Instead
they withdrew to a parlor, for domestic use, or the great chamber,
for entertaining. Parlors were situated on the ground floor: the
family lived and relaxed there, and had informal meals in a dining
parlor.
The formal or "state" rooms were on the first floor above the
ground floor, usually comprising a great chamber, a withdrawing
chamber, one or more bedchambers, and a long gallery. Each room
had carved chairs and cabinets. Taking a meal in the great chamber
involved the same ceremonial ritual as in the manorial great
chamber dating from the 1400s. The table was covered with a linen
cloth. Some sat above the fancy silver salt cellar and pepper, and
some sat below. Grace was said before the meal. Noon dinner and
supper were served by sewer, carver, cupbearer, and assistants.
The lady of the house sat in a chair at the upper end of the table
and was served first. Fine clear Italian glass drinking vessels
replaced even gold and silver goblets. They ate from silver dishes
with silver spoons. Some gentry used two-pronged forks. There was
great plenty and variety of meats to all but the poorer classes:
beef, mutton, veal, lamb, kid, pork, hare, capon, red deer, fish
and wild fowl as well as the traditional venison and brawn [boar].
Kitchen gardens and orchards supplied apricots, almonds,
gooseberries, raspberries, melons, currants, oranges, and lemons
as well as the traditional apples, pears, plums, mulberries,
quinces, pomegranates, figs, cherries, walnuts, chestnuts, hazel
nuts, filberts, almonds, strawberries, blackberries, dewberries,
blueberries, and peaches.
Pages:
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612