Found, part of a menu for the Chelsea Arts Club Ball, which was held at the Albert Hall, March 4th 1914:
Some clear Soupe—warme, ‘tis for one ande alle.
Ye Baron of Beefe, roasted ande tender
Ye Wilde Boare, hys Heade—a dishe for ye Kinge
Large Surrey Capons withe Truffles—no bones argale, eate fearlesslie
Ye Tastie Ham spyced as atte Yorke
Ye Venyson Pasty—tastilie cooked
Chykens, plump ande temptinge—trye them.
Ye Kindlye Oxe , hys Tongue
Agayne Chykens mayde toothsome by Galentyne
Dishe Pastys with Pidgeons —ryghte sustainynge
Beefe cunninglye cooked with spyces—try it
Raised Pastrys with Bubleyjocks, as they doe them in Yorkeshire—ryghte good
And thene some green stuffes with Dressinge .
AND THENE COME YE SWEETES GOODE FOR ALLE MEN ANDE MAYDENS
This year, this famous society Ball, in which fancy dress was de rigueur, must have had medieval England as its theme, although the drawing by Alex Jamieson (pictured), which sold in 2014 at Bonhams, does not suggest this. Contemporary reports record this Ball as being particularly weird and wonderful. Just a few months later many of the male party-goers would have found themselves leading troops into battle in the Flanders mud. Too many, alas, would never dance again. [RH]