or in piping or harping, songings, or other acts marriables *; to help to occupy the Court, and accompany strangers, till the time require of departing.

“Item, that daily there awaite twentyfour Squires to serve the King and Queen, of whom twelve to serve at the first dinner, and to dine at the second; and the twelve sitting at the first dinner, to serve the second dinner, and there to awaite to serve the King and Queen †."

Dom. Regis Angliæ. The Esquires"oftentimes these stand instead of Carvers and Cup-Bearers †."

KINGS OF ARMS, HERALDS, AND
PURSUIVANTS.

Coming into this Royal Court to the worship of these five Feasts in the year, sitting at meats and suppers in the Hall, and to begin that one end of the table together, upon days of estate, by the Marshall's assignation, at

* Sic.

+ Harleian MSS. 642, p. 177.-Rigid Orders regarding Offenders, p. 97. b.

one meal. And if the King keep estate, by the Marshall's assignation, in the Hall, then these walk before the Steward, Treasurer, and Comptroller, coming with the King's Surveyor* from the surveying-board at every And, after the last course, they cry

course.

;

the King's largesse, shaking their great cup. They take their largesse of the Jewel-house and during these Festival-days they wait upon the King's Person coming and going to and from the Church, Hall, and Chamber, before his Highness, in their coats of arms. They take neither wages, cloathing, nor fees, by the Compting-house; but livery for their chamber, day and night, amongst them two loaves, a pitcher of wine, two gallons of ale and for winter season, if there be present a King of Arms, for them all, one tortays at chandry, two candles wax, three candles p'is, three talsheds. These Kings of Arms are served in the Hall as Knights, service and livery for their horses nigh the Court, by the Herberger.-Alway remembered, that

*Rectiùs, No. 642 reads Service.

;

the cup which the King doth create any King of Arms or Herald withal, it standeth in the charge of the Jewel-house, and not upon the Treasurer of Household.

The fees that they shall take at the making of Knights of the Bath, it appeareth next after the chapter of Squires.

SERJEANTS OF ARMS *.

Four chosen proved men, of haviour and condition, for the King and his Honourable Household; whereof two alway to be attending upon the King's Person and Chamber, and to avoid the press of people before where as the King shall come; in like wise at the conveyance of his meat at every course from the surveying board; also observing for [of] the King's commandments, and so after the Steward, Chamberlain, Treasurer, and Controller, for the King, or for his Household. They eat in the Hall, together or with Squires of Household, taking their wages of twelve-pence by [the] day, or four-pence, as

* See the "Curialia," Part V.

H

it pleaseth the King, after their abilities, by letters patents; and clothing also, to be taken of the issue and profit growing to the King in divers counties of England, by the hands of the receivers of them. No more having in Household; but every of them, when he is present in Court, at night, a gallon of ale; and for winter livery, one candle wax, two candles p'is, one talshed; rushes [and] litter for their chamber of the Serjeant Usher all the year. They pay for the carriage of their proper harness and bedding; and every of them to have in to this Court, one honest servant. By the Statutes of the Noble Edward, were thirty Serjeants of Arms, sufficiently armed and horsed, riding before his Highness when he journeyed by the country for a Garde de Corps du Roi. And if of these be sick, or be let blood, he taketh daily two loaves, two messes of great meat, one gallon of ale, and thus to be brevied in the Pantry-Roll. Also sufficient lodging assigned these Serjeants together, not far from Court, for hasty errands [when] they

fall.

any

MINSTRELS.

Thirteen; whereof one is Verger, that directeth them all in festival days to their stations, to blowings and pipings to such offices as must be warned to prepare for the King and his Household, at meats and suppers, to be the more ready in all services; and all these sitting in the Hall together, whereof some use trumpets, some shalmuse* and small pipes, and some are strange-men coming to this Court at five feasts of the year; and then to take their wages of Household after four-pence halfpenny a day, if they be present in Court; and then they to avoid the next day after the feasts be done. Besides each of them another reward yearly, taking [taken] of the King, in the Receipt of the Chequer, and cloathing with the Household, winter and summer, or twenty shillings a-piece, and livery in Court at evenamongst them all four gallons of ale; and

* Shawms.