a well-known instrument, consisting of a handle and a shaft terminating in two or more points or prongs. The table-fork did not come into use in England till the reign of James I., as we learn from a remarkable passage in Coryat, who thus solemnly relates the history of its introduction: "Here I will mention a thing that might have been spoken of before in discourse of the first Italian townes. I observed a custom in all those Italian cities and townes through the which I passed, that is not used in any other country that I saw in my travels, neither do I think any other nation of Christendome doth use it, but only Italy. The Italians, and also most strangers that are commorant in Italy, doe always at their meals use a little fork when they eat their meate; for while with their knife, which they hold in one hand, they cut the meate out of the dish, they fasten the forke, which they hold in the other hand, upon the same dish, so that whatsoever he be that sitting in the company of any others at meale shall unadvisedly touch the dish of meate with his fingers from which all the table doe cut, he will give occasion of offence unto the company as having transgressed the lawes of good manners, insomuch that for his error he shall be at least browbeaten, if not reprehended in words. This form of feeding, I understand, is generally used in all parts of Italy, their forkes for the most part being made of yronn, steele, and some of silver, but those are used only by gentlemen. The reason of this their curiosity is, because the Italian cannot by any means indure to have his dish touched with fingers, seeing all men's fingers are not alike cleane. Hereupon I myself thought good to imitate the Italian fashion by this forked cutting of meate, not only while I was in Italy, but also in Germany, and often times in England since I came home: being once quipped for that frequently using my fork, by a certain learned gentleman, a familiar friend of mine, Mr Lawrence Whitaker, who in his merry humour doubted not to call me a table forker, only for using a forke at feeding, but for no other cause."