The Colloquies of Edward Osborne, Citizen and Clothworker of LondonManning, Anne
History
The Colloquies of Edward Osborne, Citizen and Clothworker of London
Manning, Anne
Biographical fiction; London (England) -- History -- 16th century -- Fiction; Osborne, Edward, 1530?-1591 -- Fiction
My Master's House had six Stories, the lowest of which was sixty Feet
above the River. First came the Kitchen, which, being partly sunk in the
Arch, might, if not in a Bridge, have been counted parcel-underground.
It had a Casement just over the Key-stone, and no thorough Draught; the
Larder being a Lean-to or Afterthought, stuck outside like a Bird's Nest
against the Wall. Level with the Strete lay the Shop, with a small
Ware-room or Writing-closet adjoining; and, behind it, three Steps above
it by Reason of the Kitchen beneath, the common Sitting-room,
overlooking the River. A narrow, steep Stair led to the Floor above,
which had Mistress _Fraunces's_ Sleeping-chamber, wherein lay Mistress
_Anne_, over the Shop, and a Summer-parlour, which for that it had a
Balcony over the River, commonly went by the Name of the Balcony Room.
It was hung with blue Buckram; and, by Reason of its Pleasantness,
Mistress _Fraunces_ made it her chief Sitting-room, while Mistress
_Anne_ played with her Dolls. Also there was a Closet wherein lay _Tib_.
Above this was a large Chamber that covered the whole Floor from Front
to Back, with a Window at either End; and, because of its projecting and
overlapping the Floor below, was sundry Feet the longer: this Room was
wonderful pleasant, and commonly called the Green Lattice, or
Lattice-room, from having a large green Lattice that overlooked the
_Thames_. In my Master's early married Days, which he was wont to say
had been, like those of many a young Husband, his poorest and happiest,
he had been glad to let off this Chamber to a Lodger.—His Father dying,
and leaving him Money, he left the retail for wholesale Business, gave
up his Lodger, and used the best Chamber himself; but with Wealth came,
as usual, a Counterpoise: his Wife died untimely in this same Chamber;
whereon he conceived a Dislike of it; and Mistress _Fraunces_ then
coming to reside with him and occupying his old Quarters, he mounted up
to the fourth Story, to a Room that o'erlooked the Strete. Above this
was _Tomkins_' Attick, and, last of all, our Loft. The Wind whistled
fearsomely up there, o' Nights, and made the Walls rock round us; not
that there was often any one wakeful enough to mind it.
In the Green Lattice, though unoccupied, there stood a carven Oak Bed,
with dark green Hangings, lined with yellow Fustian, and Linen a Miracle
for Whiteness, ready for any chance Guest. I thought, boy-like, as I
glanced in, passing up and down, 'twas fit for the Sleeping Beauty to
lie in during her Trance of a hundred Years. There was a great Jar of
dead Rose-leaves, that smelt rarely; and I always had the Notion they
had been gathered by Mistress _Anne's_ Mother. I wondered, with a
strange yet pleasing Awe, whether her Ghost ever walked here, now that
her little Girl passed Hours in the Room by herself, singing over her
Dolls; and thought it might perhaps steal softly in and keep about her
when we little wisted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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