Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1874-12-25


guests, who in the more barbarous times,
tore off portion as best they could.
Afterwards, when they bad advanced
little in their ideas, there was a carver,
whe held the meat with one hand while
be cut it with the other; and the guests
helped themselves using their hands, and
after they had devoured what they wish
ed, threw the bones to the dogs and cats
that waited under the table, and scram.
bled for their share among the rushes.
Naturally enough, every one was expect
ed to wash his hands before coming to
the " board" and certainly it was need
full afterwards.
A few knives, shaped like razor, but
forks were unknown. Even the great
Elizabeth ate with her fingers. In her
reign, however, commerce was extended,
and luxuries began to appear, porcelain
and glasses instead of pewter mugs to
drink from, and in her bath room she
had mirrors, and this was considered
great extravaganza. Her immense and
lofty rooms were meager and cherries
enough with their scant furnishings; and
her table in spite of many pieces Of
| plate, was not altogether removed from
the rudeness of manners of the early
Saxons. AT first two persons ate from
one " trencher," as it was called. There
were no plates, and these trenchers were
made to answer the purpose. They were,
in fact, large slices of bread, placed be-
fore each one Cor two) to accommodate
the meat. There were two qualities of
bread one fine to be eaten the other,
of course, inferior -four, was made into
large loaves, then the outer crust was
removed and laid aside for the poor. and
the rest cut into thick and very substan-
tial slices, and thus used instead of plates
In the course of time some ingenious
person conceived the happy idea Of hay
: ing real plates. The wealthy furnished
themselves with valuable ones of silver,
and eventually the common people were
provided with such as their circumstan.
ces admitted, made of wood or pewter,
and finally earthenware came into use.
But in those days they we're all con
tent with the primitive arrangement O
) the trenchers. The bread thus useo
soaked up the gravy, and became quite
savory in consequence and when the
! meal was ended each one ate his plate il
! he chose; otherwise it was put into the
aims basket which was always KEEP
ready, and into which the leavings were
! gathered, and sent out to the poor wait
= ing at the gate--the poor we're never for
gotten in these old Saxon households.
u Every one had his drinking horn o.
s cup; usually it was horn, often elab
orately carved, and ornamented Will
gold and silver, and considered very
u valuable article among mans posses
sions. The drinking horn was some
: times lett by will as special gift, as on
would not bequeath diamond ring or
IS costly watch. In the transfer of land
J before the custom of witnessing by sea
. was introduced. the owner gave some
y thing in pledge as an assurance or tokel
of the contract, and in such cases it wa
. not uncommon to make use of the drink
: ing horn. One family held their estat
I from Canute by his drinking horn. Thi
y was their sole proof One gets from thi
u fact an idea of the value which was a
Z tached to this article of personal proI
= erty.
The drinking horns (and glasses after
I warde) we're SO made that they could no
: be kept in an upright position there
y y fore it became necessary as soon as the.
were filled to swallow their contents q
once. From their propensity to fall ove
= is said to have come our we'd tum
Z bier" as applied = :. ufihhipg-giass.
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