Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-26

e ta sirlotn. Nor must we forget that
que intercourse with Spain. conse-
'q t. On the marriage of Cath.
go, OF ATagon, added the
asauleu pium-pudding TO our Christmas
laIe' until we have become the chief
consumers Of the plentiful harvests from
.le vineyards Of Malaga. With the
PInm-pudding came the turkey, which
nSs superseded the peacock in his gilded
Slofy. In their country mansions,
Wnefe the nobility still chiefly resided,
enS tables were spread from morning
I'LL .ght. All guests which chance or
INVITATION brought were made welcome
10 10 take their place at the grooming
BOARD by heralds wearing the coats OF
atHis belonging TO their masters. From
Ine household book of Edward Stafford.
Duke of Buckingham, "the mirror of ali
courtesle," as Shakespeare calls him, we
n n1lo that 294 guests dined with him on
Onrlstmas day, at ThOrnbury, 15O7-95
gentry, 1O1 yeomau, and 81
garcons or grooms. In addition to
these, there is mention of hermit, a
oondman, a joiner, brick-maker. an en-
Drolderer with his two assistants, besides
the Dsllihs and tenants, from tue dukes
manors. On the 18th day the party record
gu Is stlll larger. FOrty-two of the guests
were from the town, and 30 from the coun-
wv N~Nbi q NuOhG WGlC GukdRGu
bIistol. There were four players, two
MINISTRIES, and six trumpeters, beside
t0ur waits from Bristol. The abbot from
hingswood and the dean of the chapel
performed the religious services of the
DAY, assisted by eighteen singing men
ana four chOristers. From the accounts
IL appears that loaves and manchets
OF bread were delivered from the pantry,
WINE from the cellar, ale from the buttery,
Paris candles from the chandlery. Under
the head of kitchen deliveries, we find
salt meat, salt fish, and fresh provisions.
me quantity of charcoal and coal sup
piled to ball and parlOr tell OF a roaring
Christmas fire. The same liberal hand
provided for the consumption of the
stables as we'll. On twelfth day there
were thirty-siX rounds of beef at table
and dish Of lamb. They also spent of
the lords store Il carcRsses OF mutton, 2
calves, pigs, 3 swans, geese, 6 sucking
pigs, besides poultry small and large,
birds, fish, and wild fowl. The bread
baked on Christmas eve had no chance
OF growing mOldy at ThOrnbury,
for the lumber of loaves con-
chets-i. e., rolls to eat in the hand. So
minute are the details afforded by these
Well-kept household accounts. But our
picture will not be complete without the
cellarers reckoning, in which the light
wines OF France figure largely. Thirty
three bottles, one pitcher, one quart Gas
cony wine, four and a half pitchers of
Malvoisie, seven pitchers of Rhenish. one
pitcher Of Ossey.
From the buttery ''spout," 259 flagons
ana one quart of ale; whereof at break
fast were consumed twenty fiagons. Side
by side with this pr0iuse hospitality aims
giving infninnn q
sive scale.
The almOner was an indispensable OIL.
Ger in abbey, court, and castle. The earl
OF Derby, who kept 250 men Sin check
roll'-that is in his household-fed also
above sixty of the aged poor twice a day,
and all corners thrice a week. When the
bishop OF Ely Travelled, in the first years
of Henry VII, be ordered the bells to be
rung at every town where he stopped.
This was to call the poor together, and
every one who answered his summons re-
ceived sixpenee. His successor gave
daily at his gate bread and drink and
warm meat to 200 of the neighbOring poor.
To justly appreciate the genial spirit
of the Tudor Christmas we must try
to realize the exceptional con-
ditiOns of our social life
when the disputes of York and Lancaster
were ended. We see it bruised and bat
tered between the shocks of contending
factions. Beyond the blOOd-red precincts
OF the battleaelds the gibbet and the block
had cast their deadly shadow over many
an English home. The flower of the an
cient barOnage was dOwntrodden among
the masses to rise no more. The scum of
the nation which had so often risen to the
surface was subsiding. There was a
fusion of classes, making between high
and low a deeper sympathy, which found
expression in the genial hospitality of
the Tudor Christmas. Was it not a
patriotic effort, rs old Tusser tells US e
The weaker poor neighbOr to comfort and
cheer2
The ballad OF the sold and New Cour-
tiers shows US how the country squire,
with his - serving men, called in his poor
neigh bOrs till every room was full.
On! dirty December for Christmas remember,
cries old Tusser, and to him we must turn
for the Christmas feast of the thrifty yeo-
man
Good bread and good drink, a good fire in the
hall,
Drawn. pudding and sauce, and good mustard
wIthai;
Beef. mutton. and pork, shred picsof the best;
Pig, veal, goose and capon, Snd turkey well
dressed;
Cheese, apples, aud nuts. jolly carols to hear,
AS these IN the country IS counted good cheer,