Coquina_, who was an esquire by office, seems to have had the care of
pourveyance, A.D. 1340 [30], and to have nearly corresponded with
our _clerk of the kitchen_, having authority over the cooks [31].
However, the _Magnus Coquus_, _Coquorum Prapositus_, _Coquus Regius_,
and _Grans Queux_, were officers of considerable dignity in the
palaces of princes; and the officers under them, according to Du
Fresne, were in the French court A.D. 1385, much about the time that
our Roll was made, 'Queus, Aideurs, Asteurs, Paiges, Souffleurs,
Enfans, Saussiers de Commun, Saussiers devers le Roy, Sommiers,
Poulliers, Huissiers' [32].

In regard to religious houses, the Cooks of the greater foundations
were officers of consequence, though under the Cellarer [33], and if
he were not a monk, he nevertheless was to enjoy the portion of a
monk [34]. But it appears from Somner, that at Christ Church,
Canterbury, the _Lardyrer_ was the first or chief cook [35]; and this
officer, as we have seen, was often an ecclesiastic. However, the
great Houses had Cooks of different ranks [36]; and manors and
churches [37] were often given _ad cibum_ and _ad victum monachorum_

[38]. A fishing at Lambeth was allotted to that purpose [39].

But whether the Cooks were Monks or not, the _Magistri Coquina_,
Kitcheners, of the monasteries, we may depend upon it, were always
monks; and I think they were mostly ecclesiastics elsewhere: thus
when Cardinal Otto, the Pope's legate, was at Oxford, A. 1238, and
that memorable fray happened between his retinue and the students,
the _Magister Coquorum_ was the Legate's brother, and was there
killed [40]. The reason given in the author, why a person so nearly
allied to the Great Man was assigned to the office, is this, 'Ne