silver were called beakers, or
tankards, beer-bowls, or wine-bowls. These latter vessels were made also
of humbler metal. A sneaker was a small drinking-glass, used by moderate
drinkers--sneak-cups they were called.

The Pilgrims may have had a few mugs and jugs of coarse earthen ware. A
large invoice of Portuguese "road ware" was sent to the Maine settlers
in 1634, and proved thoroughly unsuitable and undurable; but probably no
china--not even Delft ware--came over on the Mayflower. For when the
Pilgrims made their night trip through the Delft-producing cities, no
such wares were seen on the tables of plebeian persons. Early mentions
of china are in the estate of President John Davenport in 1648--"Cheney
L5," and of Martha Coteymore in 1647.

Earthen ware, Green ware, Lisbon ware, Spanish platters, are mentioned
in early inventories; but I am sure neither china ware nor earthen ware
was plentiful in early days; nor was china much known till Revolutionary
times.

The table furnishings of the New England planters consisted largely of
wooden trenchers, and these trenchers were employed for many years.
Sometimes they were simply square blocks of wood whittled out by hand.
From a single trencher two persons--two children, or a man and wife--ate
their meals. It was a really elegant household that furnished a trencher
apiece for each diner. Trenchers were of quite enough account to be left
by name in early wills, even in those of wealthy colonists. In 1689 "2
Spoons and 2 Trenchers" were appraised at six shillings. Miles Standish
left twelve wooden trenchers when he died. Many gross of them were
purchased for use at Harvard College. As late as May, 1775, I find
"Wooden Trenchers" advertised among table furnishings, in the
_Connecticut Courant_.

It was the same in Old England. J. Ward, writing in 1828 of the
"Potter's Art," spoke thus of the humble boards of his youth:

"And there the trencher commonly was seen
With its attendant ample platter treen."

Until almost our own time trenchers were made in Vermont of the white,
clean, hard wood of the poplar-tree, and were sold and used in country
homes. Old wooden trenchers may be seen in Deerfield Memorial Hall.
Bottles, noggins, cups, and lossets (flat dishes) of wood were also used
at colonial boards.

The time when America was settled was the era when pewter ware had begun
to take the place of wooden ware, just as the time of the Revolutionary
War may be ass