- Table
Dormant
A permanent table on which food was constantly kept.
The
table dormant was an article of furniture often mentioned in wills,
inventories,
and (occasionally) romances. Unfortunately, no description has
survived.
Its distinctive feature would seem to be that it remained standing,
whereas
the tables on which people dined consisted of boards on trestles and
were
removed after the meal. A table dormant was sometimes quite large, and
there are recorded instances in which people were seated at one.
"His table dormant in his halle alway
Stood redy covered al the longe day." - Prologue to The Canterbury
Tales
A"halle" was the main room of the house, also used
for meals. Chaucer's Franklin was known for his table dormant, which
"stood
ready covered (with food) all the long day." The modern equivalent
to this would be a buffet table which is constantly refreshed with food
throughout the day.
- Trewe-love
The
herb Paris, sometimes called True Love and One Berry (Solanum
quadrifolium);
identified as Paris quadrofolia in John Gerard's Herbal,
or General
Historie of Plants, 1633. A narcotic, in overdoses it can cause
illness
and even death in children & small animals but in small doses is
known
to help bronchitis, spasmodic coughs, rheumatism, cramps, colic, and
heart
palpitations. An ointment for wounds is made from its seeds and
leaf-juice,
while the berry juice cures inflammation of the eyes. It was also used
as an aphrodisiac, the seeds and berries being similar in nature to
opium.
In Russia the leaves are prescribed for madness.
"Under his tonge a trewe-love he beer" - The Miller's
Tale
Here it is being used as a breath-freshener.
- Tonne A
tun, a
wine-cask.
"Til that almoost al empty is the tonne." - The Reeve's
Tale
"Wel ofter of the welle than of the tonne" - The Clerk's
Tale
- Tonne-greet
As
big as a tun.
"Was tonne-greet, of iren bright and shene." - The Knight's
Tale
- Trip A
morsel.
"A Goddes kechyl, or a trip of chese" - The Summoner's
Tale