“In the Office called the Bouche, the equerry of the Kitchen arranges the dishes upon a table, and presents two trials of bread to the maitre d’hotel, who makes the trial of the first course, and who, having placed the meats for the trial upon these two trials of bread, gives one to the equerry of the Kitchen, who eats it, while the other is eaten by the maitre d’hotel.  Afterward the gentleman servant takes the first dish, the second is taken by the controller, and the other officers of the Kitchen take the rest.  They advance in this order:  the maitre d’hotel, having his baton, marches at the head, preceded some steps by the usher of the hall, carrying his wand, which is the sign of his office, and in the evening bearing a torch as well.  When the Meat, accompanied by three of the body-guards with carbines on their shoulders, has arrived (that is, in the first antechamber, where the King is to dine), the maitre d’hotel makes a reverence to the nef.  The gentleman servant, holding the first dish, places it upon the table where the nef is, and having received a trial portion from the gentleman servant in charge of the trial table, he makes the trial himself and places his dish upon the trial table.  The gentleman servant having charge of this table takes the other dishes from the hands of those who carry them, and places them also on the trial table.  After the trial of them has been made they are carried by the other gentlemen servants to the table of the King.

“The first course being on the table, the maitre d’hotel with his baton, preceded by the usher of the hall with his wand, goes to inform the King; and when His Majesty has arrived at table the maitre d’hotel presents a wet napkin to him, of which trial has been made in the presence of the officer of the Goblet, and takes it again from the King’s hands.  During the dinner the gentleman servant in charge of the trial table continues to make trial in the presence of the officers of the Goblet and of the Kitchen of all that they bring for each course.

“When His Majesty desires to drink, the cup-hearer cries at once in a loud tone, ‘The drink for the King!’ makes a reverence to the King, and goes to the sideboard to take from the hands of the chief of the Wine-cellars the salver and cup of gold, and the two crystal decanters of wine and water.  He returns, preceded by the chiefs of the Goblet and the Wine-cellars, and the three, having reached the King’s table, make a reverence to His Majesty.  The chief of the Goblet, standing near the King, holds a little trial cup of silver-gilt, into which a gentleman servant pours a small quantity of wine and water from the decanters.  A portion of this the chief of the Goblet pours into a second trial cup which is presented by his assistant, who, in turn, hands it to the gentleman servant.  The chief and the gentleman servant make the trial, and when the latter has handed his cup to the chief, that officer