123

for there was none of the same plate occupied during this feast, therewas sufficient besides.”* The king also entertained these ambassadorsat Greenwich in a splendid temporary banqueting-house, in which therewas a cupboard seven stages high and thirteen feet long, “ set withstanding cuppes, bolles, flaggons, and great pottes, all of fine golde,some garnished with one stone, and some with other stones and pearlesand another cupboard nine stages high,| “ set full of high pottes,flaggons, and bolles, all massy plate of silver gilte.” At this feast therewere three smaller boards, called “ eiury-boards,” on which were placedbasins and ewers for the use of the king, queen, and others. They aremore particularly described under the article

Cupboards of plate are frequently mentioned by the dramatic writersas Court -'CuphoatUsi:

“ Here shall stand my court-cupboard, with its furniture of plate.t

In Romeo and Juliet, the servants coming into Capulet’s hall toprepare for the guests, the first servant, directing his fellows, says,

“ Remove the court-cupboard—look to the plate.—Act I. Scene .5.

The use of cupboards is thus described by Harrison: “ Drinke isvsuallie filled in pots, gobblets, iugs, bols of silver in noblemen’s houses,also in fine Venice glasses, of all formes; and for want of these,

* Cavendish’s Life of Wolsey.

+ At another banquet of this monarch, “ the cupboard in the hall was of twelve stages, allof plate of gold, and no gilt plate.” The banquet consisted of two hundred and sixtydishes.— Holing shed.

1 A“ cupboard of plate,” for such a small service was called, “ consisted of a cup of gold,covered, six great standing pots of silver, twenty-four silver bowls with covers, a basin andewer, and a chasoir of silver.”—F osbroke’s Enc ,