Angliæ notitia, or The present state of England together with divers reflections upon the antient state thereof.

Of the Civil Govern∣ment of His Ma∣jesties Houshold.

FOr the Civil Government of the Kings Court, the Chief Officer is the Lord Stew∣ard, quasi Stede ward Locum tenens, called also in the time of Henry 8. the Great Master of

the Kings Houshold after the French Mode, but Primo Ma∣riae, and ever since called the Lord Steward of the Kings Houshold.

He hath Authority over all Officers and Servants of the Kings House, except those of His Majesties Chappel, Cham∣ber, and Stable &c.

He judgeth of all disorders committed in the Court, or within the Verge, which is e∣very way within 12 miles of the chief Tunnel of the Court (on∣ly London by Charter is ex∣empted) for the Law having an high esteem of the dignity of the Kings settled Mansion House, laid out such a Plot of ground about his House (as a half-pace or Foot-Carpet spread about the Kings Chair of Estate

that ought to be more cleared and void than other places) to be subject to a special exempt∣ed jurisdiction depending on the Kings Person and Great Offi∣cers, that so, where the King comes, there should come with him Peace and Order, and an Awfulness and Reverence in mens hearts, besides it would have been a kind of eclipsing of the Kings Honour, that where the King was, any Ju∣stice should be sought, but im∣mediately from the Kings own Officers, and therefore from very antient times the Jurisdi∣ction of the Verge hath been executed by the Lord Steward with great Ceremony in the na∣ture of a peculiar Kings Bench, and that not only within but without the Kings Dominions;

for so it is recorded that one Engleam of Nogent in France for stealing Silver dishes out of the House of Edward 1. King of England, then at Paris (after the matter had been debated in the Council of the King of France touching the Jurisdicti∣on, and ordered that the King of England should enjoy this Kingly Prerogative of his Hou∣shold) was condemned by Sir Robert Fitz-John then Stew∣ard to the King of England, and hanged in St. Germans Fields.

The Lord Steward is a White Staffe Officer, for he in the Kings Presence carrieth a White Staffe, and at other times going abroad, it is carried by a Foot-man bare-headed. At the death of the King, over the

Hearse made for the Kings Bo∣dy, he breaketh this Staffe, and thereby dischargeth all the Of∣ficers, whom the succeeding King, out of his meer grace doth re-establish each one in his for∣mer Office.

This eminent Emploiment is now enjoyed by James Duke of Ormond, Lord Lieftenant of Ireland, whose Fee is 100 l. yearly, and 16 Dishes daily each Meal, with Wine, Beer, &c.

The next Officer is the Lord Chamberlain, who hath the over-sight of all Officers be∣longing to the Kings Chamber, except the Precincts of the Kings Bed-Chamber, which is wholy under the Groom of the Stool; and all above Stairs; who are all sworn by him (or

his Warrant to the Gentlemen Ushers) to the King. He hath also the over-sight of the Of∣ficers of the Wardrobes at all his Majesties Houses, and of the removing Wardr. or of Beds, of the Tents, Revels, Musick, Comedians, Hunt∣ing, and of the Messengers, of the Trumpetters, Drummers, of all Handy-Crafts and Ar∣tisans retained in the Kings Service. Moreover he hath the over-sight of the He∣raulds and Pursivants, and Ser∣geants at Arms, of all Physi∣tians, Apothecaries, Surgeons, Barbers, &c. To him also be∣longeth the over-sight of the Chaplains, though himself be a Lay-man; contrary in this particular to the Antient Cu∣stom of England, and Modern

Custom of all other Kingdoms, where Ecclesiastiques are never under the ordering of Lay∣men.

The Fee of the Lord Cham∣berlain of the Kings House is 100 l. yearly, and 16 Dishes each Meal, with all the Appur∣tenances.

This Office is now in the hands of Edward Montague, Lord Montague, and Earl of Manchester.

Most of the above-named Offices and Places are in the Gift and Disposal of the Lord Chamberlain.

The Third Great Officer of the Kings Court is the Master of the Horse, antiently called Co∣mes Stabuli, or Constable, to whom a highe•• Employment

and Power was then given, and this taken from him.

This great Officer hath now the ordering and disposal of all the Kings Stables and Races of Horses, and had heretofore of all the Posts of England. He hath also the power over Escui∣ries and Pages, over the Foot∣men, Grooms, Riders of the Great Horses, Farriers, Smiths, Coach-men, Sadlers, and all other Trades working to the Kings Stables, to all whom he (or by his Warrant the Ave∣ner) giveth an Oath to be true and faithful.

He hath the Charge of all Lands and Revenues appointed for the Kings breed of Horses, and for Charges of the Stable, and for Litters, Coaches, Sum∣pter Horses, &c.

Also for the Charges of Coronations, Marriages, En∣tries, Cavalcades, Funerals, &c.

He only hath the Priviledge to make use of any Horses, Pa∣ges, Foot-men belonging to the Kings Stable.

At any Solemn Cavalcade he rides next behind the King, and leads a Lear Horse of State.

This great honour is now en∣joyed by George Monk Duke of Albemarle, in consideration of his unparalleld Services to the King, to his Crown and Digni∣ty at a juncture of time when his Affairs and Friends were in a very desperate condition.

His yearly Fee is 666 l. 16 s. 4 d.

Under these Three Principal Officers of His Majesties Hou∣shold are almost all the other Officers and Servants.

First under the Lord Steward in the Compting-House is the Treasurer of the Houshold.

Comptroller.

Cofferer.

Master of the Houshold.

Two Clerks of the Green-Cloth.

Two Clerks Comptrollers.

One Sergeant.

Two Yeomen.

The Cofferers Clerk.

The Groom.

Two Messengers.

It is called the Compting-House, because the Accompts for all Expences of the Kings Houshold are there taken daily

by the Lord Steward, the Treasurer, the Comptroller, the Cofferer, the Master of the Houshold, the two Clerks of the Green Cloth, and the two Clerks Comptrollers, who al∣so there make Provisions for the Houshold, according to the Law of the Land, and make Payments and Orders for the well governing of the Servants of the Houshold.

In the Compting-House is the Green-Cloth, which is a Court of Justice continually sitting in the Kings House, composed of the Persons last mentioned; whereof the three first are usu∣ally of the Kings Privy Council. To this Court, being the first and most ancient Court of Eng∣land, is committed the charge and oversight of the Kings

Court Royal for matters of Ju∣stice and Government, with Authority for maintaining the Peace within 12 miles distance, wheresoever the Court shall be; and within the Kings House the power of correcting all the Ser∣vants therein that shall any way offend.

It is called the Green Cloth, of a Green Cloth whereat they sit, over whom are the Arms of the Compting House, bear∣ing Vert a Key and a Rod Or, a Staffe Argent Saultier, signi∣fying their Power to reward and correct, as Persons for their great wisdom and expe∣rience thought fit by His Ma∣jesty to exercise both these Functions in his Royal House.

The Treasurer of the Kings House is alwayes of the Privy Council, and in absence of the Lord Steward hath power with the Comptroller and Steward of the Marshalsea to hear and de∣termine Treasons, Felonies, and other inferiour Crimes commit∣ted within the Kings Palace, and that by Verdict of the Kings Houshold.

Houshold Servants within the Check Roll, if any be found guilty of Felony, no benefit of Glergy is to be allowed him. Antiently this Court might have held Pleas of Freehold also.

His yearly Fee 124 l. 14 s. 8 d. and a Table of 16 Dishes each Meal. He bears a white Staffe, and is at present Sir Tho∣mas Clifford.

The Comptrollers Office is to controul the Accounts and Reckonings of the Green Cloth.

His yearly Fee is 107 l. 12 s. 4 d. a Table of 16 Dishes each Meal. He bears a white Staffe, and is at present the Lord Newport.

The Cofferer is also a Princi∣pal Officer, hath a special charge and oversight of other Officers of the House, for their good Demeanour and Carriage in their Offices, and is to pay the Wages to the Kings Servants below Stairs.

His yearly Fee is 100 l. a Table of 7 Dishes daily, and is now Colonel Will. Ashburn∣bam.

The next is the Master of the Houshold, whose Office is to survey the Accounts of the House.

His Fee 100 Marks and 7 Dishes daily, enjoyed by Sir Herbert Price.

The Two Clerks of the Green Cloth are Sir Henry Wood and Sir Stephen Fox, and the two Clerks Comptrollers Sir William Boreman and Sir Win∣ston Churchill.

The yearly Fee to each of these four, is 48 l. 13 s. 4 d. and between them 2 Tables of 7 Dishes to each Table.

The rest of the Compting-House being less considerable, shall for brevity be past over, and for other Officers below

stairs, onely their Names and Number shall be noted, their Fees being not considerable, ex∣cept the Sergeants Fee of each Office.

In the Bake-House, A Ser∣geant, a Clerk, divers Yeo∣men, a Garnitor, divers Pur∣veyors, Grooms and Conducts, in all 17 Persons.

In the Pantry, A Sergeant, Yeomen, Grooms, Pages, &c. in all 11.

In the Cellar, A Sergeant, a Gentleman, Yeomen, Grooms, Purveyors, Pages, in all 12.

In the Buttry, A Gentleman, Yeoman, Grooms, Pages, Pur∣veyors, in all 11.

In the Pitcher-House, A Yeo∣man, Grooms, Page, and Clerk, in all 5 persons.

In the Spicery, Three Clerks and a Grocer.

In the Chandlery, A Serge∣ant, 2 Yeomen, 2 Grooms, and a Page, in all 6 persons.

In the Wafery, A Yeoman and a Groom.

In the Confectionary, A Ser∣geant, 2 Yeomen, a Groom, and a Page.

In the Ewry, A Sergeant, a Gentleman, 2 Yeomen, a Groom, and 2 Pages.

In the Landry, A Yeoman, a Groom, 3 Pages, and a Dra∣per.

In the Kitchin, Six Clerks, a Master Cook to the King, a Master Cook to the Hou∣shold, 6 Yeomen, 7 Grooms, 5 Children, in all 26 persons.

In the Larder, A Sergeant, a Clerk, 3 Yeomen, 3 Grooms, 2 Pages.

In the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or the Cate∣rers Office, a Sergeant, a Clerk, Purveyors for Flesh and Fish, Yeomen, in all 12 per∣sons.

In the Boyling-House, a Yeo∣man, 2 Grooms.

In the Poultry, A Sergeant, a Clerk, Yeomen, Grooms, Purveyors, in all 10 persons.

In the Scalding-House, Yeo∣men, Grooms, and Pages, in all 6.

In the Pastry, A Sergeant, a Clerk, Yeomen, Grooms, and Children, in all 11 persons.

In the Scullery, A Sergeant, a Clerk, Yeomen, Grooms, and Pages, in all 12 persons.

In the Wood-Yard, A Serge∣ant, a Clerk, Yeomen, Groom, and Pages, in all 8 persons.

Harbingers, 2 Gentlemen, 6 Yeomen.

In the Almonry, Sub-Almo∣ner, 2 Yeomen, Grooms.

Porters at Gate, A Sergeant Sir Edward Bret, 2 Yeomen, 4 Grooms.

Cart-Takers, 6 in number.

Surveyors of the Dresser, 2 persons.

Marshals of the Hall, 4.

Sewers of the Hall, 5.

Wayters of the Hall, 12.

Messenger of the Compting-House, 1.

Bell-Ringer, 1.

Long-Cart-Takers, 4.

Wine-Porters, 8.

Wood-Bearer, 1.

The Cock, 1.

Supernumerary Servants to the last King, viz. In the Poul∣try 2, in the Almonry 1, and in the Pastry 1.

Besides the fore-named Offi∣cers below Stairs, there are also under the said Lord Steward all the Officers belonging to the Queens Kitchin, Cellar, Pantry, &c. and to the Kings Privy Kitchin, and to the Lords Kit∣chin, together with Children, Scowrers, Turn-broaches, &c. in all 68.