Porpoise a, brought, 267. Porter, to the Sergeant, 256. Portsmouth, paid the expenses of inspecting the ordnance there, 233. See ORDNANCE. Posset ale, for Sexton, 34. Archdeacon Nares says Posset was a drink composed of hot milk, curdled by some strong infusion, which was much in favour with our ancestors both as luxury and medicine. "Posset ale" was probably hot milk curdled by ale, but whether given to the Fool as a "luxury" or "medicine" does not appear, as it is included in the expenses of his washing, shoes, and "other necessaries." Post, paid to a, 56, 59, 196. Pottersperry Park, paid to the keeper of, 160, 240. Powle, the keeper of the Barra horse, 133, 165, 183, 199, 204, _bis_, 218, 247, 278. See BARBARY HORSE. Pounder Sir William, 100, 183, 203, 214, 266, 281. ----, paid for the christening of his child, 214. ---- Lady, 124, 135, 137, 232. It is manifest from most of these entries, that those individuals were especial favourites of Henry, who it seems acted as sponsor to their child, but the Editor has not been able to discover any particulars about them. Pount John, 135. Powell, a merchant, 167. Presents brought, 74, 93, 250. Prest, 83, &c. This word occurs continually in reference to money advanced to servants on their wages, and clearly meant money paid to persons before their salaries were due. In the _Shrewsbury Papers_ we find Lord Wharton informing the Earl of Shrewsbury in June, 1557, "The olde guarresone not paide for their half yeare, ended the xiiij of Febr. laste; and for this other half year which shall ende the xvjth day of Auguste, excepte money delivered _in preste_ by the layte Treasourer which will appear upon declaracion of his accompt. Hear is noo Treasurer knowne, nor when they shall be paide." To which the Editor has added the following note: "This term, derived from _pret_, French, _ready_, was always applied to money transactions, but had various acceptations. In military affairs prest or imprest money usually meant the gratuity by which recruits were retained, from whence the well known phrase, '_pressing_ into the service.' In this instance it signifies the sums issued from time to time by the treasurer for the current use of the army." Lodge's _Illustrations_, vol. i. p. 237. The sense, however, in which this word is used in these accounts is derived from the French _Prest_, a loan. Cavendish uses it in precisely the same way. Speaking of Wolsey's pecuniary necessities he says "it was concluded that he should have by the way of _prest_, a thousand marks out of Winchester Bishoprick," p. 239. Priest, paid to a sick, 77. ---- at Hounsdon, to the, 214. ---- to the, that sings at the Roods, 276. ----, money distributed to, 282. Pricks, for making, 145, 148. ----, money won of the King at the, 266, 267.