Wichita eagle., 1889-11-28
FAMOUS BEDSTEADS.
SOME FACTS CULLEO FROM HIS
TORY AND OBSERVATION.

| par cuCS In ciOS0 recess, WlCn uOWerS gar
lands and sweet smelling herbs" Hence, will
such world wide history, and possessed Of
genealogy to which no other article of furni
ture can lay claim, it is not surprising tina
the bedstead is crowded with associations O.
the most eventful and historic character.
But, combining ourselves to modeEn times
| we find numerous instances in which thes.
honored fabrics, apart from their domestic
use, as affording repose to the weary, have
been only too frequently associated with sac
memories, and been the scene of many an un
raveled mystery. Thus, cases like the murder
Of the young princes in the Tower at ones
occur to US; and Shakespeares tragic scene
where Othello smothers Desdemona, is toe
well known to need comment.
| Novelists. again, like Wilkie Collins, have
used the bed to good purpose in some Of theiI
sensational Stories as in the case Of the mys.
ferrous bedstead which, after the manner OF
clothes press, is made to screw up, so as to
| smother its unsuspecting occupant Then
there are beds whose surroundings have had
the reputation of being haunted, and refus.
ing sleep to any one sufficiently bold to COM
NIT his weary frame to such an uncanny
quarter; while fairy lore abounds in tales
and legends of those who, while seeking the
sweetness of repose in some enchanted bed.
have had visions revealed to them Of won
drous unearthly joys in the land of dreams.
Some idea, again, of the Importance for.
merly attached to certain bedsteads NAV be
gathered from old wills, where we find bed
clothes and sheets as things specially priced.
Thus an Anglo-Sa1on lady gave to one Of
her children cher best bed curton linen, and
all the clothes belonging to it," and to an
other child she leaves ''two chests and all the
bed clothes that to one belong"
When Cardinal Wolsey took a lease of
Hampton Manor and manor house in the
year 15l4 he received twenty 'bedsteddis" as
very numerous, and show in what high es
TEEN the comfort and niceness Of their beds
We're held by our forefathers.
1t may be noted, too, that in days gone by
many illusions occur to smaller bedstead,
which, rolled under the larger one, was de-
signed usually for a valet or servant. Thus
every reader will remember the well known
speech of mine host Of the Garter in 1.-THE
Merry Wives of Windsor" Gv, 81, who says
of Falstaffs room, ''Theres his chamber, his
house, his castle, his standing bed and truckle
bed" In the old manuscript of the romance
of the ''Conte d'Artois," the count lies in the
bed under the canopy, while the truckle bed
is occupied by his valet.
Of the many further bedsteads which have
acquired an historic fame may be mentioned
one in the bedroom of Mary, Queen of Scots,
at Holyrood palace. 1t is covered with red
damask, and is popularity stated to have been
slept in by the unfortunate sovereign, al
though there is considerable doubt on this
point.
At Burnley, it may be remembered, is pre-
served the bedstead occupied by Queen Eliza
beth on her visits to the lord treasurer, Bur-
leigh. 1t stands in room in the western
first floor of the mansion, known as Queen
Elizabeth's bedroom, and Is distinguished by
its green velvet hangings. Paul Eentzner,
In his visit to Windsor in the year 1888, no
tices the beds belonging to former princes as
measuring eleven feet square, and speaks Of
Queen Elizabeth's bed, with its curious, rich
embroidery, as not so large as the others.
A famous bedstead of the Fifteenth CEN
fury was long preserved at Leicester and is
generally supposed to have been slept on by
Richard III. The under part Of it formed
his military chest, and, as most readers are
aware, the discovery of the treasure CEN
fury afterwards occasioned a barbarous muir
der. But none of the coins discovered were
of later mint than this reign. Further
more, it is said by Fennant that stump bed
stead kept in Berkeley castle is the same on
which the murder of Edward II was COM
mitted.
Then there are the royal beds of Hampton
court, with their rich hangings, and the IA
nous bed of Ware, in Eertfordshire, has long
ago become proverbial Nothing is known of
the original history of this enormous bed
stead-no less than twelve feet squsre-and
which, in years past, formed one Of che dis
tinguishing features of the inn known as the
Saracen's Head. According to one popular
tradition, this gigantic piece Of furniture was
made BY a certain Jonas Forbrooke, jour
neyman carpenter, and presented TO the royal
family in the year 1863, Edward " reward
ing the industry Of the donor by granting
him q pension for life Anyhow, many
strange stories have conferred around this bed,
and popular legend says that one Harrison
Saxby, OF Lancashre-a master Of the horse
to King Henry VIII-having fallen deeply
in love with the daughter Of a miller residing
near Ware. swore that he would do anything
to secure the object of mis- affections. The
piece of chivalry coming TO the ears OF the
king, who happened to be passing through
Ware on his way 70 his favorite retreat At
Hartford. il was decided that the girl should
bestow her hand On him who would consent
TO sleep all night In the bed Of Ware, pro
vided that he was found there IN the morn
ing Harrison Ssxby accepted the proposal,
but on the following morning he was found
on the floor, covered with bruises and utterly
PROSTATE.
Among further stories connected With this
great bed we are told that when the town
was full, in consequence Of some large hunt
ing or wedding party, it was invariably
made use of. But, adds Mr.. limbs in his
"Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls OF Eng
land, whenever 50 employed lis occupants
were always unable to obtain their wished for
sleep. being in the night subject TO ali kinds
of pinching. nipping and scratching. till az
last the bed became deserted The reason a.
signed fer these unpleasant experiences Is
that the spirit Of Jonas Forbrooks always
lowered about his favo-its work, and being
aunoyed at the undigri6-d uss it was pa; 70
b. The good people Of Ware, prevented any
one from getting moments rest A. Kncls
have been long carefully preserved the cost
ly oei ard furniture which are said 70 have
been pIacsd there for ths reception Of James
II. and In the kings bedchaahe- IS tie state
bed, In WHICH. Tradition informs Is, the p<~
tender was bo-u--Loodoa Standard