from Lady Frances Dorset; a fair steel-glass from three Venetians; a bat from Dr. Augustine; and a pair of silver snuffers from Mr. Hobbs. Rewards in money to a considerable amount were given to the servants who brought them.[1]
In Nichols’s “Progresses” and Nichols’s “Illustrations of Manners and Expences,” numerous instances are given of gifts to royal personages, especially to Queen Elizabeth, who expected valuable ones. They seem to have been much of the same description every year. The peers spiritual and temporal, ladies, gentlewomen, and officers of the household, &c. gave presents according to their rank and means, of money, rich dresses, jewels, &c.; the physicians and apothecary, boxes of ginger and candy; the cook and other domestics, or officers, similar gifts to those hereafter mentioned. A few examples will suffice, as Nichols can be resorted to for fuller information. In a list of them given to Queen Mary, 1st January, in the 4th year of her reign, the following occur
“By the Ladie Elizabeth her grace, the fore part of a kyrtell, and a peire of sleves of cloth of silv’, richly enbraudered all ouer with Venice silver, and rayzed with silu’ and blake silke.
“By the Duches of Somerset, a smoke, wrought all ou’ with silke, and color and ruffes of damaske golde, purle, and siluer.
“By the Lady Yorke, divers frutes, as 6 suger loues, sixe tapnetts of figges, foure barrelles of sucketts and oringe water, &c.
“By Mrs. Levyna Terling, a smale picture of the Trynite.
“By Mrs. Preston, a fatte goose and a capon.
“By Gent, two Gynny-cokks scalded.
- ↑ Ellis’s Original Letters, vol. i. p. 272.
