great splendour at
Westminster, the King showing them various sports on the night
following in the great hall, which was richly hung with tapestry:
"which sports being ended _in the morning_, the king, queen, and court
sat down at a table of stone, to 120 dishes, placed by as many knights
and esquires, while the Mayor was served with twenty-four dishes and
abundance of wine. And finally the King and Queen being conveyed with
great lights into the palace, the Mayor, with his company in barges,
returned to London by break of the next day."

From the ancient records of the Royal Household it appears that on the
morning of New Year's Day, the King "sitting in his foot-sheet,"
received according to prescribed ceremony a new year's gift from the
Queen, duly rewarding the various officers and messengers, according
to their rank. The Queen also "sat in her foot-sheet," and received
gifts in the same manner, paying a less reward. And on this day, as
well as on Christmas Day, the King wore his kirtle, his surcoat and
his pane of arms; and he walked, having his hat of estate on his head,
his sword borne before him, with the chamberlain, steward, treasurer,
comptroller, preceding the sword and the ushers; before whom must walk
all the other lords except those who wore robes, who must follow the
King. The highest nobleman in rank, or the King's brother, if present,
to lead the Queen; another of the King's brothers, or else the Prince,
to walk with the King's train-bearer. On Twelfth Day the King was to
go "crowned, in his royal robes, kirtle, and surcoat, his furred hood
about his neck, and his ermines upon his arms, of gold set full of
rich stones with balasses, sapphires, rubies, emeralds, and pearls."
This ornament was considered so sacred, that "no temporal man" (none
of the laity) but the King was to presume to touch it; an esquire of
the body was to bring it in a fair handkerchief, and the King was to
put it on with his own hands; he must also have his sceptre in his
right hand, the ball with the cross in his left hand, and must offer
at the altar gold, silver, and incense, which offering the Dean of the
Chapel was to send to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and this was to
entitle the Dean to the next vacant benefice. The King was to change
his mantle when going to meat, and to take off his hood and lay it
about his neck, "clasping it before with a rich _owche_." The King and
the Queen on Twelfth Night were to take the _void_ (