DOMESTIC LIFE IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.

Southland Times, Volume 1, Issue 501, 25 June 1866, Page 3

DOMESTIC LIFE IN THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.

The Examiner of March 24, contains a review of a work published by Miss Elizabeth Cooper, entitled " The Life and Letters of Lady Arabella Stuart," from which we make tho following extract. " Miss Cooper," says the Examiner, " says nothing that is not worth saying, though not all pertinent to her immediate subject. She writes as a woman about a woman, and especially for woman readers, who will gladly be infor.ned as to the details of dresa and custom among English folks three hundred years ago, the rules then prevalent in nurseries and schoolrooms, and who will even welcome, for its intrinsic interest, the episode of eight} r pages, in which Miss Cooper leaves her heroine to tell the story of another unfortunate, Lady Catherine G-rey, on the slender excuse that her grandson was married to Arabella Stuart. No complaint can be made, however, of the pleasant details with which Miss Cooper has made plain the history of Bess of Hardwick. The daughter of this famous lady, by the second of her four husbands, was Elizabeth Cavandish, who, much to Queen Elizabeth's discontent, married Charles Stuart, cousin by birth to Queen Mary of Scotland, and her brother-in-law by her marriage with his elder brother; Henry, Lord Darnley. Arabella Stuart ■was Charles"? only child, and, by the early death of her parents, she soon fell under the guardianship of her grandmother, Bess of Hardwick, then Countess of Shrewsbury. These extracts are from Miss Cooper's fancy sketch of her course of girlish life at old Hardwick Hall, true of the times, if only hypothetical as regards Arabella herself: — . The bed-room of Arabella is lighted by a lofty window, looking out on the front garden of the Hall. The walls are covered with G obelin tapestry, representing Capids guiding a boat through the waters, and fellowed by attendants garlanded with ivey and oak, who accompany the little bark with the sounds of the trumpet and the flute. On tha marble chimney-piece rests two talbots supportings the shield of Shrewsbury, and around the room are ranged high-backed chairs, covered with embroifiery, with embroidered stools at their feet. At one end of the room is a Yenetion looking-glass set in silver, and at the other a .Flanders' chest, and cupboard of cypress wood. On a beaufet stands a silver candlestick, and on a table, covered with an embroidered cloth, lies a book — perhaps a volume of j Plato. The bed is decked with white drapery, worked in crimson and green, hanging j over a heavy earven frame, and by the j side is a footstool adorned with needlework. The luxurious feather cushions and pillows are covered with snow-white linen and white woolen blankets, and over' all is a counterpane of white and crimson silk. There, summoned bj her tiring-maiden, who is dressed " In petticoats of flannel red, And milk-white kerchief on her head, Her smock-sleeves like to winter snow, That on the western mountains flow, And paeh sleeve with a silken band Fairly tied at the hand," Arabella rises, and, with the assistance of her tiring-maiden, performs her morning toilet. At seven o'clock her breakfast is served her in her bedchamber : and consists of half a loaf of household bread, a manehet or loaf of the finest flour, a quart of ale, a chicken, or some broiled mutton bones. Of this substantial array, Arabella takes her portion, and the remainder to her chief servant. If it be a fish day, the mutton and chicken are replaced by a piece of salt stock-fish, a dish of spratts, or three fresh white herrings, and a dish of butter. The breakfast over, the clanging tones of a bell summon the household to prayers in the Hall chauel. A quarter of an hour is allowed to lock the great gates, and carry the formes and cushions to the chapel, when prayers are said by the chaplrin, and the household then disperse to their several duties for the day. The Countess goes to superintend the maids, the earl to cast up accounts and give directions for the provision of his retainers, and see that his steward has obeyed all orders punctually ; to survey his grounds, and perform in person most of the work that is executed by a steward in these days. The young men exercise themselves in -arms, and athletic exercises in the tiit-vard, and Arabella with her attendant, betakes herself to a separate apartment to pursue her studies. Languages form the chief— Latin being an especial object — but French, Italian and Spanish are also taught her gramatically and conversationally. She must get herself well up in the Greek Testament, and study Plato in the original, as mu£h for the philosophy as for the language, for in that time " great number of noble women in England were given to the studie of human sciences and of strange tongues It was a common thycg to see young 4 virgins so ' nouzled ' and trained to the Btudy of letters, that thei wyllyngly set all other vain pastymes at- naught for lerrnyng's sake. It was no news at all to see queens and ladies of high estate -and progenie instede ot courtly daliaunce to embrace virtuous exercises, readyng and writing, and with most earnest studie both erjye and late, to apply themselves to the acquirynge of knowledge, as well as all other liberal actß and disciplines, as also most specially of G-od and his most holy writ, 1 Arabella's tutor, in these things is n converted Roman Catholic priest, who receives probably ten pounds .8,-year and bis board for teaching a pirn* cess of the blood royal, a sum whose Sneanness he trusts to be compe&s&teu

Arabella's education shall be finished. Then comes lessons on the lute jmd virvirginals, and, not the least important, spinning and embroidery. And, lastly, the pupil goes to the steward's region, to learn ' physick,' surgery, confectionary, and ' herb's,'— the four last probably under the superintendence of her grandmother Bess. The morning passes rapidly, for every one in the household is busily engaged, and by eleven o'clock the dinner is ready in the great hall. The hall is the largest apartment in the house, for there it is ! that all daily meet. Heavy suits of armor hang round the walls, burnished corselets and'gaping helmets, coats of mail, shields, lances, pikes, maces, halberds and muskets. A large gallery at the end is filled with musicians, who begin to tune the viol, sackbut, harp and cornet. At another end is placed a magnificent side-board or beaufet of carven, walnut-wood, laden with gold and silver vessels, and crystal J goblets, adorned with jewels, aud moulded in fantastic forms of birds, and beasts. At the upper end of Ac hall is the " oreille," a recess containing two tables, three more being placed in the centre of the hall. The "tables are covered with "faire whyte naperie," and in the middle of each stands a huge salt-cellar, to devide the table according to the rank of the guests. In the orielle, the plates are of silver ; but at the other tables, trenchers serve for their purpose, a white linen serviette being laid by each trencher and da&h. In the oreille, high stools with cushions richly embroidered are placed at the tables, and in the body of the hall long forms of wains-cot-wood are ranged. When all is ready, the great gates are shut, the bell is rung, and in procession the mighty household majestically enters the halls. Two maitres-d'hotel lead the way, followed by the host and hostess and the guests. The Earl of Shrewsbury, in a blade velvetdoublet, ornamented with ruff and some costly jewels, velvet slips, silk stockings^ and 'large rosetters on his shoes of Spanish leather, his face aged with anxiety . and fretfulness, his peaked beard silvered more with care than years, leads by the hand the haughty Bess, whose keen, wellpreserved face manifests the little sympathy with the soarows of her consort. Her dark dress ofcramasie is close at the neck, the peaked bodice fits close to her form, and the sleeves full gathered at the wrist. A fardingal distends the skirt, that, caught beneath the waist in a double fold, hangs over her high-heeled shoes ; rich jewels adorn her dress, and a lace ruff, starched by a pupil of Mrs Dinghem Van Plasse, encircles her neck. Then follows Arabella, who, though the youngest of the party, taaes precedence of all on account of her royal blsod. She wears a white dress, edged with black, ornamented with jewels placed at intervals down the front, the bodice cut in the square German fashion of the present day, covering her shoulders, but leaving her neck bare. The full sleeves are gathered in at the wrist, and turned back with a lace cuff. A pearl chain of great beauty and value is twisted many time round her neck, pearl bracelets clasp her wrists, a pearl drop hangs from her hair, and pearl pendants droop from her ears. Her hair of the prevailing auburn color is raised high above her head, and falls in long crisped locks over her shoulders. At the dinner itself Mighty joints of beef, mutton aud veal, boiled and roast, are accompanied by veal pies, capons, blarkrocks, chickens, .plovers, partridges, with two different kinds of bread, the delicate marshpane and the coarser cheate, and a few potatoes, for vegetables are almost unknown in England, and form no regular part of the bill of fare. The first in rank are served, and the dishes are then passed down in gradation to the lower tables, the last remains besng reserved for the poor, who every day await this benevolence at the outer gate. The second course is ushered in like manner, and is still more plentiful and luxurious— roast swans, venison, pheasants, pullets, snipes, teal, pigeons, and pastry. The third course is distinguished by the richness of the sweets ; jellies in the shape of animals, trees, houses, &c, a "subtility" or elaborate piece of sugar- work representing, perhaps, a fortress in miniature; •' tarts of divers hues and sundry denominations," conserves of English and foreign fruits, gingerbread, marmalade, and comfits in endless variety. The beverages consist of ale and meade, and many kinds of wines of all countries served in silver tankarde or fine Yenetiaii glasses. The waiters at the earl's table are gentlemen of high birth, even the younger sons of noblemen, who are placed | there to learn domestic customs, and all the intricate arrangements of a large house. Ushers, marshals, cupbearers, are all of rank, and without the perfect insight into domesttic manners that they thus practically obtain, they would be utterrly at the mercy of their dependants, and unable to maintain in order the hundred retainers that may hereafter eat and drink and be clothed at their expense, when they themselves become the heads of families. Profound silence is observed during dinner, " for it is the greatest part of civility," save when some one arises, and " first uncovering his head, he takes a full cup in his hand, and setting his countenance with a grave aspect, he craves for audience. Silence being once obtained, he begins to breathe out the name, peradventure, of some honorable personage, whose health is drunk to, and he that pledges must likewise off with his cap, iiss his fingers, and bow himself in sign *of a reverent acceptance. And thus the first scene is acted. The cup being newly replenished to the breadth of a hair, he that is the pledger must now begin his part, and thus it goes round throughout the whole company," The banquet over the guests again wash their hands in rose water; and, leaving the gentlemen to their wine, as in the present day, the ladies retire to «muf!B themselves with backgammon, carda* ninepins, bowk, and, undoubtedly, ## wmM of Q\\wn HisftW& $ws>

When the gentlemen have contented themselves with wine well spiced, perhaps the whole company go on a hawking or hunting expedition, or engage in a trial of skill at archery, or, if the company be very numerous and of high rank, a bull or bear may be baied to death for their amusement, the fair ladies enjoying it quite as much as the Spanish beauties of the present day. At seven o'clock, supper is served in the great hall, and resembles the dinner on a much smaller scale. After supper the company ' amuse themselves with dancing, chess; draughts, dice, gui jerajj (hot cockles), or tiers (blind man's buff), and other games, now numbered only among the sports of young children. At ten, the bell summons to chapel. Preyers are said by thh chaplain, and the household separates for the night.