90 
LIFE OF LORD SCUDAMORE. 
APPENDIX III. 
An abstract from the stewards account of the expenses incurred at holme lacy at 
Christmas 1639, in obedience to the king’s command. (Scudamore MSS., British Museum.) 
“ Horn lacie. Spent through Christmas in 1639, from the 23rd of December to the nth of Januarie 
followinge, beinge 2 weeks and 5 days.” 
The presents sent for the festivities are first enumerated, analyzed, and set down as being 
worth altogether, ^131 3s. 2*^d. They come from a great number of persons, whose names are 
all given, with a full detail of their several gifts ; and are catalogued as coming from 59 localities 
arranged in alphabetical order, from Acornburie, Bullingham, &c., to Worcester, Woolhope and 
Yatton. The following summary is uiven of their value : 
O ■ J o 
Larder 
Acates 1 of Store 
Dayrie 
£ s. d. 
46 13 6 
28 ii 9 
1 5 2 § 
ffish 
Wine 
Bakehouse ... 
s. 
d. 
£ 
s. 
d. 
4 
8 
ffruits and Spices 
... 23 
13 
4 
0 
9 
Storehouse 
... 2 
iS 
6 
10 
0 
Stable 
• •• 3 
8 
6 
f 
^131 
3 
2 
Then follow the exact details under each heading, for example 
Larder. 
£ 
s. 
d. 
Oxen 1 
7 
0 
0 
Muttons 24 
Cowes 1 
6 
0 
0 
Bacon 3 flisches 
Veales 11 and 5 joynts 
13 
13 
0 
Brawnes 2 ... 
Beef cheynes 1 
£ 
s. 
d. 
£ 
s. 
d. 
11 
4 . 
0 
Bacon cheynes 1 
... 0 
2 
0 
2 
0 
0 
Sparibs 1 ... 
0 
I 
6 
4 
0 
0 
Pigs 32 
2 
8 
0 
0 
5 
0 
£46 
13 
6 
and so on through the list to show the exact value of the presents. 
The Steward’s Account of the general expenses is equally precise, and contains a greater 
variety of articles. The two hundred and forty years that have since passed, give an interest not 
only to the dishes set before the guests, but also to the prices of the articles which are so exactly 
given. 
1 Aca’tes [Old Fr. acat, achat, purchase ; acheter, pronounced acater in Picardy and Languedoc, to purchase. Ifcal. accattare to beg or borrow.] 
Provisions ; victuals ; viands ; in more modern language cates. This is a frequent word in our elder writers. Johnson. 
“ The kitchen clerk, that night Digestion, 
Did order all th’ acates in seemly wize.” Spenser F. Q. II. :x. 31. 
Shakespeare, punning on the word “ Kate,” uses the modern form of the word 
“ My super-dainty Kate, 
For dainties are all cates.” 
Taming of Shrew, II. 1. 
