"Fill'd with these views the attendant dwarf she sends: Before the knight the dwarf respectful bends; Kind greetings bears as to his lady's guest, And prays his presence to adorn her feast. The knight delays not; on a bed design'd With gay magnificence the fair reclin'd High o'er her head, on silver columns rais'd, With broidering gems her proud pavilion blaz'd. Herself, a paragon in every part, Seem'd sovereign beauty deck'd with comeliest art. With a sweet smile of condescending pride She seats the courteous Gawaine by her side, Scans with assiduous glance each rising wish, Feeds from her food the partner of her dish!" [198] M. le Grand, in his valuable Histoire de la Vie Privée des Français, has given us some very curious information regarding the mode of dressing this distinguished bird. "It was generally," he says, "served up roasted. Instead of plucking the bird (observes the Complete Housekeeper of former times) skin it carefully so as not to damage the feathers; then cut off the feet, stuff the body with spices and sweet herbs; roll a cloth round the head, and then spit your bird. Sprinkle the cloth, all the time it is roasting, to preserve its crest. When it is roasted enough, tie the feet on again; remove the cloth; set up the crest; replace the skin; spread out the tail, and so serve it up. Some people, instead of serving up the bird in the feathers, carry their magnificence so far as to cover their peacock with leaf gold: others have a very pleasant way of regaling their guests. Just before they serve up, they cram the beak of their peacock with wool, rubbed with camphor: then, when the dish is placed upon the table, they set fire to the wool, and the bird instantly vomits out flames like a little volcano." [199] Du Chesne, House of Montmorencí, liv. i. p. 29, &c. M. de Couci, (c. 7.) 664, &c. Olivier de la Marche, p. 412. Hist. de Boucicaut, ed. de Godefroi. [200] Like Sir Guiscard Dangle, Earl of Huntingdon, who, according to Froissart, possessed all the noble virtues that a knight ought to have, for "he was merry, true, amourous, sage, sweet, liberal, preux, hardy, adventurous, and chivalrous," vol. i. c. 384. [201] See the verses of Des Escas, a Troubadour at the court of the King of Arragon. [202] Knight of the Tower, chap. "How goodly women ought to maintain themselves courteously." [203] Sir Tristram, Fytte second, st. 13. and Scott's note. [204] Squire of Low Degree. [205] Sir Degore. [206] Romance of Guy of Warwick. [207] Knight of the Tower, chap. "How young maidens ought not lightly to turn their heads here and there." [208] Knight of the Tower, chap. intitled, "Of them that will not wear their good clothes on high feasts and holy-days," and, "How the daughter of a knight lost her marriage." Memoires de Louis de la Tremouille, cap. xii. p. 169, &c. in the 14th vol. of the great collection of French Memoires. [209] Fairy Queen, book ii. canto 11. st. 49.