Thomas Hudson Turner

“ Quaint legends, in English or Latin, monitory of peace and good-fellowship, were often embossed on the metal rim and on the cover; or the popular, but mystic Saint Christopher engraved on the bottom of the interior, rose in all his giant proportion, before the eyes of the wassailer as he drained the bowl, giving comfortable assurance that on that festive day, at least, no mortal harm could befal him. But we may believe that occasionally art made higher efforts to decorate the favourite cup. ”

“ It is well known that the earliest example of a quartered shield in England occurs on the third [14] great seal of Edward the Third; hence, it has been inferred that the fashion began in his reign. Here we have clear evidence of its existence in 1322, five years before that monarch's accession. This fact may serve, in some measure, to remove the doubts which have been hitherto entertained respecting the genuineness of the quartered shield on the curious sepulchral effigy in Winchester cathedral, commonly called the effigy of William de Foix. ”

“ If these remarks be true of the Will, they are not less so as regards the Inventory, which is beyond doubt the most curious of its early date yet discovered. Both documents are preserved in the archives of the duchy of Lancaster, into which they passed by the marriage of Mary the second daughter and co-heir of Humphrey de Bohun, fourteenth earl of Hereford, and twelfth earl of Essex, with Henry Plantagenet, earl of Derby, afterwards King Henry the Fourth. ”

“ Dugdale has so amply and, allowing for a few inaccuracies, so well illustrated the history of the Bohuns, that it may be sufficient for the present purpose to state that the testator Humphrey de Bohun, fourth earl of Hereford of his name, and third earl of Essex, the son of that Humphrey who had distinguished himself in the Scottish wars of Edward the First, particularly by his victory at Roxburgh, was the representative of a family pre-eminent among the Anglo-Norman baronage. He married Elizabeth, seventh daughter of Edward and Alianore of Castile, and widow of John, count of Holland. ”

“ Amongst the minor objects of personal use, which appear to have belonged to Margaret de Bohun, here enumerated, the "poume de aumbre," or scent ball, in the composition of which ambregris probably formed a principal ingredient, may deserve notice. I am not aware that any other evidence of its use at so early a time has been noticed. We here learn also that a nutmeg was occasionally used for the like purpose; it was set in silver, decorated with stones and pearls, and was evidently an object rare and highly prized. ”

“ Much stress was laid on this document at the trial of the earl of Lancaster: in point of law it was certainly treasonable, yet, regarding it dispassionately, at this distance of time, we may be justified in doubting the treason of its spirit. It provided that the king of Scots and his adherents should aid the earls in the maintenance of their cause ”

“ A sheep worth ten-pence is left to the high altar of the church of Neweton, and another of the same value to the altar and fabric-fund of the church of 'Eakewode,' possibly Oakwood. His widow Yda received a moiety of the testator's cow, which was valued at five shillings, and Thomas Fitz-Noreys was a coparcener in its calf to the extent of a fourth. It is worthy of note, that the expenditure of the executors upon the funeral, the 'month's-mind,' and in proving the will of Reginald Labbe, consumed something more than a third of all he left behind him, being in the relation of 11s. ”

“ The same Wiglaf gave to the refectory of Croyland his gilt cup, embossed on the exterior with "barbarous victors fighting dragons," which he was wont to call his "crucible," because a cross was impressed on the bottom, and on the four angles of it [9] . This was doubtless a specimen of that skill in working precious metals for which the Anglo-Saxons were famous, and for the exercise of which Eadred in 949 rewarded his goldsmith Ælfsige with a grant of land [10] . Horns continued to be appendages of the table until after the Conquest, although other drinking-vessels were in use also. ”

“ The three projections on the upper rim seem to have been intended for the support of a cover, perhaps a napkin, as it was considered desirable to keep the cover clear of the salt itself: "loke that youre salte seller lydde touche not the salte," saith the "boke of keruynge." It appears from numerous allusions to the fact, that the state salt was used by the "sovereign" or entertainer only; and it is not unlikely, from the great number of salts mentioned in old inventories, that when possible each guest also had one for his particular use. ”

“ At first their rising was triumphant and procured the banishment of the Despensers; this temporary success, however, was effectually reversed at the fatal battle of Boroughbridge, March 16, 1321, where the earl of Hereford was slain in attempting to force the bridge [2] , and Thomas of Lancaster being taken prisoner, suffered at Pontefract the doom he had inflicted on Gaveston at Warwick. On the person of Bohun was found a counterpart of the treaty offensive and defensive, which the insurgents had concluded with Robert Bruce [3] . ”

“ Convenience of form as well as long usage have so accustomed us to round plates, that we may well be surprised they should ever have been made angular; yet they were frequently copies, in a more precious material, of the square wooden trencher of the kitchen: at the same time circular plates are often represented in old drawings of feasts. ”

“ Mazer with Cover.
Mazers were of different sizes, great and little being named in the same inventories; sometimes they had covers [12] , and a short foot or stem. The early wassail-bowl seems to have been shaped as a mazer. We give a cut of the "murrhine cup," presented to the abbey of St. Albans by Thomas de Hatfield, bishop of Durham, "which," says the recorder of the benefaction, "we in our times call 'Wesheyl [13] .'" This vessel could not have been used in a very graceful manner; we perceive from illuminations that small ones were raised to the mouth in the palm of the hand ”

“ It appears to have been prepared by the executors, in the usual course, after probate of the deceased's will, for the satisfaction of the ecclesiastical court; and affords a curious view of the circumstances of a husbandman or small farmer at the close of the thirteenth century.
Reginald Labbe died worth chattels of the value of thirty-three shillings and eight-pence, leaving no ready money. ”

“ In the lapse of time and advance of refinement, we find on the tables of the opulent, drinking-vessels of other forms and various names. The hanap, a cup raised on a stem, either with or without a cover; its form in the early part of the fourteenth century is shewn in the tail-piece, p. 180 ante; the cup said to have been given by King John to the corporation of Lynn is of the same species, as also the accompanying fine specimen of the sixteenth century from the collection of plate at Winchester College, represented here by permission of the Rev. ”

“ The following inventory of the effects of Reginald Labbe, an individual who belonged, probably, to the agricultural class of life, and died in 1293, is communicated by W. S. Walford, Esq., who possesses the original. ”

“ They were generally embossed or enamelled with the armorial bearings of their owners, parcel-gilt, sometimes set with jewels, and occasionally they bore designs of higher pretension. A cup of silver gilt and enamelled "ove joeux des enfans," the sports of children, is mentioned in the will of Edmund Mortimer earl of March, 1380 ”

“ Sachez que de la grant diligence et . . . . . . . . que vous avez mis et mettez en noz busoignes de jour en autre, et de ceo que vous estes ensi assentuz de suire les enemys, vous mercions si cherement comme nous pooms, et vous prioms et requeroms especialment si comme nous nous fioms de vous qui estes noz bones gentz et avez la dite busoigne bien commencé que vous la vueillez parfaire, et que por Pallement, ne pur nule autre chose vous ne leissez que vous ne . ”

“ It may be observed that this natural and amiable desire of the testator to repose beside his nearest relatives was not eventually gratified. After the conflict at Boroughbridge, his corpse was conveyed to York, and interred in the church of the Friars Preachers. ”

“ Ensement je devis a mon seignur le Roi un pot et une coupe dor. les queux ma femme me devisa. Item a Mons. Berthelme de Badlesmere le noir destrer qe je menai de ultremer. Et pur qe mon seignur le Roi la son merci me ad graunte par ses lettres patentes la moitie des issues de toutes mes terres du jour qe dieus avera fait sa volentie de moi tauntqe au plein eage de mon hoir et touz les deners qe purrent estre levez del mariage mon dit hoir et de touz les deners qe mon dit seignur le Roi me doit par acounte fait en sa gardrobe de ma demoere ovesqes lui. ”

“ Car si . . . . acez ce que vous y avez commencez, nous tendriens la guerre par le fait dentre vous finée, et tote la terre D'Escoce gaignee. Si vous prioms derrechief tant come nous pooms, que si comme la Chape est bien faite, veueillez faire le Chaperon. ”

“ Pl. xvi. fig. 3, is an engraving of a Saxon drawing re- presenting Lot entertaining the angels: an attendant bears a vase-shaped basin for washing, together with a long narrow maniple. which hangs over his left arm, and is fringed at the ends. ↑ Royal Wills, p. 284. In the inventory of the jewels of Edward the Third, is "a silver gilt ewer, triangular, enamelled with the images of the three kings of Denmark, Germany, and Aragon." ”

“ INVENTORY.
Ceste Endenture tesmoigne des divers chose qe furent au Counte de Hereforde trovez en Labbaye de Waledene le Meacredy prochein apres la Anunciacion nostre dame Lan du Regne le Roi Edward fuiz le Roy Edward quinzisme [34] et livereez par labbe de meisme le lieu a Mons. Nichol de la Beche. cest à savoir de Eneas de Bohun. une Nouche dor ove iij. greyns des Esmeraudes et noef perles ove une Saphir en my lieu. un anel dor ove une Ameraude. xij. esqueles dargent. xij. sausers. et ij. bacyns dargent. De William de Bohun [inter alia] ij. ”

“ Jeo devis
a Humfrai Edward William et Eneas mes fuiz cest asavoir a chascun de eux. ij. mille livres. pur achater terres ou mariages. ou pur emplyer en autres choses solonc ce qe noz Executours verront qe plus soit a lour proffet. et si les deners avauntditz amountent a plus nous voloms qil soient owelement parti entre noz quatre fuitz susditz. ”