Chapter XVI. “In times past men were contented to dwell in houses
built of sallow, willow &c., so that the use of the oak was in a
manner dedicated wholly unto churches, religious houses, princes’
palaces, navigation, &c., but now sallow &c., is rejected, and
nothing but oak any where regarded and yet see the change, for when
our houses were builded of willow then had we oaken men, but now that
our houses are come to be made of oak, our men are not only become
willow, but a great many altogether of straw, which is a great
alteration. Now have we many chimnies and yet our tenderlings
complain of rheums, catarrhs and poses; then had we none but
reredosses and our heads did never ache. For as the smoke in those
days was supposed to be a sufficient hardning of the timber of the
house, so it was reputed a far better medicine to keep the good man
and his family from the quack or pose, wherewith then very few were
acquainted.”
Chapter XVIII. “Our pewterers in time past employed the use of
pewter only upon dishes and pots, and a few other trifles for
service, whereas now there are grown into such exquisite cunning that
they can in manner imitate by infusion any form or fashion of cup
made by the goldsmiths’ craft. In some places beyond the sea a
garnish of good flat pewter (I say flat, because dishes and platters
in my time began to be made deep and like basins, and indeed were
convenient both for sauce and keeping the meat warm) is almost
esteemed so precious as the like number of vessels that are made of
fine silver.”
The remains of ancient houses or other buildings which have survived the
process of rebuilding in our town are very few, but there is one house at
least, representing the houses of Elizabeth’s time which retains very
much of its original character. This is the house known as the “South
Flint House,” at the top of Wilde’s score which bears the initials W. M.
and the date 1586 over the front door. The front of this house is built
of square flints, much more expensive work than the alternate layers of
cobbles and bricks with which the other walls were made. The ground
floor appears to have originally consisted of one large room, with a
fireplace and chimney in the centre, corresponding with that described by
Holinshed as the hall where the “good-man” dined and dressed his meat
(except that the fire was not against a “reredos” at the side wall). The
two rooms above this are evidently much the same as they were at first,
having each a stone fireplace with W. M. The house has been enlarged
since with the addition of a wing.
PART II.—LOWESTOFT AND YARMOUTH AT THE END OF THE 16TH CENTURY.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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