FINANCIAL POSITION OF VARIOUS CLASSES 103 



had served his master as ' chief baylie of his husbandrie ', had 

 at the end of a long life saved ;^4o. Another, William Walker, 

 eighty years of age, during forty years of service to Mr. John 

 Wymarke had put by ;^io. Robert Sculthorp, who had at 

 one time been a farmer, was worth £26 6s. Sd., but the size 

 of his farm is unfortunately not told us. Roland Wymarke, 

 a gentleman farmer, who had farmed for forty years at North 

 Luffenham, was little better off than Thomas Blackburne, 

 the baylie, for he estimated his capital at ;^5o. £50, however, 

 must not be taken as representing the average wealth of 

 a 'gentleman', though a few hundred pounds was then con- 

 sidered a considerable fortune. In 1577 Thomas Corny, 

 a prosperous landlord at Bassingthorpe, Lincolnshire, had 

 a house with a hall, three parlours, seven chambers, a high 

 garret, maid's garret, five chambers for yeomen hinds, shepherd, 

 &c,, two kitchens, two larders, milk-house, brew- house, buttery, 

 and cellar; and it was furnished with tables, carpets, cushions, 

 pictures, beds, curtains, chairs, chests, and numerous kitchen 

 and other utensils, besides a quantity of plate, which was 

 then looked upon not only as a useful luxury but as a safe 

 form of investment. The small squire was not nearly so well 

 off as this. In 1527 the house of John Asfordby, who was 

 of that degree, contained a hall, parlour, small parlour, low 

 parlour, a chamber over the parlour, gallery chamber, buttery, 

 and kitchen, and furniture was scanty, but the plate cupboard 

 was well filled.^ A prosperous yeoman was often comparatively 

 better off than the small squire. Richard Cust, of Pinchbeck in 

 the same county, though his house was small, consisting only 

 of a hall, parlour with chamber over, kitchen with chamber 

 over, brew-house, milne-house (mill-house), and milk-house, 

 was richer in furniture, possessing a folding-table, 4 chairs, 

 6 cushions, 27 pieces of pewter, 10 candlesticks, 4 basins, i 

 laver, 6 beds, and other articles.* 



^ Victoria County History : Lincolnshire, ii. 331. 

 * See Records of Cttst Family, i. 56. 



