In the pride of place, on such occasions, abreast with the swan stood the peacock, “with his angel fethers bright;” and was at all times and everywhere looked upon as the emblem of beauty. Not a formal banquet was ever given, at one period, without this bird being among the dishes; in fact, the principal one. To prepare it for the table, it had been killed and skinned with studious care. When roasted, it was sewed up in its skin after such an artistic way that its crested head and azure neck were kept, as in nature, quite upright; and its fan-like tail outspread; and then, put in a sitting position on a large broad silver dish parcel gilt, used to be brought into the hall with much solemnity. On the last day of a tournament, its gay festivities ended in a more than usual sumptuous banqueting. The large baronial hall was hung all over with hangings, sometimes figured with a romance, sometimes with scenes such as we read of in “The Flower and the Leaf;” and because trees abounded on them, were known as tapestry of “verd.” At top of and all along the travers ran the minstrel-gallery, and thither-- Come first all in their clokes white, A company, that ware for their delite, Chapelets fresh of okes seriall, Newly sprong, and trumpets they were all. On every trumpe hanging a broad banere Of fine tartarium were full richely bete, Every trumpet his lordes arms bare, About their neckes with great pearles sete Collers brode, for cost they would not lete, &c.[425] From among those high-born damosels who had crowded thither, one was chosen as the queen of beauty. When all the guests had gathered in that dining-hall, and been marshalled in their places by the herald, and the almoner had said grace, and set the “grete almes disshe of silver and overgilt, made in manner of a shippe full of men of armes feyghtyng upon the shippe syde weyng in all lxvii lb ix un[=c] of troye,”[426] at the high board under the dais, a bold fanfar was flourished upon silver trumpets, from which drooped silken flags embroidered with the blazon of that castle’s lord, or-- Of gold ful riche, in which ther was ybete some quaint device. Then a burst of music from the minstrel-gallery arose as came in the queen of beauty. Her kirtle was of ciclatoun, cloth of pall, or sparkling tissue:-- To don honour (to that day) Yclothed was she fresshe for to devise. Hire yelwe here was broided in a tresse, Behind hire back a yerde long I gesse; And in the gardin at the sonne uprist, She walketh up and doun wher as her list. She gathereth floures, partie white and red, To make a sotel gerlond for hire hed.[427]