Vpon thy cap, as he would doe,
nor yet upon thy clothes.

But keepe it clene with handkerchiffe,
provided for the same,

Not with thy fingers or thy sleeve,

therein thou art too blame;

but still filthiness or ordure' may be cast on the floor so that it be trodden out with haste, 1. 105-8. Have not we cause to be grateful to Cotton and Silk?

With regard to the picking of teeth', some of the English and French books, like the Freemasonry one above, and the Boke of Curtasye, forbid it to be done at all at meals:

Clense not thi tethe at mete sittande,

With knyfe ne stre, styk ne wande.-B. of C. 1. 93.

Others only forbid picking with the knyfe, as The Lytylle Childrenes Lytil Boke, 1. 39,

Pyke not þi tethe with thy knyfe.

It was reserved for Rodes or his 1577 editor to reconcile the difficulties by a stroke of genius,

Pick not thy teeth with thy Knyfe

nor with thy fyngers ende;

But take a stick

(I hope the reader will think of a walking-stick as I did on first reading. the passage)

or some clene thyng,

then doe you not offende, 1. 248.2

Other details I must leave the reader to notice for himself.

3, St George's Square, N. W.

1st July, 1867.

P.S. By way of further illustrating the status, pay, and work of the Gentlemen and Children of the King's Chapel in Henry the Eighth's time, I add as an Appendix to this Preface, all the particu

1 See the note at the end of Rodes Various Readings. Pycke not thy tethe with thy knyfe / nor fynger ende

But wt a stycke or some cleane thyng/ then do ye not offen d. (Petit, &c.)

lars of the Earl of Northumberland's Chapel-Gentlemen and Children that I can gather from his Household Books as published by Bishop Percy, and afterwards reprinted. The particulars are put under these heads:

I. The Number of the Gentlemen and Children.

II. Their Food, Lights, and Fuel.

III. The Washing of their Surplices.

IV. Their Wages.

V. Their Beds, and the Carts for removing them.

VI. Their Extra Gratuities for Acting Plays, &c.

VII. The Kinds of Voices or Singers.

VIII. Their Arrangement and Days of Attendance, and their Keeping of the Orgayns.'

The bits about their sleeping two and three in a bed (p. xix), acting Miracle-Plays (p. xx), playing on the Orgaynes' (p. xxv), are interesting, as well as the allusion to the Boy-Bishop (p. xx).

THE FIFTH EARL OF NORTHUMBERLAND'S GENTLEMEN
AND CHILDREN OF THE CHAPEL:

2 AND 3 HENRY VIII., A.D. 1510-11.

I. "In the iijth Yere of the reigne of oure Sovereigne Lord Kynge Henry the viijth" Algernon Percy, fifth Earl of Northumberland, had, "daily abidynge in his Household," Gentillmen of the Chapell— ix, Viz. The Maister of the Childre j-Tenors ij-Countertenors iiij-The Pistoler j-and oone for the Orgayns. Childer of the Chapell―vj. (Percy or Northumberland Household Book, p. 44.) This was a variation on the number given in p. 40, for there we find Gentyllmen and Childeryn of the Chapell.

ITEM Gentyllmen and Childryn of the Chapell xiiij Viz. Gentillmen of the Chapell viij Viz. ij Bassys-ij Tenors-and iiij Countertenours-Yomen or Grome of the Vestry j-Childeryn of the Chapell v Viz. ij Tribills and iij Meanys [Altos]= xiiij.

II. Their food was, for 'Braikfast' daily every Lent, on 'Sonday, Tewisday, Thursday and Setterday.'

Braikfast for ij Meas of Gentilmen o'th' Chapel, and a Meas of Childeryn.

ITEM iij Loofs of Brede, a Gallon dimid of Bere, and iij Peces of Saltfisch, or ells iiij White Herryng to a Meas—iij. (ib. p. 74.)

At p. 75, in the

Ordre of all suche Braikfasts that shal be lowable dayly in my Lordis hous thorowte the yere,'' as well on Flesche Days as Fysch Days, in Lent and out of Lent.' 'Begynnynge on Sonday the second day of February, which was Candlemas day last past. In the secund Yere of the reign of our Sovereigne Lorde Kyng Henry the viijth' the allowance is:

Braikfasts for ij Meas of Gentylmen o' th' Chapel, and a Meas of Childer.

ITEM iij Loif of Houshold Breid, a Gallon dimid of Bere, and iij Peces of Beif boyled-j.

Among "Braikfastis of Fysche.. allowid" them "on Setterdays.. oute of Lent," at the same date, are

Braikfasts for ij Meas of Gentilmen o' th' Chapel and a Meas of Childer.

ITEM iij Loifs of Houshold Breid, a Gallon dimid of Bere, and a Pece of Saltfische-j.

Their "service of Meat and Drynk to be servyd upon the Scamlynge Days in Lent Yerely, as to say, Mondays and Setterdays," was for "x Gentilmen and vj Childre of the Chapelliiij Measse."

Service for Gentyllmen and Childeryn o' th' Chapell.

ITEM to every Meas a Loof of Breide, a Potell of Bere, iiij White Herrynge, and a Dysch of Stokfisch = viij Dyschis.

On Rogation Days, from Tuesday May 27, 3 Henry VIII, the Meat and Drink allowed them for supper was:

Service for iiij Mease of Gentyllmen and Childre of the Chapell at Suppar upon Tewisday in the Rogacion days: Furst, x Gentylmen and vj Childre of the Chapell-iiij Meas.

ITEM to every Meas a Loof of Bred, a Pottell of Bere, Half a Dysch of Buttre, and a Pece of Saltt-fysche-viiij Dyschis.

Their daily extras, or "Lyverays of Breid, Bere, Wyne, WhiteLights and Wax," were "for Gentyllmen of the Chapell and Childer.. a Loof of Houshold Breid, a Gallon of Bere, and iij White Lyghtts."

1 Scambling-Days. Days in Lent, when no regular meals were provided, but every one scrambled and shifted for himself as he could. (Percy in) Halliwell's Gloss.