Inventory of Richard Hooker, 1601

INVENTORY OF RICHARD HOOKER, 16011 Edited by ROSEMARY KEEN, B.A. IN the index to the probate registers of the Canterbury Archdeaconry Court the scribe has marked beside the name Richard Hooker " he wrote an Ecclesiastical Pohty". This book remains Hooker's chief claim to fame. What of the man himself? He was born in 1554 at Heavitree near Exeter and went to Corpus Christi CoUege, Oxford, where he studied law. His career began when he was appointed master of the Temple in March, 1584/5. The afternoon reader there was a Puritan and their arguments and theological controversy aroused much interest in theh congregations. In 1591 Hooker received the hving at Boscombe, Wiltshire, where he was able to pursue his studies in more seclusion. In 1595 he moved to Bishopsbourne in Kent where he remained, his reputation continuing to spread, tiU his death in 1600. He was buried in the chancel of Bishopsbourne church. Hooker was a fahly wealthy man when he died. The most valuable item in the inventory is his library of books2 which, together with the chests and hampers in which he kept them, was worth £300. His house was large, consisting of twelve rooms with a separate bakehouse and wash-house. His furniture included a great chair of walnut, a wood first used for furniture in England in the mid-sixteenth century, but unusual at this time save in houses of weU-to-do people. The total value of his goods and chattels was £613 7s. 2d., a good inheritance for his wife and children. In editing the text the conventional abbreviations for with, which, etc., have been extended. In aU other respects the original spelling and punctuation has been retained. The Inventarie of the goodes and chattells of Mr Richard Hooker late Parson of Bishopsbourne in the County of Kent prised by Robert Rose, Averie Cheston and Edward Slater the xxvjt h of November 1600. 1 K.A.O. PRO 11/1. The Archives Office also has Hooker's Will, reference K.A.O. PRO 32/38/291. 2 The books are not here listed individually. The D.N.B. refers to a list of books in the inventory of his room at college vide Notes and Queries, 2nd Series. xi, 128. 231 INVENTORY OF RICHARD HOOKER, 1601 Imprimis in ready mony x li Item his appareU vj li xs iiijd Item his plate x li Item his Books Chests hampers & dryfatts1 to put them in iijC li Summe is iijC xxvj h xiijs iiijd in the HaU Item alonge Table with two formes xxs Item a bench with a back of wainscott vjs viijd Item a table with a frame and forme xs Item a Settle of wainescott xs Item a cupboord xiijs Item a corslet & pike xiijs iiijd Item a paire of Andirons iijs Summe is iij li xvijs iiijd In the greater parler Item a table with a frame vs Item eight ioyned stooles viijs Item iij lowe ioyned stooles iijs Item a courte2 cupboord ijs vjd Item a greate chaire of wallnuttree vjs viijd Item a dozen of turky3 cushions xxxvjs Item ij carpetts & a cupboord cloth of darnix4 xiijs iiijd Item a paire of andirons knobd with brasse a paire of creepers6 a paire of tongs & a fire shovelle ' xiijs iiijd Summe is iij li vijs xd in the studdie Item a square table with a frame xvjd Item a planck with two tresseUs xijd Item ij presses & 7 shelves for books xxs Summe is xxijs iiijd in the httle parlor with the roome adioyning Item a presse for bookes viijs Item a cupboord xs Item a tuckle bedstedle xxd Summe is xixs viijd 1 Dryfatt: a chest or hamper. O.E.D. 2 Court cupboard: a movable cabinet used to display plate. O.E.D. 3 Turky: richly coloured wool with deep pile cut to resemble velvet. O.E.D. 1 Darnix: woollen fabric originally manufactured at Doorniok in Flanders. O.E.D. 6 Creepers: small iron dogs; a pah were placed between the andirons. O.E.D. 232 INVENTORY OF RICHARD HOOKER, 1601 in the greate chamber over the parlor Item a standinge bedstedle of wainscott xxvs Item a truckle bedstedle iijs iiijd Item a courte cupboord and a frame of wainscott under the windowe viijs Item xvj paire of Sheetes vjh xiijs iiijd Item xx4i table clothes hj h - Item xij dozen of table napkins iij li Item a dozen & an halfe of short toweUs & 6 longe toweUs xiijs iiijd Item iij trunckes & ij wainscott boxes xiijs iiiid Item ij fether bedds 2 bolsters ij piUowes ij paire of blancketts & one coverlett & a paire of curtens of greene saye1 vjli xiijs iiijd Summe is xxij li xiijs viijd in the chamber over the studdy Item a standinge bedsteddle of wainscott & a truckle bedsteddle xviijs Item ij flockbedds one fether bolster & one flockbolster ij paire of blanketts & a greene rugg & one paire of curteine rodds xxxijs Summe is Ls in the chamber over the httle parlor Item a standinge bedsteddle xxvjs viijd Item one fetherbed a bolster a paire of blancketts 2 piUowes a crimson rugg & a paire of curteines of greene saye iiij li. Item a cupboord xiijs iiijd Item & old trunck & a wicker chaire iiijs ijd Summe is vj li iiijs ijd in the ChappeU Chamber Item a standinge bedstedle of wainscott xiiijs Item a fether bed a bolster ij piUowes a covering of tapestry & a checker2 rugg iij li Item an old chaire & a courte cupboord ijs Summe is iij li xvjs 1 Saye: a cloth of fine texture resembling serge; formerly partly of silk, subsequently entirely of wool. O.E.D. 2 Checker: checked; alternate squares of colour. 233 INVENTORY OF RICHARD HOOKER, 1601 in the great butterie Item a Bin xvjd Item a table with supporters xvjd Item ij hogsheads & ij barreUs iiijs Item ij StiUings1 & foure shelves ijs iiijd Summe is ixs in the little Butterie Item 7 ferkins & kUderkins vijs Item a stiUinge hj shelves & a frame xvjd Item a glasse case vjd Summe is viijs xd in the chamber over the stiU house Item a truckle bedsteddle a flock bed a bolster a blancket & a rug xiijs iiijd Summe extat in the chamber over the greate butterie Item a boorded bedsteddle a flock bed & bolster a blancket & a rugg xiijs iiijd Item a flock bedd a bolster a blancket & a rugg xiijs iiijd Summe is xxvjs viijd in the drye larder Item & truggs & 12 earthen panns vs Item a table & two tresseUs & 7 shelves iiijs Summe is lxs in the wett larder Item a cheese presse & a butter cherne vs Item a powderinge tubb & 4 shelves ijs Item ij cheese mowles & xij butter crocks ijs Summe is ixs in the kytchen Item one old cupboord xviijd Item a plate cupboord xiijs Item an hon barr 3 paire of pott hangers a paire of andirons a paire of racks ij paire of tongs & a range of hon xxs Item a iack & foure spitts xxs Item ij iron dripping panns & one of plate vs 1 Stillings: a stand for a cask. O.E.D. 234 INVENTORY OF RICHARD HOOKER, 1601 Item hj turned chaires and one other chaire a httle table & ij formes Item ij dresser boordes & iij shelves Item a beame scales & weights Item the pewter of aU sortes Item one greate copper kettle & one great brasse kettle & ij little brasse kettles Item ij iron potts & httle brasse pot 2 skiUetts1 ij skymmers a warminge pann a frying pan 2 gridirons ij pake of pot hookes 2 hon chafing dishes & a grater Summe is viij h xviijs xd nijs ijs xiijs iiijd Is xxxs xxs in the bake house Item a boulting2 hutch hj meale tubbs & a kneading trough ijs Item a table with tresseUs to mowld on xviijd Item a boulter2 & two siffes xijd Summe is iijs vjd in the washe house Item the Pumpe Item the cesterne Item a pipe of leade y* runneth into the brewehouse Item a coope for capons Item ij old plancks Item a brewing tub a buckinge tub 5 keelers3 & 2 ringes with other lumber Summe is vj li vjs ijd xxs xxxs viijs xijd vjd xxvijs viijd the corne in the barne at Barham Item the wheate Ix li Item the Barly xiv li Item the Oates x li Item a fanne skry4 bushell & scoupe there vjs viijd Summe is Cxx h vjs viijd 1 Skilletts: a cooking utensil of brass, copper, or other metal, usually having three or four feet and a long handle, used for boiling liquids, stewing meat, etc. O.E.D. 2 Boulter: a sieve; a boulting hutch is a small tub or other receptacle into which meal, etc., is sieved. 3 Keeler: a shallow tub. O.E.D. 4 Skry. a coarse sieve for corn. Halliwell's Dictionary of Archaic and Provincial Words. 235 INVENTORY OF RICHARD HOOKER, 1601 the corne in the barne at Boorne Item the wheate Item the barhe Item oates Item the podwarre1 Item a ffanne, skry, scoupet, scoupe & bushell Summe is lxxx li xiijs iiijd The cattle horses & other moveables Item 4 kine & an heiffer Item ij geldings Item ij hoges Item the wood & plancks about the house Item the poultry Item the trough & bucket at the weU Item xij sacks Item the saddles & bridles Summe is xxviij Ii vs hijd xiv li xxv li vj li iiij li xiijs iiijd x li x li iiij li iij li vs iiijs iiijd xijs vs 1 Podwarre: ? podder: beans, peas and other vegetables with pods. Halliwell. 236