SC - hand-washing and serving high table

[Robin Carroll-Mann]

De Nola (1529) has detailed instructions on how to do the ceremonial 
handwashing -- and he also describes how to alter the procedures for 
royalty and other persons of very high rank.

On the Mode and Manner in Which One Must Offer Water for Washing 
the Hands

The servitor must give the hand-washing to his lord in this manner.  Put 
a pitcher full of water upon a font or a large silver platter, and some very 
well folded towels upon the said pitcher which extend to the edges or 
brim of the font.  And the steward goes before with a towel on his 
shoulder.  Arriving in front of the lord's table, and making his reverence, 
the steward takes the towel which is upon the font, and spreads it upon 
the table in front of the lord, and sets the font from above upon the 
towels, and with the font from below, where the water comes, he gives 
hand-washing to his lord.  And when he has washed, he then lifts the 
fonts, putting one upon the other, and the steward spreads upon the 
lord's hands the towel which hangs from his shoulder, and removes the 
others which were spread upon the table for the fonts.

And similarly the cupbearer can give the hand-washing, holding up a 
font or a wide-brimmed plate in his right hand, and the towel over the 
edge of the font or plate and upon the right shoulder, and the pitcher of 
water in the left hand.  And the steward and the cupbearer, arriving at 
the table and making their reverences, do as is said above; this is 
understood to be for persons who are not of very high rank*.

Service to royalty, who are of very high rank*, must be made in this 
manner.  The cupbearer must kneel, who carries the fonts one upon 
another,  and in them the water which will suffice to wash the lord's 
hands.  And uncover the fonts, first kissing the towel, and stretching it 
out upon the table before the lord.  And cast a little water on the edge of 
the upper font.  And the tasting* is done, first by the cupbearer and the 
steward afterwards.  And put the font before the lord, and with the font 
below, where the water comes, cast water in the midst of the font which 
is upon the table.  And after the lord has washed, the cupbearer lifts the 
fonts, as has been said; setting one font upon the other; he makes his 
reverence.  After the steward has spread the towel upon the lord's 
hands, the cupbearer and the steward must always find out if the fonts 
contain water, and not to neglect that, because sometimes they are 
empty, and arrive at the table, and the steward and the cupbearer and 
the lord are mocked.  And each time the steward gives the towel to his 
lord he should kiss it before he spreads it over the hands, and should 
also kiss the other which is spread upon the table at the time when it is 
placed, and he kneeling.


*Note: the word "salva" is used here.  It denotes the act of tasting food 
or drink for poison, and is also used as a way of describing rank.  
Royalty and other persons with "salva" have their hand-washing 
performed in a particularly reverential manner.


Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Settmour Swamp, East (NJ)
mka Robin Carroll-Mann
harper at idt.net