Christmas: Its Origin and Associations: Together with Its Historical Events and Festive Celebrations During Nineteen CenturiesDawson, W. F. (William Francis)
History
Christmas: Its Origin and Associations: Together with Its Historical Events and Festive Celebrations During Nineteen Centuries
Dawson, W. F. (William Francis)
Christmas -- History
King made him ride on his own horse, on a right fair hobby, the which
the King gave him." The King's dinner was "ordained" in the Lodge,
Windsor Park. After dinner they hunted again, and the King showed his
guest his garden and vineyard of pleasure. Then "the Queen did ordain
a great banquet in her own chamber, at which King Edward, her eldest
daughter the Lady Elisabeth, the Duchess of Exeter, the Lady Rivers,
and the Lord of Granthuse, all sat with her at one mess; and, at the
same table, sat the Duke of Buckingham, my Lady, his wife, with divers
other ladies, my Lord Hastings, Chamberlain to the King, my Lord
Berners, Chamberlain to the Queen, the son of Lord Granthuse, and
Master George Barthe, Secretary to the Duke of Burgundy, Louis Stacy,
Usher to the Duke of Burgundy, George Martigny, and also certain
nobles of the King's own court. There was a side table, at which sat a
great view (_show_) of ladies, all on the one side. Also, in the outer
chamber, sat the Queen's gentlewomen, all on one side. And on the
other side of the table, over against them, as many of the Lord
Granthuse's servants, as touching to the abundant welfare, like as it
is according to such a banquet. And when they had supped my Lady
Elizabeth, the King's eldest daughter, danced with the Duke of
Buckingham and divers other ladies also. Then about nine of the clock,
the King and the Queen, with her ladies and gentlewomen, brought the
said Lord of Granthuse to three chambers of plesance, all hanged with
white silk and linen cloth, and all the floors covered with carpets.
There was ordained a bed for himself of as good down as could be
gotten. The sheets of Rennes cloth and also fine fustians; the
counterpane, cloth of gold, furred with ermines. The tester and ceiler
also shining cloth of gold; the curtains of white sarcenet; as for his
head-suit and pillows, they were of the Queen's own ordonnance. In the
second chamber was likewise another state-bed, all white. Also, in the
same chamber, was made a couch with feather beds, and hanged with a
tent, knit like a net, and there was a cupboard. In the third chamber
was ordained a bayne (_bath_) or two, which were covered with tents of
white cloth. And, when the King and the Queen with all her ladies and
gentlemen had showed him these chambers, they turned again to their
own chambers, and left the said Lord Granthuse there, accompanied with
the Lord Chamberlain (Hastings), who undressed him, and they both went
together to the bath.--And when they had been in their baths as long
as was their pleasure, they had green ginger, divers syrups, comfits,
and ipocras, and then they went to bed. And in the morning he took his
cup with the King and Queen, and returned to Westminster again."
In 1465 Edward the Fourth and his Queen kept Christmas in the Abbey at
Coventry, and for six days (says _William Wyrcester_) "the Duke of
Clarence dissembled there."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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