Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1884-05-22
Old English Beds.

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bed, was common in Lancastrian times,
although often different enough to that
in use to-day. The idea Is by some
supposed to have come from Austria.
but its direct importation was probably
from France, where sumptuous carved
oak bedsteads were already well known.
These were commonly pane.ei to the
floor, and contained drawers, chests
and presses, over which the sleeper vir-
tualIy held guard. Our Richard LII.
possessed one of this kind, of which a
double story is told. On the 21st of
August, 1855, he arrived at Leicester.
some of his retinue having preceded
him with the running wardrobe, which
included a ponderous four-posted bed
stead with q double bottom, of boards,
including a military chest, which was
erected in a chamber of the Boar's Head.
Richard slept on it that night, his last
on earth, for next day he was de-
feated and slain on Bosworth Field.
The bed was stripped of its hangings and
fnery, but the bedstead was left with
mine hest, and became kind of show
at the Blue Boar. In the reign of
Elizabeth the house was kept by man
named Clark, whose wife one day VIII lie
shaking or masing the bed, observed
gold coin roll on the floor; this led to
an investigation, when it was
found that the double bottom con-
cealed a very large sum of gold. partly
coined by Richard and partly of
earlier date. 1t was, in faot, Ricnard's
treasury, and. at the pass to which he
had then come, might be said to be tho
very last of it. The sum is not named,
but according to Tweden ..th:s Clark
reaped an incredyble mass of wealth
(but bad 1t wit enough not to discover
We same). but became of poorer man
very ritch. was Mayor, and this, in We
end dying left hys wife ves-y ritch, who
styH kept on ye lime at we blue bore in
Leicester, tyll. in the end, some guests
coming to lodge with her. she was by
them robd. who carryed away seven
horse loads of treasure, and yet left
great Store scattered about the howse
OF gold and silver. Mrs. Cleark herself
beeing in this action made away by a
mayd servant, who stopt her breath by
thrusting her finger into her throat, she
being very fat person; for which fact
Mrs. Cumber saw her burnt as the seven
men were hanged"
1t was long traditional idea in Eng
land, and very common in the Eliza
bethan days, to carve on each OF the
posts of a bedstead figure of one of
the evangelists. Hence the rhyme:
lsssk Matthew. Mark Luke and John,
- Bless the bed that sleep on.
But we must not forget that there
were two forms of bed in use during
those days, the stand ng bed and
truckle bed, which latter was a
low-framed bedstead. pla to the last
degree, mounted on casters, and capa-
BILE Of being put under The former; in
deed, it was not merely often put
away there, but soaae times occupied
by an inferior. My lady maid not I'M
frequently slept on the floor beside the
beds cad of her mistress. An old bal
lad speaks of the chaplain who had
to-
LIE upon the truckle bed,
WHIST MS young master fieth DER his head
1t is, further mentioned that anciently
q minstrel would often lie on low bed
to amuse his lord while he was awake,
or to lull him to sleep, and that per-
sons were sometimes employed TO read
tor the same purpose.
The posts, head boards and canopies
OF the Elizabethan bedstead were Curl
ous1y wrought and carved in oak and
other woods, gilt and painted. They
were often adorned with notices: one
at Q nunnery in Cumberland had this
Inscription: ttMark the end. and VOW
shall never doow amis. u The bed