IN TUDOR TIMES

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 82, 3 October 1931, Page 19

IN TUDOR TIMES

"A-.-Wonmn: of,:the. ; Tudor Age" concerns the' intimate., life of the Duchess of Suffolk who; ~four centuries ago, was a .fainbus lady.- -These • private letters and papers, edited by Lady'Goff, throw much Interesting and amusing light on th^tinies of Henry VIII. and Elizabeth, most: interesting of all being the long lists of household account's.■;.•'.•'■ The' business, of housekeeping cannot have beeis easy; for tho'Duche'ss's houseV hold- consisted of eighty's persona..- This includes a tutpr for her- two'children and we,fi«d.;a. cold-blooded entry in-the accounts y'.'ipi 'byrches for rodde,s,'3d.'' Although 'her !s6"irP.cregrine,..by :her second .jnarriage "to;Bichard;^Bertie,: was only■.'■ seven- tHw.c.-" is'.^a.;loiig. list -.. of; > his school:books, .including .*,' Fou- Isppes fables'?'which cost. 2s. iTho amount of material■'.used for» dress.is extraordinarily large, -judged :" by presentTday standards, for wO.readi."Seven-, yar.des of crimson' sattin at 13s the yarde'for a "dutche.gowne fqiI.'Mistress.. Suzaii." At-xhe time she was only seven.; Later we see "For -a .thousand: and- , a half pynues for Mistress.Susan f l6d." Dressing must have been a.' wearisome business.-.•■"■■■■ - "■•■■• '' ■'•''■•• '■' "■■l -. ■■-.'•'■■■'■ Some miscellaneous entries are amusing:—".For browu , paper...to, stop .the crevices in. the chambers of her Grace being sycke, 3s: to Mrs. Brodbanks for kytching forty-four rats, 3s 4d: to a Scottishe man with one eie which helped in the stables six days, 65." The HScottishe man.'.' seems to. have had liberal -pay compared with. Philip.. Handqn who only.got 4d ."to.byjide.hiniior a.yeartotic.jServante." Such entries as '.'To my master; .at. play iit Lbndpn 5s 6dj; my inaater lost", at Blank.dice Id" are,very.frequent..;' . . ..".. ;.. .