Independently, however, of Household expences which occur in separate volumes, many have been printed in other works. Of these it will be sufficient to refer to the few which are to be found in the "Archæologia," in County Histories, and more particularly, the Household payments of the family of Kytson in Mr. Gage's admirable "History and Antiquities of Hengrave." Although not more than four accounts of the expenditure of sovereigns or individuals have been published, those which are known to exist in MS. are both numerous and valuable. Besides those of the 31st and 32nd of Edward I. which have just been mentioned, four large volumes of the kind are preserved in the Chapter House: one containing the Royal disbursements from the 1st of October, 21st Henry VII. 1505, to the 20th November, 1st Henry VIII. 1509; another, from the 1st of May, 1st Henry VIII. 1510, to February in the 9th Henry VIII. 1518; the third, entitled "The King's Books of Payments beginning 1st April, 9th Henry VIII. 1518, to December in the 12th Henry VIII." 1520; and the fourth is called "A Book of Arrears of the 14th Henry VIII." 1522-3.
The expences noticed in the following sheets extend from the 17th November 21st Henry VIII. 1529, to the end of December 24th Henry VIII. 1532; and in the library of the Royal Society is the book of Quarterly Payments from February in the 29th Henry VIII. 1538, to Midsummer, 33rd Henry VIII. 1541. In the library of the British Museum is the Household Book of a Citizen, or perhaps Clergyman, of London, from March 1594 to March 1595.[2] Lord Bagot possesses an interesting MS. of the Household expences of Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, which his Lordship some time since offered to allow the Society of Antiquaries to print, but, extraordinary as it may appear, the proposition _was not accepted_: and doubtlessly many other documents of the same kind are extant.
Of the MSS. which have been cited, only those in the Chapter House and the one in the library of the Royal Society resemble that printed in this volume; but neither of them is precisely like it, in its objects or contents. The one in the library of the Royal Society consists principally of quarterly payments of wages to servants and retainers, and of sums paid pursuant to the warrant of the Lord Privy Seal: they present the charges of Ambassadors, of other public officers, and of posts and couriers, as well as those of various articles purchased or prepared by the king's commands, a few extracts from which, of general interest, will be found in a subsequent page; these afford, however, but a very imperfect idea of the value of that MS. in illustration of the history and manners of the time, though it does not appear to have been once noticed from the year 1762, when it was referred to by Walpole, to the present time! The MS. now printed, contains, on the contrary, what may be termed Henry's personal expences, whether arising from his purchases; from his "rewards" to those who brought him presents; from his losses at dice, cards, bowls, and other games; from his attachment to Anne Boleyn, or his favourite courtiers; or from the wages and liveries of his servants, fools, jesters, and other minions. The accounts in the other MSS. were paid quarterly, and rested on the responsibility of the persons entrusted to keep them; these were daily, and are attested at the end of each month by the signature of the King himself. Notwithstanding that they differ in character, they mutually confirm and illustrate each other; and if a judicious compilation were made from the whole series which has been mentioned, and which could be comprised in one, or at the most, two quarto volumes, invaluable information would be given to the world on the most interesting period of English History--the period marked by the revival of all which benefits and adorns society, Science, Literature, and the Fine Arts. The Accounts of the Citizen of London are remarkable for the minuteness with which the expence of every article of food, from a farthing's worth of fruit to several pounds' worth of meat, is stated; and as evidence of the price of provisions and other articles, wine, servants' wages, &c. at the time, it is extremely useful. In the margin the names of the guests at dinner and supper on each day are recorded, and it altogether exhibits a curious picture of the manners of the Elizabethan age.