SC - More on 'Nef' (including a citation)

[Jenne Heise]

> I wonder too.  Not having read her, I don't know whether Wilson is a 
> solid researcher and has found a rare but accurate word usage, or has
> got it wrong or copied from someone else who got it wrong.  The sketch
> looks as though it was taken from a period illustration, though the
> labelling of the two 'nefs' might not be period.  I await additional
> information about the provenance of the sketch from anyone who has 
> a copy of Wilson.

I have two copies of Wilson at my disposal. The sketch ain't in there.
There are three feast pictures sort of randomly thrown in, though.

I'm borrowing a book called _English Medieval Feasts_, 1967, from another
library. Perhaps the nefs are in there?
 
> Many of the tables show only serving dishes or plates or trenchers, 
> cups, knives, and bread.  No candles, no spoons, no napkins, no salt 
> cellars.
> As to personal dishes, most sources I've read suggest that plates 
> were shared by two or more and were usually supplied by the host,
> so a nef (if any such thing existed) would have held at most knife,
> spoon, napkin, and cup.

In the Psalter pictures, I'm seeing spoons and some other materials. Also
there appears to be one person per plate.
However, I handed the book back in to Circ and I'm not trailing upstairs
for it again today. If I have a chance, I'll look at it again tomorrow.
 
- -- 
Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, mka Jennifer Heise	      jenne at tulgey.browser.net
disclaimer: i speak for no-one and no-one speaks for me.
"Are you finished? If you're finished, you have to put down the spoon."