“----the attendant dwarf she sends; Before the knight the dwarf respectful bends; Kind greeting bears as to his lady’s guest, And prays his presence to adorn her feast, The knight delays not; on a couch designed With gay magnificence the fair reclined; High o’er her head, on silver columns raised, With broidering gems her proud pavilion blazed. Herself a paragon in every part, Seemed sovereign beauty decked 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.” The minstrels tuned their harps to the praise of beauty and valor, and after the tables were removed, each knight chose his partner for the dance by kissing her hand. This custom was introduced into England from Italy, or Spain, and still retaining the language of the country whence it came, was called _basciomani_. The peacock was much honored in the days of chivalry. The knights associated them with all their ideas of renown, and swore by the peacocks, as well as by the ladies, to perform their boldest enterprises. The vow of the peacock was sometimes made at a festival prepared for the occasion. Between the courses of the repast, a troop of ladies brought in the splendid bird, on a golden or silver dish, roasted, but covered with its feathers. In order to do this, it was skinned very carefully previous to being cooked, and was then served up in its plumage, with the brilliant tail feathers spread out; but some preferred to have it covered with leaf gold. Just before it was brought into the banqueting hall, they crammed the beak with wool, which being dipped in inflammable matter and set on fire, made the peacock appear to breathe forth flames.