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On the other hand, it should be mentioned, that in a wardrobeinventory of Edward I. “ a fork of crystal” occurs. And in the Sidneypapers an account is given of a visit of Queen Elizabeth to the LordKeeper. After describing a variety of presents from my lord, the writeradds, “ and to grace his lordship the more, she of herself took from hima salte, a spoone, and a forcke of fair agatte.” No opinion is offered asto the purpose to which these forks were destined—their materials arecertainly curious. In Lady Kytson’s inventory of plate, are “ ij. forkesof sylver but to what use they were applied, does not appear.

CnnblfSfttCfeS. — The magnificence of these articles was rather dis-played in chapels than in domestic apartments, the banquets thenbeing generally by daylight. We find them, however, of very costly de-scriptions. In Henry the Eighth’s temporary banqueting-room at Green-wich, “ the candlestykes were of antyke worke, which bare litle torchettsof white waxe : these candlestykes were polished lyke ambre.” They arealso mentioned as being of gold, silver, and silver gilt, the forms variousand fanciful, as warriors in armour, hairy savages, shafts of reeds, horns,&c. At Wolsey ’s celebrated feast were two great candlesticks of silver gilt,most curiously wrought, the workmanship whereof, with the silver, costthree hundred marks, and lights of wax, as big as torches, burning uponthe same. To give more light, plates were hung on the walls, of silvergilt, with lights burning in them. And on this occasion every chamberwas furnished with a silver candlestick or two, with both white andyellow lights,* of three sizes of wax, and a staff torch.f

There were also in use, as in our times, suspended branches, ofmetal and of crystal; the prevailing manner of lighting rooms, seems,

* Candles of various colours were then fashionable,f Cavendish’s Life of Wolsey.