From Turberville’s _Booke of Falconrie_, 1575.]
The custom of making New Year’s gifts to the Queen was duly honoured every year. The list of the gifts for 1562 as presented by Nichols contains the names of all the noble lords and great ladies in the kingdom, the Bishops, and the Court: nearly two hundred in number. These gifts are of all kinds: gold boxes; purses of money; embroidered sleeves; sugar loaves; ginger; sweetmeats; a smock of silk; handkerchiefs “garnished with gold, silver, and silk”; carved coffers; sleeves embroidered with gold; silk hose—two such gifts; fine glass; gilt cups; tankards, bowls, spoons, and salts; and so on. On the other hand, the gifts which the Queen had to make constantly to Ambassadors, to her officers, to the christening and marriage feasts of the people about the Court, would seem to run away with most of these presents. It is worthy of note that in all the long list of gifts of 1562 there is not one single picture or statue.
[Illustration: The Chariott drawne by foure Horses upon which chariot stood the Coffin covered wth purple velvett and upon that the representation. The Canapy borne by six Knights.
A section from a contemporary MS. scroll in British Museum.]
The following is Hentzner’s account of the Queen’s Court at Greenwich (Nichols vol. ii.):—