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[ix]

killed.[1] The reason given in the author, why a person so nearly allied to the Great Man was assigned to the office, is this, 'Ne procuraretur aliquid venenorum, quod nimis [i.e. valde] timebad legatus;' and it is certain that poisoning was but too much in vogue in these times, both amongst the Italians and the good people of this island;[2] so that this was a post of signal trust and confidence. And indeed afterwards, a person was employed to taste, or take the assaie, as it was called,[3] both of the messes and the water in the ewer,[4] at great tables; but it may be doubted whether a particular person was appointed to this service, or it was a branch of the Sewer's and cup-bearer's duty, for I observe, the Sewer is sometimes called Prægustator,[5] and the cup-bearer tastes the water elsewhere.[6] The religious houses and their presidents, the abbots and priors, had their days of Gala, as likewise their halls for strangers, whom, when persons of rank, they often entertained with splendour and magnificence. And as for the secular clergy, archbishops and bishops, their feasts,

  1. ↑ M. Paris, p4. 69.
  2. ↑ Dugd. Bar. I. p. 45. Stow, p. 184. M. Paris, p. 377. 517.
  3. ↑ Lel. Collectan. VI. p. 7. seq.
  4. ↑ Ibid. p. 9. 13.
  5. ↑ Compare Leland, p. 3. with Godwin de Præsul. p. 695. and so Junius in Etymol. v. Sewer
  6. ↑ Leland, p. 8. 9. There are now two yeomen of the mouth in the king's household

of

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