SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC HISTORY 



monial of bows and reverences, but while the joints were cooking in the 

 kitchen no one might stand with his back irreverently turned towards them. 

 Small wonder that Edward VI complained of the excessive banqueting at 

 Cowdray ! 231 An attempt to prevent the humbler ranks from aping their 

 superiors in extravagance was made by the passing of sumptuary laws, one of 

 which forbade the wearing of silk by the wives of persons not maintaining a 

 horse and equipment fora soldier. In 1561 at Steyning the wives of six 

 esquires are stated to have worn silk gowns, their husbands duly fulfilling 

 their obligations, while 



the wife of John Wyatt of Slyndon husbondman (i.e. farmer) ... did weare in her utter- 

 most garment that is to saie her cassock or Frock a cape of Black velvett, the said John 

 havinge not yet any geldinge w th the furnyture for a light horseman to serve. 238 



The amusements of the poorer classes were also strictly regulated, and while 

 Lord Montague's guests might play cards after dinner, 233 such relaxation was 

 only allowed to servants during the Christmas festivities. 234 Perhaps this was 

 as well, for a fatal quarrel occurred at Rye in 1613 over a game called ' newe 

 cutt.' 236 Amongst other games forbidden was bowls, and in 1567 a Lewes 

 draper and five Brighton men were summoned for playing this popular game, 

 while the constable of Brighton was called to account for not making search 

 for bowling alleys and similar places of unlawful games. 236 Football, instances 

 of which occur in Sussex as early as the beginning of the fifteenth century, 237 

 was another cause of offence, and in 1548 thirteen persons were fined for 

 playing it at Wadhurst. 238 Regular sport was within reach of comparatively 

 few, but poaching was common, and was indulged in by many men of good 

 position, the most famous instance being the affray at Hellingly in which one 

 of Sir William Pelham's keepers was killed, and for his share in which the 

 young Lord Dacre of Herstmonceux was hanged in I54I. 239 Some eighty 

 years later a raid on the Pelham deer involved Thomas Lunsford in a fine of 

 1,750, in revenge for which he attempted Sir Thomas Pelham's life, for 

 which he was imprisoned and fined ,T8,ooo. 240 Hawking was carried on at 

 Herstmonceux, where the old-established heronry afforded good sport to Lord 

 Dacre, 211 who was also an enthusiastic sailor and possessed a ' yought ' called 

 the Primrose as early as i645. 242 Pheasants and partridges appear to have 

 been preserved at Herstmonceux at this time, 243 while pea-fowl adorned the 

 garden, in which no doubt were grown some of the strawberries, cherries, 

 plums, quinces, and apricots which were consumed at the castle. 244 



The Pelham accounts of expenses at Laughton and Halland afford 

 some idea of the housekeeping of a wealthy Sussex gentleman in the 

 seventeenth century. Catering seems to have been conducted on a generous 

 scale. The accounts for the week ending 28 March, 1657, include 

 700 oysters for 2 s - 8d., 4 Ib. butter is. 6d., 6 chickens is. 6^,4 chickens 2s., 

 a firkin of herrings gj., a burden of salt fish 14^. The following week the 



131 Sun. Arch. Coll. vii, 173-212. BI Ibid, xxxiii, 271. " 3 Ibid, vii, 199. 



*" Act of 33 Hen. VIII, cap. 9. *" Hist. MSS. Com. Rep. xiii, App. pt. iv, 149. 



136 Memo. R. K.R., 9 Eliz. Easter, m. 85-91. " 7 Stus. Arch. Coll. xii. 



" a Ct. R. P.R.O. bdle. 205, No. 13. 1M Sun. Arch. Coll. xix, 170-9. 



140 Add. MS. 5682, fol. 648. M1 Suss. Arch. Coll. xlviii, 126. 



'"Ibid. 127-9. "'Ibid. 



'" Ibid. 119. A very good idea of the quantities, variety, and prices of the fish, flesh, fowl, and other 

 articles consumed in a great house can be obtained from the Herstmonceux Account Book ; ibid. 104-38. 



197 



