TUDOR HOUSES IN DORSET. 79 



The primitive measurement of time was by candle, hour- 

 glass and sun-dial. The 16th century was remarkable for the 

 great advance in the art of clock-making, and watches were 

 introduced. An early lantern-shaped clock 1570-90 for 

 domestic use is in the British Museum, and this type 

 prevailed during the whole Tudor period. 



Ladies had their household pets, such as dogs, monkeys, 

 squirrels, parrots and other birds. With more elaborate 

 toilet many foreign customs were introduced. Tubs had been 

 used for ordinary bathing in private houses ; but in^ towns 

 public hot or sweating houses of eastern origin were now 

 established. These were mostly frequented by women for 

 gossip and company, to which they also brought their refresh- 

 ments. (Illustration, circa 1541, in Wright, p. 492). 



SPORTS AND PASTIMES. 



Henry VII encouraged the practice of military exercises by 

 his courtiers. Henry VIII, in his young days a great athlete, 

 also interested himself in the militia, of which the muster rolls 

 for the 30-34th years of his reign have been preserved. Bills 

 and bows were the common weapons, with. a certain quantity 

 of armour. There were about 4,500 able-bodied fighting men 

 in Dorset [S. V. 251]. 



Archery, though declining, was still fostered; and " Shotinge 

 with the standarde or brode arrowe, at the twelve shore prick 

 (a mark of compass) and the tarthe: lepping, runninge and 

 wrastlinge, throwing of the sledge and pytching of the barre " 

 are all named in a Sunday licence of II Eliz. [Gent. Mag. 

 Library, 245]. 



For shooting at the butts in 1592 at Blandford, see H. I. 221. 



Horse-racing, hunting, hawking, coursing, fowling, fishing, 

 tilting were especially indulged in. Cranborne Chace within 

 a circuit of 100 miles contained over 1000 wild deer, and there 

 were also Holt Chace and Gillingham Forest. City folks had 

 their stage plays, pageants, masquerades and processions, 

 muscians and dancing. There were bowling alleys and greens, 

 bull, bear and badger baiting, cock throwing and duck hunting, 



