Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 May 1884 — Forks. [ARTICLE]

Forks.

Some of onr readers may be surprised to learn that the use of forks at the table was not introduced into England earlier than the reign of James L, and that this piece of refinement was derived from the Italians. The fact ap- ] ears from the following curious extract from a book entitled “Coryat’s Crudities, hastily gobbled up in five monethstraveils in France, Savoy, Italy, Rhsetia, Helvetia, (Switzerland), some parts of High Germany, and the Netherlands.” The book was first published in 1611. “Here I will mention,” says the traveler,, “a thing that might have been spoken of before in discourse of the first Italian towne. I observed a custom •in all those Italian cities and townes through which I passed, that is not used in any other country that I saw in say travels; neither do I think that any other nation of ohristendome doth use but only Italy. The Italian and also most strangers that are commorant in Italy, do alwaies at their meales use a little forke when they cut their meate. For while with their knife, which they hold in one hand, they cut the meate out of the dish," they fasten their forke, which they hold in their other hand, upon the same dish. So that whatsoever he be that sitting in the company of any others at meale, should unadvisedly touch the dish of meate with his fingers from which all doe cut, he will give occasion of offense unto the company, as having transgressed the laws of good manners; insomuch that for his error he shall be at least brow-beaten, if not reprehended in words. This forme of feeding, I understand, is generally used in all places in Italy, their forkes being for the most part made of yron or steele, and some of silver; but those are used only by gentlemen. The reason of this their curiosity is, because the Italian cannot by any means indure to have his dish touched with fingers, seeing all men’s fingers are not alike cleane. Hereupon I myself thought good to initiate the Italian fashion by this forked cutting of meate, not only while I was in Italy, but also in Germany, and oftentimes in England since I came home; being once quipped for that frequent using of my forke by a certain learned gentleman, a familiar friend of mine, one master Laurence Whitaker, who in his merry humor douhted not at table to call me Furcifer.* only for using a fork at feeding, but for no other cause.” The use of forks was mueh ridiculed in England, as an effeminate piece of finery; in one of Beaumont and Fletcher’s plays, “your fork carving tarveller” is spoken of with much contempt; and Ben Jonson has joined in the laugh against them in his “Devil’s an Ass.” Meercraft says to Gilthead and Sledge, "Have I deserved til's from yen two for all % pains at court to get you such a patent—(lilt head— For what? Meercraft— Upon my projec 1 of the forkes. Sledge—Forks? What be they? Meercraft —The laudable use of fork*; Brought Into cus oni here as they are In Italy, To the sparing o' napkins.” *Purclfer literally meant a slave, who for punishment ot some faul~, was made to carry a fork or gallows upon his neck through t ie city, with his hands tii dto It, hence it came to signby generally a rogne; a villain. The Eye.