but not at ordinaries and taverns, the silver fork had been introduced. “The laudable use of forks, Brought into custom here, as they are in Italy, To th’ sparing o’ napkins.” And in Ben Jonson’s _Volpone_, “Then must you learn the use And handling of your silver fork at meals.” I have found inventories of household goods as late as the end of the seventeenth century without any mention of forks. I am inclined, therefore, to believe that they came into use very slowly, and that the old fashion of eating with a knife, fingers, and bread, lasted in country houses at least until the end of the seventeenth century. It is a survival of the old manner of eating which makes the lower class “eat with their knives.” Let me add that in my own recollection the practice has almost entirely disappeared. Forty years ago one could not take dinner at a tavern or an eating-house without seeing some of the company helping themselves with their knives. [Illustration: Tittle-Tattle; Or, the several Branches of Gossipping. From a satirical print in the British Museum.] Here is the bill of a dinner given to the Lord Treasurer, the Chancellor, the Lord Chief Baron, and others not named, on 4th June 1573:— _s._ _d._ Imprimis Bread, ale, and beer 13 4 Item Two sorloines of beef 10 0 „ Four gees 7 0 „ Four joyntes of veale 6 8 „ Six capons 13 8 „ Three quarters of lambe 4 0 „ A dozen of chickens 5 0 „ A dozen of rabbites 4 8 „ Half a dozen quayles 6 8 „ For butter 4 0 „ For eggs 1 0 „ For vinegar, vergis barberius and mustard 1 0 „ For spices 1 0 „ For fruite 6 0 „ For rose water and swete water 0 8 „ For scrill and parsley 0 6 „ For White Wine 1 4 „ For flowers and strong herbes 0 6 „ For sacke 1 0 „ For fier 5 0 „ For cook’s wages 6 0 „ For boote hier 1 4 „ For occupying plate, naperie and other necessaries 5 0