198 History of the English Landed Interest. 



are both vessels of wine and ale, a fashion as rigidly adhered 

 to then as is the modern arrangement of serving the various 

 drinkables to each guest in turn. The lord now enters, and 

 takes his seat at the middle of the high table, with his guests 

 and family on either side of him, and two overseers super- 

 intend his repast. Then the pantler bearing the bread, and 

 the butler the cup, march up the hall together, and the mar- 

 shal tells off three valets to serve the high table, and two 

 others the rest of the diners, with drink. Each course is 

 brought in by the servers from the kitchen, and preceded by 

 the seneschal, who, while not thus engaged, stands in the 

 centre of the chief hall. Other servants take meats to the 

 carvers, and, before attending to the wants of his own parti- 

 cular table, the lord watches their service until these have 

 been placed in the hostel. His dish is then heaped up with 

 viands, and constantly refilled for distribution right and left. 

 The hostel is served with two large and full dishes of meats 

 for the grooms and two lighter dishes for the freemen ; but at 

 supper one less substantial dish with cheese suffices, unless the 

 addition of unexpected guests necessitates a larger supply. 

 This is all the food allowed, except in alms ; for suppers and 

 dinners out of hall are as a rule prohibited.^ 



A lord of the type selected would no doubt spend the greater 

 part of his time in travelling from manor to manor. Once or 

 twice a year he would probably visit the great fairs of the 

 kingdom, in order to buy such necessaries of life as were not 

 produced on his lands. Grossteste, Bishop of Lincoln, who 

 wrote a treatise on the duties of great landowners, advises my 

 lord to stay only short periods at each of his manors, lest he 

 leave them in debt, from which it may be inferred that every- 

 thing was home-grown and home-made, except such commo- 

 dities as wine, wax, and robes, the two first of which could be 

 bought at St. Botolph's Fair, and the last-named at that of 

 St. Ives. 



Turning next to the occupations and diet of the working 

 classes we are confronted with a formidable task. Only those 

 in a position to collect together the contents of many Court 

 * Vide. Les Beules seynt lioherd, liobcrt Grossteste. 



