Christmas in Shakespeare's England

Celebrate a literary Christmas with recipes for the thirty-two yuletide dishes found in a "modest" Elizabethan home (including delectable Elizabethan desserts and Shakespeare's "Roasted crabs hissing in the bowl"). The Masque of Christmas, a short play by Ben Jonson appeares in full along with tales of goings-on during Shakespeare's Christmas performances. Measure for Measure, for instance, was one of many of Shakespeare's plays first performed by "His Majesties plalers" during the twelve day festival of the Royal Court, and some of Shakespeare's most famous lines, such as the winter song from Love's Labours Lost,are included in this delightful celebration. Hear how the barristers of Inns of Court danced before the judges; read clebrated 16th century poet Robert Herrick's verse on the ceremonies of Christmas and the winter poem by Catholic martyr, Father Robert Southwell.