two chains, and two cords, with which to
demolish burning houses; while the bedel of the
ward furnished with a horn to rouse the
neighbourhood.

Against foes from within and without we
have an organised system of protection, not
wholly contemptible, though in no way comparable
to yours. The curfew bell ordained by
the Conqueror to be rung nightly at eight
o'clock, still duly sounds from the City
churches; after which hour no person with
arms or without a light ought to be found
abroad. A regular watch is kept in each ward
by the alderman and certain members of the
wardmote on horseback. To prevent thieves
escaping pursuit, bars and chains are placed
across the streets, especially those leading to
the river. The gates, as we told you yesterday,
have their daily and nightly guard. On certain
festivals in the summer there are goodly
musters of the City watch, who, arrayed in bright
armour, and carrying lighted cressets, march
through the chief streets; their fellow-citizens,
to do them honour, garnishing the houses with
oil-lamps hung round with green boughs and
flowers, the evening concluding with bonfires
and open-air banquets, where all passers-by are
invited to make merry.

As the house pleases you, we need not seek
further. Your outlay in the matter of furniture
need not be large, as our modes of life are
simple. We have no " marts" as you have, but
you must employ a carpenter to make each
article as you want it. For the hall you will
require a table, either dormant (that is, fixed)
or on trestles. By the hearth you may have
two or three fixed chairs, and a few benches
and stools. Carpets are not in use, save at
court and in great houses, but we strew the
floors with dry rushes in summer, and green
fodder in winter. For covering the benches,
you may have osier mats or cushions. For the
solar you will require some tester-beds, each
consisting of a bench to support the mattress,
and a canopy over the head. Mattresses you
can procure of rich stuff, and elaborately quilted,
if you will. Pillows, bolsters, chalouns (as we
call the blankets made at Châlons in France),
linen sheets, and counterpanes, can be had of
equal costliness, or of more moderate quality
and price. Two or three chests for clothes,
some ewers and basins of earthenware, a
few towels, combs, and mirrors of polished
steel, will complete the furniture of the
bedchambers.

For the table you require some wooden
trenchers, and plates, and bowls, either of wood
or earthenware. The latter from its costliness,
is not much used. The wealthy dine off silver,
gilt, and enamelled dishes. Goblets can be
obtained of various kinds, from gold, silver, crystal,
glass, alabaster, agate, or cocoa-nut, down to
pewter and wood. None are better than those
which we call mazers, made out of the masere
or walnut-tree. A large wooden salt-cellar is
requisite for the centre of the table. Spoons
are commonly made of silver for persons of the
middle class. Forks are in less frequent use,
but can be purchased. It is usual to send the
meat to table on a spit of silver, which is handed
round to the guests, each man cutting off with
his knife as much as he requires. As the
fingers become soiled by this fashion of eating,
we commonly have a lavatory in the hall.
Knives may be purchased with silver, enamelled,
or agate handles, and are generally carried about
the person in plain or ornamented sheaths.
Tablecloths and napkins you can procure of
various qualities.

For the kitchen, all the requisite utensils, as
caldrons, dishes, pots, pails, spits, and trivets,
you may buy on Cornehill. Candlesticks are
commonly made of iron. You will find the wax
candles imported from Paris, called perchers,
the best for your own use, tallow being good
enough for household purposes. Soap is much
imported from Spain, but some very good
of a grey colour is made at Bristol. For fuel,
there are various sorts in use; consisting of
either charcoal, seacoal, fagots, brushwood, or
fern.

As to the garden, which you should stock
with the ordinary fruit-trees and vegetables,
you will find the soil favourable, though
somewhat moist hereabouts from the multitude of
springs. Your neighbour, the Earl of Lincoln,
manages to derive a considerable income from
the sale of his fruits. Apples of the costard
and pearmain species are common with us. Of
pears we have several kinds—the Kaylewell
(which you call Caillou), a stewing pear, the
Rewl (or St. Règle), and the Pesse Pucelle,
being the best. If you visit Bedfordshire, be
sure to obtain a graft from the Cistercian
monks of Warden, who have a famous baking
pear, called after them. To pears you may add
cherries, peaches, plums, coynes (quinces in
your tongue), medlars, and mulberries.
Gooseberries, strawberries, and raspberries we have
in a wild state, but do not often cultivate.
Chesnuts and walnuts are not unfrequently
grown. Vines demand such a large space and
careful culture that they would be unfit for this
piece of ground. In some districts, as at
Teynham and Northflete, in Kent, manors of
the Archbishop of Canterbury, and at Ledbury
under Malvern, a manor of the Bishop of
Hereford, they attain great richness and value.
Of flowers, you should plant roses, lilies, violets,
sunflowers, gillyflowers, or clove pinks, poppies,
and pervinkes (your periwinkles), and enclose
them, as our wont is, in a wattled fence. Of
vegetables, we have cabbages, peas, beans,
radishes, onions, garlic, leeks, sorrel, beet,
lettuce, parsley, rape (a species of what you call
turnip), rocket, mustard, and cress. Of herbs,
sage, mint, fennel, hyssop, and rue are grown.
If you will, you may set up a beehive, the
honey wherefrom is certain of a purchaser
among the brewers, who use it for their ale.
Were you not a heretic, we should advise you
to dig and stock a vivary with fish, which, by
reason of our many Church fasts, we eat more
commonly than flesh.