Linen cloths such as this with decorated bands may have had several functions in a household, including as towels to dry the hands when washed before eating, cupboard cloths on which vessels could be placed, and coverpanes. Coverpanes were the cloths used to cover the principal place setting of salt, trencher, knife, spoon and bread. A household book of 1605 describes their use :
"The Yoeman of the Pantrie (is instructed)... to carrie the salte with the carvinge knife, clensing knife, and forke, and them to place upon the table in dewe order, with the bread at the salte, and then to cover the breade, with a fynne square clouth of cambricke, called a coverpaine (which is to bee taken of, the meate being placede on the table, and the lorde sette) by the carver and delivered to the pantler" (quoted by Mitchell, see refs).
The size of coverpanes seems to have varied from between one and a quarter to one and three quarter yards in length (114 to 160 cm), and between three quarters and one and an eighth yards in width (69 to 103 cm). The larger coverpanes were presumably required to cover tall standing salts.Linen napkin with woven bands in red silk depicting lions and castles, 1500sNapkin
16th century
Napkins were generally carried by servants, often draped over the shoulder. By the late sixteenth century the practice of providing each diner with an individual napkin started to develop. This beautiful example is embroidered with silk.
Italy
Woven silk and linen
V&A: 234-1880
<b>NB: this label is incorrect - the napkin is of woven silk NOT embroidered with silk.</b> [5 Oct 2006 - 7 Jan 2007]Linen cloths such as this with decorated bands may have had several functions in a household, including as towels to dry the hands when washed before eating, cupboard cloths on which vessels could be placed, and coverpanes. Coverpanes were the cloths used to cover the principal place setting of salt, trencher, knife, spoon and bread. A household book of 1605 describes their use :
"The Yoeman of the Pantrie (is instructed)... to carrie the salte with the carvinge knife, clensing knife, and forke, and them to place upon the table in dewe order, with the bread at the salte, and then to cover the breade, with a fynne square clouth of cambricke, called a coverpaine (which is to bee taken of, the meate being placede on the table, and the lorde sette) by the carver and delivered to the pantler".Plain woven linen napkin, towel or cloth. Approximately 4 cm in from each end a band 10.5 cm wide has been inserted, woven in red silk and cream linen, with a reversible pattern in point repeat of pairs of winged lions flanking a castle, and other ornamental devices; it is bordered by two integral narrow floral bands.
Both of the inserted woven strips are seamed, suggesting this may be their second or later use.
The whole napkin is edged with a simple line of red silk embroidery.