3-034-859 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

"Bringing In The Boar's Head," by H. S. Marks, A.R.A., 1871. Engraving of a painting. 'In marches the steward, with his white wand of office, followed by the chief cook. He bears in a capacious dish the noblest of Christmas viands - a soused Boar's Head, decorated with bay and rosemary, and having a lemon stuck between its grinning teeth...the most sonorous and effective voice in the hall raises the accustomed song for this ceremony of "Bringing In The Boar's Head. Caput apri defero; Reddens laudes Domino. The Boar's Head in hand bring I, With garlands gay and rosemary; I pray you all sing merrily, Qui estis in convivio. (Chorus repeats the last line.) The Boar's Head, I understand, Is the chief dish in all this land; Look, wherever it be fand, Servite cum cantico. (Chorus.) Be glad, Lords, both more and lass, This hath ordained our stew-ard, To cheer you all this Christmass, The Boar's Head eaten with mus-tard. (Chorus)".' From "Illustrated London News", 1871.