h ease, and call quickly unto his many if any danger should attack him.

The ancient manors and houses of our gentlemen are yet and for the most
part of strong timber, in framing whereof our carpenters have been and are
worthily preferred before those of like science among all other nations.
Howbeit such as be lately builded are commonly either of brick or hard
stone, or both, their rooms large and comely, and houses of office further
distant from their lodgings. Those of the nobility are likewise wrought
with brick and hard stone, as provision may best be made, but so
magnificent and stately as the basest house of a baron doth often match in
our days with some honours of princes in old time. So that, if ever
curious building did flourish in England, it is in these our years wherein
our workmen excel and are in manner comparable in skill with old
Vitruvius, Leo Baptista, and Serlo. Nevertheless their estimation, more
than their greedy and servile covetousness, joined with a lingering
humour, causeth them often to be rejected, and strangers preferred to
greater bargains, who are more reasonable in their takings, and less
wasters of time by a great deal than our own.

The furniture of our houses also exceedeth, and is grown in manner even to
passing delicacy: and herein I do not speak of the nobility and gentry
only, but likewise of the lowest sort in most places of our south country
that have anything at all to take to. Certes in noblemen's houses it is
not rare to see abundance of arras, rich hangings of tapestry, silver
vessel, and so much other plate as may furnish sundry cupboards to the sum
oftentimes of a thousand or two thousand pounds at the least, whereby the
value of this and the rest of their stuff doth grow to be almost
inestimable. Likewise in the houses of knights, gentlemen, merchantmen,
and some other wealthy citizens, it is not geson to behold generally their
great provision of tapestry, Turkey work, pewter, brass, fine linen, and
thereto costly cupboards of plate, worth five or six hundred or a thousand
pounds to be deemed by estimation. But, as herein all these sorts do far
exceed their elders and predecessors, and in neatness and curiosity the
merchant all other, so in times past the costly furniture stayed there,
whereas now it is descended yet lower even unto the inferior artificers
and many farmers, who, by virtue of their old and not of their new leases,
have, for the most part, learned also to gar