A prominent feature that all travellers record as
taking place at the time is the handing about of eggs dyed
of various colours and gilt, given as gifts to each other, and
even to strangers, in honour of the great Spring fast.
EGGS 113
Whether the Nowroose was originally intended to com-
memorate the Deluge or the Creation may be questioned,
but the fact remains that here as elsewhere we find " painted
eggs " as gifts heralding the return of the sun in Spring at
the annual resurrection of Nature.'
The derivation of our Easter eggs from these ancient
sources is evident; it is not the only Pagan custom adapted
to Christianity by the early Church, and to quote once more
from the very interesting article referred to : —
'When Pope Paul V. drew up a ritual to be used in
England, Ireland, and Scotland, among many other prayers
of Benediction for Eastertide was the following : — " Bless,
Lord, we beseech Thee, this Thy creature of Eggs, that it
may become a wholesome sustenance to Thy faithful
servants, eating it in thankfulness to Thee on account of
the Resurrection of our Lord." Countless thousands of
eggs were thus annually blessed by the priests at Easter,
both before and after they were coloured. Having obtained
the blessing, the eggs became holy gifts, the bestowal of
which conferred much benefit on both givers and receivers.
It became a custom on Good Friday to "offer eggs and
bacon to the Lord Christ," and thus special favours were
secured to the donors. Some of our early Reformation
records bring strange matters before those who care to dip
into them ; not the least strange referring to the mode of
making "presentations of eggs to the Cross." It is a
custom still in vogue in some parts of the Continent for
each member of a parish to present the priest with an egg
on Easter morning.'
In process of time Easter eggs, which were originally given
and received as symbols of the Resurrection, degenerated
H
ii4 OUR VIANDS
into mere objects of sport, and were used as balls, or
for the performance of dances, which often took place in
churches ; thus we are told that * eggs always rose in price
at Easter, they were boiled very hard in water coloured with
red, blue, or violet dyes, with inscriptions or landscapes
traced upon them ; these were offered as presents among
the valentines of the year, but more frequently played with
by the boys as balls, for ball-playing on Easter Monday
was universal in every rank. Even the clergy could not
forego its delights, and made this game a part of their
service. Bishops and deans took the ball into the church,
and at the commencement of the autiphone began to dance,
throwing the ball to the choristers, who handed it to each
other during the time of the dancing and autiphone. All
then retired for refreshment ; a gammon of bacon, eaten in
abhorrence of the Jews, was a standard dish ; with a tansy
pudding, symbolical of the bitter herbs commanded at the
paschal feast.' *
Our viands
1893Page 54
Presented as published in 1893. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
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A prominent feature that all travellers record as
taking place at the time is the handing about of eggs dyed
of various colours and gilt, given as gifts to each other, and
even to strangers, in honour of the great Spring fast.
EGGS 113
Whether the Nowroose was originally intended to com-
memorate the Deluge or the Creation may be questioned,
but the fact remains that here as elsewhere we find " painted
eggs " as gifts heralding the return of the sun in Spring at
the annual resurrection of Nature.'
The derivation of our Easter eggs from these ancient
sources is evident; it is not the only Pagan custom adapted
to Christianity by the early Church, and to quote once more
from the very interesting article referred to : —
'When Pope Paul V. drew up a ritual to be used in
England, Ireland, and Scotland, among many other prayers
of Benediction for Eastertide was the following : — " Bless,
Lord, we beseech Thee, this Thy creature of Eggs, that it
may become a wholesome sustenance to Thy faithful
servants, eating it in thankfulness to Thee on account of
the Resurrection of our Lord." Countless thousands of
eggs were thus annually blessed by the priests at Easter,
both before and after they were coloured. Having obtained
the blessing, the eggs became holy gifts, the bestowal of
which conferred much benefit on both givers and receivers.
It became a custom on Good Friday to "offer eggs and
bacon to the Lord Christ," and thus special favours were
secured to the donors. Some of our early Reformation
records bring strange matters before those who care to dip
into them ; not the least strange referring to the mode of
making "presentations of eggs to the Cross." It is a
custom still in vogue in some parts of the Continent for
each member of a parish to present the priest with an egg
on Easter morning.'
In process of time Easter eggs, which were originally given
and received as symbols of the Resurrection, degenerated
H
ii4 OUR VIANDS
into mere objects of sport, and were used as balls, or
for the performance of dances, which often took place in
churches ; thus we are told that * eggs always rose in price
at Easter, they were boiled very hard in water coloured with
red, blue, or violet dyes, with inscriptions or landscapes
traced upon them ; these were offered as presents among
the valentines of the year, but more frequently played with
by the boys as balls, for ball-playing on Easter Monday
was universal in every rank. Even the clergy could not
forego its delights, and made this game a part of their
service. Bishops and deans took the ball into the church,
and at the commencement of the autiphone began to dance,
throwing the ball to the choristers, who handed it to each
other during the time of the dancing and autiphone. All
then retired for refreshment ; a gammon of bacon, eaten in
abhorrence of the Jews, was a standard dish ; with a tansy
pudding, symbolical of the bitter herbs commanded at the
paschal feast.' *