Table Etiquette in the Seventeenth Century.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 240, 4 February 1888, Page 7

Table Etiquette in the Seventeenth Century.

In connection with the above subject, and as illustrative of the progress of civilisation and etiquette since the seventeenth century, an extract from the first part of the •'Youth's Behaviour," 1664, containing certain rules, may be amusing :—: —

Carriage at The Table. 1. Being set at the table, scratch not thyself, . and take thou heed as much as thou canst not to spit, cough, and to blow thy nose ; but, if it be needful, do it dexterously, without much noise, turning thy face sidelong. 2. Take not thy repast like a glutton. 3. Break not bread with thy hands, but cut it with a knife, if it be not very little and very new, and that all the others did the same, or the major part. • 4. Cast not thyself upon the table with inthe arms stretched even to thy elbows. And lean not thy shoulders, or thine arms, oh the chair indecently. ' > 5. Bat not with cheeks full and with full | mouth. 6. Sop riot in wine if thou best not the | master of the house, or hast some indisposiI tion or other. 9. Taking salt, beware that thy knife be riot greasy, when it. ought to be wiped, or the -fork.; one may do it neatly with a piece' i of bread, or, as in certain places', with a ' napkin, but never.with a whole' loaf. 10. Blow not upon thy meat, but, if it be •hot, stay until it be cold. 11. Smell not to; thy meat, : and, if thou holdest thy nose-to it, set'it not afterwards before another: •< ■ ' '< ' . • „ ■ ' > - 112.1 12. .Besmear not. any bread round ab6ut' with>thy fingers^but whenthou* wilt cut some brcad»wipe them first if ,theyibe greasy; therefore* take- heed,! as nigh' '» as thowca'nst/. of ; f6ulirig, thy'ha'nds/ or < of Jgreafeing thy f\ngersjand,:ha.vingaBp6oh or fQrk,'make use of it; it beoometh thee, r . according- to 1 ithe' oustom' oft tlto best bred." • ! ' >•».-'» .-' - ••" ) • { | 14r XDnefiought^not rto<<cast? under? the! 1 tablet, orl da i<the < ground , \ ibtmteai ■• jJorlngSi i irwineiior^suohflike'lthin^s^ilotyltinstandingv' sit rone> be jiccrtstr&inod v tdt^pit-'Sbraelhingr -'Toll k-: ?a^j Ji^i -iliityM «'^-'i n.^

which was hard* to chew;, or which causeth iirksomeness, tjien may one throw it,dex1 terously J i orth upon the ground, taking it ; decently with two fingers or with the left hand half-shut, so that it be not a liquid thing ;<in.( such case one may more freely spit it on th,e ground, turning oneself, if it be possible, somewhat aside, as has" boen -said here flbove. 22. It is indecent to soil the tablecloth,, ,and, thab which is worse, to clean one's face, or wipe away one's s>veat with the napkin, 'or with the same clean one's nose, one's trencher, or tho dish. 26. Suck no bones, at least in such wise that one may hear it ; take them not with two hands, but with one solely and properly. Gnaw them nofc, nor tear the flesh with tby teeth, as dogs do ; but mako use of thy knife, holding thorn with one hand, or rather with two fingers, as nigh as thou canst. Knock no bones upon thy bread or thy trencher to get out the marrow of them, •but get out the marrow with a knife. 34. Clean not thy teeth with a tablecloth, or napkin, or with thy finger, fork, or knife ; much worse would it be to do so with thy nails, but use thy toothpick.