DINNER IN THE OLDEN TIMES, 19

-—when Walter Espec and Guy Muschamp entered
the great hall of the castle, and, the household
having assembled for that important meal, a huge
oaken table, which in shape resembled the letter
T, groaned under massive sirloins. Attended by
his jesters, the lord of the castle took his seat on
the dais, which was reserved for his family and his
guests of high rank; while the knights, squires,
pages, and retainers ranged themselves above and
below the salt, according to their claims to pre-
cedence; and hawks stood around on perches, and
hounds lay stretched on the rushy floor, waiting their
turn to be fed.

Much ceremony was of course observed. The sir-
loins were succeeded by fish and fowl, and dishes
curiously compounded; and, as was the fashion of
that feudal age, the dinner lasted three hours. But,
notwithstanding the pride and pomp exhibited, the
meal was by no means dull. The jesters and min-
strels did their work. During the intervals the
jesters exercised all their wit to divert the lord and
his friends; and the minstrels, in the gallery set
apart for their accommodation, discoursed flourishes
of music, borrowed from the Saracens and brought
from the East, for the gratification of the company,
or roused the aspirations of the youthful warriors
by some such spirit-stirring strain as the battle-hymn
of Rollo. | |

‘I marvel much, good Walter,’ said Guy Mus-
champ to his brother-in-arms, ‘I marvel much where
we are destined to dine this day next year.’

‘Beshrew me if I can even form a guess,’ replied