All you who to feasting and mirth are inclined,
Come, here is good news for to pleasure your mind.
Old Christmas is come, for to keep open house:
He scorns to be guilty of starving a mouse.
Then come, boys, and welcome, for diet the chief,--
_Plum pudding_, goose, capon, minced pies, and roast beef.
The cooks shall be busied, by day and by night,
In roasting and _boiling_, for taste and delight.
Provision is making for beer, ale, and wine,
For all that are willing or ready to dine.
Meantime goes the caterer to fetch in _the chief_,--
_Plum pudding_, goose, capon, minced pies, and roast beef.
ANCIENT CHRISTMAS CAROL.
One quarter of a pound of beef suet; take out the strings and skin; chop
it to appear like butter; stone one pound of raisins, one pound of
currants, well washed, dried, and floured, one pound loaf sugar, rolled
and sifted, one pound of flour, eight eggs well beaten; beat all well
together for some time, then add by degrees two glasses of brandy, one
wine, one rose-water, citron, nutmeg, and cinnamon; beat it all
extremely well together, tie it in a floured cloth very tight, let it
boil four hours constantly; let your sauce be a quarter pound of butter,
beat to a cream, a quarter pound loaf sugar pounded and sifted; beat in
the butter with a little wine and sugar and nutmeg.