Before meat; and when thou dost arise."
Other precepts follow. He was not to speak with his mouth full. He was to wipe his lips after eating, and his spoon when he had finished, taking care not to leave it in his dish. He was to keep his napkin as clean and neat as possible, and he was not to pick his teeth with his knife. He was not to put too much on his trencher at once. He was not to drop his sauce or soup over his clothes, or to fill his spoon too full, or to bring dirty knives to the table. All these points of conduct are graphic enough; and their trite character is their virtue.
Boiled, and perhaps fried meats were served on silver; but roasts might be brought to table on the spit, which, after a while, was often of silver, and handed round for each person to cut what he pleased; and this was done not only with ordinary meat, but with game, and even with a delicacy like a roast peacock. Of smaller birds, several were broached on one spit. There is a mediaeval story of a husband being asked by his wife to help her to the several parts of a fowl in succession, till nothing was left but the implement on which it had come in, whereupon the man determined she should have that too, and belaboured her soundly with it. At more ceremonious banquets the servants were preceded by music, or their approach from the kitchen to the hall was proclaimed by sound of trumpets. Costly plate was gradually introduced, as well as linen and utensils, for the table; but the plate may be conjectured to have been an outcome from the primitive trencher, a large slice of bread on which meat was laid for the occupants of the high table, and which was cast aside after use.
Bread served at table was not to be bitten or broken off the loaf, but to be cut; and the loaf was sometimes divided before the meal, and skilfully pieced together again, so as to be ready for use.
INDEX.
Acton, Eliza
Addington, Surrey
Aigredouce
Albans, St., Abbey of
Ale
—Cock
—Elder
—Kentish
Alfred and the cakes
Al-fresco meals
Alfric, Colloquy of
Amber puddings
Angelica
Anglo-Danish barbarism
Anglo-Celtic influence
Anglo-Saxon names of meats
Animal food
Anthropophagy
Apicius, C.
Apuleius
Arms and crests on dishes
Arnold's Chronicle
Arthur
Ashen-keys, pickled
Asparagus
Assize of ale
Australian meat
Babies' Book
Bacon, Lord Keeper
Bag pudding
Baker
—Parisian
Bakestone
Banbury cake
Bannock
Banquet, order of a fourteenth century
Barba, M.
Bardolf, a dish
Bardolph
Bartholomew de Cheney
—St., Hospital of, at Sandwich
Battalia pie
Beef, powdered
—Martlemas
Beer
—composition of the ancient
Bees, wild
Bellows
Birch wine
Bit and bite
Blackcaps
Bolton, Charles, Duke of
Book of St. Albans
Books of demeanour
Branderi
Brass cooking vessels
Brawn
Bread
Britons, diet of the
—Northern and Southern
Brittany
Broach or spit turner
Broom-buds, pickled
Broth
Bun
Butler, ancient duties of the
Butter