The silver ship was commonly an immense piece of plate, containing the napkin, goblet, and knife and spoon of the host, besides being the receptacle for the spices and salt.  Through fear of poison, the precaution was taken of keeping it covered.  This ship was often known as the “nef,” and frequently had a name, as if it were the family yacht!  One is recorded as having been named the “Tyger,” while a nef belonging to the Duke of Orleans was called the “Porquepy,” meaning porcupine.  One of the historic salts, in another form, is the “Huntsman’s salt,” and is kept at All Soul’s College, Oxford.  The figure of a huntsman, bears upon its head a rock crystal box with a lid.  About the feet of this figure are several tiny animals and human beings, so that it looks as if the intent had been to picture some gigantic legendary hunter—­a sort of Gulliver of the chase.

The table was often furnished also with a fountain, in which drinking-water was kept, and upon which either stood or hung cups or goblets.  These fountains were often of fantastic shapes, and usually enamelled.  One is described as representing a dragon on a tree top, and another a castle on a hill, with a convenient tap at some point for drawing off the water.

The London City Companies are rich in their possessions of valuable plate.  Some of the cups are especially beautiful.  The Worshipful Company of Skinners owns some curious loving cups, emblematic of the names of the donors.  There are five Cockayne Loving Cups, made in the form of cocks, with their tail feathers spread up to form the handles.  The heads have to be removed for drinking.  These cups were bequeathed by William Cockayne, in 1598.  Another cup is in the form of a peacock, walking with two little chicks of minute proportions on either side of the parent bird.  This is inscribed, “The gift of Mary the daughter of Richard Robinson, and wife to Thomas Smith and James Peacock, Skinners.”  Whether the good lady were a bigamist or took her husbands in rotation, does not transpire.

An interesting cup is owned by the Vintners in London, called the Milkmaid.  The figure of a milkmaid, in laced bodice, holds above her head a small cup on pivots, so that it finds its level when the figure is inverted, as is the case when the cup is used, the petticoat of the milkmaid forming the real goblet.  It is constructed on the same principle as the German figures of court ladies holding up cups, which are often seen to-day, made on the old pattern.  The cups in the case of this milkmaid are both filled with wine, and it is quite difficult to drink from the larger cup without spilling from the small swinging cup which is then below the other.  Every member is expected to perform this feat as a sort of initiation.  It dates from 1658.

[Illustration:  The “Milkmaid cup”]