Page:A History of Domestic Manners and Sentiments in England During the Middle Ages.djvu/182

 1 62 Hi ft or y of Liomejiic Maniiers reflriaion of number. In the " Boke of Curtafye/' already mentioned, it is blamed as a mark of bad breeding to play with the cats and dogs while feated at table — Wherejo thoujitt at mete in horde (at lablo), j4'voide the cat at on bare ivorde^ For yf thou Jiroke cat other dogge, Thou art lyke an ape teyghed lu'ith a clogge. Some of thefe direftions for behaviour are very droll, and fliow no great refinement of manners. A gueft at table is recommended to keep his nails clean, for fear his fellow next him Ihould be dilgufted — Loke thy naylys ben dene in blythe, Leji thy felaghe lot he thertvyth. He is cautioned againfl fpitting on the table — Ifthoufpit on the borde or elles of one. Thou Jhalle be holden an uncurtayjc mon. When he blows his nofe with his hand (handkerchiefs were not, it appears, in ufe), he is told to wipe his hand on his ikirt or on his tippet — Yfthy nofe thou clenfe, as may befalle, Loke thy honde thou clenfe ivithalle, Pri'vely ivithfkyrt do hit aivay, Or ellis thurgh thi tepel that h fo gay. He is not to pick his teeth with his knife, or with a ftraw or fiick, nor to clean them with the table-cloth ; and, if he fits by a gentleman, he is to take care he does not put his knee under the other's thigh ! The cleanlinefs of the white table-cloth feems to have been a matter of pride ; and to judge by the illuminations great care feems to have been taken to place it neatly and fmoothly on the table, and to arrange taftefully the part which hung down at the fides. Generally fpeaking, the fervice on the table in thefe illuminations appears to be very fimple, confifling of the cups, fiands for the difiies of meat (melfes, as they were called) brought by the cook, the knives, fometimes fpoons for foup and liquids, and bread. Ofientatious ornament is not often introduced, and it