Of the Panter. He carries 3 loaves cut square for trenchers, and the covered 2 Carving-knives, and sets the 3rd, and a spoon to his lord. Of the Lord's Knives, (Bread, and Washing.) The hafts of 2 are laid outwards, that of the 3rd inwards, and the steel spoon by it. More trencher loaves are set, and wine served to the Duchess. 2 Trencher-loaves, and salt, to the lord's son; and 1 loaf and saltcellar set at the end of the table. Then 3 loaves of white bread are brought, and 1 coarse loaf is put in the Alms-dish. To assay bread, the Panter kneels, the Carver cuts him a slice, and he eats it. The Ewerer strains water into his basins, on the upper one of which is a towel De panetario. ¶ benne comes pe pantere with loues thre, And saller y-coueryd and sett in route; ¶ De Cultellis domini. ¶ Of po two po haftes schynne outwarde be, be spony stele per by schalle be layde; He settes, and seruys euyr in fere 680 To duches his wyne pat is so dere. He settes be-fore his son also; A lofe of trenchours and salt on last, 684 At bordes ende he settes in hast. ben brede he brynges, in towelle wrythyn, 688 Weper he seruyd be with flesshe or fysche; Layde down on borde, pe endys plyed vp. 692 po keruer hym parys a schyuer so fre; 1? Du. zijgen (door een zifte ofte Stramijn), to runne (through a Sift or a Strainer.). een Suyle a Pale or a Water-pale. Hexham. bat folden schalle be with fulle grete lore, po towelle down tase by fulle good ry3t; 708 po keruer powres wat[er] be cuppe into ; The knyst to po keruer haldes anon, bo cuppe pen voyde is in po flette,2 712 be euwer hit takes with-outen lette. The towelle two knyzhtis schyn halde in fere, The ouer bassyn þay halde neuer þe queder, 716 Quylle po keruer powre water in-to pe nedur. hat water deuoydes, of seluer schene ; 720 In þe ouer, and voydes with bothe is honde ; 724 pe fyft aboue by good lore; By hym self thre schalle he dresse, Smale towelle a-boute his necke shalle bene, 728 To clens his knyfys pat ben so kene. De Elemosinario.3 ¶The aumenere by pis hathe sayde grace, 1 covers. Parv. 'Ovyr quelmyd or ouer hyllyde. Obvolutus.' P. 2 A,S. flett, room, hall. 3 See The Almonry of Henry VIII. A.D. 1526, H. Ord. p. 154, and p. 144; A.D. 1539, H. Ord. p. 239. folded dodgily. Then the water The Carver takes up the basins; a knight takes down the towel, and wipes the cup, into which the Carver pours water; the knight hands it to him; he assays it, and empties the cup Two knights hold the towel before the lord's sleeves, and hold the upper basia while the Carver pours water into the lower; then he puts the lower into the upper,and empties both, takes them to the Ewerer, returns to the lord's table, lays 4 trenchers for him, with 1 above. The Carver takes 3 to cut the lord's messes on, [Fol. 25.] and has a cloth round his neck to wipe his knives on. Of the Almoner. He says grace, sets down the Alms-dish, and the Carver puts the first loaf in it. The other loaves he pares round, cuts one in two, and gives the upper half in halves to him. The Almoner has a staff in his hand. He keeps the broken food and wine left, for poor men at the gate, and is sworn to give it all to them. He distributes silver as he rides. Of the Sewer (or setter-on of Dishes). The Cook assays the meat before it's dished. The Sewer puts the cover on it, and the cover must never be raised for fear of treason. (A Dodge: If the silver dish burns you, put bits of bread under it.) The Sewer assays all the food: per-in þe keruer a lofe schalle sette, 732 To serue god fyrst with-outen lette; bese oper lofes he parys a-boute, Lays hit myd dysshe with-outen doute. be smalle lofe he cuttis euen in twynne, 736 po ouer dole in two lays to hym. The aumenere a rod schalle haue in honde, 740 To dele to pore men at þe zate, And drynke pat leues serued in halle; 748 Oper ellys I wot he is vnkynde. De ferculario. This wyle po squyer to kechyn shalle go, po Coke assayes þe mete vngryzt, 752 po sewer he takes and kouers on ryzt; 756 For suspecyon of tresoun as may befalle. Take pe bredde coruyn and lay by-twene, 760 And kepe pe welle hit be not sene; I teche hit for no curtayse, 764 But for þyn ese. When pe sewer comys vnto pe borde, 768 be potage fyrst with brede y-coruyn, Couerys hom agayn lest þey ben storuyn; With fysshe or flessh yf [they] be serued, A morselle per-of shalle he be keruyd ; And touche pe messe ouer alle aboute, po sewer hit etis with-outen doute. With baken mete yf he seruyd be po, 772 po lydes vp-rered or he fyr go, be past or pye he sayes with-inne, Dippes bredde in graué no more ne mynne; 3if þe baken mete be colde, as may byfalle, 776 A gobet of po self he sayes with-alle. But pou pat berys mete in hande, Yf he knele, knele pou so longe for o3t, hat on settes down, pat oper agayn 784 He barys to cupborde in towelle playn. As oft as pe keruer fettys drynke, he butler assayes hit how good hym thynke; In þe lordys cupp pat leuys vndrynken, 788 Into þe almesdisshe hit schalle be sonken. The keruer anon with-outen thou3t, Vnkouers pe cup pat he hase brouzt; Into pe couertoure wyn he powres owt, 792 Or in-to a spare pece, with-outen doute; Assayes, an gefes po lorde to drynke, Or settes hit doun as hym goode thynke. po keruerschalle kerue po lordes mete, 1 Edward IV. had Bannerettes, IIII, or Bacheler Knights, to be kervers and cupberers in his Courte.' 'The kerver at the boarde, after the King is passed it, may chese for hymself one dyshe or two, that plentie is among.. Theis kervers and cupberers them nedeth to be well spede in teking of degree in the schole of urbanytie.' H. Ord. p. 32-3. potage with a piece of bread; fish or flesh, he eats a piece; baked meats hot, he lifts up the crust, and dips bread in The meat-bearer stands or kneels as the Sewer does [Fol. 26.] When bread is wanted, the Butler puts one loaf on the table, the other on the cupboard. The Butler assays all the wine. What is left in the lord's cup goes to the Almsdish. The Carver fills the empty cup, assays it, and gives it the lord or puts it down. He carves the lord's meat, and lays it on his trencher, putting a piece of every thing in the Alms-dish, except any favourite piece or potage sent to a stranger. (To say more about the Carver would require another section, so I pass it over.) After dinner the Sewer brings the Surnape, a broad towel and a narrow, and slides it down. The Usher takes one end of the broad, the Almoner the other, and when it is laid, he folds the narrow towel double before his lord and lady. After grace removes them, lays the table on the floor, and takes away the trestles. Of the Chandler. 796 Of what kyn pece þat he wylle ete; 804 hat schalle not to be almes go. 808 To make oure talkyng summedelasse. When pe lorde hase eten, po sewer schalle bryng po surnape on his schulder bryng, A narew towelle, a brode be-syde, 812 And of hys hondes he lettes hit slyde; po aumener po oper away shalle dyzt. Be-fore po lorde and pe lady so dere, 820 Away he takes at a brayde; Awoydes po borde in-to po flore, Tase away po trestis pat ben so store. De candelario.' Now speke I wylle a lytulle whylo 824 Of po chandeler, with-outen gyle, See the 'Office of Chaundlerye,' H. Ord. p. 82-3. Paris candles, torches, morters, tortayes, sizes, and smalle lightes, are mentioned there. |