Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-02-06
THOSE GOOD OLD DAYS.
Ancient Table Customs OF Our Jolly
Rritisn Ancestors.

ancient Tab'e customs OF Our Jolly
RrItisn Ancestors.
A thousand years ago, when the
dinner was ready to be served, the
| first thing brought into the great hall
was the table. Movable trestles were
brought, on which were placed boards,
and all were carried away again at
the close of the meal. Upon this was
laid the tablecloth, which in some of
the old pictures is represented as hav-
ing handsome embroidered border.
There is an old Latin riddle of the
eighth century in which the table
says: 81 feed people with many kinds
of food. First | am quadruped,
and adorned with handsome clothing;
then | am robbed of my apparel and
lose my legs Also The food of the
Anglo-Saxon was largely bread. This
is limited in the fact that domestic
was called a "loaf-eater," and the
lady of the house was called a ''loaf-
giyer!" The bread was baked in
round, fiat cakes, which the supersti-
ton of the cook marked with cross,
to preserve them from the perils Of
the fire. Milk, butter and cheese
were also eaten. The principal meat
was bacon, as the acorns Of the oak
forests, which then covered a large
part of England, supported numerous
droyes OF swine. Our Anglo-Saxon
! forefatheTs were not only hearty
eaters, but, unfortunately, deep
drinkers. The drinking-horns were
at first literally horns and so must be
Immediately emptied when filled;
later, when the primitive horn had
been replaced by glass cap, it re-
tanned a tradition Of its rude prede-
cessor in its shape, for 1t had flaring
top while tapering toward the base,
so that it, too. had to be emptied at
draught. Each guest was furnished
with aspooh, while his knife he always
carried in his belt; as for forks who
dreamed OF them when nature haa
given man ten fingers? But you will
| see why a servant with a basin of
water and towel always presented
himself to each guest before dinner
was served and after it was ended.
| Roasted meat was served on the spit
or rod on which it was cooked, and
the guest cut or tore off piece tosuit
himself Boiled meat was laid on
the cakes of bread, or later, on thick
slices Of bread called ''trenchers,"
| from Norman word meaning 'to
cut, " as these were to carve the meat
on. thus preserving the tablecloth
! from the knife. AT first the trencheI
was eaten or thrown upon the stone
floor for the dogs who crouched at
/ their masters feet. AT a later date
| it was put in basket and given to
the poor who gathered at the manor.
gate. During the latter part of the
Middle Ages, the most conspicuous
| object on the table was the salt-cellar.
This was generally of silver in the
form of ship. 1t was placed in the
\ center of the long table, at which the
household gathered, my lord and lady,
their family and guests being at one
end and their retainers and servants
at the other. So ones position in re-
| gard to the salt was a test of rank
the gentlcfolks sitting ''aboYe the
! SALT and the yeOmanry below it. In
| the house of the great mobiles dinners
| were served with much ceremony. At
| the hour stately procession entered
The hall. First came several must
clans, followed by the steward bear
| ing his rod of office, and then came
long line of servants carrying different
I dishes. Some idea of the variety and
prOfusion may be gained from the
provision made by King Henry Iii.
for his household at Christmas, 1154.
This included thirty-one oxen, one
hundred pigs, three hundred and
tifty-six fowls, twenty-nine hares,
| tlfty-nine rabbits, nine pheasants,
fifty-siX partridges siXty-eight wood
cock, thirty-nine plOvers, and three
thousand eggs. Many of our favorite
! dishes have descended to us from the
Middle Ages. Macaroons have served
as desert since the DAYS of Chaucer.
| Our favorite winter breakfast, griddle
| cakes, has come down to US from the
| PARKWAY Britons of Wales. while the
boys have lunched on gingerbread and
girls on pickles and jellies since the
time of Edward H., more than 500
| years ago.