Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-12-28
OUR ANCROTOaO.
Whale ns an Article Of Dlot...
what They Slept Upen...Nho
Wore l.laon...The lntorlor Of
their DDOuOoo.

The customs, manners. literature, arohi-
lecture. history, every thing in 6ns pertain
INK to Epgland previous to the l7sh cen.
fury, may be regarded IS the common
ancestral property Of oil John Bull spro-
gcny, wherever scattered over the world.
To . large majority Of eur readers, there
fore, whatever throws light upon the eden
times sf Great Britain can never ease 70 BE-
Of interest. The October New England
fdrnssr. Noticing . recent publication,
"Our English Hslnes," extracts and esm-
msnts a. follows
when men were lucky enough 70 get il, il
appeared At table late in the 18th century.
In 1916 Henry Ill. directed the sheriff Of
London to purchase 100 pieces 81 whale for
HE table. Whales found on the coast we're
perquisites Of ROYALTY they were caught
and sent 70 the kings kitchen in CARTS
Edward II. gave arsward Of so shillings to
three mariners who caught . whale near
London bridge. Those found on the banks
Of the Thames were claimed BY the lord
mayor. and added to the civic feast. Pieces
OF whale were sitsn purchased in the 10th
century for the table Of the countess OF
Leicester. England was often supplied
| with this choice dainty by the fishermen Of
Normandy, whs made it an article Of com.
msrcs. The Normans had various ways Of
| cooking Il somstiines it Was roasted and
! brought 10 the table on . spit; but the
usual way was 10 boil il and serve it with
peas. Epicures locked cut for . slice from
the tongue or the tail. The grampus or
| sea-wolf was also highly esteemed but Of
all the blusbsr daintiss the perpsise Vas
deemed the nest sAvsSy. The 6sxens
called II sea swine, and the ecelssiasties 81
| the middle agss peree nsorine. Porpoisss
we're purchased for the table Of Henry Ill,
in 1246.
In the reign Of Henry H.. the whsls
stock Of carpenters tools was valued ss
one chilling, and consisted Of . brsad.axs,
adss. square and speke.shsve. "Thsre
were very few cAimnsys; the Gre We laid
to the wall, and the smoke issued cut at
the roof Or door, or window, and the turni.
turs and utensils we're Of wood. The pee
pie slept on straw pallets, with . log Of
wood for . pillow" Even - late % The
time Of Elizabeth, 1858. IL 10 ststsd that
apologize we're made to visitors II they could
not b accommodated 10 rooms provided
With shi0neys. They had fev glass win.
dews, and when glass VAS introduced IL
vas, for leng time, 40 scarce that whom
people went away they would order the
windsw taken eat and laid up 10 safety.
6In the fourteenth century, none but the
clsrgymsn wore linen. The hsussheld fur
niturs, amsng the wealthy, consisted Of an
occasional, brass pot, brass cup, . grid
iron, and rug Or two, and. perhaps, .
towel. OF chairs and tables w hear no
thing. Even the nobility sat upon The
chests in which they kept their clothes. II
mas, in seven years after marriage, could
purchase flock bed, and . sack Of chat to
rest bic head upon, be Thought hinsslf %
we'll lodged 20 the lord Of the town.
In addition to this poverty Of what seems
to W absolute necessities, the houses and
the people we're exceedingly dirty. Eras-
aus. . celebrated scholar Of Holland, who
visited England, complains that "ths nasti.
ness Of the people was the eauss Of the
frequent plaques which destroyed them !"
and be says their hcors ore sommoaly Of
clay, strswsd With rushss, under which lie
unmolsstsd COLLECTION Of beer, grease,
fraEmsots, bones, spittls, excremsnts Of
dogs and cats, and Of everything that 10
nauseeus.
Their tables we're - misefAbly supplied
~ their dwellings. They had little fresh
meat, but sailed mest Of their cattle and
swine in November, upon which they most.
" depended through the winter. Very
few vegetables Of any kind came upon their
tables. II 10 stated that in the early part
Of the reign Of Henry VIII. not cabbage,
turnip. carrot, Or other edible rest grew in
England.
The average duration Of human life va,
ct that period, not enc half - long % that
Of the present day. The constant use Of
saltsd meat, and few Or no vegetables, con
tributsd to the shortening Of life, to Say
nething Of the large number swept away
by pestilsnce and famine.
TzE New York Times continues to beg
charity for poor soldier whs will soon b
reduced TO the pittancs Of twenty Eve tbsu.
sand dsllsrs rear. He ought, the Times
insists, to have at least enc hundred thou>
SAND dsllsrs pr AMMAN. Il will ssssainly
b sesd inauguration Of the sstrsp shnent
the county nssds, to begin By euadfuDliug
ehe largest salary il the Govern meut.