Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1859-03-24
Table Etiquette Five Hundred Years

+ Adu<C LSi4uctLe F1VC hundred Years
! Five hundred years ago, when the battles
Of Cressy and Poicters had just been, fought
---ere printing had been invented or America,
discovered, and before Chauccr had writtens
his Canterbury Tales--at this time some
philanthropic individual, whose name has
passed away into the darkness of ages. was
seized with the idea of writing a BoAezots
Custasye, or. what would be, called ia the,
present day the Gentleman Companion -,
! This curious manuscript was found ip af-.
ter centuries and incorporated with the,
Sloane MSS, which now, belong to the.
British Museum. A few years since It was
hauled from its dusty obscurity, and printed
exclusively for club Of literary antiguari-.
quarlans. But few copies were printed, so,
that the one We have in our possession may
be considered almost as good as manuscript,
The work is divided into three parts, aud
contains in all some eight hundred and fifty
lines. The first part treats of behaviour at
table, the second treats principally Of moral
obligations, whilst the third gives directions
as to the duties of the different officers al'
round great mans house. Where we hayef
to use the words of thetold author we sIafF
modernize them as much as possible.
Whose will learn Of curtasye (saith The
old writer) may find it in this book, whetfi-'
er he be gentleman, yeomah, or knaveo
When thou come to a lords gate thou must
leave thy weapon with the porter at the gate,a
and ask leave to speak with those Within
after which thou must be patient :,a, sgs.,, :,
I'll II ..For if he be of high degree, !il4E to yaa
Then him fails to come to thec; -; "a.
~i-. II he be gentleman of Kin, ~ a 's.i'sh
sui7 The porter will lead thee to him. fsyIaqs7q
fsst'Take off thy gloves and thg hood at the
hall door, and if the company be at meat sa-t
Lutte the steward, counsellor and ;treasurer,t
then bow without noise to- the gentlemen
sitting at the right and left of the hail.
Stand before the screen until the marshall
or usher bid thee sit at table, when act obi
city and decently. i- as-sa-l6 fH'5uaoh h1a
y."Pare thy bread in two, the upper crust
from the under. Cut the upper portion in-i
to four quarters and set them together as sifs
whole Gut the lower crust in three, turn
apafyH ai aaa laxcit Asfale tkz
ale, until thy mess of meat be. oferSd
lest men say thou art a glutton.ts Keep thyE
nails clean, lest thy neighbor be disgusted.t
nH. seBite not thy bread and lay it down, 34l& Ii
That is curtasye to use in town. T,.s,s 7yo,sr.
e. But break as much as thou wilt eat,
1e7 The remnant for the poor thou shalt let. ssiI
s'Eat in peace, and avoid disputes and games. 7.'f
sa tfLet never thy cheek be made too great sJ IL
With morsel of bread that thou shalt eat ;.7gi,r
An apes mouth men say he makes,
That bread and meat in his check bakes. liii 20
Donot laugh or speak with thy mouth full
nor sup thy pottage noisily. Let not thy
spoon stand in. thy dish, nor lay it on the
dish side, but cleanse it,. Soilnot the cloth
with thy fingers. Wipe thy mouth ere
drinking. Call not for dish that has been,
taken from the board : Spit not on the board
nor play with thy dog" .74T5it'@t1 III I
From the direction relative to cleaning
the nose at table, it seems poeket-handkerL
chiefs and napkins were not in fashion as the
diner is directed to wipe his fingers in his,
tlpet or his skirt: ar IA y. !s1E I,s-9lJi4n9,.
"Cleanse not thy teeth at meat sitting, uoT4 81.
With knife straw, stick nor wand, ,,,,s3 .l4ft
Whilst thou hold meat in thy mouth beware,
To drink, that is unhonest cheer; f. feoGo1GGt.
And also physic forbids it, t IL L.., ga.
And says thou may be choked by that bit; i q
If it go thy wrong throat into, 10,
And stop thy wind thou art fordo.'' = = aiiA
s.Don't tell scandalous tales at table,
don't stroke the cat Avoid fouling the
cloth with thy knife. Blow notion thy meat
nor eat with thy knife Wipe notthy teeth
with the board cloth. Lean not on thyael-'
bow, nor dip thy thumb into thy drink.-T--
Dip not thy fish or meat into the salt cellarii
Spit not in the basin where thou washest af-I
ter meat; nor spit like a vagabond at any,
time. >
PICKED UP PROVERBS. II send you few
proverbs, which I have picked up.s Ifan-
cy they are all Of the coinage Of this centu-
ry. Some have seen in print, otherssI
have only heard: II $3.50 VS. = saff.s6 -
-sst.Fierce foes make firm friends gaiyiso
Y...Half the glory crowns we see, are only
gilded crowns of thorns." ID e.;4 ~ol 1fa lin
tg,a Trust not always to brightest l. 93aGI3iur
.Know the winter moon S the ightest;''', ;'',.,.r,.,
'sGod sometimes cuts his. flowers, With =.
very rough knife" 77,. q,...,s 54a - betafqq
"a first class youth; brings a third class
age -. !, .... ,.;. --q4 ma. or
97s.,The wild oats Of youth, change into tie
btiers of manhood" 20 77z''i
a''Life is company, Death is solitude"
u"Popularity is not love-. - - brow -. ,
..The heart is often better than the head"