Page:A History of Domestic Manners and Sentiments in England During the Middle Ages.djvu/268

 248 Hijiory of Domejiic Manners Dynan, in his caftle of Ludlow, rofe early in the morning, heard fervice in the chapel, after which he mounted to the top of the loftieft tower, to take a view of the country around, then defcended and " caufed the horn to be founded for wafliing." This was no doubt the fignal for the houfe- hold to affemble for breakfaft. In Chaucer's " Squyeres Tale," the king's guerts, after great fealling and caroufing at night, fleep till "prime large" in the morning, that is till fix o'clock, which is fpoken of in a manner which evidently intimates that they had confiderably overflept tliemielves. The princefs Canace had left her bed long before, and was walking with her maidens in the park. In the " Schipmannes Tale," too, the lady rifes very early in the morning, and takes her walk in the garden. In the curious "Book" of the Chevalier de la Tour Landry, we are told of a very pious dame whom he knew, whofe daily life was as follows : — She rofe early in the morning, had two friars and two or three chaplains in attendance to chant matins while flie was rifing ; as foon as flie left her chamber (lie went to her chapel, and remained in devotion in her oratory while they faid matins and one mafs, and then Ihe went and dreffed and arrayed herfelf, after which flie went to recreate herfelf in the garden or about the houfe 3 flie then attended divine fervice again, and after it went to dinner 5 and during the afternoon fhe vifited the fick, and in due time fupped, and after fupper flie called her maitre d! hotel, and made her houfehold arrangements for the following day. The hour of breakfaft is very uncertain, and appears not to have been fixed. The hour of dinner was, as already ftated, nine o'clock in the morning, or fometimes ten. In the lay of the " Mantel Mautaille," king Arthur is introduced on a grand feftival day refufing, according to his cuftom, to begin the dinner till fome "adventure" occurs, and the guefts wait till near " nonne," when the grand fenefchal. Sir Keux, takes upon himfelf to expoftulate, and reprefents that dinner had been ready a long time (piegd). Nonne is here probably meant for midday, or noon. The queen was in her chamber, greatly diftreffed at having to wait fo long for dinner. The regular hour of fupper appears to have been five o'clock in the afternoon, but when private it feems not to have been fixed to any particular hour. In famraer, at leaft, people appear ufually to have gone to