Ward describes a tavern ordinary well; he is in his element; but to give his description would take up too much room. On entering the bar, the principal person visible was the _dame de comptoir_, 'all Ribbons, Lace and Feathers.' Having passed her, and taken a seat at the table, he had 'a Whet of Old Hock' to sharpen his appetite for dinner, which consisted of two calves' heads, a couple of geese, and Cheshire cheese; after which they all fell to a-drinking wine. There were cheaper places, or ordinaries, than these to dine at. 'I went afterwards to _Robin's_,[257] and saw People who had dined with me at the Five penny Ordinary just before, give Bills for the Value of large Estates;'[258] and twopenny ordinaries are mentioned, but they must have been for the very poor. [Footnote 257: A Stock Jobbing Coffee House in Change Alley.] [Footnote 258: _Spectator_, No. 454.] In spite of what Misson says, there was good cookery to be got, only it hardly came into ordinary life; and there are two cookery books[259] which give most excellent receipts, and show that there was plenty of variety, both in the material and cooking of food; nay, even in the elegances of the table, which were well cared for, as the following receipt of Howard's shows: '_How to dish up a Dish of Fruits with preserved Flowers_.--Take a large Dish, cover it with another of the same bigness, and place the uppermost over with Paste of Almonds, inlaid with red, white, blue, and green Marmalade in the figure of Flowers and Banks; then take the branches of candied Flowers, and fix them upright in Order, and upon little Bushes erected, and covered with Paste: Fix your preserved and Candied Cherries, Plumbs, Pease, Apples, Goosberries, Currans, and the like, each in their proper place; and for Leaves, you may use Coloured Paste or Wax, Parchment, or Horn; and this, especially in Winter, will be very proper.' Some of the dishes he gives are hardly in vogue now; as for instance: '_Spinage Tarts_.--Take Marrow, Spinage, hard Eggs, of each a handful, Cloves, Mace, Nutmeg, Limon-peel shred very fine; then put in as many Currans as you think fit, with Raisins stoned, and shred, candied, Orange and Citron peel; sweeten it to your taste, make Puff Paste, and make them into little square Pasties; bake or fry them.' [Footnote 259: _England's Newest way in all Sorts of Cookery_, etc., by Henry Howard, and '_Royal Cookery, or the Complete Court Cook_, by Patrick Lamb, Esq. Near 50 years Master Cook to their late Majesties King Charles 2. King James 2. King William and Queen Mary, and to Her present Majesty Queen Anne.']