a fine appetite between noon and
nine o'clock, the hour at which the dinner was served. The aldermen on
the committee acted as waiters at the royal table. The Lord Mayor stood
behind the King, "in quality of chief butler, while the Lady Mayoress
waited on her Majesty" in the same capacity, but soon after seats were
taken they were graciously sent to their seats. The dinner consisted of
three courses, besides the dessert, and the purveyors were Messrs.
Horton and Birch, the same house which in the present day supplies most
of the civic banquets. The illustration which we give on the previous
page is from an old print of the period representing this celebrated
festival, and is interesting not merely on account of the scene which it
depicts, but also as a view of Guildhall at that period.

The bill of fare at the royal table on this occasion is extant, and as
it is worth a little study on the part of modern epicures, we give it
here at full length for their benefit:--

FIRST SERVICE.

Venison, turtle soups, fish of every sort, viz., dorys, mullets,
turbots, tench, soles, &c., nine dishes.

SECOND SERVICE.

A fine roast, ortolans, teals, quails, ruffs, knotts, peachicks,
snipes, partridges, pheasants, &c., nine dishes.

THIRD SERVICE.

Vegetables and made dishes, green peas, green morelles, green
truffles, cardoons, artichokes, ducks' tongues, fat livers, &c.,
eleven dishes.

FOURTH SERVICE.

Curious ornaments in pastry and makes, jellies, blomonges, in
variety of shapes, figures, and colours, nine dishes.

In all, not including the dessert, there were placed on the tables four
hundred and fourteen dishes, hot and cold. Wine was varied and copious.
In the language of the chronicler, "champagne, burgundy, and other
valuable wines were to be had everywhere, and nothing was so scarce as
water." When the second course was being laid on, the toasts began. The
common crier, standing before the royal table, demanded silence, then
proclaimed aloud that their Majesties drank to the health and prosperity
of the Lord Mayor, aldermen, and common council of the City of London.
Then the common crier, in the name of the civic dignitaries, gave the
toast of health, long life, and prosperity to their most gracious
Majesties. After dinner there was no tarrying over the wine-cup. The
royal party retired at once to the council chamber, "where they had
their tea." What became of