Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1852 edition. Excerpt: ... with messes in covered silver dishes, but after the aforesaid bishops. Ily the" king of Scots sat the duchess of York1 and the countess of Huntingdon. The countess of Kent sat under the table, at the queen's feel, holding a napkin. The earl of March, holding a sceptre in his hand, kneeled on the steps of the dais at the queen's right side; the earl marshal, holding her other sceptre, knelt at her left. The duke of Gloucester was that day overseer of the feast, and stood before queen Katlicrine bare-headed. Sir Richard Neville was her cupbearer; sir James Stuart, sewer; the lord Clifford, pan tier, in the earl of Warwick's stead; the lord Grey of Ruthin was her naperer; and the lord Audley her almoner, instead of the earl of Cambridge." "And ye shall understand," says alderman Fabian, " that this feast was all of fish; for, being February 24th, Lent was entered upon, and nothing of meat was there, savin; brawn, served with mustard." Among the fish dishes of the first course, Fabian mentions especially dead eels stewed. The table ornaments, called subtleties, were contrived to express by their mottoes a political meaning. In the first course was an image of St. Katherine, the queen's patron saint, disputing with the doctors, holding a label in her right hand, on which was written madamt la rcint, and a pelican held an answer in her bill to this effect: -- C'est la signe et du roy In this sign the king Parer tenez joy, Great joy will bring, Kt tout sa gent And all his people Ellc mette sa content. She (madame the queen) will content. The second course of this fish banquet was jelly, coloured with -lumbiue flowers; white pottage, or cream of almond!-; bream of the sea; conger; soles; cheven, orchubb; barbel, with roach; smelt, fried;...