Thenne aftur wafers and frute spended, 22. Clear away all except the chief salt-cellar, whole bread, and carving-knives; all maner thinge shalbe take uppe and avoyded, except the principall salt-seler, hole brede, and kervyng-knyves, the which shalbe redressed in maner and fourme as they were first sette on the table; the which, take these to the pantry. principall servitours of the pantre or botery, havyng his towaile, shall take uppe, and bere hit into his office in like wyse as he first brought hit unto the Tabill.
[ [VII. How the Diners shall wash after Dessert.]
Thenne the principall servitours, as kerver and sewer, moste have redy a longe towaile applyed dowble, to be cowched uppon the principall ende of the table; and that towell must be iustely drawen thorowe the tabill unto the lower ende, and ij servitours to awayte theruppon that hit be iustely cowched and sprad. after that done, 24. Have ready basons and jugs with hot or cold water; ther muste be ordeyned basyns, and ewers with water hote or colde as tyme of the yere requerith, and to be sette uppon the tabill, and to stonde unto the grace be saide; and after Grace, hand basins and water to the first mess, and incontynent after grace seide, the servitours to be redy to awayte and attende to yeve water, first to the principall messe, then the second. and after that to the
seconde. incontynent after this done, 25. Take off and fold up the towels and cloth, the towayle and tabill-clothis most be drawen, cowched, and sprad, and so by litill space taken uppe in the myddis of the tabill, and give ’em to the Panter. and so to be delyvered to the officer of pantery or botery.
[ [VIII. Of the Removal of the Table, and the separate Service to grand Guests in the Chamber.]
Thenne uprysyng, servitours muste attende to avoyde tabills, trestellis, formys and stolys, and to redresse bankers and quyssyons. 27. Butler, put the cups, &c., back into your office. then the boteler shall avoyde the cupborde, begynnyng at the lowest, procede in rule to the hieste, and bere hit in-to his office. Thenne after mete, hit moste be awayted and well entended by servitours yf drinke be asked. 28. Serve knights and ladies with bread and wine, kneeling. and yf ther be knyght or lady or grete gentil-woman, they shall be servid uppon kne with brede and wyne. 29. Conduct strangers to the Chamber. Thenne it moste be sene yf strangers shalbe brought to chamber, and that the chamber be clenly appareld and dressed according to the tyme of the yere, as in wynter-tyme, fyer, in somur tyme the bedd couerd with pylawes and hedde-shetys 30. Serve them with dainties: in case that they woll reste. and after this done, they moste have chere of neweltees in the chamber.[14] as junket, pippins, Iuncate,[15] cheryes, pepyns, and such neweltees as the or green ginger; tyme of the yere requereth; or ellis grene ginger comfetts,[16] with such thynge as wynter requereth; and and sweet wines. swete wynes, as ypocrasse, Tyre, muscadell, bastard
vernage, of the beste that may be had, to the honor and lawde of the principall of the house.
[ [IX. How to Carve.]
to lose and tre or sawse a capon:[17] begynne at the lifte legge first of a Swan;[18] & lyfte a gose y-reared at the right legge first, Wild-fowl, Crane, and soo a wilde fowle. To unlose, tire, or display a crane:[19] cutte away the nekke in a voyde plate, rere legge and whyngge as of a capon; take of ij leches of the briste, and cowche legge and whyngge and lechis into a faire voyde plater; mynse the legge, and poyntes of whinge; sawse hym with mustard, vinager, and pouder gynger, and serve hit before the sovrayne, and the carcas in a charger besyde: serve it hole before the sovrayne. and he[20] may be served and dressed as a capon, save one thyng, his breste bone.[21] Heronsew, To tyre or ellis to dismember an heronsew:[22] rere legge and whinge as of a crane; cowche them aboute the body on bothe sydes, the hedde and the nekke being upon the golet: serve him forth, and yf he be mynsed, sawse hym with mustard, burage,[23] suger, and powder of gynger.
To lose or untache a bitorn:[24] kitte his nekke, and lay hit by the hedde in the golette; kitte his whynge by the joynte; rere hym legge and whynge, as the heron; serve him fourth; no sawse unto hym but only salte.