The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-05
WHEN MEALS LASTED ALL DAY.
Not Much Temptation 10 Travel in
Those Good Old Times.


The people that are telling others that
the viii escape from all bodily Ills II
they viii confine themselves to two meals
day think they have invented a new
custom. They don't know that 400 years
ago two meals a day was a common
programme. at least in some quarters.
A writer in the Atlantic Monthly. in
describing sixteenth century inns, says;
that among travellers in those days eating
resolved itself into two meals a day. bur
that most OF them had no more than that
at home However, as meal seemed to
be a continuous performance, lasting
pretty much all day. the hardships OF
travel must not be exaggerated.
At Berne there was a law against sit
ting at table more than five hours; at
Bale, from 10 a. m. 20 6 p. m. was the
maximum permitted, but the tswn coun-
ell was unable TO practice its own coun-
sells Of perfection, and on great occasions
finished In private.
IN Saxony the innkeeper was forbidden
to serve more than four dishes az one
meal: and there public opinion was some
check, inasmuch as it was common to
compare the Saxon dishes. served as they
were, one by one. to the tyrants OF Sicily,
each Of whom was a more fearful mon
ster than his predecessor.
Supervision over the inns was far
stricter than at present, especially in
Italy. At Lucca and at Florence all
the inns were in a single street; and in
many towns the new arrival was taken
before the authorities by the guard at the
gates before ne was allowed to choose
his inn, TO which he would be conducted
by a soldier.
At Lucea too was a department of the
| judiciary which was specially concerned
with strangers; and TO this the innkeep-
ers had TO send daily report of each
guest Yet 10 judge by the tourists
| accounts the supervision might well
have been carried further and reports
upon the innkeepers required from the
tourists.
Such a system OF double reports would
/ have been a check on the numbering
innkeeper, 20 whom there are occasional
references. A landlord at Poitiers was
detected In the middle Of the seventeenth
/ century, and at Stralesund, so runs
another tale. SEQ @ persons had disap-
peared at one inn. They had reappeared
/ il IS true-but picked
/ often before the inn came in sight the
traveller would see his Italian host Some
times the host would have touts as Far
! away as seven or eight leagues to button
hole foreigners. carry their luggage
promise anything and behave with th'
utmost servility-till the morning o.
/ departure. But with all this 10 exDec
them 10 provide clean sheets was 4
expect too much and ii was desirabl,
for the visitor 10 carry his own bedding
In many cases we find the tourist sleep
ing on a table In his clothes TO avoid INT
dirty bed Still IN italy. as a rule, yol
| shared your bed with the permanen
/ occupants only. In Spain you wer,
sure to do so; one man. one bed, was Ia
custom there. In Germany the custom
was just the reverse; in fact. If the touris
did not ind a companion for himsel
the host chose for him, and his bedfelloy
might be gentleman or he might be
carter; all that could be safely prophe
sled about him was that when he cam
to bed he would be drunk
The bed would be one 90 several 1
q room, the covering a quilt warm enoug
10 be TOO warm for summer and narror
enough 70 leave one side Of each perso
exposed in winter, That is. supposn
there were beds.