Thomas Hudson Turner

“ The mouth of the horn was not unfrequently fitted with a cover, like the old- fashioned Scotch mull. In the collection of antiquities in the British Museum is preserved a very large drinking-horn of the sixteenth century, so great indeed that it was evidently intended to try a man's capacity for wine. It is formed of the small tusk of an elephant, carved with rude figures of elephants, unicorns, lions and crocodiles, and mounted with silver: a small tube ending in a silver cup issues from the jaws of a pike whose head and shoulders inclose the mouth of the vessel. ”

“ We may now glance at the drinking-vessels of ancient days. The warriors of the north drank from horns, as did the Homeric heroes ages before them, and as the people of most countries have done where horn-bearing animals were known. ”

“ It is not necessary to lead the reader through all the offices nearly allied to the kitchen; a good larder in ancient days was doubtless a pleasant apartment, especially a royal one, when the king held his Cour-plenière, crammed with herons, cranes, swans, and venison, in picturesque confusion, with lampreys and salmon from the Severn, and some exquisite morsels of blubber from the whale and porpoise. ”

“ Quaint legends, in English or Latin, monitory of peace and good-fellowship, were often embossed on the metal rim and on the cover; or the popular, but mystic Saint Christopher engraved on the bottom of the interior, rose in all his giant proportion, before the eyes of the wassailer as he drained the bowl, giving comfortable assurance that on that festive day, at least, no mortal harm could befal him. But we may believe that occasionally art made higher efforts to decorate the favourite cup. ”

“ Arghun, the son of Abaka, ascended the throne, and he immediately renewed the relations of his predecessors with the Frank monarchs, and more especially with the court of Rome. He sent ambassadors to the Pope, and to the kings of France [3] and England, urging them to join him in an attack on the Mohammedans; and his envoys, one of whom was baptised at Rome, held out hopes that Arghun and his subjects might be induced to embrace the Christian faith. The chief agent employed by the Moghul prince in these negotiations was one Buscarelli de Gisolfi, a citizen of Genoa. ”

“ It is well known that the earliest example of a quartered shield in England occurs on the third [14] great seal of Edward the Third; hence, it has been inferred that the fashion began in his reign. Here we have clear evidence of its existence in 1322, five years before that monarch's accession. This fact may serve, in some measure, to remove the doubts which have been hitherto entertained respecting the genuineness of the quartered shield on the curious sepulchral effigy in Winchester cathedral, commonly called the effigy of William de Foix. ”

“ In 1289, the pontiff wrote to say that Biscarellus de Gisulfo, envoy of "Argon," king of the Tartars, had presented letters to him announcing that the Moghul ruler was prepared to invade the Holy Land, at the time of the general crusade then contemplated. As this envoy was about to visit England he recommends him to Edward's notice. [4] Another Papal brief, dated December, 1290, also recommends Bascarellus de Gisulfo, and the other ambassadors of Arghun, among whom was Zaganus, a Tartar, who had become a convert to Christianity, to the protection of the English king. ”

“ If these remarks be true of the Will, they are not less so as regards the Inventory, which is beyond doubt the most curious of its early date yet discovered. Both documents are preserved in the archives of the duchy of Lancaster, into which they passed by the marriage of Mary the second daughter and co-heir of Humphrey de Bohun, fourteenth earl of Hereford, and twelfth earl of Essex, with Henry Plantagenet, earl of Derby, afterwards King Henry the Fourth. ”

“ The Persian sovereigns of the new, or Moghul dynasty, were therefore the religious and political foes of all the Mohammedan races; and hence the likelihood that such an offer was really made by Abaka to the English prince. Although this negotiation led to no result at the time, and Edward was compelled to evacuate Acre and return to Europe, the policy of concluding an alliance with the sovereigns of England and France was not abandoned by the Moghul princes who succeeded Abaka on the throne of Persia. ”

“ Dugdale has so amply and, allowing for a few inaccuracies, so well illustrated the history of the Bohuns, that it may be sufficient for the present purpose to state that the testator Humphrey de Bohun, fourth earl of Hereford of his name, and third earl of Essex, the son of that Humphrey who had distinguished himself in the Scottish wars of Edward the First, particularly by his victory at Roxburgh, was the representative of a family pre-eminent among the Anglo-Norman baronage. He married Elizabeth, seventh daughter of Edward and Alianore of Castile, and widow of John, count of Holland. ”

“ It is not a little curious that at the very time these ambassadors from the English sovereign were making their way from Genoa to the Moghul court, that ever-to-be-beloved old traveller Marco Polo was bringing a Tartar bride to Arghun, by sea from China. [8] Marco and his charge found him deceased, that event having occurred in 1291; and he probably died before the English embassy could reach his presence. The death of Arghun did not, however, wholly interrupt the relations between the Moghul and English courts. ”

“ A sheep worth ten-pence is left to the high altar of the church of Neweton, and another of the same value to the altar and fabric-fund of the church of 'Eakewode,' possibly Oakwood. His widow Yda received a moiety of the testator's cow, which was valued at five shillings, and Thomas Fitz-Noreys was a coparcener in its calf to the extent of a fourth. It is worthy of note, that the expenditure of the executors upon the funeral, the 'month's-mind,' and in proving the will of Reginald Labbe, consumed something more than a third of all he left behind him, being in the relation of 11s. ”

“ Much stress was laid on this document at the trial of the earl of Lancaster: in point of law it was certainly treasonable, yet, regarding it dispassionately, at this distance of time, we may be justified in doubting the treason of its spirit. It provided that the king of Scots and his adherents should aid the earls in the maintenance of their cause ”

“ The method of roasting at these grates is shewn in the Bayeux tapestry; the spit seems to have revolved above the fire [5] . The profuse hospitality of the old time, when guests were often numbered by hundreds, rendered it necessary on great occasions to construct temporary kitchens. At the coronation of Edward the First, one of extraordinary size was built at Westminster, and from the builder's account, which is still preserved, we gain the unpleasant information that the boiled meats placed before the king's guests were prepared in leaden vessels [6] ”

“ The same Wiglaf gave to the refectory of Croyland his gilt cup, embossed on the exterior with "barbarous victors fighting dragons," which he was wont to call his "crucible," because a cross was impressed on the bottom, and on the four angles of it [9] . This was doubtless a specimen of that skill in working precious metals for which the Anglo-Saxons were famous, and for the exercise of which Eadred in 949 rewarded his goldsmith Ælfsige with a grant of land [10] . Horns continued to be appendages of the table until after the Conquest, although other drinking-vessels were in use also. ”

“ If we presume the old limners to have faithfully represented the manners of their times, it was customary for guests to throw the refuse of their plates, as bones, &c. on the floor; two or three dogs grubbing about for such crumbs are not unfrequently introduced in ancient pictures of feasts. In the sixteenth century Erasmus described the disgusting consequences of this habit, then still prevalent in England ”

“ Amongst the minor objects of personal use, which appear to have belonged to Margaret de Bohun, here enumerated, the "poume de aumbre," or scent ball, in the composition of which ambregris probably formed a principal ingredient, may deserve notice. I am not aware that any other evidence of its use at so early a time has been noticed. We here learn also that a nutmeg was occasionally used for the like purpose; it was set in silver, decorated with stones and pearls, and was evidently an object rare and highly prized. ”

“ It will be observed that the above eighteen names include some of the most considerable barons and knights who had survived the slaughter of the civil war; and some who, from their late complicity with the Earl of Leicester, may be considered to have been still suspected persons, whom it was desirable to restrain from further plots against the crown. ”

“ The three projections on the upper rim seem to have been intended for the support of a cover, perhaps a napkin, as it was considered desirable to keep the cover clear of the salt itself: "loke that youre salte seller lydde touche not the salte," saith the "boke of keruynge." It appears from numerous allusions to the fact, that the state salt was used by the "sovereign" or entertainer only; and it is not unlikely, from the great number of salts mentioned in old inventories, that when possible each guest also had one for his particular use. ”

“ It is to be hoped that at no distant time we may have a work on Domestic Economy in general, worthy of the importance of the subject. The ensuing remarks may be of some interest to general readers, to whom they are addressed rather than to antiquaries. ”

“ It appears, however, that Edward kept his word, and actually sent envoys to the Moghul sovereign soon after the departure of Buscarelli; they joined the latter at Genoa, and travelled thence with him, his nephew Conrad, and Percival de Gisolfi to the Persian court; the name of the English ambassador was Geoffrey de Langley, who was attended by two esquires, one of whom was Nicholas de Chartres. ”

“ At first their rising was triumphant and procured the banishment of the Despensers; this temporary success, however, was effectually reversed at the fatal battle of Boroughbridge, March 16, 1321, where the earl of Hereford was slain in attempting to force the bridge [2] , and Thomas of Lancaster being taken prisoner, suffered at Pontefract the doom he had inflicted on Gaveston at Warwick. On the person of Bohun was found a counterpart of the treaty offensive and defensive, which the insurgents had concluded with Robert Bruce [3] . ”

“ It was placed either opposite the dining-table or at the back or side of the dais. The form of it varied; sometimes it is represented exactly like a modern dresser, but it generally appears as a tall square object with steps at the top (à degrès) covered with coloured cloth; at its base was a stepping-block, to enable the servants to reach any vessel that might be required. We still see china disposed above old-fashioned mantels, as in some of the rooms at Hampton Court, in the style that gold and silver plate was once exhibited on the dresser [15] . ”

“ Convenience of form as well as long usage have so accustomed us to round plates, that we may well be surprised they should ever have been made angular; yet they were frequently copies, in a more precious material, of the square wooden trencher of the kitchen: at the same time circular plates are often represented in old drawings of feasts. ”

“ Having got the cloth on our table, we may take a glance at the implements provided to assist the process of eating; for many centuries they consisted only of knives and spoons. It seems extraordinary that an instrument like the fork, both useful and cleanly, should have continued out of use during so long a period ”

“ Mazer with Cover.
Mazers were of different sizes, great and little being named in the same inventories; sometimes they had covers [12] , and a short foot or stem. The early wassail-bowl seems to have been shaped as a mazer. We give a cut of the "murrhine cup," presented to the abbey of St. Albans by Thomas de Hatfield, bishop of Durham, "which," says the recorder of the benefaction, "we in our times call 'Wesheyl [13] .'" This vessel could not have been used in a very graceful manner; we perceive from illuminations that small ones were raised to the mouth in the palm of the hand ”

“ Again; "your knyfe muste be fayre and your handes muste be clene, and passe not two fyngers and a thombe upon your knyfe." In a drawing of an Anglo-Saxon entertainment [33] one of the guests holds a small fish in his hand, being evidently about to cut it up, but his attention is diverted by an attendant who has brought some roasted meat on a spit [34] , which he presents to him kneeling. At the other extremity of the table one of the company is cutting a slice from a spit held by a servant in a similar posture. ”

“ It appears to have been prepared by the executors, in the usual course, after probate of the deceased's will, for the satisfaction of the ecclesiastical court; and affords a curious view of the circumstances of a husbandman or small farmer at the close of the thirteenth century.
Reginald Labbe died worth chattels of the value of thirty-three shillings and eight-pence, leaving no ready money. ”

“ Towards the end of the fifteenth century we find numerous instances of the chamber being entirely hung with tapestry, or stamped and gilded leather; at this period the principal seat on the dais is in the form of a long high-backed couch with elbows [19] , covered with embroidered silks, although wooden forms still appear, appropriated to guests of inferior rank [20] . ”

“ In the lapse of time and advance of refinement, we find on the tables of the opulent, drinking-vessels of other forms and various names. The hanap, a cup raised on a stem, either with or without a cover; its form in the early part of the fourteenth century is shewn in the tail-piece, p. 180 ante; the cup said to have been given by King John to the corporation of Lynn is of the same species, as also the accompanying fine specimen of the sixteenth century from the collection of plate at Winchester College, represented here by permission of the Rev. ”

“ The object of this paper is to give a slight sketch of the economy of the dining-table during the middle ages, or to speak more exactly, during the interval between the Conquest and the sixteenth century. ”

“ The following inventory of the effects of Reginald Labbe, an individual who belonged, probably, to the agricultural class of life, and died in 1293, is communicated by W. S. Walford, Esq., who possesses the original. ”