56 
MODERN APPLE LORE. 
An apple stuck with cloves graced the boar’s head at the Christmas feast : 
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“ His foaming tusks let some large pippin grace.” 
(King’s Cookery, p. 75.) 
The jovial procession of the boar’s head went only from the kitchen to the hall, as it still does at 
Queen’s College, Oxford ; but at Ripon, on Christmas Day in olden times, boys used to bring baskets 
of red apples, decorated with sprigs of rosemary into the minster, and present them to the congrega¬ 
tion.— (Gentleman s Magazine, 1790.) 
The Christmas supper table was decked as one of its chief ornaments with “ Codlins and 
Cream,” an old-fashioned dainty dish not often seen now, and a very pleasant compound it 
must have been. The Codlins were thoroughly roasted, arranged in a glass dish, thickly dusted 
over with powdered white sugar, and then covered with rich thick cream (Mr. Edwin Lees). The 
fame of this delicacy reached as far as Ireland. A poem in the 17th century written by a Dr. 
William King, contains the following lines : 
“ Mountown ! thou sweet retreat from Dublin cares, 
Be famous for thy apples and thy pears. 
* * * -* 
Mountown ! the Muses most delicious theme, 
Oh ! may thy Codlins ever swim in cream.” 
The antiquity of this “ dainty dish” may also be inferred from the fact that a common kind of 
Willow-herb, is called “ Codlins and Cream ” from the odour of its blossoms. 
The Eve of the New Year, and New Year’s Day, again brought apples into requisition. It 
was the custom on New Year’s Eve for young women to carry from door to door, through the vil¬ 
lages, the “ Wassail Bowl,” gaily ornamented with coloured ribbons, and gilt apples, singing doggrel 
verses. These young women, doubtless, suggested to Ben Jonson, the personification of Wassel, 
which he introduces in one of his Masques. The stage direction clearly shows the allusion : 
“ Enter Wassel, like a neat sempster and songster, her page having a brown bowl 
dressed with ribbons and rosemary before her.” 
The “ Wassail Bowl ” implies, the drinking of healths. “ Wass-hael" is the Saxon toast 
“ to your good health.” The beautiful Rowena, with this salutation, presented the cup of spiced 
wine to King Vortigern, and secured a gracious reception for her ambitious brothers Hengist and 
Horsa. (Brady — Clavis calendaria II., 320.) Thus in ancient Saxon households, they passed 
the bowl round. In the “Antiquarian Repertory” (/. 21S. Edit. 1775) is a good engraving of 
an old oak chimney-piece beam, on which is carved a bowl, with the inscription on one side 
“ Wass-heile,” and on the other “ Drinc-heile.” The bowl rests on the branches of an apple tree, 
in allusion to the spiced cider it was wont to contain. The “ Wassail Bowl” was the poculum 
caritatis of the Abbot’s table in the Monastery Refectory; and it is represented in our own 
time, by the “Grace Cup ” of the Universities, and the “ Loving Cup ” of Civic festivities. 
The proper compound for the “ Wassail Bowl ” was hot ale, or cider, flavoured with spice 
and sugar ; having a piece of toast in it, with roasted crabs, or apples, floating on the surface. 
This is Shakespeare’s “ Gossips bowl :” 
“ And sometimes lurk I in a gossip’s bowl, 
In very likeness of a roasted crab.” 
(Midsummer Night’s Dream, II., 1.) 
When rightly made, the apples are roasted on a string above the bowl, and the soft pulp only 
