1 64 THE MASTER OF GAME 



gather thither, for all they that go to the quest 

 should all come again in a certain place that I 

 have spoken of. And also they that come from 

 home, and all the officers that come from home 

 should bring thither all that they need, every one 

 in his office, well and plenteously, and should lay 

 the towels and board clothes all about upon the 

 green grass, and set divers meats upon a great 

 platter ^ after the lord's power. And some should 

 eat sitting, and some standing, and some leaning 

 upon their elbows, some should drink, some laugh, 

 some jangle, some joke and some play — in short 

 do all manner of disports of gladness, and when 

 men be set at tables ere they eat then should come 

 the lymerers and their grooms with their lymers 

 the which have been questing, and every one shall 

 say his report to the lord of what they have done 

 and found and lay the fumes before the lord he 

 that hath any found, and then the Lord or the 

 Master of the hunting by the counsel of them all 

 shall choose which they will move and run to and 

 which shall be the greatest hart and the highest 

 deer. And when they shall have eaten, the lord 

 shall devise where the relays shall go and other 

 things which I shall say more plainly, and then 

 shall every man speed him to his place, and all 

 haste them to go to the finding. 



^ G. de F. (p. 151) says " in great plenty," not " upon a great 

 platter." 



