Page:A History of Domestic Manners and Sentiments in England During the Middle Ages.djvu/396

 37^ Hijiory of Domejiic Manners laton or latten (an alloy of brafs), were found in all houfesj they appear to have been ftill moftly made with a fpike on which the candle was ftuck, and fometimes they were ornamented, and furnifhed with mottoes. John Baret, who made his will at Bury, in 1463, poflelTed a " candyl- ftykke of laten with a pyke," two " lowe candylftikkez of a forth," {i.e. to match), and three " candelftykkes of laton whereupon is wretyn grace me gover?ie." A teflament dated in 1493 enumerates " a lowe candil- ftyke of laton, oon of my candelftykes, and ij. high candilftykes of laton." In the will of Agas Herte of Bury, in 1522, "ij. belle canftykes and a lefler canflyke," occurs twice, fo that they feem to have formed two fets, and there is a third mention of "ij. bell canftykes." We alfo find mention at this time of double candlefticks, which were probably intended to be placed in an elevated pofition to give light to the whole apartment. Our inventory of the contents of the parlour contains "a branch of latten, with four lights," which was no doubt intended for this purpofe of lighting the whole room (a fort of chandelier), and appears to have been identical with the candlebeam, not unfrequently mentioned in the old inventories. A widow of Bury, named Agnes Ridges, who made her will in 1492, mentions " my candylbeme that hangyth in my hall with vj. bellys of laton ftandyng thereon," i. e. fix cups in which the candles were placed. Our cut No. 246 reprefents a candlebeam with four lights. It is flung round a fimple pulley in the ceiling, by a firing which was fixed to the ground. It is taken from a manufcript of the "Traite des Tournois" (treatife of tournaments), by king Rene, in the National Library at Paris, No. 8352 ; and as the I'cene is reprefented as taking place in a princely hall, which is fitted up for a fefl:ive entertainment, we may take it as a curious proof of the rudenefs which was fiill mixed up with the magnificence of the fifteenth century. In a fine illumination in a manu- fcript No. 246. ^ Chandelier.