Nooks and Corners of English Life, Past and PresentTimbs, John
History
Nooks and Corners of English Life, Past and Present
Timbs, John
England -- Social life and customs
Under the head of "Necessaries," we find a payment of fifty shillings to
carpenters, plasterers, and tilers, for works in the Queen's chamber,
for making a staircase from the chamber to the chapel, &c. Afterwards we
find half-yearly payments of twenty-five shillings and twopence to the
Prioress of St. Helen's, in London, as rent for the Queen's house in
Lombard Street; a purchase of two small "catastæ," or cages, for birds,
in the Queen's chamber; and of hemp-seed for the same birds. From an
entry under Gifts, it appears that two small birds were given to
Isabella by the King, on the 26th of November. Next are payments for
binding the black carpet in the Queen's chamber; for repairs of the
castle; lining the Queen's chariot with coloured cloth; repairs of the
Queen's bath, and gathering of herbs for it. Also, payments to William
Taterford, for six skins of vellum, for writing the Queen's books, and
for writing a book of divers matters for the Queen, fourteen shillings,
including cost of parchment; to Richard Painter, for azure for
illuminating the Queen's books; the repayment of sum of 200_l_. borrowed
of Richard Earl of Arundel; the purchase of an embroidered saddle, with
gold fittings, and a black palfrey, given to the Queen of Scotland; a
payment to Louis de Posan, merchant, of the Society of Mallebaill, in
London, for two mules bought by him at Avignon for the Queen, 28_l_.
13_s_.: the mules arrived after the Queen's death, and they were given
over to the King.
The division of the account relating to her jewels is chiefly
interesting as affording an insight into the personal character of
Isabella, and showing that the serious events of her life and her
increasing years had not overcome her natural passion for personal
display. The total amount expended on jewels was no less than 1,399_l_.,
equivalent to about 16,000_l_. of our present currency; and, says Mr.
Bond, "after ample allowance for the acknowledged general habit of
indulgence in personal ornaments belonging to the period, we cannot but
consider Isabella's outlay on her trinkets as exorbitant, and as
betraying a more than common weakness for those vain luxuries." The more
costly of them were purchased of Italian merchants. Her principal
English jewellers appear to have been John de Louthe and William de
Berking, goldsmiths, of London. In a general entry of 421_l_. paid for
divers articles of jewellery to Pardo Pardi, and Bernardo Donati,
Italian merchants, are items of a chaplet of gold, set with "bulays"
(rubies), sapphires, emeralds, diamonds, and pearls, price 105_l_.;
divers pearls, 87_l_.; a crown of gold, set with sapphires, rubies of
Alexandria, and pearls, price 80_l_. The payment was not made till the
8th of August; but there can be little doubt that these royal ornaments
were ordered for the occasion of Isabella's visit to Windsor, at the
celebration of St. George's Day. Among other entries, is a payment of
32_l_.
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