Another building which formerly existed in this neighbourhood was the Royal Wardrobe. It occupied the site of the present Wardrobe Court, immediately to the north of the church of St. Andrew's and gave to the parish the name of St. Andrew's Wardrobe, by which it is still known. This building was erected about the middle of the fourteenth century, by Sir John Beauchamp, Knight of the Garter, a son of Guido, Earl of Warwick, by whose heirs it was sold to Edward III. Mr. Malcolm has printed some extracts from the Manuscript Account Book, since preserved in the Harleian collection, of a keeper of this Wardrobe, from the middle of April to Michaelmas 1481, (towards the close of the reign of Edward IV.), which are interesting and valuable as memorials, both of the prices and of the fashions of that time. During the period, of less than six months, over which the accounts extend, the sum of 1,174_l._ 5_s._ 2_d._ appears to have been received by the keeper, for the use of his office. Of this the most considerable portion seems to have been expended in the purchase of velvet and silks from Montpellier. The velvets cost from 8_s._ to 16_s._ per yard; black cloths of gold, 40_s._; what is called velvet upon velvet, the same; damask, 8_s._; satins, 6_s._ 10_s._ and 12_s._, camlets, 30_s._ a-piece; and sarcenets for 4_s._ to 4_s._ 2_d._ Feather beds, with bolsters, "for our sovereign lord the King," are charged 16_s._ 8_d._ each. A pair of shoes, of Spanish leather, double soled, and not lined, cost 1_s._ 4_d._; a pair of black leather boots, 6_s._ 8_d._; hats 1_s._ a-piece; and ostrich feathers, each 10_s._ The keeper's salary appears to have been 100_l._ per annum--that of his clerk 1_s._ a-day; and the wages of the tailors 6_d._ a-day each. The King sometimes lodged at the Wardrobe; on one of which occasions the washings of the sheets which had been used is charged at the rate of 3_d._ a pair. Candles cost 1_d._ a pound. All the money disbursed by the keeper of the wardrobe, however, was not expended in decorating the persons of his Majesty and the royal household. Among other items we find 20_s._ paid to Piers Bauduyn (or Peter Baldwin, as we should now call him), stationer, "for binding, gilding, and dressing of a book called Titus Livius;" for performing the same offices to a Bible, a Froisard, a Holy Trinity, and the Government of Kings and Princes, 16_s._ each; for three small French books, 6_s._ 8_d._; for the Fortress of Faith, and Josephus 3_s._ 4_d._; and for what is designated "the Bible Historical," 20_s._ So that in those days, we see the binding a book was conceived to be a putting of it into breeches, and the artist employed for that purpose looked upon as a sort of literary tailor.