For, whereas he covered his table but three or four times
in the day, these spread their cloths five or six times, and in such
wise as I before rehearsed. They brought in also the custom of long
and stately sitting at meat, whereby their feasts resembled those
ancient pontifical banquets whereof Macrobius speaketh (lib. 3, cap.
13), and Pliny (lib. 10, cap. 10), and which for sumptuousness of
fare, long sitting, and curiosity shewed in the same, exceeded all
other men's feasting; which fondness is not yet left with us,
notwithstanding that it proveth very beneficial for the physicians,
who most abound where most excess and misgovernment of our bodies do
appear, although it be a great expense of time, and worthy of
reprehension. For the nobility, gentlemen, and merchantmen,
especially at great meetings, do sit commonly till two or three of
the clock at afternoon, so that with many it is a hard matter to rise
from the table to go to evening prayer, and return from thence to
come time enough to supper.[7]...
[6] This word is not obsolete. South coast countrymen still
eat _nuntions_ and not _luncheons_.
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