EVEN-TOED UNGULATES (aRTIODACTYLa) 205 



Low a nobleman of England not long since did send 

 over a hogshead of brawn ready soused to a Catholic 

 gentleman of France, who, supposing it to be fish, 

 reserved it till Lent, at which time he did eat 

 thereof with great frugality. . . With us it 



is accounted a great piece of service at the table 

 from November until February be ended, but chiefly 

 in the Christmas time. With the same also we 

 begin our dinners each day after other. ^^ 



Then follows a description of the method of 

 preparing the brawn. 



Boar's head was a famous old English Christmas 

 dish, and the custom of serving it in the ancient 

 fashion is still retained at Queen's College, Oxford, 

 where it is carried up to the principal table in the 

 hall with great state and solemnity during the 

 singing of a carol. Hearne, in his ' Remarks and 

 Collections,'^ gives — 



'^The song called "The Boar's Head," sung 



every year on Christmas Day, and three or four 



days before, by the Taberders of Queen's College 



according to the ancient Custome." 



" The Boar's Head in hand bear I 

 Bedeck't with Bayes and Rosemary ; 

 And I pray you my Masters merry be 

 Quot estis in convivio. 



Caput apri defer o 



Reddens laiides domino. 

 " The Boar's Head as I understand 

 Is ye bravest dish in all ye Land 

 Being thus bedeck't with a Gay Garland 

 Let us servire cantico. 



Caput apri, etc. 



* ' Oxford Historical Society/ vol. ii, 1707-10, p. 101. 



