Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1894-12-25

OLD TIME CHRISTMAS
HOW DINNER WAS SERVED IN THE
FOURTEENTH CENTURY.
Bears Head, with Rosemary, Brought In 10
the Music of Trumpets-RoastedP Peacock
the Pride of the Feast-Barbarou Ape
tites of Brave knights and Fair Ladies'.

the Pride OF the feast-bar Darous Ape
tites of Brave knights and Fair Ladies'.
1t was a gay scene-that great hall,
where the yule log was blazing in the
immense fireplace, big enough for two
whole oxen to be roasted therein; the
high rafters festooned with branches Of
holly, holme, laurel and ivy; the wide
portal crowned with mistletoe, and the
table, which was literally board of
boards, all of oak and polished till they
shone, stretching the whole. length OF
the room, 160 feet
Twelve o'clock has just struck, and
the household is mastering in the mag
nificent hall, it being covering time, !"
or the hour for preparing the tables for
dinner The steward in his gown, a
most important looking parsonage, is
standing at the uppermost part of the
hall, surrounded by most of the chief
officers The table is neatly covered
with q purple velvet cloth, saltcellars
and trenchers, under the supervision OF
the usher of the hall.
The yeomen Of the every and pantry,
conducted by the yeoman usher, then
enter the dining chamber. As they pass
through the door they bow reverentially,
and they do the same upon approaching
the table. They then lay down at the
side of each trencher q knife 'hafted
with silver" and spoon. No forks are
laid, for these convenient articles have
not yet been invented. Next in success
sion comes the yeoman Of the cellar,
who dresses the sideboard with wines,
fagons, drinking cups and such vessels
as are consigned to hts care. The yeo-
man of the butlery follows him, and
brings up beer and ale, and arranges
the pewter pots, jugs, and so forth, on
the sideboard.
The dinner time has now fully ar
rived, and the stewards command is
taken by gentleman usher, who knocks
respectfully at the door Of the state
chamber and summons King Richard
and his mobiles and guests to dinner. In
they come, dressed in their court attire,
the king and his lords in magnificent
long green colored velvet tunios, silken
hosiery and red leather boots, with very
long points; the pretty girl queen,
Anne of Bohemia, and her ladies in
particolored kirtles of white and blue,
cotehardies edged with fur, and their
hair done up in a gold fret or cone OF
network.
When the guests were assembled and
seated, the king and queen occupying a
dais above the others, the trumpets
sounded, and band Of musicians en-
tered the hall. The server followed
them, bearing upon huge golden plat
ter boar's head dressed with sweet
rosemary and rose leaves
The boar's head. with great golden
pippin placed between its tusks, is then
placed upon the table, where it is served
with mustard sauce, and the Christmas
dinner begins No napkins or forks
are used, and brave knights and noble
ladies wipe their greasy hands upon the
tablecloth and throw the discarded
bones and picl1ings upon the floor.
Besides the famous boar's head, the
first course consists Of roasted beef
joints, pigs roasted, venison with fru-
menty Ga curious concoction of boiled
wheat and eggs seasoned with sugar
and spices), broth Of pork and onions,
custard and subtlety, the latter being
an ornamental dish representing ship,
a castle or a human being, just as the
taste Of the cook dictated.
The second course is introduced by
the bringing in of a peacock with all Its
gay plumage ON and its whole body
covered with leaf of gold. A singular
dish, was it not? Like the subtlety, 1t
must be intended merely for an orna-
mental dish. Not at all. 1t was real
dish to eat. The peacock was stuffed
with all manner of spices and sweet
herbs, thoroughly roasted, basted with
yolk Of egg, served with plenty Of gra-
Wy, and was considered the greatest DEL
icacy of the Christmas feast.
1t was something of a task, as you
may imagine, to prepare this bird Of
Juno for the table. The skin was care
fully removed before it was baked, and
then, when it was taken from the oven
and cooled, the skin was sewed ON again
dexterously, not so much as feather
being ruff1ed. It was carried to the ia.
BILE on silver basin, with lighted
piece Of cotton, which had been satu-
rated in alcohol, placed In Its beak
No part Of the dinner was 30 eagerly
anticipated as this, and all manner Of
VOWS were pledged over the beautiful
bird. The chronicles of the middle ages
record many Of these vows.
Jellies of meat or fish, all manner OF
fowls, roasted or boiled capons, hams,
pies Of carp, tongues, mutton pies and
plum buildings followed in due order.
and these were displaced by dish Of
jelly, fruits and another subtlety. There
were but few vegetables to accompany
the various dishes Of meat and fowl.
After the solid food was disposed of,
wine and ale were drank in profuse
quantities. One wonders how they could
eat and drink so much. People had bar
barous appetites In those days, and a
lady Of rank would swallow two or three
tankards of ale at a single meal.
This dinner on that long ago Christ
mas day lasted two hours. In the even
ing there was more feasting, and the
historian amazes us by the vast enumer-
alton Of swine. oxen. sheep pigs, hares..
kids and fowls slaughtered and the tons
Of ale and wine drank. England was
merry England then. and rude license
and boisterous cheer characterized the
Yuletide festival. Yet doubtless we who
eat our Christmas dinner with much
less form and noise enjoy ourselves as
kru1v Cor.fajp1v Wa have m 0ra raf1nA-