Christmas in Queen Elizabeth's time.
--Queen Elizabeth issued the following instructions to the nobility of her dominions for the observance of the anniversary of the Saviour's birth:‘ On Christmas day, service in the church ended, the gentlemen presently repair into the hall to breakfast, with brawn, mustard and malmsey.
’ At dinner, the butler, appointed for the Christmas, is to see the tables covered and furnished; and the ordinary butlers of the house are recently to set bread, napkins and trenchers, in good form, at every table, with spoons and knives. At the first course is served a fair and large boar's head, upon a silver platter, with minstrelsy.
Two servants are to attend at supper, and to bear two fair torches of was, next before the musicians and trumpeters, and stand above the fire with the music, till the first course be served in through the hall. Which performed, they, with the music, are to return into the buttery.--The like course is to be observed in all things during the time of Christmas. --At night, before supper, are revels and dancing, and so also after supper, during the twelve days of Christmas. The master of the revels is, after dinner and supper, to sing a carol or song, and command other gentlemen, then there present, to sing with him and the company — and see it is very decently performed.
