Beere is made of malte, of hoppes, and water. It is a naturall drynke for a doche man. And nowe of late dayes [1557 ?] it is moche vsed in England to the detryment of many Englysshe men; specyally it kylleth them the whiche be troubled with the Colycke and the stone, and the strayne coylyon; for the drynke is a cold drynke. Yet it doth make a man fatte, and doth inflate the belly, as it doth appere by the doche mennes faces and belyes.” A. Borde, Regyment, fol. G. ii.
* Halliwell says it means yeast. It cannot do so here.
† This, and barme, and bargood (= beer-good) are only equivalents for ‘yeast.’ Goddes-good was so called ‘because it cometh of the grete grace of God’: see the following extract, sent me by Mr Gillett, from the Book of the Corporate Assembly of Norwich, 8 Edw. IV.:
“The Maior of this Cite commaundeth on the Kynges bihalve, yt alle maner of Brewers yt shall brewe to sale wtynne this Cite, kepe ye assise accordyn to ye Statute, & upon peyne ordeyned. And wheras berme, otherwise clepid goddis good, wtoute tyme of mynde hath frely be goven or delyvered for brede, whete, malte, egges, or other honest rewarde, to ye valewe only of a ferthyng at ye uttermost, & noon warned, bicause it cometh of ye grete grace of God, Certeyn persons of this Cite, callyng themselves common Brewers, for their singler lucre & avayll have nowe newely bigonne to take money for their seid goddis good, for ye leest parte thereof, be it never so litle and insufficient to serve the payer therefore, an halfpeny or a peny, & ferthermore exaltyng ye price of ye seid Goddis good at their proper will, ageyns the olde & laudable custome of alle Englande, & specially of this Cite, to grete hurte & slaunder of ye same Cite. Wherefore it is ordeyned & provided, That no maner of brewer of this Cite shall from this time foorth take of eny person for lyvering, gevyng, or grauntyng of ye sd goddis good, in money nor other rewarde, above ye valewe of a ferthyng. He shall, for no malice feyned ne sought, colour, warne, ne restregne ye sd goddis good to eny persone yt will honestly & lefully aske it, & paye therefore ye valewe of a ferthyng, &c.” [Corrigenda]
[l. 194.] Neck-towel. The neck-towelles of the pantrey, ewerye, confectionarye, comters, hangers, liggers, and all that is the Kinges stuffe. H. Ord. p. 85.
[l. 201.] Salts. Other two groomes in this office [of Panetry] to help serve the hall, or other lordes, in absence of the yoman, and to cutte trenchours, to make saltes, &c. H. Ord., p. 71.
[l. 213.] Raynes. Towelles of raygnes, towelles of worke, and of playne clothe. H. Ord., pp. 72, 84.
[l. 237.] The Surnape. In the Articles ordained by King Henry VII. for the Regulation of his Household, 31 Dec., 1494, are the following directions, p. 119.
As for the Sewer and Usher, and laying of the Surnape.
The sewer shall lay the surnape on the board-end whereas the bread and salte standeth, and lay forth the end of the same surnape and towell; then the usher should fasten his rodd in the foresaid surnape and towell, and soe drawing it downe the board, doeing his reverence afore the Kinge till it passe the board-end a good way, and there the sewer kneeling at the end of the board, and the usher at the other, stretching the said surnape and towell, and soe the usher to laie upp the end of the towell well on the boarde, and rise goeing before the Kinge, doeing his reverence to the King on the same side the surnape bee gone uppon, and on that side make an estate with his rodd; and then goeing before the Kinge doeing his reverence, and soe make another estate on the other side of the King, and soe goeing to the boards end againe, kneele downe to amend the towell, that there bee noe wrinkles