"'Twixt manchets of fair white bread" "Ah!" said Beltane.

Take a pound of blanched almonds and beat them, put some rose-water in while beating; (they must not be beaten too small) mix them with the whites of five eggs, a pound of sugar finely beaten and sifted, and a handful of flour, mix all these very well together, lay them on wafers, and bake them in a very temperate oven, (it must not be so hot as for manchet) then they are fit for use.

Chip a manchet very well, and cut it round ways in toasts, then take cream and eight eggs seasoned with sack, sugar, and nutmeg, and let these toasts steep in it about an hour, then fry them in sweet butter, serve them up with plain melted butter, or with butter, sack and sugar as you please.

Upon a mushroom's head Our tablecloth we spread; A grain of rye or wheat Is manchet, which we eat; Pearly drops of dew we drink, In acorn cups, fil'd to the brink.

[205] Manchet is fine white bread: panis candidior et purior.

He is never so well pleased with his place as when a gentleman is beholden to him for showing him the buttery, whom he greets with a cup of single beer and sliced manchet, and tells him it is the fashion of the college.

Dinner had been prepared for him; but he refused to eat, though afterwards, at the solicitation of the bishop, he took the half of a manchet and a glass of wine.

Then still other attendants brought them good strong wine and manchets of bread and they sat together at table and ate very cheerfully and were greatly refreshed.

And Sir Tristram would have served him with wine and with manchets of bread with his own hand, but King Arthur would not have it so, but bade Sir Tristram to sit beside him on his right hand, and Sir Tristram did so.

So he gave orders to those who were in attendance upon him that food should be spread at a certain open space in the forest; and therewith, in accordance with those orders, they in attendance immediately opened sundry hampers of wicker, and therefrom brought forth a noble pasty of venison, and manchets of bread and nuts and apples and several flasks and flagons of noble wine of France and the Rhine countries.

And Enid brought sweet cakes to make them cheer, And in her veil unfolded, manchet bread.

[Footnote 4: Manchet bread is fine white bread.

She appeared vastly surprised when he entered and asked for a manchet of bread, for the contrast between his ruddy countenance and his Puritan hat and bands was so striking that they could not fail to be noticed.

Near Tetsworth, the enemy's first outpost, they halt till evening; the horsemen dismount, the flagon and the foraging-bag are opened, the black-jack and the manchet go round, healths are drunk to successes past and glories future, to "Queen Mary's eyes," and to "Prince Rupert's dog."

Prepare my cornered manchet sweet, And in my little crystal cup Pour out the blithe and flowering mead

Reach me the Books down I read yesterday, and make a little fire, and get a manchet; make clean those Instruments of Brass I shew'd you, and set the great Sphere by; then take the Fox tail, and purge the Books from dust; last, take your Lilly, and get your part ready.

Reach me the bookes down I read yesterday, And make a little fire and get a manchet; Make cleane those instruments of brass I shew'd you, And 'set the great Sphere by, then take the fox tayle And purg the bookes from dust, last take your Lilly, And get your part ready.

The noontide breakfast provided for the Percy establishment was of a very modest character: my lord and my lady had, for example, a loaf of bread, two manchets (loaves of finer bread), a quart of beer and one of wine, two pieces of salt fish, and six baked herrings or a dish of sprats.

My lord Percy and Master Thomas Percy had half a loaf of household bread, a manchet, a pottle of beer, a dish of butter, a piece of salt fish, and a dish of sprats or three white herrings; and the nursery breakfast for my lady Margaret and Master Ingram Percy was much the same.

The manchet was sometimes thought to be sufficient without butter, as we now eat a scone.

In the "Conceits of Old Hobson," 1607, the worthy haberdasher of the Poultry gives some friends what is facetiously described as a "light" banqueta cup of wine and a manchet of bread on a trencher for each guest, in an apartment illuminated with five hundred candles.

On flesh days through the year, breakfast for my lord and lady was a loaf of bread, two manchets, a quart of beer, a quart of wine, half a chine of mutton, or a chine of beef, boiled.