The Nuptial Table of Henry VII.

For the next few days, if all goes to plan, I will be visiting Hampton Court Palace in London. Specifically, I am intending to pay homage to the amazingly restored, fully operational Tudor kitchens. Naturally I must give you a Tudor menu today – so here is the bill of fare for the nuptial feast in 1486 of the first Tudor monarch, Henry VII, as it is given in Account of London by Thomas Pennant, published in 1790.

NUPTIAL TABLE Henry VII

First Course.

A Warner byfor the Course
Sheldes of Brawne in Armor
Frumetye wirh Venison
Bruet riche

Hart powdered graunt Chars

Fesaunt intram de Royall

Swan with Chawdron

Capons of high Goe

Lampervey in Galantine

Crane with Cretney

Pik in Latymer Sawce

Heronusew with his Sique

Carpe in Foile

Kid reversed

Perche in Jeloye depte

Conys of high Grece

Moten Roiall richely garnysed

Valance baked

Custarde Royall

Tarte Poleyn

Leyse Damask

Frutt Synoper

Frutt Formage

A Soteltie, with writing of Balads.

Second Course.

A Warner byfor the Course
Joly Ypocras

Mamane with Lozengs of Golds

Pekok in Hakell

Bittowre

Fesawnte

Browes

Egrets in Beorwetye

Cokks

Patrieche

Sturgyn freshe Fenell
Plovers

Rabett Sowker

Seyle in Fenyn entirely served richely

Red Shankks

Snytes

Quayles

Larkes ingraylede

Creves de Endence

Venesone in Paste Royall

Quince Baked

Marche Payne Royall

A colde bake Mete flourishede

Lethe Ciprus

Lethe Rube

Fruter Augeo

Fruter Mouniteyne

Castells of Jely in Temple wise made

A Soteltie.

  

For those of you who are not hard-core food historians, at first glance (and maybe also at second and third glances) this bill of fare may be more than a little mysterious. It would take a complete book to explain every dish on this menu, but today I have only the time and space for one short blog post (got to leave time to explore those massive palace kitchens!). I promise however that  from time to time over the next few weeks, I will pick one or two items from the feast and explain them briefly. If you have a particular request do please let me know.

Today’s recipe is absolutely relevant to a royal household from the era. It is from a book published in the year 1500 whose title page reads:

A Noble Boke off Cookry

her begynnythe a noble boke off cookry ffor a prynce houssolde or eny other estately houssolde.

Her begynnyth the making of all thes kind as ye shall find here aftur in the bok more playnly the dighting of xiiij and iij dysshes

And here it is - an elegant savoury ‘jelly’:-

A gilly of fleshe.

To mak a gilly of fleshe take conys and fley them and skald pegions chop them and fley of the skyne skald chekins and chope kiddes and put all to gedur and boile it in red wyne then tak it upe and lay it in a clene clothe dry the peces of the kid pigions and conys and couche them in dishe and chope chekkins and put ther to then set the chekkins in a cold place where it may stand stille then set the brothe to the fyere agayne and luk it be well strened that no fat abid ther on then tak skalded caluys feet and lay them in the same brothe till they be tender and luk the brothe be clene scomed sessen it up with salt and serue it.