Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition
The Gaelic Maundeville (Author: John Maundeville)

paragraph 192

The place in the hall where this emperor sitteth for his meal, is high above every one, and the table on which he partakes of his meal is full of precious stones and pearls, and when he goes up to that table, it is by steps of gold, full of jewels. On his left side is the sitting-place of his (first) wife, a foot lower than himself, and the second of his wives is a foot lower than the first. And in the sitting-place of both these wives is jasper with a covering of gold and with many other precious stones. The third of his wives is a foot lower than the second. For he is never without three wives. And the rest of the ladies of the (royal) house sit as far as the end of the table, according to their own nobility and rank. And every wife of a wedded man there wears upon the top of her head-dress the semblance of a foot, to declare that she is obedient to her own husband. And all gold and full of precious stones is the table


p.265

whereat they partake of food. And of the emperor's children the heir apparent sits on his right side, a foot lower than himself, and the lords of his lineage, according to their own nobility and rank, thence to the end of the table. And the table on which they eat their meal is gold full of precious stones.