The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1892-09-16
HISTORY OF TABLE UTENSILS.

us in the first place, speak of the table
itself. Everyone knows that the Romans
took their meals lying upon very low
couches that somewhat resembled what
we call lounge. When we say that
they lay down, our statement is now ex-
actly accurate, since cushions permitted
them to change position frequently, for
it would have been very difficult for
them to abandon themselves to the pleas
ures of the table in constantly occupying
horizontal position.
When Gaul was conquered by the Ro-
mans, the latter introduced their habits
into the provinces subdued by them, and
it was not till about the time of Charlie
magne that the guests at a repast seated
themselves upon cushions around
stand in order to take their meals. At
the homes of the great, these cushions
and stands were relatively elegant as re.
CARDS decoration. The table made its
appearance later on, in the middle ages,
accompanied with benches provided with
backs, which were placed all around the
board. At first, the table was not cover
ed with cloth, and napkins likewise
were unknown. The first that mention
is made of were manufactured at Reims,
and offered to Charles VII at the time
he was crowned there, thanks to Joan of
Arc. They became quite common under
Charles V. and Frances L.
The Greeks and Romans were acquaint-
ed with plates, or rather with sort of
porringer, and yet, during a portion of
the middle ages, people made use of
slices of bread cut round, which took the
place of plates. This practice is again
spoken of in the coronation ceremonies
of Louis XII, at the beginning of the
sixteenth century. After the repast this
bread was given to the poor.
The spoon must date back to very
ancient epoch, for, although it is always
possible to eat solid food with the fingers
"a very ancient and very natural prac-
tice-the same is not the case with a
liquid or semi-solid aliment, and it is not
possible that the famous Lacedemonian
black broth was consumed otherwise
than with sort of spoon. Moreover,
spoons have been found at POmpeii and
in several excavations and notable in the
famous treasury of Hildesheim. In a
much remoter antiquity, the Egyptians,
in the seventeenth century before the
Christian era, used spoons for mixing
certain powders with beverages. These
spoons, of which quite a large number
are in existence, were remarkable for
their generally fine and very rich orna-
mentation. The Museum of the Louvre
possesses several of them.
The use of spoons in France was not
generally adopted until toward the end
of the fourteenth century, but there is
question of this in the will of st. Remi,
who baptized Clovis in 496.
The use of the knife is very ancient,
and the first we know of we're of hard
stone. Herodotus tells us that the
knives used by the Egyptian surgeons
were likewise of stone. Yet the use of
the knife among us as table utensil
does not date back to very ancient
epoch Although there was famous
cutlery works at Beauvais in the tenth
century, it does not appear that the knife
was much used upon the table. At this
epoch, and for very long time, the
blade was fixed and iDclosed in sheath.
1t is not two centuries since the use of
clasp knives became common. The
tables were not provided with them, and
each person carried his own.
The fork was absolutely unknown to
the Greeks and Romans, who, for taking
their solid food, used their fingers, which |
they washed in basins The meats were
served cut in. pieces of varying size, and |
eacn one divided the piece that he had |
before him as best he could with his |
fingers.
In the middle ages, the fork appeared |
only as a curiosity, and the use of it was
not as yet the same as that to which it is |
now put. 1t was employed for eating
fruit or slices of bread and cheese.
We find few forks. figuring in the
treasury of John H., Duke OF Burgundy;
and Galveston, a favorite of Edward IL,
OF England, owned, says historian of
VIZ NJ ell
three forks for eating pears with. Again,
we find quite numerous traces of the ex
istence of forks in the middle ages, but
they were never used for eating meat.
At this epoch they had but two tines,
and it is from that circumstance that is
derived their name.
Henry Ill. was the first to use forks
upon the table. He had a certain num-
Der OF silver ones made, and the use of
the article spread very quickly at court.
1t must be added that such use was re-
garded as quite ridiculous by the public.
Despite criticism the use of the fork
rapidly extended, and the fact must be
recognized that it was not without good
reason.
Since the remotest antiquity, cups have
been employed at banquets for the bever-
ages drank thereat. They were of metal,
more or less precious according to the
wealth of the amphitryon.
In the middle ages, drinking glasses
and cups were very rare. They were
generally mounted upon foot or stem,
Of gold or silver, enriched with precious
stones. 1t was not till the fifteenth CEN
fury, the epoch at which Venice began to
spread abroad her products, that the use
Of glasses became more general, yet, in
ordinary life, people continued for long
time to use tin drinking vessels, which
were often of beautiful workmanship,
which figured with other utensils, like
wise of tin, upon the dressers and Bullets
Of the lords. =
The custom of setting several glasses
before each person, for the different
wines that are to be served, belongs to
,he nineteenth century. In the eigh-
zenith century the glass was dipped, at :
each new wine, into small earthenware !
vessels filled with water, and which were
placed upon the table within reach of ..
,he guests.
The salt cellar dates back to remote
lines, and that is natural, since the use
If salt is lost in the night of time.
Among the Greeks and Romans it occu- :
pied the place of honor at banquets. !
Among the wealthy, it was of silver and
,old, and was handed down from father !
% son. Benvenuto Cellini chased some
or Francis 1. that were of the most ex-
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