Christmas in the Olden Time by Walter Scott. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Then was brought in the lusty brawn<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n By old blue-coated serving man;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Then the grim boar\u2019s head frowned on high,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Crested with bays and rosemary.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Well can the green-garbed ranger tell<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n How, when and where the monster fell;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n What dogs before his death he tore,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n And all the baitings of the boar.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The wassal round, in good brown bowls,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Garnished with ribbons, blithely trowls.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n There the huge sirloin reeked: hard by<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Plum-porridge stood, and Christmas pye;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Nor failed old Scotland to produce,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n At such high-tide, her savory goose.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n Because wild boar was the most feared animal, serving it at a meal represented the victory of good over evil. During the 17th century, wild boar became extinct in Britain so a pig\u2019s head was used instead. The head was often presented on a decorated platter with an apple in its mouth and carried in by bearers in a dramatic manner. The tradition of serving ham for Christmas lunch or dinner probably came from the idea of serving boar\u2019s head or roasted boar joints to guests at Christmas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To say nothing of the roast beef and plum-pudding, Christmas pies, furmity, and snap-dragons, the Yule-log and the mistletoe have not finally abdicated, while the boar\u2019s head, decorated with rosemary or prickly holly, maintains its place at the English Christmas dinner, and is still served up in great state at the royal Christmas table. At Oxford, U.K., the boar\u2019s head was carried in by the strongest of the guardsmen, singing a Christmas carol, and preceded by a forester, a huntsman, and a couple of pages dressed in silk and carrying the mustard which was regarded as a great luxury and an infallible digester.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The following celebrated carol of the Boar\u2019s Head is found in the book of \u2018Christmasse Carolles\u2019 published in 1521 by Wynkyn de Warde: <\/p>\n\n\n\n The boar\u2019s head in bande bring I, <\/p>\n\n\n\n With garlandes gay and rosemary,<\/p>\n\n\n\n I pray you all synge merely,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Qui estis in convivio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe bore\u2019s head, I understande,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Is the chefe servyce in this lande.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Loke wherever it be fande,<\/p>\n\n\n\n Servite cum cantico.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBe gladde, lordes, both more and lasse,<\/p>\n\n\n\n For this bath ordayned our stewarde,<\/p>\n\n\n\n To chere you all this Christmasse,<\/p>\n\n\n\n The bore\u2019s head with mustarde.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n At Oxford, U.K., the boar\u2019s head was carried in by the strongest of the guardsmen, singing a Christmas carol, and preceded by a forester, a huntsman, and a couple of pages dressed in silk and carrying the mustard which was regarded as a great luxury and an infallible digester. A similar custom appears to have prevailed in Genoa in the times of the Dorias when a boar decorated with branches of laurel and accompanied by trumpeters was annually presented to the Doria family by the Abbot of San Antonio at Pr\u00e9 at midday on the 24th of December.<\/p>\n\n\nChristmas: Bring In The Boar's Head. #Christmas #holidays #customs #BritishHistory #RegencyEra https:\/\/books2read.com\/suziloveHOCP <\/a><\/span>Share on X<\/a><\/span>\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"![\"Xmas_Boar's](\"https:\/\/www.suzilove.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/boar_BriningInTHeBoarsHeadAtChristmas_Harper_Sml.png\")
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