Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-12-25

- From the severn-Drinks of the Early
Brftons-Peacocks and Bears Heads.
Celtic superstitions and traditions pre-.
vail in England, the land of the mistletoe;
MIC romance Of Arthur and his knights
fingers around Avalon; Roman luxury IS
with US In Bath and Cirencester; Soiner-
ret recalls the scenes Of Athelney and
Glastonbury and in the magnificent piles
Of Worcester, Gloucester and Hereford we
still gaze in admiration on these wonders
Of Norman generosity.
But what have these Nornans bequeath-
cd to us OF Christmas customs? Nothing
distinctive for their ancestors, the sea
kings. were but offshoots Of the same
Scandinavian forefathers Of the Saxons,
and thus wo had already received through
Dane and Saxon the observances Of north
crn Yule. But greater luxury and love
Of display in every form entered English
life. Quality, no longer quantity, was the
fashion Of tho board. The OK and calf
flesh, sheep and swine flesh, appear as beef,
veal, mutton and pork huge horns Of
homo brcwcd ale give place to wines;
spiced and highly seasoned dishes first APP
pear. But at heart the Norman is no moro
refined than tho Saxon. Where the Saxon
is simple minded, Trustworthy and faith
full. the Norman Is crafty, cunning and de-
celful His fair words may sound sweet
or, tits all.
Many and varied now are the dishes at
feasts. Our terrapin and canvasback duck
had their prototype in the crane, indis-
ponsablc at all aristocratic feasts, and
in Bccket's days, for King Henry was q
vcritabe gormand, we find such dishes
ms "dillcgrout," "karumpic" and "mau-
pieyrnun."
Dillcgrout required great skill on tho
cook part for it was composed Of almond
milk, the Drawn of c1pons, sugar and
spices, chicken parboiled and chopped and
IL often known as lie lnesse dc gyron." If
fat were added to it, then it became ''mau
plgyrnun."
The tenant Of the manor Of Arlington
In Surrey held his lands in retarn for q
mess Of dillegrout on the day of the kings
coronation.
The Norman kings had learned to ap
prcciato the stcwed lamprcys of the Severn,
and tho loyalty of Gloucester was tested
every year by tho preparation of a huge
Iamprey pic for tho sovereign.
So fond was Henry IL of this rich dish
that his gluttony oyercame his prudence,
~ ~. '',a Low - t' G,,od tho az;
zcns Of Gloucester for not sending him
their usual tribute. But when lampreys
cost 80 cents apiece and a whole Sleeps
carcass could be bought for the same sum,
'oC 1i','Ia,.aa to,,'o.d ,Lo ,rorthIos.
king2
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cathedral ,rirdou,s In - nntoIIo (,brist-
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