Chapter VIII 3. Ne Prenez Pas Vostre Repas en Gourmand
4. Ne rompez point le pain auec les mains, mais auec le cousteau, si ce n’estoit vn pain fort petil & tout frais, & que tous les autres fissent de mesme, ou la pluspart.
5. Ne vous iettez pas sur table, à bras estendus iusques aux coudes, & ne vous accostez pas indecemment les épaules ou les bras sur vostre siege.
8. Ne monstrez nullement d’avoir pris plaisir à la viande, ou au vin; mais si celuy que vous traittez, vous en demande vostre goust, vous pourrez luy respondre avec modestie & prudence: beaucoup moins faut il blasmer les viandes, ou en demander d’autres, ny dauantage.
3. Eat not like a glutton. (4.) Do not break the bread with your hands, but with a knife; unless, indeed, it is a small and quite fresh roll, and where the others present, or most of them, use their hands. (5.) Do not throw yourself on the table, as far as the elbows, nor unbecomingly rest shoulders or arms on your chair. (8.) Do not make a show of taking delight in your food, or in the wine; but if your host inquires your preference you should answer with modesty and tact: whatever you do, do not complain of the dishes, ask for others, or anything of that sort.
(At Washington’s table it was a custom to invite each guest to call for the wine he preferred.)
92d. Take no Salt or cut Bread with your Knife Greasy.
Chapter viii. 9. Prenant du sel, gardez que le cousteau ne soit gras: quand il le faut nettoyer, ou la fourchette on le peut faire honnestement auec vn peu de pain, ou comme il se pratique en certains lieux, auec la serviette, mais iamais sur le pain entier.
In taking salt be careful that the knife is not greasy: when necessary your knife or fork may with propriety be cleaned on a piece of bread,—or, as is done in some places, with the napkin,—but it must never be wiped on the whole loaf.
93d. Entertaining any one at table it is decent to present him w’t meat, Undertake not to help others undesired by y’e Master
Chapter viii. 10. Traittant quelqu’vn, il est de la bien-seance de le seruir en table, & luy presenter des viandes, voire mesme de celles qui sont proches de luy. Que si l’on estoit invité chez autruy, il est plus à propos d’attendre que le Maistre ou vn autre serue, que de prendre des viandes soy-mesme, si ce n’estoit que le Maistre priast les conuiez de prendre librement, ou que l’on fust en maison familiere. L’on se doit aussi peu ingerer à seruir les autres hors de sa maison, où l’on avoir peu de pouuoir, n’étoit que le nombre des conuiez fust grand, & que le Maistre de la maison ne peust pas avoir l’oeil sur tout; Et pour lors l’on peut seruir ceux qui sont proches de soy.
When entertaining any one it is polite to serve him at table and to present the dishes to him, even such as are near him. When invited by another it is more seemly to wait to be served by the host, or some one else, than to take the dishes oneself, unless the host begs the guests to help themselves freely, or one is at home in the house. One ought also not to be officious in helping others when out of one’s own house, where one has but little authority, unless the guests are very numerous and the host cannot attend to everything; in that case we may help those nearest us.
[9]4th. If you Soak bread in the Sauce let it be no more than what you put in your Mouth at a time and blow not your broth at Table but Stay till Cools of it Self
Chapter viii. 14. Si vous trempez en la saulce le pain ou la chair, ne les trempez pas derechef, apres y auoir mordu, trempez-y à chaque fois vn morceau mediocre, qui se puisse manger tout d’vne bouchée.
11. Ne soufflez point sur les viandes; mais si elles sont chaudes, attendez qu’elles se refroidissent: le potage se pourra refroidir, le remuant modestement auec la cuilliere, mais il ne sied pas bien de humer son potage en table, il le faut prendre auec la cuilliere.
If you dip bread or meat into the gravy, do not do so immediately after biting a piece off, but dip each time a moderately-sized morsel which can be eaten at one mouthful. (11.) Do not blow on the viands, but if they are hot, wait till they cool. Soup may be cooled by stirring it gently with a spoon, but it is not becoming to drink up the soup at table. It should be taken with a spoon.
95th. Put not your meat to your Mouth with your Knife in your hand neither Spit forth the Stones of any fruit Pye upon a Dish nor cast anything under the table