his sports again.
'Twas Christmas broached the mightiest ale,
'Twas Christmas told the merriest tale;
A Christmas gambol oft would cheer
The poor man's heart through half the year.

_Sir Walter Scott._

CEREMONIES FOR CHRISTMAS.

Come, bring with a noise,
My merry, merry boys,
The Christmas-log to the firing,
While my good dame, she
Bids ye all be free,
And drink to your heart's desiring.

With the last year's brand
Light the new block, and,
For good success in his spending,
On your psalteries play,
That sweet luck may
Come while the log is a-teending.[E]

Drink now the strong beer,
Cut the white loaf here,
The while the meat is a-shredding;
For the rare mince-pie
And the plums stand by,
To fill the paste that's a-kneading.

_Robert Herrick._

FOOTNOTE:

[E] Burning.

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._

The boar's head, I understand,
Is the chief service in this land;
Look, wherever it be fand,
_Servite cum cantico._

Be glad, lords, both more and less,
For this hath ordained our steward
To cheer you all this Christmas,
The boar's head with mustard.

_Ritson's Ancient Songs._

THE BOAR'S HEAD CAROL.

SUNG AT QUEEN'S COLLEGE, OXFORD.

The boar's head in hand bear I,
Bedecked with bays and rosemary;
And I pray you, my masters, be merry,
_Quot estis in convivio._
_Caput apri defero_
_Reddens laudes domino._

The boar's head, as I understand,
Is the rarest dish in all this land,
Which thus bedeck'd with a gay garland
_Let us servire cantico._
_Caput apri defero_
_Reddens laudes domino._

Our steward hath provided this
In honor of the King of bliss;
Which on this day to be served is
_In Reginensi Atrio._
_Caput apri defero_
_Reddens laudes domino._

TO BE EATEN WITH MUSTARD.

SUNG AT ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE, OXFORD, CHRISTMAS, 1607.

The boar is dead,
So, here is his head;
What man could have done more
Than his head