MODERN HISTORY OF THE OYSTER. 59 



" On the joth July, 1557, himself, Master Dave Gyttons, 

 Master Meynard, and Master Draper, and Master Smyth, 

 Master Caldwella, and Master Asse and Gybes, and Master 

 Fackington, and mony mo, did ett a! ft' a bushell of owsters 

 in Anchur-lane, at Master Smyth and Master Gyttons' 

 seller, a-pone hoghedes, and candyll lyght, and onyons, 

 and red alle, and clarett alle, and muskadylle fre cope, at 

 viii. in the mornyng." 



There is also a record extant of " the seruing in of the 

 feast of the East India Comp a ., at Merchantailors' Hall, 

 20 January, 1622 (23)." In this bill of fare of provision 

 for " the upper teible, 4 messe," we discover " rost mutton 

 with oysters," in the first course ; and in the second course, 

 "boyled oysters," " dicto broiled," "oyster pie," and 

 '' pickled oysters." Then for " the 2 side tables, 14 messe, 

 and 2 messe for the gallery ;" " rost mutton with oysters," 

 " rost capon 2," whereof i with oysters appears in the 

 first course ; and in the second " oyster pie " and " oysters 

 pickled." But, though the following arrangements are 

 equally conspicuous, "The wayters, 7 messe," "For the 

 clerke and the beadle of the hall, 2 messe between them," 

 and " For the players, 3 messe," to none of these inferior 

 classes, though they were far from being stinted, is there 

 the bonne bouche of a single oyster. 



In the scene in the Garter Inn, Falstaff says :- 

 " I will not lend thee a penny." 



To which Pistol replies :- 



" Why, then, the world's mine oyster, 

 Which I with sword will open." 



And the opening of oysters was, at that period, doubt- 

 less of common occurrence. Women are now very rarely 

 seen carrying oysters in tubs on their heads, or standing 



