CHIVALRY AND COURTESY: MEDIEVAL MANNERS FOR MODERN LIFE (HB)

The medieval banquet - where people licked their knives and threw the bones to the dogs. Actually, no. Medieval society cherished order and cleanliness, from regular handwashing to daily prayer - and there were consequences if you didn’t stick to the rules. Drawing on sources such as courtiers’ handbooks and romantic poems, this book explores the world of etiquette from the time of Chaucer to the court of Elizabeth I, taking in topics such as table manners and interpersonal relationships, running a household and ruling a kingdom.