_Qant orent mengié, si laverent,_ _Puis burent, et couchier alerent._
And in another story in the same collection, the lady receives a stranger to supper in a very hospitable manner--“when they had eaten leisurely, then it was time to go to bed”--
_Qant orent mengié par loisir,_ _Si su heure d’aler gesir._
Sometimes, however, there were dancing and other amusements between supper and bed-time. Thus, in the romance of “Sir Degrevant,”--
_Bleve_ (quickly) _to soper they dyght,_ _Both squiere and knyght;_ _They daunsed and revelide that nyght,_ _In hert were they blythe_.
In a fabliau published by Barbazan, on the arrival in a nobleman’s castle of a knight who is treated with especial courtesy, the knights and ladies dance after supper, and then, at bed-time, they conduct the visitor into his bed-chamber, and drink with him there before they leave him:--
_Après mengier, chascuns comence_ _De faire caroles et dance,_ Tant qu’il fu houre de couchier;_ _Puis anmainment le chevalier_ _En sa chambre où fait fu son lit,_ _Et là burent par grant delit;_ _Puis prinrent congié._
Fruit was usually eaten after supper. In a fabliau of the thirteenth century, a noble visitor having been received in the house of a knight, they go immediately to supper. “After they had done eating, they enjoyed themselves in conversation, and then they had fruit,” and it was only after this that they washed--
_Après mengier se sont deduit_ _De paroles, puis si ont fruit._
In the lay of the “Chevalier à l’Espée,” Sir Gauwain takes, instead of supper, fruit and wine before he goes to bed.
The custom of keeping early hours still prevailed, and is very frequently alluded to. People are generally described as rising with the sun. Such was the case with the king, in the romance of “Parise la Duchesse”--
_Landemain par matin, quand solaus fu levez,_ _Se leva li rois Hugues._ --Parise, ed. P. Paris, p. 219.
It was the custom, after rising, to attend service either in the church or in the private chapel. In the history of Fulke Fitz-Warine, Jose de Dynan, in his castle of Ludlow, rose early in the morning, heard service in the chapel, after which he mounted to the top of the loftiest tower, to take a view of the country around, then descended and “caused the horn to be sounded for washing.” This was no doubt the signal for the household to assemble for breakfast. In Chaucer’s “Squyeres Tale,” the king’s guests, after great feasting and carousing at night, sleep till “prime large” in the morning, that is till six o’clock, which is spoken of in a manner which evidently intimates that they had considerably overslept themselves. The princess Canace had left her bed long before, and was walking with her maidens in the park. In the “Schipmannes Tale,” too, the lady rises very early in the morning, and takes her walk in the garden. In the curious “Book” of the Chevalier de la Tour Landry, we are told of a very pious dame whom he knew, whose daily life was as follows:--She rose early in the morning, had two friars and two or three chaplains in attendance to chant matins while she was rising; as soon as she left her chamber she went to her chapel, and remained in devotion in her oratory while they said matins and one mass, and then she went and dressed and arrayed herself, after which she went to recreate herself in the garden or about the house; she then attended divine service again, and after it went to dinner; and during the afternoon she visited the sick, and in due time supped, and after supper she called her _maître d’hôtel_, and made her household arrangements for the following day.
