In truth, nothing is known for sure about Dekker himself. There is a theory that he was a pen name created by the popular satirist Thomas Nashe in order to flood the presses with his work, each item of which earned him a pittance, and as a means to continue publishing on those occasions when the government prohibited his work. Soon after Nashe's work was finally banned for life, his death was announced and Thomas Dekker suddenly became a much busier writer mostly in a similar style as Nashe who he frequently praised.
If all of this was coincidence, Dekker might have been born in London around 1572. We have the place from his own pen. The date is a scholarly guess. He mentioned Thomas Nashe's alma mater, Cambridge, with appreciation, and gave abundant evidence of being fluent in Latin and knowledgeable about classical literature. No record exists, however, that he attended any school or university.
What he clearly did attend, however, was the School of the Streets. In the words of McKerrow,
He turned by preference to what was nearest at hand, to what was every day before his eyes—the life of his contemporaries. There is little, if any, of his best work which does not deal in some way with the London in which he lived.1
Dekker is our most complete source of information about the life of the London Gallant. That is to say, the life of the young men who came to London to see the big city and to pursue their dreams.
He obviously frequented ordinaries for his daily meals at least during periods of his life. An ordinary was a unique institution of London and other of the larger English cities (Dekker concerns himself only with London ). Like today, dining at taverns quickly became expensive. Renting rooms with board included was even moreso.
Nevertheless, a man had to eat.
It seemed that al who came thether [thither], had clocks in their bellies, for they all struck into the dyning roome much about the very minute of feeding.2
So then, ordinaries had a designated dinner time. In the early afternoon. The portions were meted out without deference to rank.
he that had the graine of the table with his trencher, payd no more then he that plac'd himself beneath the salt.3
Each man brought his own plate and even he who sat “below the salt” dined on the same food on an all-you-can-eat basis.
Also at table were a cadre of veterans who made more than a bit of money off of the newbies. Dekker called them “Gull-gropers”.
This Gul-groper is commonly an old Monymonger, who having travaild through all the follyes of the world in his youth, knowes them well, and shunnes them in his age; his whole felicitie being to fill his bags with golde and silver, hee comes to an Ordinary, to save charges of house-keeping, and will eate for his two shillings, more meate then will serve three of the guard at a dinner, yet sweares hee comes thether [thither] onely for the company, and to converse with trauailers.4
The ordinary did not offer rooms. The gallant rented rooms in order to sleep and change clothing. He may have pre-paid a monthly fee in order to reserve a seat at his ordinary or he may pay his two shillings at the door if he is willing to chance it. Ale, beer and wine filled out the beverage options. Those who had more money to spend on their daily accommodations rented room, board and housekeeping paid by the month, half-year, year, etc., at an inn. Separate arrangements were made with a laundress for personal laundry service.
After dinner the hall was open for the gentlemen to laugh and tell bawdy tales, light up their pipes and gamble at cards or dice.
The voider having cleered the table, Cardes & Dice (for the last Messe) are served up to the boord: they that are ful of coyne, draw, they that have little, stand by & give ayme: they shuffle and cut on one side: the bones rattle on the other: long have they not plaide, but othes fly up & down the roome like haile-shot5
The “voider” is the Tudor name for a bus-boy. Waiters had delivered the dishes to the table. In a noble household they would have would have served the void — the Tudor name for desert. At the ordinary, desert was cards and dice.
Many a veteran made his day's spending money from the innocent newbies. Many of the latter had to send home for more money. Some were foolish enough to sign away their small patrimonies in an effort to recover large losses.
Being bachelors, pretty much all gallants ate their evening meals at their accustomed tavern. It was this and impressive attire that they were saving up for by eating at the ordinary.
1 McKerrow, R. B. The Gull's Hornbook, i.
2 Grosart, Alexander. The Non-Dramatic Works of Thomas Dekker, III.220. “LANTHORNE and Candle-light. OR, The Bell-Mans second Nights-walke.”
3Ibid. III. 221.
4 Ibid, III.222.
5 Ibid., III.221.
Also at Virtual Grub Street:
- Catherine Gray Elopes and Honeymoons in The Tower. June 15, 2023. “The Queen went one morning to Eltham to hunt, when Lady Jane and Lady Catherine,...”
- Seeking Out the Elusive Tudor Masque. June 4, 2023. “...for new making of divers garments & altering & translating of sundry other garments for the furnishing of a mask...”
The Stanley Family Papers on the Earl of Derby's Mysterious Death. April 8, 2023. “Strange events, of course, occurred at Lathom, according to statements later given under oath.”
Queen Elizabeth I’s Heart and the French Ambassador. March 21, 2023. "The reason to delay his first audience under this pretext would soon be known."
A Brief Introduction to the Tudor Inn. February 5, 2023. "A London inn was homey enough, it would seem."
Check out the English Renaissance Article Index for many more articles and reviews about this fascinating time and about the Shakespeare Authorship Question.
- Check out the Queen Elizabeth I Biography Page for many other articles.
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