Page:A History of Domestic Manners and Sentiments in England During the Middle Ages.djvu/265

 The chamber was efpecially diftinguilhed by its fireplace and chimney. The form of the mediaeval fireplace is well-known from the numerous examples fiill remaining in the chambers of our old caftles and manfion houfes. The fire was made on the hearth, upon iron dogs, which had often very ornamental forms. The old romances frequently reprefent people fitting round the chamber fireplace to hold private converfation. It was here alfo that the heads of the family, or individual members of it in their own chambers, alTembled in the evening when no ceremonious feafting was going on. In a fiery in the text of the "Seven Sages," printed by Weber, a young married woman is reprefented fitting in the evening with her lord by the chamber firefide, attended by their fquire, and playing with a dog — The yonge k'vedi and hire lor a Sete an even by the fer (fire) ,■ Biforen hem Jtod here jquier. The b'lchche la'i in litre barm (bosom). — Weber, iii. 71. In " Gautier d'Aupais," when the young damfel fends for her mother, her mefiTenger finds the old lady fitting on a richly-worked counterpoint by a coal fire (probably of charcoal) — Sor une coutepo'inte owure d'auqueton Tro'va jeant la dame kz i. feu de charhon. — Gautier d'Aujiais, p. 25. In the romance of " Sir Degrevant," when the lady Myldore has lent for her lover to come privately to her chamber at night, Ihe orders her maiden to prepare a fire, and place fagots of fir-wood to keep it burning — Damejele, kke ther be A fuyre in the chymene' ; Fagattus offyre-tre. That fetchyd luas yare (formerly). — Thornton Romances, p. 234. A board is placed on treftles to form a table, and a dainty fupper is ferved, which the lady carves for her lover, and Ihe further treats him with rich wines. In the romance of "Queen Berthe" (p. 102), three perfons, holding a fecret confultation in the chamber of one of their party, fit on carpets