Your readers may be curious to see a list of the persons composing the
domestic establishment (as it may be called) of Queen Elizabeth in the
middle of her reign, and an account of the sums of money severally
allowed to them out of the privy purse of the sovereign. The payments
will seem remarkably small, even allowing for the great difference in
the value of money then and now. What that difference may be, I am
not prepared to say; and I will venture here to put it as a "Query,"
to be answered by some competent person who may read this "Note." I
have seen it stated by more than one writer, that the difference in
the value of money at the end of Elizabeth's reign was at least five
times, i.e. that one pound then would go as far as five pounds now;
but I am not aware of the _data_ upon which the calculation was made.
I apprehend, besides, that the difference was greater in 1582, to
which what follows applies, than afterwards, and I should be glad to
have the matter cleared up. The subsequent account is indorsed in the
hand-writing of Lord Burghley, Lord Treasurer, in these words:--"1582.
The payment of the Ladies of the Privy Chamber;" but it applies also
to the gentlemen.
_Wages paid to the Privy Chamber by the Year._
The Bedchamber: £ s. d.
The Lady Cobham, by the year 20 0 0
The Lady Carewe 33 6 8
Mrs. Blanch Apprye[8] 33 6 8
Gentlewomen of the Privy Chamber:
Bridget Cave 33 6 8
The Lady Howard 33 6 8
The Lady Stafford 33 6 8
The Lady Arundell 33 6 8
The Lady Leighton 33 6 8
Frances Howard 33 6 8
Dorothy Edmundes 33 6 8
Chamberers:
The Lady Bartlett 20 0 0
The Lady Drury 20 0 0
Mrs. Mary Skydmore 20 0 0
Mrs. Katherine Newton 20 0 0
Mrs. Jane Brucella 20 0 0
Gentlemen of the Privy Chamber:
Sir Christopher Hatton, Knight 50 0 0
John Ashley, Esq. 33 6 8
Gentlemen Usher of the Privy Chamber:
Sir Drew Drury, Knight 30 0 0
Grooms of the Privy Chamber:
Thomas Ashley 20 0 0
Henry Sackford 20 0 0
John Baptiste 20 0 0
Thomas Knevett 20 0 0
Edward Carey 20 0 0
Thomas George 20 0 0
William Killigrew 20 0 0
---------
Summa Totalis 673 6 8
=========
The above 673l. 6s. 8d. was the whole sum paid out of the privy purse;
but it is to be borne in mind that these persons were allowed diet and
lodging in the Court, so that, after all, the payments were not quite
as insignificant as they may at first seem. Whatever also may have
been the case with the ladies, it is certain that the gentlemen had
other sources of emolument derived from the Crown, such as monopolies,
valuable grants of royal domains, leases of customs, &c., which
altogether made up an ample income. Sir Christopher Hatton, for
instance, could not have built Holdenby out of his 50l. a year as
Gentleman of the Privy Chamber.