was also not unusual to bring a chair into the hall as a mark of particular respect. Thus, in the Englisg metrical romance of Sir Isumbras: —
Knyghttes hir serves to kandes and fete,
Were clede in robis of palle;
In the Jloure a clothe was layde,
"This poore palmere," the stewarde sayde,
"Salle fytte abozvene yow alle."
Mete and drynke was for the broghte,
Sir Isambrace sett and ete noghte,
Bot luked aboiute in the haulle.
That the lady grete ivondir thoghte,
And tille a knyghte ganefaye,
"Bryng a chayere and a qivyfchene (cushion),
And fett yone poore palmere therin."
This poore palmere therin was sett.
He tolde hir of his laye.
Until comparatively a very recent date, the hour of dinner, even among the highest classes of society, was ten o'clock in the forenoon. There was an old proverb which defined the divisions of the domestic day as follows : —
Souper à fix, coucher à dix.
Which is preserved in a still older and more complete form as follows:—
Souper à cinq, coucher à neuf.
Fait wiire dins nonante et neuf.
Five o'clock was the well-known hour of the afternoon meal; and nine seems formerly to have been an ordinary hour for dinner. In the time of Chaucer, the hour of prime appears to have been the usual dinner hour, which perhaps meant nine o'clock. At least the monk, in the Schipmannes Tale, calls for dinner at prime:—
And let us dyne as f one as ye may.
For by my chilindre it is prime of day."
