There was much formality and ceremony observed in filling and presenting the cup, and it required long instruction to make the young cup-bearer perfect in his duties. In our cut No. 111, it will be observed that the carver holds the meat with his fingers while he cuts it. This is in exact accordance with the rules given in the ancient “Boke of Kervyng,” where this officer is told, “Set never on fyshe, flesche, beest, ne fowle, more than two fyngers and a thombe.” It will be observed also that in none of these pictures have the guests any plates; they seem to have eaten with their hands, and thrown the refuse on the table. We know also that they often threw the fragments on the floor, where they were eaten up by cats and dogs, which were admitted into the hall without restriction of number. In the “Boke of Curtasye,” already mentioned, it is blamed as a mark of bad breeding to play with the cats and dogs while seated at table-- _Whereso thou sitt at mete in borde_ (at table), _Avoide the cat at on bare worde,_ _For yf thou stroke cat other dogge,_ _Thou art lyke an ape teyghed with a clogge_. Some of these directions for behaviour are very droll, and show no great refinement of manners. A guest at table is recommended to keep his nails clean, for fear his fellow next him should be disgusted-- _Loke thy naylys ben clene in blythe,_ _Lest thy felaghe lothe therwyth._ He is cautioned against spitting on the table-- _If thou spit on the borde or elles opone,_ _Thou shalle be holden an uncurtayse mon._ When he blows his nose with his hand (handkerchiefs were not, it appears, in use), he is told to wipe his hand on his skirt or on his tippet-- _Yf thy nose thou clense, as may befalle,_ _Loke thy honde thou clense withalle,_ _Prively with skyrt do hit away,_ _Or ellis thurgh thi tepet that is so gay._ He is not to pick his teeth with his knife, or with a straw or stick, nor to clean them with the table-cloth; and, if he sits by a gentleman, he is to take care he does not put his knee under the other’s thigh!