Page:A History of Domestic Manners and Sentiments in England During the Middle Ages.djvu/458

 438 Hijiory of Domejiic Manners of goflips in taverns were the firfl; examples of what we now call a pic-nic, for each woman took with her fome provifions, and with thefe the whole party made a feafl: in common. A fong of perhaps the middle of the fifteenth century, printed in my colleftion of " Songs and Carols," edited for the Percy Society, gives us rather a picturefque defcription of one of thefe goflip-meetings. The women, having met accidentally, the queftion is put where the beft wine was to be had, and one of them replies that llie knows where could be procured the befl; drink in the town, but that flie did not willi her hulband to be acquainted with it : — I knoiv a draivght of mery-go-doiune. The beji it is in all thys toivne ; But yet ivold I not, for my goivne, My hupond it ivyji, ye may me truft. The place of meeting having thus been fixed, they are reprefented as proceeding thither two and two, not to attra6t obfervation, lefl; their hufbands might hear of their meeting. " God might fend me a fi:ripe or two," faid one, "if my hulband fhould fee me here." "Nay," faid Alice, another, " Ihe that is afraid had better go home ; I dread no man." Each was to carry with her feme goofe, or pork, or the wing of a capon, or pigeon pie, or fome fimilar article — A.nd ich (each) off them luyll fumivhat bryng, Goffe, pygge, or capons ivyng, Pajie's off pigeons, or fum other thyng. Accordingly, on arriving at the tavern, they call for wine "of the befi:," and then Ech off them brought forth ther dyfck ; Sum brought flefh, and fume fyfh. Their converfation runs firft on the goodnefs of the wines, and next on the behaviour of their hufbands, with whom they are all diffatisfied. In one copy of the fong, a harper makes his appearance, whom they hire, and dance to his mufic. When they pay their reckoning, they find, in one copy of the fong, that it amounts to threepence each, and rejoice that it is fo little, while in another they find that each has to pay fix- pence, and are alarmed at the greatnefs of the amount. They agree to feparate.