Hawland, in Sussex, Sir John Pelham (whose father had died in the preceding August) ; and while there he seems to have ordered a sporting dog, which was sent up to him in March. His sister Ehzabeth [Betty] had been married to Mr. Edward Manning, at Chislehurst, on the 7th of July, 1654, and for her wedding, I expect Mr. Master had bought 13 bottles of Ehenish wine, which are entered on the 1st of July 1654, as costing £1 5s. Od. In April 1655, our friend seems to have gone to reside with his sister and her husband, at Kevingtou, in St. Mary Cray. He paid to Mr, Manning 20s. for a week's board for himself and his man on the 5th of April 1655. On the 29th of March he made farewell presents to the servants at Scadbury, and to the Eector (Mr. Edwards), upon his quitting the parish. After this, he seems to have made their house his home; although, occasionally, he boarded on the same terms, in the house of his Aunt Eaylton. His sister's first child, named, like his father Edward Manning, was christened on the 25th of April 1655, and probably the infant's uncle James was one of his godfathers. At all events Mr. Master gave to the two nurses 10s. on the occasion, and distributed 20s. among the other servants of the house. Jessamin gloves were provided by him for the occasion. We have seen previous, entries of " Jessamin gloves," but in August 1654, and again in May 1655, We find mention of " Jessamin butter" and hair powder together. No doubt the butter was a scented pomade, for use on the hair. On the 14th of April 1655, he mentions his purchase of a pair o£ Erench scissors (timers). His ignorance of the orthography of the name indicates that they were then a novelty, introduced from Erance. Eor the first time handkerchiefs are mentioned in May 1655, These were probably for use upon the neck, as they had button's. Six handkerchiefs were made, from an ell and a quarter of holland costing 9s., and there were purchased with the holland " 3 garnish of handkerchief buttons " costing 3s. Another treble set of buttons was bought in June. Very smart was the suit of clothes which Mr. Master ordered in this month of May. It was made of gold drugget, costing 12s. the yard, and 17 yards were used for suit, and coat and doublet. They were made by Mr. Snead the tailor, and cost altogether £14 2s. Od. In London he dined at the Ordinary, on the 4th of June 1655 ; but the charge was only 3s. 6d. In the same month a Collection was made, on behalf of the Waldenses, or the "Poore Protestants of Savoy," and to that he generously contributed £3. In September he contributed £1 towards " ye Propagating of the Gospel in New England." The purpose and the very name of our Society for the. Propagation of the Gospel.was thus anticipated, fifty years before the Society was formed. '