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hrj(For previous posts in this series, see items tagged with 'messisbugo'.)
As you may remember from the last post, we get a view into what else was going on at these banquets (besides eating) from the 1548 menu which describes a “flower game” that comes after the confectionary course and before the collation. The 1548 menu has a great deal more discussion of the non-food activities in general. I skipped over some text in this menu that appeared before the description of the initial table setting, so let’s back up a little and look at this one event, placing the text in what appears to be the chronological order of the events, rather than the order of the text.
“Now it should be known that in Banquets during Carnival some party was always given before, or a tournament, or a game of caleselle or whatever[1], or a combat with pikes/staffs, or a castle, or there might be the party of the Pig [?] or other similar things, which in order to expedite things I did not want to relate.”
[Note 1: per Florio: “apish, minike or iugling trickes. Also a kind of paste meate. Also a kind of sport or game used at Shrovetide in Italie. Also certain round balles made of baked earth very brittle, which in that play they use to cast one at another, and breake very suddenly.”]
This is a general statement of what sorts of events were held, though no specific physical activity is describef for this banquet. But we are then told the following:
“First a Comedy was recited in the hall, where there was a very beautiful little stage set representing Venice. The comedy was titled “The Night,” written by Maestro Girolamo Parabosco of Bologna, which was very pleasing, comical, and well performed with its musical pieces. And there were the appropriate and necessary interludes [intermezzi]. [2] The comedy began at hour 24 [meaning midnight?] and finished at half-past three at night. And when the Comedy was finished the table was prepared with the materials described below, that is:”
[Note 2: My note, not the translator’s. My impression is that “interludes” would normally be performed during the meal itself, though that isn’t clear in this description.]
And then we get the description of the table setting, the “pre-course”, the three numbered courses, an the confectionary course. Now we have the flower game:
“While they were eating the confections, my Consort sent two baskets with 27 packets of scented flowers, some real and some faux, one for the Most Illustrious Lord Duke, and one for the Most Illustrious Lord Prince, which their Lordships distributed among the dinner guests.
While we were playing this flower game, the Hall was rinsed, emptied and swept, and then they went to dance, and danced until nine o’clock. At 9 there was a collation...”
(The collation course will be described in the next installment.)
“Then everyone went to his own house fully satisfied.”
You may notice that this is somewhat startling in the details of the timing: We begin at midnight (if correctly interpreted) with a dramatic presentation that lasts for three hours. And if there were a tournament or physical game before that, presumably it would have been during daylight hours, so we may imagine the activities beginning at the very lease in mid-afternoon if not before. Then at half past three in the morning, the table is prepared for an extensive meal. If the dancing lasts until 9:00, presumably in the morning, then we may imagine perhaps that the main banquet lasted for several hours, followed by a couple hours of dancing. At 9am the guests are served a very light refreshment (the collation) and then go home, presumably straight to their beds!
To provide a comparison, there are similarly detailed descriptions of the non-food entertainments for an even more elaborate non-Carnival menu by Messisbugo for a high state dinner in January of 1529. To summarize greatly, the order of the day consisted of:
So while this event was far more elaborate and extensive, it helps show the general structure and rhythm of the entertainments, which are mentioned much more briefly and ambiguously in the Carnival menus.
The next installment will discuss the contents of the “collation” which, as we have seen above, is intended as a light repast to restore the guests after (or in the middle of) the dancing.
As you may remember from the last post, we get a view into what else was going on at these banquets (besides eating) from the 1548 menu which describes a “flower game” that comes after the confectionary course and before the collation. The 1548 menu has a great deal more discussion of the non-food activities in general. I skipped over some text in this menu that appeared before the description of the initial table setting, so let’s back up a little and look at this one event, placing the text in what appears to be the chronological order of the events, rather than the order of the text.
“Now it should be known that in Banquets during Carnival some party was always given before, or a tournament, or a game of caleselle or whatever[1], or a combat with pikes/staffs, or a castle, or there might be the party of the Pig [?] or other similar things, which in order to expedite things I did not want to relate.”
[Note 1: per Florio: “apish, minike or iugling trickes. Also a kind of paste meate. Also a kind of sport or game used at Shrovetide in Italie. Also certain round balles made of baked earth very brittle, which in that play they use to cast one at another, and breake very suddenly.”]
This is a general statement of what sorts of events were held, though no specific physical activity is describef for this banquet. But we are then told the following:
“First a Comedy was recited in the hall, where there was a very beautiful little stage set representing Venice. The comedy was titled “The Night,” written by Maestro Girolamo Parabosco of Bologna, which was very pleasing, comical, and well performed with its musical pieces. And there were the appropriate and necessary interludes [intermezzi]. [2] The comedy began at hour 24 [meaning midnight?] and finished at half-past three at night. And when the Comedy was finished the table was prepared with the materials described below, that is:”
[Note 2: My note, not the translator’s. My impression is that “interludes” would normally be performed during the meal itself, though that isn’t clear in this description.]
And then we get the description of the table setting, the “pre-course”, the three numbered courses, an the confectionary course. Now we have the flower game:
“While they were eating the confections, my Consort sent two baskets with 27 packets of scented flowers, some real and some faux, one for the Most Illustrious Lord Duke, and one for the Most Illustrious Lord Prince, which their Lordships distributed among the dinner guests.
While we were playing this flower game, the Hall was rinsed, emptied and swept, and then they went to dance, and danced until nine o’clock. At 9 there was a collation...”
(The collation course will be described in the next installment.)
“Then everyone went to his own house fully satisfied.”
You may notice that this is somewhat startling in the details of the timing: We begin at midnight (if correctly interpreted) with a dramatic presentation that lasts for three hours. And if there were a tournament or physical game before that, presumably it would have been during daylight hours, so we may imagine the activities beginning at the very lease in mid-afternoon if not before. Then at half past three in the morning, the table is prepared for an extensive meal. If the dancing lasts until 9:00, presumably in the morning, then we may imagine perhaps that the main banquet lasted for several hours, followed by a couple hours of dancing. At 9am the guests are served a very light refreshment (the collation) and then go home, presumably straight to their beds!
To provide a comparison, there are similarly detailed descriptions of the non-food entertainments for an even more elaborate non-Carnival menu by Messisbugo for a high state dinner in January of 1529. To summarize greatly, the order of the day consisted of:
- In the grand hall there was a performance of a comedy by Ludovico Ariosto
- Then the guests left the hall for other rooms where they were entertained with music and conversation while the tables were set up and spread (with three tablecloths) in the grand hall. In this description, it is made clear that what I am calling the “pre-course” is placed on the table before the guests come in.
- The guests come into the hall, wash their hands in scented water, and sit, partaking of the dishes already on the table.
- The first course is served.
- There is a musical performance.
- The second course is served.
- There is a musical performance.
- The third course is served.
- A musical dialog is performed.
- The fourth course is served.
- There is a musical performance. (The performances are all described in terms of the voices and instruments and sometimes a named performer of note.)
- The fifth course is served.
- There is a musical performance.
- Somewhat differently from the Carnival menus, at this point the tables are cleared and the first tablecloth is removed. Napkins, knives, salt cellars, and bread are provided, along with decorations representing Hercules defeating the Hydra.
- The sixth course is served.
- There is a musical performance.
- The seventh course is served.
- There is an entertainment involving clowns.
- The eighth course is served.
- There is a musical performance while the tables are cleared and the second tablecloth is removed. Then the decorative figures are returned to the tables.
- Scented water for handwashing is provided.
- The confectionary course is presented, along with fresh napkins and knives, and scented toothpicks.
- There is a musical performance.
- Doorprizes are brought in and distributed while other music plays, then the guests adjourned to another room while the tables were taken away and the grand hall was cleaned.
- The guests return to the grand hall to dance.
- A collation is served.
- The guests return to dancing until dawn.
So while this event was far more elaborate and extensive, it helps show the general structure and rhythm of the entertainments, which are mentioned much more briefly and ambiguously in the Carnival menus.
The next installment will discuss the contents of the “collation” which, as we have seen above, is intended as a light repast to restore the guests after (or in the middle of) the dancing.
