[Sca-cooks] Above/Below the Salt was Greetings

Terry Decker t.d.decker at worldnet.att.net
Tue Mar 18 11:45:33 PDT 2008


Interesting that all these references are 15th or 16th Century.

Bear


----- Original Message ----- 

There’s a 1597—

*1597* Bp. Hall /Sat./ ii. vi, That he do, on no default, Euer presume
to sit aboue the salt.

· *1599* B. Jonson /Cynthia's Rev./ ii. ii. (1616) 200 Hee neuer drinkes
below the salt.

· *1602* Dekker /Honest Wh./ D, Set him beneath the salt and let him not
touch a bit, till euery one has had his full cut.

· *1658* /Wit Restor'd/ 43 Hee..humbly sate Below the Salt, and munch'd
his Sprat.

also

now it is well knowen, that saltabove all other things causeth leannesse.
Plutarch The philosophie 1603

You nere presume to fit above the salt, from  1639

The unnaturall combat. A tragedie. The scæne Marsellis. Written by
Philip Massinger. As it was presented by the Kings Majesties Servants at
the Globe.

1609 Dekker /Gull's Horn-bk./ Wks. (Grosart) II. 244 You may giue any
Iustice of peace, or yong Knight (if he sit but one degree towards the
Equinoctiall of the Salt-seller) leaue to pay for the wine.

I suspect we'll have to dig into the books of manners for this.

Johnnae






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