Chapter XXXIV: Prologue: 1 1 (17)

_Recipe for making Ypocras._ Take spices thus, Cinnamon, &c., long Pepper. Have three basins and three straining-bags to them; hang ’em on a perch. Let your ginger be well pared, hard, not worm-eaten, (Colombyne is better than Valadyne or Maydelyne); your sticks of Cinnamon thin, hot and sweet; Canel is not so good. Cinnamon is hot and dry, Cardamons are hot and moist. Take sugar or sugar candy, red wine, graines, ginger, pepper, cinnamon, spice, and turnesole, and put each powder in a bladder by itself. Hang your straining-bags so that they mayn’t touch,--first bag a gallon, others a pottle. Put the powders in two or three gallons of red wine; then into the runner, the second bag, (tasting and trying it now and then), and the third vessel. If it’s not right, add cinnamon, ginger, or sugar, as wanted. If it’s not right, add cinnamon, ginger, or sugar, as wanted. Mind you keep tasting it. Strain it through bags of fine cloth, hooped at the mouth, the first holding a gallon, the others a pottle, and each with a basin under it. The Ypocras is made. Use the dregs in the kitchen. Put the Ypocras in a tight clean vessel, and serve it with wafers.

_The Buttery._ Keep all cups, &c., clean. Don’t serve ale till it’s five days old. Be civil and obliging, and give no one stale drink.

_To lay the cloth_, &c. Wipe the table. Put a cloth on it (a cowche); you take one end, your mate the other; lay the fold of the second cloth(?) on the outer edge of the table, that of the third cloth(?) on the inner. Cover your cupboard with a diaper towel, put one round your neck, one side on your left arm with your sovereign’s napkin; on that, eight loaves to eat, and three or four trencher loaves: in your left the salt-cellar. In your right hand, spoons and knives. Put the Salt on the right of your lord; on its left, a trencher or two; on their left, a knife, then white rolls, and beside them a spoon folded in a napkin. Cover all up. At the other end set a Salt and two trenchers.

_How to wrap up your lord’s bread in a stately way._ Cut your loaves all equal. Take a towel two and a half yards long by the ends, fold up a handful from each end, and in the middle of the folds lay eight loaves or buns, bottom to bottom; put a wrapper on the top, twist the ends of the towel together, smooth your wrapper, and quickly open the end of it before your lord. After your lord’s lay the other tables. Deck your cupboard with plate, your washing-table with basins, &c. Have plenty of napkins, &c., and your pots clean. Make the _Surnape_ with a cloth under a double napkin. Fold the two ends of your towel, and one of the cloth, a foot over, and lay it smooth for your lord to wash with. The marshal must slip it along the table, and pull it smooth. Then raise the upper part of the towel, and lay it even, so that the Sewer (arranger of dishes) may make a state. When your lord has washed, take up the Surnape with your two arms, and carry it back to the Ewery. Carry a towel round your neck. Uncover your bread; see that all diners have knife, spoon, and napkin. Bow when you leave your lord. Take eight loaves from the bread-cloth, and put four at each end. Lay for as many persons as the Sewer has set potages for, and have plenty of bread and drink. Be lively and soft-spoken, clean and well dressed. Don’t spit or put your fingers into cups. Stop all blaming and backbiting, and prevent complaints.

_General Directions for Behaviour._ Don’t claw your back as if after a flea; or your head, as if after a louse. See that your eyes are not blinking and watery. Don’t pick your nose, or let it drop, or blow it too loud, or twist your neck. Don’t claw your cods, rub your hands, pick your ears, retch, or spit too far. Don’t tell lies, or squirt with your mouth, gape, pout, or put your tongue in a dish to pick dust out. Don’t cough, hiccup, or belch, straddle your legs, or scrub your body. Don’t pick your teeth, cast stinking breath on your lord, fire your stern guns, or expose your codware before your master. Many other improprieties a good servant will avoid.’ ‘Sir, pray teach me how to carve, handle a knife, and cut up birds, fish, and flesh.’ ‘Hold your knife tight, with two fingers and a thumb, in your midpalm. Do your carving, lay your bread, and take off trenchers, with two fingers and thumb. Never touch others’ food with your right hand, but only with the left. Don’t dirty your table or wipe your knives on it. Take a loaf of trenchers, and with the edge of your knife raise a trencher, and lay it before your lord; lay four trenchers four-square, and another on the top. Take a loaf of light bread, pare the edges, cut the upper crust for your lord, and don’t touch it after it’s trimmed. Keep your table clean.

_Indigestibilities._ You must know what meat is indigestible, and what sauces are wholesome. These things are indigestible: Fat and Fried, Raw and Resty, Salt and Sour, also sinews, skin, hair, feathers, crops, heads, pinions, &c., legs, outsides of thighs, skins; these destroy your lord’s rest.’ ‘Thanks, father, I’ll put your teaching into practice, and pray for you. But please tell me how to carve fish and flesh.’

_Carving of Meat._ Cut _brawn_ on the dish, and lift slices off with your knife; serve it with mustard. Venison with furmity. Touch _Venison_ only with your knife, pare it, cross it with 12 scores, cut a piece out, and put it in the furmity soup. Touch with your left hand, pare it clean, put away the sinews, &c. _Partridges_, &c.: take up by the pinion, and mince them small in the sirrup. Larger roast birds, as the _Osprey_, &c., raise up [? cut off] the legs, then the wings, lay the body in the middle, with the wings and legs round it, in the same dish. _Capons:_ take off the wings and legs; pour on ale or wine, mince them into the flavoured sauce. Give your lord the left wing, and if he want it, the right one too. _Pheasants_, &c.: take off the wings, put them in the dish, then the legs. _Woodcocks_, Heronshaws, Brew, &c. break the pinions, neck, and beak. Cut off the legs, then the wings, lay the body between them. _Crane_: take off the wings, but not the trompe in his breast. _Peacocks_, &c.: carve like you do the Crane, keeping their feet on. _Quails_, larks, pigeons: give your lord the legs first. _Fawn_: serve the kidney first, then a rib. Pick the fyxfax out of the neck. _Pig_: 1. shoulder, 2. rib. _Rabbit_: lay him on his back; pare off his skin; break his haunch bone, cut him down each side of the back, lay him on his belly, separate the sides from the chine, put them together again, cutting out the nape of the neck; give your lord the sides. Sucking rabbits: cut in two, then the hind part in two; pare the skin off, serve the daintiest bit from the side. Such is the way of carving gross meats. Cut each piece into four slices (?) for your master to dip in his sauce. Of large birds’ wings, put only three bits at once in the sauce. Of small birds’ wings, scrape the flesh to the end of the bone, and put it on your lord’s trencher.

_How to carve Baked Meats._ Open hot ones at the top of the crust, cold ones in the middle. Take Teal, &c., out of their pie, and mince their wings, stir the gravy in; your lord may eat it with a spoon. Cut Venison, &c., in the pasty. Custard: cut in squares with a knife. Dowcets: pare away the sides; serve in a sawcer. Payne-puff: pare the bottom, cut off the top. Fried things are indigestible. Poached-egg (?) fritters are best. Tansey is good hot. Don’t eat Leessez. Cooks are always inventing new dishes that tempt people and endanger their lives: Syrups Comedies, Jellies, that stop the bowels. Some dishes are prepared with unclarified honey. Cow-heels and Calves’ feet are sometimes mixed with unsugared leches and Jellies. Furmity with venison, mortrewes, jussell, &c., are good. Other out-of-the-way soups set aside. Such is a flesh feast in the English way. Sauces. Sauces provoke a fine appetite. Have ready Mustard for brawn, &c., Verjuice for veal, &c., Chawdon for cygnet and swan, Garlic, &c., for beef and goose, Ginger for fawn, &c., Mustard and sugar for pheasant, &c., Gamelyn for heronsew, &c., Sugar and Salt for brew, &c., Gamelyn for bustard, &c., Salt and Cinnamon for woodcock, thrushes, &c., and quails, &c.

_How to carve Fish._ With pea soup or furmity serve a Beaver’s tail, salt Porpoise, &c. Split up Herrings, take out the roe and bones, eat with mustard. Take the skin off salt fish, Salmon, Ling, &c., and let the sauce be mustard, but for Mackarel, &c., butter of Claynes or Hackney (?) Of Pike, the belly is best, with plenty of sauce. Salt Lampreys, cut in seven gobbets, pick out the backbones, serve with onions and galentine. Plaice: cut off the fins, cross it with a knife, sauce with wine, &c. Gurnard, Chub, Roach, Dace, Cod, &c., split up and spread on the dish. Soles, Carp, &c., take off as served. Whale, porpoise, congur, turbot, Halybut, &c., cut in the dish, and also Tench in jelly. On roast Lamprons cast vinegar, &c., and bone them. Crabs are hard to carve: break every claw, put all the meat in the body-shell, and then season it with _vinegar or verjuice_ and powder. (?) Heat it, and give it to your lord. Put the claws, broken, in a dish. The sea Crayfish: cut it asunder, slit the belly of the back part, take out the fish, clean out the _gowt_ in the middle of the sea Crayfish’s back; pick it out, tear it off the fish, and put vinegar to it; break the claws and set them on the table. Treat the back like the crab, stopping both ends with bread. The fresh-water Crayfish: serve with vinegar and powder. Salt Sturgeon: slit its joll, or head, thin. Whelk: cut off its head and tail, throw away its operculum, mantle, &c., cut it in two, and put it on the sturgeon, adding vinegar. Carve Baked Lampreys thus: take off the piecrust, put thin slices of bread on a Dish, pour galentyne over the bread, add cinnamon and red wine. Mince the lampreys, lay them on the sauce, &c., on a hot plate, serve up to your lord. White herrings fresh; the roe must be white and tender serve with salt and wine. Shrimps picked, lay them round a sawcer, and serve with vinegar.” “Thanks, father, I know about Carving now, but I hardly dare ask you about a Sewer’s duties, how he is to serve.”

_The Duties of a Sewer._ “Son, since you wish to learn, I will gladly teach you. Let the Sewer, as soon as the Master begins to say grace, hie to the kitchen. I. Ask the Panter for fruits (as butter, grapes, &c.), if they are to be served. II. Ask the cook and Surveyor what dishes are prepared. III. Let the Cook serve up the dishes, the Surveyor deliver them and you, the Sewer, have skilful officers to prevent any dish being stolen. IV. Have proper servants, Marshals, &c., to bring the dishes from the kitchen. V. You set them on the table yourself.

_A Meat Dinner._

_First Course._
1. Mustard and brawn.
2. Potage.
3. Stewed Pheasant and Swan, &c.
4. Baked Venison.
5. A Device of Gabriel greeting Mary.

_Second Course._
1. Blanc Mange (of Meat).
2. Roast Venison, &c.
3. Peacocks, heronsew, egrets, sucking rabbits, larks, bream, &c.
4. Dowcets, amber Leche, poached fritters.
5. A Device of an Angel appearing to three Shepherds on a hill.

_Third Course._
1. Almond cream.
2. Curlews, Snipes, &c.
3. Fresh-water crayfish, &c.
4. Baked Quinces, Sage fritters, &c.
5. Devices: The Mother of Christ, presented by the Kings of Cologne.

_Dessert._ White apples, caraways, wafers and Ypocras.

_Clear the Table._

_A Fish Dinner._

_First Course._
1. Minnows, &c.
2. Porpoise and peas.
3. Fresh Millwell.
4. Roast Pike.
5. A Divice: A young man piping on a cloud, and called _Sanguineus_,
or Spring.

_Second Course._
1. Dates and Jelly,
2. Doree in Syrup,
3. Turbot, &c.
4. Eels, Fritters,
5. A Device: A Man of War, red and angry called _Estas_, or Summer.

_Third Course._
1. Almond Cream, &c.,
2. Sturgeon, Whelks, Minnows,
3. Shrimps, &c.,
4. Fritters.
5. A Device: A Man with a Sickle, tired, called Harvest.

_Fourth Course._ Hot apples, Ginger, Wafers, Ypocras. The last Device, _Yemps_ or Winter, with grey locks, sitting on a stone. These Devices represent the Ages of Man: _Sanguineus_, the 1st age, of pleasure. _Colericus_, the 2nd, of quarrelling. _Autumpnus_ the 3rd, of melancholy. _Winter_, the 4th, of aches and troubles. These Devices give great pleasure, when shown in a house.

_Inscriptions for the Devices._
_Spring._ Loving, laughing, singing, benign.
_Summer._ Prickly, angry, crafty, lean.
_Autumn._ Sleepy, dull, sluggish, fat, white-faced.
_Winter._ Envious, sad, timid, yellow-coloured.

_A Franklin’s Feast._ Brawn, bacon and pease, beef and boiled chickens, roast goose, capon, and custade.

_Second Course._ Mortrewes, veal, rabbit, chicken, dowcettes, fritters, or leche, spiced pears, bread and cheese, spiced cakes, bragot and mead.

_Dinners on Fish-days._ Gudgeons, minnows, venprides (?) musclade (?) of almonds, oysters dressed, porpoise or seal, pike cullis, jelly, dates, quinces, pears, houndfish, rice, mameny. If you don’t like these potages, taste them only.

_Fish Sauces._ Mustard for salt herring, conger, mackerel, &c. Vinegar for salt porpoise, swordfish, &c. Sour wine for whale, with powder. Wine for plaice. Galantine for lamprey. Verjuice for mullet. Cinnamon for base, carp, and chub. Garlic, verjuice, and pepper, for houndfish, stockfish, &c. Vinegar, cinnamon, and ginger, for fresh-water crayfish, fresh porpoise, sturgeon, &c. Green Sauce for green fish (fresh ling): Mustard is best for every dish. Other sauces are served at grand feasts, but the above will please familiar guests.” “Fair fall you, father! You have taught me lovesomely; but please tell me, too, the duties of a Chamberlain.”

_The Chamberlain’s Duties._
He must be diligent, neatly dressed, clean-washed, careful of fire and
candle, attentive to his master, light of ear, looking out for things
that will please.
The Chamberlain must prepare for his lord a clean shirt, under and upper
coat and doublet, breeches, socks, and slippers as brown as a
water-leech.
In the morning, must have clean linen ready, warmed by a clear fire.
When his lord rises, he gets ready the foot-sheet; puts a cushioned
chair before the fire, a cushion for the feet, and over all spreads the
foot-sheet: has a comb and kerchief ready, and then asks his lord to
come to the fire and dress while he waits by.
1. Give your master his under coat,
2. His doublet,
3. Stomacher well warmed,
4. Vampeys and socks,
5. Draw on his socks, breeches, and shoes,
6. Pull up his breeches,
7. Tie ’em up,
8. Lace his doublet,
9. Put a kerchief round his neck,
10. Comb his head with an ivory comb,
11. Give him warm water to wash with,
12. Kneel down and ask him what gown he’ll wear:
13. Get the gown,
14. Hold it out to him;
15. Get his girdle,
16. His Robe.
17. His hood or hat.
18. Before he goes brush him carefully.
Before your lord goes to church, see that his pew is made ready,
cushion, curtain, &c.
Return to his bedroom, throw off the clothes, beat the featherbed, see
that the fustian and sheets are clean.
Cover the bed with a coverlet, spread out the bench covers and cushions,
set up the headsheet and pillow, remove the urinal and basin, lay
carpets round the bed, and with others dress the windows and cupboard,
have a fire laid.
Keep the Privy sweet and clean, cover the boards with green cloth, so
that no wood shows at the hole; put a cushion there, and have some
blanket, cotton, or linen to wipe on; have a basin, jug, and towel,
ready for your lord to wash when he leaves the privy.
In the Wardrobe take care to keep the clothes well, and brush ’em with a
soft brush at least once a week, for fear of moths.
Look after your Drapery and Skinnery.
If your lord will take a nap after his meal, have ready kerchief, comb,
pillow and headsheet (don’t let him sleep too long), water and towel.
When he goes to bed,
1. Spread out the footsheet,
2. Take off your lord’s Robe and put it away.
3. Put a cloak on his back,
4. Set him on his footsheet,
5. Pull off his shoes, socks, and breeches,
6. Throw the breeches over your arm,
7. Comb his head,
8. Put on his kerchief and nightcap,
9. Have the bed, and headsheet, &c., ready,
10. Draw the curtains,
11. Set the night-light,
12. Drive out dogs and cats,
13. Bow to your lord,
14. Keep the night-stool and urinal ready for whenever he calls, and
take it back when done with.

_How to prepare a Bath._ Hang round the roof, sheets full of sweet herbs, have five or six sponges to sit or lean on, and one great sponge to sit on with a sheet over and a sponge under his feet. Mind the door’s shut. With a basinful of hot herbs, wash him with a soft sponge, throw rose-water on him; let him go to bed. Put his socks and slippers on, stand him on his footsheet, wipe him dry, take him to bed to cure his troubles.

_To make a Medicinal Bath._ Boil together hollyhock centaury, herb-benet, scabious, withy leaves; throw them hot into a vessel, set your lord on it; let him bear it as hot as he can, and whatever disease he has will certainly be cured, as men say.

_The Duties of an Usher and Marshal._ He must know the rank and precedence of all people. I. 1. The Pope. 2. Emperor. 3. King. 4. Cardinal. 5. Prince. 6. Archbishop. 7. Royal Duke. II. Bishop, &c. III. 1. Viscount. 2. Mitred abbot. 3. Three Chief Justices. 4. Mayor of London. IV. (The Knight’s rank.) 1. Cathedral Prior, Knight Bachelor. 2. Dean, Archdeacon. 3. Master of the Rolls. 4. Puisné Judge. 5. Clerk of the Crown. 6. Mayor of Calais. 7. Doctor of Divinity. 8. Prothonotary. 9. Pope’s Legate. V. (The Squire’s rank.) 1. Doctor of Laws. 2. Ex-Mayor of London. 3. Serjeant of Law. 4. Masters of Chancery. 5. Preacher. 6. Masters of Arts. 7. Other Religious. 8. Parsons and Vicars. 9. Parish Priests. 10. City Bailiffs. 11. Serjeant at Arms. 12. Heralds (the chief Herald has first place), 13. Merchants, 14. Gentlemen, 15. Gentlewomen may all eat with squires. I have now told you the rank of every class, and now I’ll tell you how they may be grouped at table. I. Pope, King, Prince, Archbishop and Duke. II. Bishop, Marquis, Viscount, Earl. III. The Mayor of London, Baron, Mitred Abbot, three Chief Justices, Speaker, may sit together, two or three at a mess. IV. The other ranks (three or four to a mess) equal to a Knight, unmitred Abbot, Dean, Master of the Rolls, under Judges, Doctor of Divinity, Prothonotary, Mayor of Calais. V. Other ranks equal to a Squire, four to a mess. Serjeants of Law, ex-Mayor of London, Masters of Chancery, Preachers and Parsons, Apprentices of Law, Merchants and Franklins. Each estate or rank shall sit at meat by itself, not seeing another. The Bishop of Canterbury shall be served apart from the Archbishop of York, and the Metropolitan alone. The Bishop of York must not eat before the Primate of England. Sometimes a Marshal is puzzled by Lords of royal blood being poor, and others not royal being rich; also by a Lady of royal blood marrying a knight, and _vice versâ_. The Lady of royal blood shall keep her rank; the Lady of low blood shall take her husband’s rank. Property is not so worthy as royal blood, so the latter prevails over the former, for royal blood may become King. The parents of a Pope or Cardinal must not presume to equality with their son, and must not want to sit by him, but in a separate room. A Marshal must look to the rank of every estate, and do honour to _foreign visitors_ and residents. A well-trained Marshal should think beforehand where to place strangers at the table. If the King sends any messenger to your Lord receive him one degree higher than his rank. The King’s groom may dine with a Knight or Marshal, A Marshal must also understand the rank of County and Borough officers, and that a Knight of blood and property is above a poor Knight, the Mayor of London above the Mayor of Queenborough, the Abbot of Westminster above the poor Abbot of Tintern, the Prior of Canterbury above the Prior of Dudley, the Prior who is Prelate of a Cathedral Church above any Abbot or Prior of his diocese, a Doctor of 12 years’ standing above one of 9 (though the latter be the richer), the old Aldermen above the young ones, and 1. the Master of a craft, 2. the ex-warden. Before every feast, then, think what people are coming, and settle what their order of precedence is to be. If in doubt, ask your lord or the chief officer, and then you’ll do wrong to no one, but set all according to their birth and dignity. Now I have told you of Court Manners, how to manage in Pantry, Buttery, Carving, and as Sewer, and Marshal, as I learnt with a Royal Prince whose Usher and Marshal I was. All other officers have to obey me. Our office is the chief, whether the Cook likes it or not. All these offices may be filled by one man, but a Prince’s dignity requires each office to have its officer, and a servant under him, (all knowing their duties perfectly) to wait on their Lord and please his guests. Don’t fear to serve a prince; take good heed to your duties, watch, and you need not fear. _Tasting_ is done only for those of royal blood, as a Pope, King, Duke, and Earl: not below. Tasting is done for fear of poison; therefore keep your room secure, and close your safe, for fear of tricks. A Prince’s Steward and Chamberlain have the oversight of all offices and of tasting, and they must tell the Marshal, Sewer, and Carver how to do it. I don’t propose to write more on this matter. I tried this treatise myself, in my youth, and enjoyed these matters, but now age compels me to leave the court; so try yourself.” “Blessing on you, Father, for this your teaching of me! Now I shall dare to serve where before I was afraid. I will try, and shall learn by practice. May God reward you for teaching me!” “Good son, and all readers of this _Boke of Nurture_, pray for the soul of me, John Russell, (servant of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester;) also for the Duke, my wife, father, and mother, that we may all go to bliss when we die.” Little book, commend me to all learners, and to the experienced, whom I pray to correct its faults. Any such, put to my copying, which I have done as I best could. The transcriber is not to blame; he copied what was before him, and neither of us wrote it, I only corrected the rhyme. God! grant us grace to rule in Heaven with Thine elect!

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Andrewe, Extracts on Fish: Sidenotes

_Eel._ Is of no sex; is best roasted. _Herring._ Is delicious when fresh, or salted. Dies when it feels the air. _Whale?_ Shipmen cast anchor on him, and make a fire on him. He swims away, and drowns them. _Ahuna._ When the Ahuna is in danger, he puts his head in his belly, and eats a bit of himself. _Balena._ (The woodcut is a big Merman. ? Whale.) Are seen most in winter; breed in summer. In rough weather Balena puts her young in her mouth. _Crevice_ (Sea and Fresh Water Crayfish). How they engender, and hybernate. How the Crayfish manages to eat Oysters. Fresh-Water Crayfish is hard to digest. _Carp._ Is difficult to net. _Whale._ Likes Harmony. Gets harpooned, rubs the harpoon into himself, and slays himself. Phocas. Kills his wife and gets another. Halata. Takes her young out of her womb to look at ’em. _Pike:_ eats venomous beasts; is begotten by a West Wind. Sea-Mouse Musculus is the cock of Balena. _Lamprey._ Must be boiled in wine. Mulus: has 2 beards. Orchun. Is Balene’s deadly enemy. Pecten: winks. Pinna. How he catches small fishes. Serra. Cuts through ships with his fins. Siren. Siren is like an eagle below, sings sweet songs to mariners, and tears them to pieces. _Sturgeon._ Eats no food, has no mouth, grows fat on east wind. Has no bones in his body.

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Wilyam Bulleyn on _Boxyng & Neckeweede_: Sidenotes

For saucy louts, the best cure is Boxing.

The names of Hemp. Neckweed (a halter) is good for thievish apprentices, for swashbucklers past grace, and all scamps. Also for young spendthrifts who after their parents’ death waste their all with harlots and in gambling which makes men beggars, or thieves. A life of reckless debauchery and robbery ends with Hemp. The use of Hemp to the Sailor, Plowman, Fisher and Archer.

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Andrew Borde on _Sleep, Rising, and Dress_: Sidenotes

After Dinner, sleep standing against a cupboard. Before bedtime be merry. Have a fire in your bedroom, but stand a good way off it. Shut your windows. Lie first on your left side. To sleep groveling on the belly, is bad; on the back upright, is worse. Wear a scarlet nightcap. Have a flock bed over your featherbed. On rising, remember God, brush your breeches, put on your hose, stretch, go to stool. Truss your points, comb your head, wash your hands and face, take a stroll, pray to God. Play at tennis, or wield weights. At meals, eat only of 2 or 3 dishes; let supper-dishes be light. Wear a scarlet petycote. Line a jacket with white and black lambskin sewn diamond-wise. Keep your neck warm. Wear goatskin gloves. Don’t stand long on grass or stones. Don’t sleep in ratty rooms. Don’t take cold in your feet.

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William Vaughan’s _Fifteen Directions to preserve Health_: Sidenotes

1. Stretch yourself. 2. Rub yourself. 3. Go to stool. 4. Put on your clothes. 5. Comb your head. 6. Clean your teeth. (How to keep the teeth sound and the breath sweet. Use Vaughan’s Water made after this recipe. It’s better than 1000 Dentrifices.) 7. Wash. The best remedy for dim sight. 8. Say your Prayers. 9. Set to work. Be honest. 10. Eat only three meals a day. Eat light food before heavy. Drink hinders digestion. Use silver cups. 11. Don’t work directly after meals, but talk, wash, and clean your teeth. 12. Undress by the fire in winter. 13. Before bed, chew Mastic, and 14. Pray to God. Look at your water in a Urinal. Have a hole in your nightcap. 15. Against rheums, eat white pepper.

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Harington, _The Dyet for every Day_: Sidenotes

Stretch your limbs, rub your body and head; protect yourself from cold; dress, washing in Summer, warming yourself in Winter. In Summer wear deer’s and calves’ skins, in Winter, wolf and fox skins. Comb your head 40 times, wash your face, clean your eyelids, rub your neck well.

Harington, _On Rising, Diet, and Going to Bed_: Sidenotes

On rising, empty your bladder and belly, nose and lungs. Cleanse your whole body. Say your Prayers. Walk gently, go to stool. Work in the forenoon. Always wear a precious stone in a ring; hold a crystal in your mouth; for the virtue of precious stones is great. Eat only twice a day. Don’t drink between dinner and supper. Don’t have one fixed hour for your meals. In Winter eat in hot well-aired places. Fast for a day now and then. Eat more at supper than dinner. After meals, wash your face, and clean your teeth, chat and walk soberly. Don’t sit up late. Before bed, rub your body gently. Undress by a fire in Winter, and warm your garments well Put off your cares with your clothes, and take them up again in the morning.

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_The Boke of Keruynge_: Sidenotes

_The Book of Carving and Arranging; and the Dishes for all the Feasts in the year._

Terms of a Carver: Slice brawn, spoil a hen, unbrace a mallard, untache a curlew, border a pasty, thigh small birds, splat a pike, fin a chub, barb a lobster

The Butler has 3 knives: 1. a squarer, 2. a chipper, 3. a smoother. Trencher-bread must be 4 days old; the Salt-Planer of ivory; table cloths kept in a chest, or hung on a perch. To broach a Pipe, have 2 augers, funnels, and tubes, and pierce the Pipe 4 inches from the bottom. Always have ready fruits and hard cheese. Beware of cow cream. Hard cheese is aperient, and keeps off poison. Milk and Junket close the Maw. For food that sets your teeth on edge, eat an almond and hard cheese. A raw apple will cure indigestion. See every night that your wines don’t boil over or leak. You’ll know their fermenting by their hissing.

_Names of Wines_ Campolet, Rhenish, &c

_To make Ypocras._ Take spices; put 6 bags on a perch, 6 pewter basins under, ginger and cinnamon. (Of the qualities of spices.) Pound each spice separately, put ’em in bladders, and hang ’em in your bags, add a gallon of red wine to ’em, stir it well, run it through two bags, taste it, pass it through 6 runners, and put it in a close vessel. Keep the dregs for cooking. Have your Compost clean, and your ale 5 days old, but not dead.

_To lay the Cloth._ Put on a _couch_, then a second cloth, the fold on the outer edge; a third, the fold on the inner edge. Cover your cupboard, put a towel round your neck, one side lying on your left arm; on that, 7 loaves of eating bread and 4 trencher loaves. In your left hand a saltcellar, in your right the towel. Set the saltcellar on your lord’s right, and trenchers on the left of it. Lay knives, bread, spoons, napkins, and cover ’em up.

_To wrap your Lord’s bread stately._ Square the loaves; take a Reynes towel 2½ yards long by the ends; put it on the table, pinch up a handful of one end, and lay it between 2 towels, and on it lay your 6 or 7 loaves bottom to bottom. Put salt, cups, &c., on the other tables. See that your _Ewery_ is properly supplied, and your ale-pots kept clean.

_To arrange the Surnape._ Put a cloth under a double towel, hold 3 ends together, fold them in a foot-broad pleat, and lay it smooth. After washing, the Marshal must carry the surnape out. Leave out half a yard to make estate. When your lord has washed, remove the Surnape. When he is seated, salute him, uncover your bread, kneel on your knee till 8 loaves are served out (?) Provide as many cups as dishes.

The _Sewer_ or arranger of dishes must ascertain what dishes and fruits are prepared daily for dinner; and he must have people ready to carry up the dishes.

_The Succession of Dishes._
1. Brawn, &c.
2. Pheasant, &c.
3. Meat Fritters, &c
4. For a standard, a peacock with his tail.
5. Doucettes, Paynpuff, Brew, Snipe, Petyperuys and Fayge,
Caraways, &c.
Clear the table

_Keruynge of Flesshe._ Your hands must be clean; only two fingers and a thumb should be put on your knife, or on fish, flesh, or fowl. Wipe your knife on your napkin. Lay 4 trenchers for your lord, with 2 or 4 on them and the upper crust of a fine loaf. Give heed to what is indigestible, as resty, fat things, feathers, heads, legs, &c.

_Keruynge of Flesshe._ How to carve Brawn, Venison, (cut it in 12 bits and slice it into the furmity,) Pheasant, Stockdoves, (mince the wings into the syrup,) Goose, Teal, &c., (take off the legs and wings,) Capon, (mince the wing with wine or ale,) Plover, Lapwing, Bittern, Egret. How to carve a Crane, (mind the trump in his breast,) Shoveler, Quail, Martins, Swallow, Fawn, Kid, Roast Venison, Cony, (lay him on his belly with his two cut-off sides, on each side of him.) Cut 4 strips to each bit of meat, for your lord to pick it up by. Open hot Meat-Pies at the top; cold in the middle. Cut Custards in inch blocks. Doucettes, pare off sides and bottom. Fritters hot are good, cold bad. Tansey is good. Jelly, Blanche Manger, Charlet, &c., are good, and no other potages.

_Sauces for all maner of Fowles._ Mustard for beef; Verjuice for boiled chickens; Cawdrons for swans; Garlick, &c., for beef. Ginger for lamb; Gamelyne for heronsewe, &c.; Salt, Sugar and Water of Tame for brew, &c. White salt for lapwings, &c. Cinnamon and salt for thrushes &c.

_The Dinner Courses from Easter to Whitsunday._ From Easter to Pentecost, set bread, trenchers and spoons: 6 or 8 trenchers for a great lord, 3 for one of low degree. Then cut bread for eating. For Easter-day Feast: First Course: A Calf, boiled and blessed; boiled Eggs and green sauce; Potage, with beef, saffron-stained Capons. Second Course: Mameny, Pigeons, Chewets, Flawnes. Supper: Chickens, Veal, roast Kid, Pigs’-Feet, a Tansey fried. Green Sauces of sorrel or vines, for the first course.

_Keruyng of all maner of Fowles._
_How to carve a Capon._ Sauce: green sauce or verjuice.
_Swan._ Chawdron is the sauce for him.
_Pheasant._ No sauce but Salt.
_Partridge._ Sauce for Partridges.
_How to carve a Quail._ Sauce: salt.
_Crane._ Sauce: ginger, mustard, vinegar, and salt.
_Heron._ Sauce as before.
_Rittern._ Salt, the sauce.
_Egret._ Salt, the sauce.
_Curlew._ Salt, as sauce.
_Brew._ Salt, as sauce.
_Cony (or Rabbit.)_ Sauce: vinegar and ginger.
_Sarcel or Teal._
_Plover._
_Snipe._
_Woodcock._

Sauces for the Second Course. First Course: Beef and Capons. How to sauce and carve a Roast capon: lay him out as if ready to fly. Second Course: Potage, Charlet, young Geese, Payne Puff, &c. How to carve a Goose. Goose must be eaten with green garlic or verjuice.

_Dinner Courses from the Nativity of St John the Baptist_, (June 24,) _to Michaelmas._ First Course: soups, vegetables, legs of Pork, &c. Second Course: roast Mutton, glazed Pigeons, Fritters, &c. Serve a Pheasant dry, with salt and ginger: a Heronsewe with salt and powder (blanche?) Treat open-clawed birds like capons.

_Dinner Courses from Michaelmas to Christmas._ First Course: legs of Pork, &c. Second Course: Widgeon, Fieldfares, Chewets, Beef, with sauces Gelopere and Pegyll. Cut the skin off boiled meats. Carve carefully for Ladies; they soon get angry. Carve Goose and Swan like other birds. The skin of cloven-footed birds is unwholsome; of whole-footed birds wholesome, because the water washes all corruption out of ’em. Chicken’s skin is not so pure, because their nature is not to enter into the river. River birds cleanse their foul stink in the river. Take off the heads of all field birds, for they eat worms, toads, and the like.

_Sewynge of Fysshe._ _First Course:_ _Musculade._ Salens, &c., baked Gurnet. _Second Course:_ Jelly, dates, &c. For a standard, Mullet, Chub, Seal, &c. _Third Course:_ Bream, Perch, Whelks; and pears in sugar candy. Figs, dates capped with minced ginger, &c. All over! Clear the table.

_Carving and Dressing of Fish_ Put tails and livers in the pea broth and furmity. How to carve Seal Turrentyne, baked Herring, white Herring, Green Fish, Merling, Hake, Pike, salt Lamprey, Plaice. Gurnard, Bream, Roach, Whiting, Codling. Carp, Trout, Conger, Thornback, Halibut, Tench, and Crab. How to dress and serve up a Crab. How to dress and carve a Crayfish, a Joll of Sturgeon, a fresh Lamprey, pasty. (sauce, Galentyne with red wine and powdered cinnamon.) Fresh Herring, &c. Sprats, Musculade in worts, Oysters. Dates, pears, Mortrewes of Dogfish.

_Sauces for Fish._ Mustard for Salmon, &c.; Vinegar for salt Whale, &c.; Galentyne for Lamprey; Verjuice for Roach, &c.; Cinnamon for Chub, &c.; Green Sauce for Halibut, &c.

_The Duties of a Chamberlain._ He must be cleanly, and comb his hair; see to his Lord’s clothes, and brush his hose; in the morning warm his shirt, and prepare his footsheet; warm his petycote, &c.; put on his shoes, tie up his hose, comb his head, wash his hands, put on the robe he orders. Make ready his Closet in the Church or Chapel, then come home to his Bed-chamber, take off the bed-clothes. Make his lord’s bed again with clean sheets, and lay hangings round the bed, and windows, &c. Keep the privy clean, and the board covered with green cloth, and provide down or cotton for wiping. When he goes to bed, let him wash; put him on a mantle, take off his shoes, &c. Comb his head, put on his night-cap, draw the curtains round him, drive out the dogs and cats, set the urinal near, and then take leave.

_Of the Marshal and Usher._ He must know the orders of precedence of all ranks. A Cardinal before a Prince. The Mayor of London ranks with the 3 Chief Justices. The Knight’s equals. The ex-Mayor of London. The Esquire’s equals. Who must dine alone, who 2 together, who 2 or 3, who 3 or 4. The Marshall must know who are of royal blood, for that has the reverence. He must take heed of the King’s officers, do honour to strangers, and receive a Messenger from the King as if one degree higher than he is, for a King’s groom may sit at a Knight’s table.

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The Boke of Curtasye: Sidenotes

In this book you may learn Courtesy. Every one needs it. On reaching a Lord’s gate, give the Porter your weapon, and ask leave to go in. If the master is of low degree, he will come to you: if of high, the Porter will take you to him. At the Hall-door, take off your hood and gloves, greet the Steward, &c., at the dais, bow to the Gentlemen on each side of the hall both right and left; notice the yeomen, then stand before the screen till the Marshal or Usher leads you to the table. Be sedate and courteous if you are set with the gentlemen. Cut your loaf in two, the top from the bottom; cut the top crust in 4, and the bottom in 3. cut the top crust in 4, and the bottom in 3. Put your trencher before you, and don’t eat or drink till your Mess is brought from the kitchen, lest you be thought starved or a glutton. Have your nails clean. Don’t bite your bread, but break it. Don’t quarrel at table, or make grimaces. Don’t cram your cheeks out with food like an ape, for if any one should speak to you, you can’t answer, but must wait. Don’t eat on both sides of your mouth. Don’t laugh with your mouth full, or sup up your potage noisily. Don’t leave your spoon in the dish or on its side, but clean your spoon. Let no dirt off your fingers soil the cloth. Don’t put into the dish bread that you have once bitten. Dry your mouth before you drink. Don’t call for a dish once removed, or spit on the table: that’s rude. Don’t scratch your dog. If you blow your nose, clean your hand; wipe it with your skirt or put it through your tippet. Don’t pick your teeth at meals, or drink with food in your mouth, as you may get choked, or killed, by its stopping your wind. Tell no tale to harm or shame your companions. Don’t stroke the cat or dog. Don’t dirty the table cloth with your knife. Don’t blow on your food, or put your knife in your mouth, or wipe your teeth or eyes with the table cloth. If you sit by a good man, don’t put your knee under his thigh. Don’t hand your cup to any one with your back towards him. Don’t lean on your elbow, or dip your thumb into your drink, or your food into the salt cellar: That is a vice. Don’t spit in the basin you wash in or loosely (?) before a man of God.

If you go to school you shall learn: 1. Cross of Christ, 2. Pater Noster, 3. Hail Mary and the Creed, 4. In the name of the Trinity, 5. of the Apostles, 6. the Confession. Seek the kingdom of God, and worship Him. At church, take holy water; pray for all Christian companions; kneel to God on both knees, to man only on one. At the Altar, serve the priest with both hands. Speak gently to your father and mother, and honour them. Do to others as you would they should do to you. Don’t be foolishly meek. The seed of the righteous shall never beg or be shamed. Be ready forgive, and fond of peace. If you cannot give an asker goods, give him good words. Be willing to help every one. Give your partner his fair share. Go on the pilgrimages (?) you vow to saints, lest God take vengeance on you. Don’t believe all who speak fair: the Serpent spoke fair words (to Eve). Be cautious with your words, except when angry. Don’t lie, but keep your word. Don’t laugh too often, or you’ll be called a shrew or a fool. Man’s 3 enemies are: the Devil, the Flesh, and the World. Destroy these, and be sure of heaven. Don’t strive with your lord, or bet or play with him. In a strange place don’t be too inquisitive or fussy. If a man falls, don’t laugh, but help him up: your own head may fall to your feet. At the Mass, if the priest doesn’t please you, don’t blame him. Don’t tell your secrets to a shrew. Don’t beckon, point, or whisper. When you meet a man, greet him, or answer him cheerily if he greets you: don’t be dumb, lest men say you have no mouth. Never speak improperly of women, for we and our fathers were all born of women. A wife should honour and obey her husband, and serve him. Try to reconcile brothers if they quarrel. At a gate, let your equal precede you; go behind your superior and your master unless he bids you go beside him. On a pilgrimage don’t be third man: 3 oxen can’t draw a plough. Don’t drink all that’s in a cup offered you; take a little. If you sleep with any man, ask what part of the bed he likes, and lie far from him. If you journey with any man, find out his name, who he is, where he is going. With friars on a pilgrimage, do as they do. Don’t put up at a red (haired and faced) man or woman’s house. Answer opponents meekly, but don’t tell lies. Before your lord at table, keep your hands, feet, and fingers still. Don’t stare about, or at the wall, or lean against the post. Don’t pick your nose, scratch your arm, or stoop your head. Listen when you’re spoken to. Never harm child or beast with evil eye (?) Don’t blush when you’re chaffed, or you’ll be accused of mischief. Don’t make faces. Wash before eating. Sit where the host tells you; avoid the highest place unless you’re told to take it.

_Of the Officers in Lords’ Courts._
Four bear rods; three wands:
1. Porter, the longest,
2. Marshal,
3. Usher, the shortest,
4. Steward, a staff, a finger thick, half a yard long.

_Of the Porter._ He keeps the Gate and Stocks, takes charge of misdoers till judged, also of clothes, and warns strangers. He is found in meat and drink. On his lord’s removing, he hires horses at 4d. a piece, the statute price.

_Of the Marshal of the Hall_ _How long Squires shall have allowances, and Fire shall burn in the Hall._ He shall arrest rebels, when the steward is away. Yeoman-Usher and Groom are under him. The Groom gets fuel for the fire, and makes one in Hall for every meal; looks after tables, trestles, forms, the cup-board, and hangings of the Hall. Fires last from Allsaints’ Day to Candlemas Eve, (Nov. 1 to Feb. 2.) and thus long, Squires receive their daily candle? The Marshal shall seat men in the Hall.

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

_Of the Butler’s duties._ He shall put a pot and loaf to each mess. He is the panter’s mate. The Marshal shall see to men’s lodging. The Lord’s Chamber and Wardrobe are under the Usher of the Chamber.

_Of the Usher and Grooms of the Chamber._ 1. Usher, 2. Yeoman-usher, 3. Two grooms and a Page. _The Duties of the Grooms of the Chamber._ 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. 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. The counterpane is laid at the foot, cushions on the sides, tapestry on the floor and sides of the room. The Groom gets fuel, and screens. The Groom keeps the table, trestles, and forms for dinner; and water in a heater. He puts 3 wax-lights over the chimney, all in different syces.

_The Usher of the Chamber_ walks about and sees that all is served right, 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. The Usher orders what’s wanted from the Buttery: a link from the Chandler, and ale and wine. (No meat shall be assayed except for King, Prince, Duke or Heirs-apparent.) From the Pantry the Usher takes fine and coarse bread, and a wax-light that burns all night in a basin. (The Yeoman-Usher removes the torches.) 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.

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

_Of the Controller._ He puts down the receipt and consumption of every day.

_Of the Surveyor._ He, the steward, and controller, receive nothing, but see that all goes straight. The Controller checks daily the Clerk of the kitchen’s account.

_Of the Clerk of the Kitchen._ He shall keep account of all purchases, and payments, and wages, shall preside at the Dresser, and keep the spices, stores, &c., and the clothes of the officers.

_Of the Chancellor._ He looks after the servants’ clothes, and horses, seals patents, and grants of land, &c., for life, or during the lord’s pleasure. He oversees the land too, and is a great man.

_Of the Treasurer._ He takes from the Receiver what is collected from bailiff and grieve, courts and forfeits. He gives the Kitchen clerk money to buy provisions with, and the clerk gives some to the baker and butler. The Treasurer pays all wages. He, the Receiver, Chancellor, Grieves, &c., account once a year to the Auditor, from whom they can appeal to a Baron of the Exchequer.

_Of the Receiver of Rents._ He gives receipts, and gets a fee of 6d. He pays fees to park-keepers, and looks after castles and manor-houses.

_Of the Avener._ He shall give the horses in the stable two armsful of hay and a peck of oats, daily. A Squire is Master of the Horse; under him are Avener and Farrier, (the Farrier has a halfpenny a day for every horse he shoes,) and grooms and pages hired at 2d. a day, or 3 halfpence, and footmen who run by ladies’ bridles.

_Of the Baker._ Out of a London bushel he shall bake 20 loaves, fine and coarse.

_Of the Huntsman and his Hounds._ He gets a halfpenny a day for every hound. The Feuterer 2 lots of bread if he has 2 leash of Greyhounds, and a bone for each, besides perquisites of skins, &c.

_Of the Ewerer or Water-bringer._ He has all the candles and cloths and gives water to every one.

_Who may wash his hands, and where._ The bringer of Water shall kneel down. The Ewerer shall cover the lord’s table with a double cloth, the lower with the selvage to the lord’s side; the upper cloth shall be laid double, the upper selvage turned back as if for a towel. He shall put on cleaners for every one.

_Of the Panter._ He carries 3 loaves cut square for trenchers, and the covered Saltcellar, 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 spoon handle 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 folded dodgily. Then the water is assayed in a cup of white wood. 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 basin 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, 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.