The Best of the Bureau/The_Best_of_the_Bureau_Bureau_Development_Inc._1992.iso/dp/0077/00770.txt

Text File | 1992-08-07 | 20KB | 296 lines

$Unique_ID{bob00770}
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$Title{Description Of Elizabethan England
Chapter VIII}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Harrison, William}
$Affiliation{}
$Subject{houses
time
yet
now
old
glass
places
unto
upon
doth}
$Date{1577}
$Log{}
Title:       Description Of Elizabethan England
Author:      Harrison, William
Date:        1577

Chapter VIII

Of The Manner Of Building And Furniture Of Our Houses
[1577, Book II., Chapter 10; 1587, Book II., Chapter 12.]

     The greatest part of our building in the cities and good towns of England
consisteth only of timber, for as yet few of the houses of the communalty
(except here and there in the West-country towns) are made of stone, although
they may (in my opinion) in divers other places be builded so good cheap of
the one as of the other. In old time the houses of the Britons were slightly
set up with a few posts and many raddles, with stable and all offices under
one roof, the like whereof almost is to be seen in the fenny countries and
northern parts unto this day, where for lack of wood they are enforced to
continue this ancient manner of building. It is not in vain, therefore, in
speaking of building, to make a distinction between the plain and woody soils;
for as in these, our houses are commonly strong and well-timbered (so that in
many places there are not above four, six, or nine inches between stud and
stud), so in the open champaign countries they are forced, for want of stuff,
to use no studs at all, but only frankposts, raisins, beams, prickposts,
groundsels, summers (or dormants), transoms, and such principals, with here
and there a girding, whereunto they fasten their splints or raddles, and then
cast it all over with thick clay to keep out the wind, which otherwise would
annoy them. Certes this rude kind of building made the Spaniards in Queen
Mary's days to wonder, but chiefly when they saw what large diet was used in
many of these so homely cottages; insomuch that one of no small reputation
amongst them said after this manner - "These English (quoth he) have their
houses made of sticks and dirt, but they fare commonly so well as the king."
Whereby it appeareth that he liked better of our good fare in such coarse
cabins than of their own thin diet in their prince-like habitations and
palaces. In like sort as every country house is thus apparelled on the
outside, so is it inwardly divided into sundry rooms above and beneath; and,
where plenty of wood is, they cover them with tiles, otherwise with straw,
sedge, or reed, except some quarry of slate be near hand, from whence they
have for their money much as may suffice them. The clay wherewith our houses
are impannelled is either white, red, or blue; and of these the first doth
participate very much of the nature of our chalk; the second is called loam;
but the third eftsoons changeth colour as soon as it is wrought,
notwithstanding that it looks blue when it is thrown out of the pit. Of chalk
also we have our excellent asbestos or white lime, made in most places,
wherewith being quenched, we strike over our clay works and stone walls, in
cities, good towns, rich farmers' and gentlemen's houses: otherwise, instead
of chalk (where it wanteth, for it is so scant that in some places it is sold
by the pound), they are compelled to burn a certain kind of red stone, as in
Wales, and elsewhere other stones and shells of oysters and like fish found
upon the sea coast, which, being converted into lime, doth naturally (as the
other) abhor and eschew water, whereby it is dissolved, and nevertheless
desire oil, wherewith it is easily mixed, as I have seen by experience. Within
their doors also, such as are of ability do oft make their floors and parget
of fine alabaster burned, which they call plaster of Paris, whereof in some
places we have great plenty, and that very profitable against the rage of
fire. In plastering likewise of our fairest houses over our heads, we use to
lay first a line or two of white mortar, tempered with hair, upon laths,
which are nailed one by another (or sometimes upon reed of wickers for fire,
and make fast here and there saplaths for falling down), and finally cover all
with the aforesaid plaster, which, beside the delectable whiteness of the
stuff itself; is laid on so even and smoothly as nothing in my judgment can be
done with more exactness. The walls of our houses on the inner sides in like
sort be either hanged with tapestry, arras work, or painted cloths, wherein
either divers histories, or herbs, beasts, knots, and such like are stained,
or else they are ceiled with oak of our own, or wainscot brought hither out of
the east countries, whereby the rooms are not a little commended, made warm,
and much more close than otherwise they would be. As for stoves, we have not
hitherto used them greatly, yet do they now begin to be made in divers houses
of the gentry and wealthy citizens, who build them not to work and feed in, as
in Germany and elsewhere, but now and then to sweat in, as occasion and need
shall require it.

     This also hath been common in England, contrary to the customs of all
other nations, and yet to be seen (for example, in most streets of London),
that many of our greatest houses have outwardly been very simple and plain to
sight, which inwardly have been able to receive a duke with his whole train,
and lodge them at their ease. Hereby, moreover, it is come to pass that the
fronts of our streets have not been so uniform and orderly builded as those of
foreign cities, where ( to say truth) the outer side of their mansions and
dwellings have oft more cost bestowed upon them than all the rest of the
house, which are often very simple and uneasy within, as experience doth
confirm. Of old time, our country houses, instead of glass, did use much
lattice, and that made either of wicker or fine rifts of oak in checkerwise. I
read also that some of the better sort, in and before the times of the Saxons
(who notwithstanding used some glass also since the time of Benedict Biscop,
the monk that brought the feat of glazing into this land), did make panels of
horn instead of glass, and fix them in wooden calmes. But as horn in windows
is now quite laid down in every place, so our lattices are also grown into
less use, because glass is come to be so plentiful, and within a very little
so good cheap, if not better than the other. I find obscure mention of the
specular stone also to have been found and applied to this use in England, but
in such doubtful sort as I dare not affirm it for certain. Nevertheless
certain it is that antiquity used it before glass was known, under the name of
selenites. And how glass was first found I care not greatly to remember, even
at this present, although it be directly beside my purposed matter. In Syria
Phenices, which bordereth upon Jewry, and near to the foot of Mount Carmel,
there is a moor or marsh whereout riseth a brook called sometime Belus, and
falleth into the sea near to Ptolemais. This river was fondly ascribed unto
Baal, and also honoured under that name by the infidels long time before there
was any king in Israel. It came to pass also, as a certain merchant sailed
that way, loaden with nitrum, the passengers went to land for to repose
themselves, and to take in some store of fresh water into their vessel. Being
also on the shore, they kindled a fire and made provision for their dinner,
but (because they wanted trevets or stones whereon to set their kettles on)
ran by chance into the ship, and brought great pieces of nitrum with them,
which served their turn for that present. To be short, the said substance
being hot, and beginning to melt, it mixed by chance with the gravel thay lay
under it, and so brought forth that shining substance which now is called
glass, and about the time of Semiramis. When the company saw this, they made
no small accompt of their success, and forthwith began to practise the like in
other mixtures, whereby great variety of the said stuff did also ensue. Certes
for the time this history may well be true, for I read of g