ights.'"

Breakfast was served about six o'clock. It is difficult to get an exact
description of the customs of the breakfast-table, or the nature of the
meal, as the contemporary writers make little allusion to it. Probably
it was but a slight repast, to allay the cravings of appetite until the
great meal of the day was served. Until within a few years of the period
of which we write, the dinner-hour was so early that but little food was
taken before that time.

Dinner was then, as now, the principal meal of the English day. In the
houses of the great it was conducted with much ceremony; and among the
richer classes certain well-established rules of courtesy in relation to
the meal were observed. The family and their guests entered the great
hall about ten o'clock. They were met by a domestic, bearing a pitcher
and basin, and his assistant, with a towel. Water was poured on the
hands of each person, and the ablutions carefully performed; scrupulous
cleanliness in this respect being required, from the fact that forks
were as yet things undreamed of. The principal guests took their seats
at the "table dormant," on the dais, the person of highest rank having
the middle seat,--which was consequently at the head of the hall,--and
the others being arranged according to their respective rank.

At the side-tables, below the dais, sat the inferior members of the
household, with the guests of lesser note,--these also arranged with
careful regard to rank and position. The beggar or poor wayfarer who
was admitted to a humble share of the feast crouched on the rushes among
the dogs who lay awaiting the bones and relics of the repast, and
thankfully fed, like Lazarus, on "the crumbs that fell from the rich
man's table."

The guests being seated, the busy servitors hastened to cover the table
with a "fair white linen cloth," of unsullied purity; and on it were
placed the salt-cellars of massive silver, the spoons and knives; next
the bread, and then the wine, poured with great ceremony into the
drinking-cups by the cupbearer. The silver vessels were brought from the
"dresser," and arranged on the table, the display being proportioned to
the wealth and condition of the host and the consideration to be paid to
the guests. The head cook and his assistants entered in procession,
bearing the dishes in regular order, and deposited them on the table
with due solemnity. The pottage was first served, and when this course
was eaten, the ve