The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-09-11
Queen Ellzabeth's Dinner,

Atlantic for June.
l will close this portion of our sketch
of English manners " 18th an extract from
the travels Of Hentzner, who visited Eng
land in 1893, and saw the great queen 70
in state to chape: at Greenwich, and after
wards witnessed the laying of the table
for her dinner. 1t was on Sunday. The
queen was then in her sixty-f1fth year,
and ''very majestic" as she walked in the
splendid procession of barons, earls and
knights Of the garter: her face, oblong,
lair, but wrinkled; her eyes small, yet
black and pleasant; her nose little
hooked; her lips narrow and her teeth
black "a defect the English seem subject
to tlom their great use of sugar. She had
IN her ears two pearls with very rich
drops; she wore false hair, and that red ;
upon her head she had small crown, r.
ported to he made of some of the gold of
the celebrated Lunebourg table. Her
bosom was uncovered, as all the English
ladies have it till they marry and she had
on a necklace ofexceeding fine jewels; her
hands were small, her fingers long, and
her stature neither small nor low; her air
was stately, her mann r Of speaking mild
and obllglng. That day she was dressed
in White silk, bordercd with pearls of the
size Of beans, and over it a
mantle Of black silk, shot with silver
threads; her train was very long. and the
END Of it borne by marchioness; instead
Of a chain she had an oblong collar OF
gold and jewels AS she swept on in
this magnifcence, she spoke graciously
first 10 one, then to another, and always
IN the language of any foreigner she ad.
dressed; whoever spoke to her knecled
and wherever she turned her face, as she
was going along, everybody fell down on
his knees. When she pulled off her glove
to give her hand to be kissed, it was seer
to he sparkling with rings and jewels
The ladies of the court, handsome and
we'll shaped, followed, dressed for the
most part in white; and on either side
she was guarded by fifty gentlemen pen
sioners, with gilt battle-axes. In the an
tc-chapel, where she graciously received
petitions, there was an acclaim of "Lone
live Queen Elizabeth!' to whom she an
swered: II thank you, my good people.
Tee music in the chapel was excellen,
and the whole service was over in half ar
hour. This is Hentzncr's description q
the setting out Of her table:
IA gentleman entered the room bear
ing rod, aud along with him another
who had t>ble-cloth, which, after they
haa both knee!ed three times, he spreac
upon the table. Then came two others
one with rod again, the other with {
salt~cellar, a plate and bread; and whe1
they had kneeled as the others had done
and placed what was brought upon the ia
BILE they two retired With the same cerc
monies performed by the first. At last
came an unmarried lady TIVE arc told she
was countess) and along with her mar
ricd one, bearing tasting-knife: the for
MGR was dressed in white silk, who, when
she had FRUSTRATED herself three times, in
the most graceful manner approached the
table, and rubbed the plates with bread
and salt, with as much awe as if the queen
had been present. When they had waited
there little while, the yeonlen of the
Guard entered, barchcaded. clothed in
scarlet, With golden rose upon their
backs, bringing in at each turn course
of twenty -four dishes, served in plate most
OF them gilt; these dishes were received
by gentleman in the same order they
were brought, and placed upon the table,
while the lady faster gave to each Of the
guard mouthful to cot, Of the particula.
dish he had brought, for fear Of any pol
son. During the time that t. is guard,
hich consists of the tallest and stoutest
men that can lie found in all England, be-
ing carefully selected for this service,
were bringing dinner, twelve trumpets
and two kettle. drums made the hall ring
for half an hour together. At the end Of
all this ceremonial, number Of unmar-
ried ladies appeared, who with particular
solemnity lifted the meat off the table,
and Conveyed it into the queens inner
and most private cham Der, where, after
she had chosen for herself, the rest goes
to the ladies' Of the court
The queen dinned ana supped alone,
with very few attendants.