Early English Meals and Manners Part 66

-- Now of marschall{e} of hall{e} wyll{e} I spelle,[C]

And what falle to hys offyce now wyll{e} y telle; 380 In absence of stuarde he shall{e} arest Who so eu{er} is rebell{e} in court or fest; ?omo{n}-vsshere, and grome also, Vndur hym ar es two: 384 o grome for fuell{e} {a}t schall{e} brenne In hall{e}, chambur, to kechyn, as I e kenne, He shall{e} delyu{er} hit ilke a dele, In hall{e} make fyre at yche a mele 388 Borde, trestuls, and formes also, e cupborde in his warde schall{e} go, e dosurs cortines to henge i{n} halle.

es offices nede do he schall{e}; 392 Bryng in fyre on alhalawgh day, To condulmas euen, I dar well{e} say.

[Sidenotes: _Of the Marshal of the Hall_ [381] He shall arrest rebels, when the steward is away.

Yeoman-Usher and Groom are under him. [385] The Groom gets fuel for the fire, and makes one in all for every meal; looks after tables, trestles, forms, the cup-board, and hangings of the Hall.

[393] Fires last from Allsaints' Day to Candlemas Eve, (Nov. 1 to Feb. 2.) [395] and thus long, Squires receive their daily candle? (see l. 839.) [403] The Marshal shall seat men in the Hall.]

-- P{er} q{uan}tu{m} te{m}p{us} armig{er}i h{ab}eb{un}t lib{er}ata{m} {et} ignis ardeb{i}t i{n} a{ul}a.

[Sidenote: _How long Squires shall have allowances, and Fire shall burn in the Hall[[15a]]._]

So longe squier{s} lyu{er}es shall{e} hafe,[16]

Of grome of halle, or ellis his knafe; 396 But fyre shall{e} brenne in hall{e} at mete, To _Cena d{omi}ni_ {a}t me{n} base ete; {er} brow?t schall{e} be a holyn kene, [Fol. 19.]

{a}t sett schall{e} be in erber grene, 400 And {a}t schall{e} be to alhalawgh day, And of be skyfted, as y e say.

In hall{e} marshalle all{e} men schall{e} sett After here degre, w{i}t{h}-oute{n} lett.[17] 404

[Headnote: OF THE BUTLER AND PANTER.]

-- De pinc{er}nario, panetario, {et} cocis sibi s{er}uie{n}tib{us}.

-- The botelar, pantrer, and c.o.kes also, To hym ar s{er}uaunt{is} w{i}t{h}-oute{n} mo; {er}-fore on his ?erde skor{e} shall{e} he[19]

Alle messys in halle {a}t s{er}uet be, 408 Co{m}maunde to sett bothe brede {and} ale To all{e} men {a}t seruet ben i{n} sale;

-- To gentilme{n} w{i}t{h} wyne I-bake, Ellis fayles o seruice, y vnder-take; 412 Iche messe at vj^d breue shall{e} he At the countyng house w{i}t{h} o{er} mene; Yf o koke wolde say {a}t were more, {a}t is o cause {a}t he hase hit in skore. 416 e panter[18] also yf he wolde stryfe, For rewarde {a}t sett schall{e} be be-lyue.

When brede faylys at borde aboute, The marshall{e} gares sett w{i}t{h}-oute{n} doute 420 More brede, {a}t calde is a rewarde, So shall{e} h{i}t be preuet be-fore stuarde.

[Sidenotes: _Of the Butler, Panter, and Cooks serving him._ [405] They are the Marshal's servants. [406] He shall score up all messes served, and order bread and ale for men, but wine for gentlemen. [413] Each mess shall be reckoned at 6d. [415] and be scored up to prevent the cook's cheating. [419] If bread runs short, the Marshal orders more, 'a reward.']

-- De offic{i}o pinc{er}narij.[19]

-- Botler shall{e} sett for yche a messe A pot, a lofe, w{i}t{h}-oute{n} distresse; 424 Botler, pantrer, felawes ar ay, Reken hom to-gedur full{e} wel y may.

The marshall{e} shall{e} herber all{e} men in fere, That ben of court of any mestere; 428 Saue e lordys chamb{ur}, o wadrop to, o vssher of chamb{ur} schall{e} tent o two.

[Sidenotes: _Of the Butler's duties._ [423] He shall put a pot and loaf to each mess. [425] He is the panter's mate. [427] The Marshal shall see to men's lodging.

[429] The Lord's Chamber and Wardrobe are under the Usher of the Chamber.]

-- De hostiario {et} suis s{er}uientib{us}.[20]

-- Speke I wylle A lytull{e} qwyle Of vssher of chambur, w{i}t{h}-oute{n} gyle. 432 {er} is gentylme{n}, ?omo{n}-vssher also, Two gromes at o lest, A page {er}-to.

[Sidenotes: _Of the Usher and Grooms of the Chamber._ [432] 1. Usher, 2. Yeoman-usher, 3. Two grooms and a Page.]

[Headnote: OF THE GROOMS AND USHER OF THE CHAMBER.]

-- De Offic{i}o garc{i}onu{m}.[21]

-- Gromes palett{is} shyn fyle {and} make liter{e},[22]

ix fote on lengthe w{i}t{h}-out diswer{e}; 436 vij fote y-wys. .h.i.t shall{e} be brode, Wele wat{er}ed, I-wrythen, be craft y-trode, Wyspes drawen out at fete {and} syde, Wele wrethyn and t{ur}nyd a-?ayne {a}t tyde; 440 On legh vnsonken hit shall{e} be made, To o gurdylstode hegh on lengthe {and} brade.

For lordys two beddys schall{e} be made, Bothe vtter and inner, so G.o.d me glade, 444 {a}t henget shall{e} be w{i}t{h} hole sylo{ur},[23]

W{i}t{h} crochett{is}[24] and loupys sett on lyour;[25]

-- o valance on fylour[26] shall{e} henge w{i}t{h} wy{n}, iij curteyns stre?t drawen w{i}t{h}-inne, 448 {a}t reche schall{e} euen to grounde a-boute, No{er} mor{e}, no{er} lesse, w{i}t{h}-oute{n} doute; He strykes hom vp w{i}t{h} forket wande, And lappes vp fast a-boute e lyft hande; 452 o knop vp turnes, and closes on ry?t,

-- As bolde by nek {a}t henges full{e} ly?t. [Fol. 20.]

o count{ur}pynt he lays on beddys fete, Qwysshenes on sydes shyn lye full{e} mete. 456 Tapet{is}[27] of spayne on flor{e} by syde, {a}t sprad shyn be for pompe and pryde; o chambur sydes ry?t to o dor{e}, He henges w{i}t{h} tapet{is} {a}t ben full{e} stor{e}; 460 And fuel to chymne hym fall{e} to gete, And screnes in clof to y-saue o hete Fro o lorde at mete when he is sett; Borde, trestuls, and fourmes, w{i}t{h}-oute{n} let, 464

-- Alle thes ynges kepe schall{e} he, And wat{er} in chafer for laydyes fre; iij p{er}chers of wax en shall{e} he fet, A-boue o chymne {a}t be sett 468 In syce[28]; ichon from o{er} shall{e} be e lenghthe of o{er} {a}t me{n} may se,[[28a]]

To brenne, to voide, {a}t dronkyn is, O{er} ellis I wote he dose Amys. 472 o vssher alle-way shall{e} sitt at dor{e} At mete, and walke schall{e} on e flor{e}, To se at all{e} be s{er}uet on ry?t, at is his office be day {and} ny?t, 476 And byd set borde when tyme schall{e} be, And take hom vp when tyme ses he.

-- The wardrop[29] he herbers and eke of chamb{ur} Ladyes w{i}t{h} bedys of corall{e} and lamb{ur}, 480 o vsshere schall{e} bydde o wardroper{e} Make redy for all{e} ny?t be-for{e} e fere; en bryng{is} he forthe ny?t gou{n} also, And spredys a tapet and qwysshens two, 484 He layes hom en opon a fourme, And foteshete {er}-on {and} hit returne.

-- o lorde schall{e} skyft hys gown at ny?t, Syttand on foteshete tyl he be dy?t. 488 en vssher gose to o botre, "Haue in for all{e} ny?t, syr," says he; Fyrst to e chaundeler he schall{e} go, To take a tortes ly?t hym fro; 492

-- Bothe wyne and ale he tase indede, o botler says, w{i}t{h}-outen drede, No mete for mo{n} schall{e} sayed[30] be, Bot for kynge or prynce or duke so fre; 496 For heiers of paraunce also y-wys, Mete shall{e} be sayed, now thenkys on this.

en to pantre he hy?es be-lyue,

-- "Syrs, haue in w{i}t{h}-oute{n} stryffe;" 500 Manchet and chet[31] bred he shalle take, o panter{e} a.s.sayes at h{i}t be bake; A mort{er} of wax ?et will{e} he bryng, Fro chamb{ur}, syr, w{i}t{h}-out lesyng; 504 {a}t alle ny?t brennes in ba.s.syn cler{e}, To saue o chamb{ur} on ny?t for fyre.

-- en ?omo{n} of chambur shynne voyde w{i}t{h} ryme, The torches han holden wele {a}t tyme; 508 Tho chamb{ur} dore stekes o vssher thenne, W{i}t{h} p{re}ket and tortes {a}t conne brenne; Fro cupborde he brynges both{e} brede {and} wyne, And fyrst a.s.sayes. .h.i.t wele a[nd] fyne. 512 But fyrst e lorde shall{e} va.s.she I-wys, Fro o fyr hous when he come{n} is; [Fol. 21.]

en kneles e vssher {and} gyfes hym drynke, Brynges hym in bed wher{e} he shall{e} wynke; 516 In strong styd on palet he lay, At home tase lefe {and} gose his way; ?omo{n} vssher be-for{e} e dore, In vttur chamb{ur} lies on e flore. 520

[Sidenotes: _The Duties of the Grooms of the Chamber._ [435] They shall make palets of litter 9 ft. long, 7 broad, watered, twisted, trodden, with wisps at foot and side, twisted and turned back; from the floor-level to the waist. [443] For lords, 2 beds, outer and inner, hung with hangings, hooks and eyes set on the binding; the valance hanging on a rod (?), four curtains reaching to the ground; these he takes up with a forked rod. [455] The counterpane is laid at the foot, cushions on the sides, tapestry on the floor and sides of the room. [461] The Groom gets fuel, and screens. [463] The Groom keeps the table, trestles, and forms for dinner; and water in a heater. [467] He puts 3 wax-lights over the chimney, all in different syces.

[473] _The Usher of the Chamber_ walks about and sees that all is served right, [477] orders the table to be set and removed, takes charge of the Wardrobe and Bedchamber, bids the _Wardroper_ get all ready before the fire, nightgown, carpet, 2 cushions, a form with a footsheet over it; on which the lord changes his gown.

[489] The Usher orders what's wanted from the b.u.t.tery: a link from the Chandler, and ale and wine. [495] (No meat shall be a.s.sayed except for King, Prince, Duke or Heirs-apparent.) [498] From the Pantry the Usher takes fine and coa.r.s.e bread, and a wax-light that burns all night in a basin. [507] (The Yeoman-Usher removes the torches.) [509] The Usher puts lights on the Bedroom door, brings bread and wine, (the lord washing first,) offers the drink kneeling; puts his lord to bed, and then goes home himself. The Yeoman-Usher sleeps at the Lord's door.]

[Headnote: OF THE STEWARD.]

-- De seneschallo.[32]

-- Now speke I wyll{e} of o stuarde als,

[Text note: [D MS. _and_]]

Few ar trew, but fele ar[D] fals.

o clerke of kechyn, countrollo{ur}, Stuarde, c.o.ke, and surueyour, 524 a.s.sente{n} in counsell{e}, w{i}t{h}-oute{n} skorne, How o lorde schall{e} fare at mete o morne.

Yf any deyntethe in countre be, o stuarde schewes h{i}t to o lorde so fre, 528 And gares by hyt for any cost, Hit wer{e} grete syn and hit wer{e} lost.

Byfore e cours o stuarde comes en, e seruer h{i}t next of alle kyn me{n} 532 Mays way and stondes by syde, Tyl all{e} be s{er}ued at {a}t tyde.

At countyng stuarde schall{e} ben, Tylle all{e} be breuet of wax so grene, 536 Wrytten in-to bokes, w{i}t{h}-out let, {a}t be-fore in tabuls hase ben sett, Tyl countes also {er}-on ben cast, And somet vp holy at o last. 540

[Sidenotes: _Of the Steward._ [522] Few are true, but many false. He, the clerk, cook and surveyor consult over their Lord's dinner. [527] Any dainty that can be had, the Steward buys. [531] Before dishes are put on, the Steward enters first, then the Server. [535] The Steward shall post into books all accounts written on tablets, and add them up.]