Page "Toastmaster" Paragraph 7

An article by Isaac Bickerstaffe in Tatler magazine in1709 referred to two young revellers in the Pump Room at Bath.

A ' lady of the town ' was bathing, covered in little more than confusion.

One of the young men scooped some water from the bath into his glass, at the bottom of which was a small piece of toast or crouton ( later known as a sop ) from the Master of the Toast at the banquet he was attending.

He said, ' Nay, though I like not the beverage ( the water from the bath ) I will TAKE THE TOAST to this lady ', and he proceed to drink-water, toast and all.

This is the first time the word Toast was used in pledging a health.