place; and
through these lines the king passed, his train borne up as before, until
reaching the table set apart for him beneath a canopy, he turned
round and received the knights' reverences. The Earl of Oxford, as
vice-chamberlain, then brought him a ewer containing water, the Earl of
Surrey a bason, and Lord Rochford a napkin. Henry having performed his
ablutions, grace was said by the prelate, after which the king seated
himself beneath the canopy in an ancient chair with a curiously carved
back representing the exploit of Saint George, which had once belonged
to the founder, King Edward the Third, and called up the two cardinals,
who by this time had entered the hall, and who remained standing beside
him, one on either hand, during the repast.

As soon as the king was seated, the knights-companions put on their
caps, and retired to the table prepared for them on the right side of
the hall, where they seated themselves according to their degree--the
Duke of Richmond occupying the first place, the Duke of Suffolk the
second, and the Duke of Norfolk the third. On the opposite side of the
hall was a long beaufet covered with flasks of wine, meats, and dishes,
for the service of the knights' table. Before this stood the attendants,
near whom were drawn up two lines of pensioners bearing the second
course on great gilt dishes, and headed by the sewer. In front of the
sewer were the treasurer and comptroller of the household, each bearing
a white wand; next them stood the officers-of-arms in two lines, headed
by the Garter. The bottom of the hall was thronged with yeomen of the
guard, halberdiers, and henchmen. In a gallery at the lower end were
stationed a band of minstrels, and near them sat the Lady Anne and her
dames to view the proceedings.

The appearance of the hall during the banquet was magnificent, the upper
part being hung with arras representing the legend of Saint
George, placed there by Henry the Sixth, and the walls behind the
knights-companions adorned with other tapestries and rich stuffs.
The tables groaned with the weight of dishes, some of which may be
enumerated for the benefit of modern gastronomers. There were Georges on
horseback, chickens in brewis, cygnets, capons of high grease, carpes of
venison, herons, calvered salmon, custards planted with garters, tarts
closed with arms, godwits, peafowl, halibut engrailed, porpoise in
armour, pickled mullets, perch in foyle, venison pasties, hypocras
jel