As to Christmas fare, place must be given, I think, to "The Roast Beef of Old England," which used to be a standing dish on every table--from the "Sir Loin," said to have been knighted by Charles II. when in a merry mood, to the "Baron of Beef," which is, like a "saddle" of mutton, two loins joined together by the backbone. This enormous dish is not within the range of ordinary mortals; but the Queen always keeps up the custom of having one wherever she may be, at Windsor, or Osborne. Beef may be said to be the staple flesh of England, and is procurable by every one except the very poorest, whilst it is not given to all to obtain the lordly boar's head, which used to be an indispensable adjunct to the Christmas feast. One thing is, that wild boars only exist in England either in zoological gardens or in a few parks--notably Windsor--in a semi-domesticated state. The bringing in the boar's head was conducted with great ceremony, as Holinshed tells us that in 1170, when Henry I. had his son crowned as joint-ruler with himself, "Upon the daie of coronation King Henrie, the father, served his sonne at the table, as server, bringing up the bore's head with trumpets before it, according to the maner." In "Christmasse carolles, newely enprinted at Lond[=o], in the fletestrete at the Sygne of the Sonne, by Wynkyn de Worde. The Yere of our lorde M.D.XXI.," is the following, which, from its being "newely enprinted," must have been older than the date given:-- A carol bringyng in the bores heed. Caput apri differo[75] Reddens laudes domino. The bores heed in hande bring I, With garlands gay and rosemary. I praye you all synge merely Qui estis in conuiuio. The bores heed I understande Is the chefe servyce in this lande Loke where euer it be fande[76] Servite cum cantico. Be gladde lordes bothe more and lasse,[77] For this hath ordeyned our stewarde To chere you all this Christmasse The bores heed with mustarde. Finis. [Footnote 75: Defero.] [Footnote 76: Found.] [Footnote 77: Great and small.]