Chapter I: Preface

It is with a view of preserving the memory of Christmas that I have written this book.

In it the reader will find its History, Legends, Folk-lore, Customs, and Carols--in fact, an epitome of Old Christ-tide, forming a volume which, it is hoped, will be found full of interest.

JOHN ASHTON.

A righte Merrie Christmasse!!!

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

Date of Christ's Birth discussed--Opinions of the Fathers--The Eastern Church and Christ-tide--Error in Chronology--Roman Saturnalia--Scandinavian Yule--Duration of Christ-tide 1

CHAPTER II

Historic Christ-tides in 790, 878, and 1065--William I., 1066-1085--William II.--Henry I., 1127--Stephen--Henry II., 1158-1171--Richard I., 1190--John, 1200--Henry III., 1253--Edwards I., II., and III.--Richard II., 1377-1398--Henry IV.-V., 1418--Henry VIII., his magnificent Christ-tides 9

CHAPTER III

Historic Christ-tides--Edward VI., 1551--Mary--Elizabeth--James I.--The Puritans--The Pilgrim Fathers--Christmas's Lamentation--Christ-tide in the Navy, 1625 19

CHAPTER IV

Attempts of Puritans to put down Christ-tide--Attitude of the people--Preaching before Parliament--"The arraignment, etc., of Christmas" 26

CHAPTER V

The popular love of Christmas--Riots at Ealing and Canterbury--Evelyn's Christmas days, 1652, '3, '4, '5, '7, Cromwell and Christ-tide--The Restoration--Pepys and Christmas day, 1662--"The Examination and Tryal of old Father Christmas" 34

CHAPTER VI

Commencement of Christ-tide--"O Sapientia!"--St. Thomas's day--William the Conqueror and the City of York--Providing for Christmas fare--Charities of food--Bull-baiting--Christ-tide charities--Going "a-Thomassing," etc.--Superstitions of the day 45

CHAPTER VII

Paddington Charity (Bread and Cheese Lands)--Barring-out at Schools--Interesting narrative 53

CHAPTER VIII

The Bellman--Descriptions of him--His verses. The Waits--Their origin--Ned Ward on them--Corporation Waits--York Waits (17th century)--Essay on Waits--Westminster Waits--Modern Waits 63

CHAPTER IX

Christ-tide Carols--The days of Yule--A Carol for Christ-tide--"Lullaby"--The Cherry-tree Carol--Dives and Lazarus 70

CHAPTER X

Christmas Eve--Herrick thereon--The Yule Log--Folk-lore thereon--The Ashen Faggot--Christmas Candles--Christmas Eve in the Isle of Man--Hunting the Wren--Divination by Onions and Sage--A Custom at Aston--"The Mock"--Decorations and Kissing Bunch--"Black Ball"--Guisers and Waits--Ale Posset 75

CHAPTER XI

Christmas Eve in North Notts--Wassailing the Fruit Trees--Wassail Songs--Wassailing in Sussex--Other Customs--King at Downside College--Christ-tide Carol--Midnight Mass--The Manger--St. Francis of Assisi 84

CHAPTER XII

Decorating with Evergreens--Its Origin and Antiquity--Mistletoe in Churches--The permissible Evergreens--The Holly--"Holly and Ivy"--"Here comes Holly"--"Ivy, chief of Trees"--"The Contest of the Ivy and the Holly"--Holly Folk-lore--Church Decorations--To be kept up till Candlemas day 91

CHAPTER XIII

Legends of the Nativity--The Angels--The Birth--The Cradles--The Ox and Ass--Legends of Animals--The Carol of St. Stephen--Christmas Wolves--Dancing for a Twelve-months--Underground Bells--The Fiddler and the Devil 97

CHAPTER XIV

The Glastonbury Thorn, its Legend--Cuttings from it--Oaks coming into leaf on Christmas day--Folk-lore--Forecast, according to the days of the week on which Christmas falls--Other Folk-lore thereon 105

CHAPTER XV

Withholding Light--"Wesley Bob"--Wassail Carol--Presents in Church--Morris Dancers--"First Foot"--Red-haired Men--Lamprey Pie--"Hodening"--Its Possible Origin--The "Mari Lhoyd" 111

CHAPTER XVI

Curious Gambling Customs in Church--Boon granted--Sheaf of Corn for the Birds--Crowning of the Cock--"The Lord Mayor of Pennyless Cove"--"Letting in Yule"--Guisards--Christmas in the Highlands--Christmas in Shetland--Christmas in Ireland 117

CHAPTER XVII

Ordinance against out-door Revelry--Marriage of a Lord of Misrule--Mummers and Mumming--Country Mummers--Early Play--Two modern Plays 125

CHAPTER XVIII

A Christmas jest--Ben Jonson's Masque of Christmas--Milton's Masque of Comus--Queen Elizabeth and the Masters of Defence 138

CHAPTER XIX

The Lord of Misrule--The "Emperor" and "King" at Oxford--Dignity of the Office--Its abolition in the City of London--The functions of a Lord of Misrule--Christmas at the Temple--A grand Christmas there 143

CHAPTER XX

A riotous Lord of Misrule at the Temple--Stubbes on Lords of Misrule--The Bishops ditto--Mumming at Norwich 1440--Dancing at the Inns of Court--Dancing at Christmas--The Cushion Dance 155

CHAPTER XXI

Honey Fairs--Card-playing at Christmas--Throwing the Hood--Early Religious Plays--Moralities--Story of a Gray's Inn Play--The first Pantomime--Spectacular drama--George Barnwell--Story respecting this Play 162

CHAPTER XXII

Profusion of Food at Christ-tide--Old English Fare--Hospitality--Proclamations for People to spend Christ-tide at their Country Places--Roast Beef--Boar's Head--Boar's Head Carol--Custom at Queen's College, Oxon.--Brawn--Christmas Pie--Goose Pie--Plum Pudding--Plum Porridge--Anecdotes of Plum Pudding--Large one--Mince Pies--Hackin--Folk-lore--Gifts at Christ-tide--Yule Doughs--Cop-a-loaf--Snap-dragon 169

CHAPTER XXIII

The First Carol--Anglo-Norman Carol--Fifteenth-Century Carol--"The Twelve Good Joys of Mary"--Other Carols--"A Virgin most Pure"--Carol of Fifteenth Century--"A Christenmesse Carroll" 180

CHAPTER XXIV

Christmas Gifts forbidden in the City of London--Charles II. and Christmas Gifts--Christmas Tree--Asiatic Descent--Scandinavian Descent--Candles on the Tree--Early Notices of in England--Santa Claus--Krishkinkle--Curious Tenures of Land at Christmas 186

CHAPTER XXV

Christ-tide Literature--Christmas Cards--Their Origin--Lamplighter's Verses--Watchman's Verses--Christmas Pieces 194

CHAPTER XXVI

Carol for St. Stephen's Day--Boxing Day--Origin of Custom--Early examples--The Box--Bleeding Horses--Festivity on this Day--Charity at Bampton--Hunting the Wren in Ireland--Song of the Wren Boys 201

CHAPTER XXVII

St. John's Day--Legend of the Saint--Carols for the Day--Holy Innocents--Whipping Children--Boy Bishops--Ceremonies connected therewith--The King of Cockney's Unlucky Day--Anecdote thereon--Carol for the Day 207

CHAPTER XXVIII

New Year's Eve--Wassail--New Year's Eve Customs--Hogmany--The Cl[=a]vie--Other Customs--Weather Prophecy 214

CHAPTER XXIX

New Year's Day--Carol--New Year's Gifts--"Dipping"--Riding the "Stang"--Curious Tenures--God Cakes--The "Quaaltagh"--"First foot" in Scotland--Highland Customs--In Ireland--Weather Prophecies--Handsel Monday 220

CHAPTER XXX

Eve of Twelfth Day--Thirteen Fires--Tossing the Cake--Wassailing Apple-Trees--The Eve in Ireland--Twelfth Day, or Epiphany--Carol for the Day--Royal Offerings 232

CHAPTER XXXI

"The King of the Bean"--Customs on Twelfth Day--Twelfth Cakes--Twelfth Night Characters--Modern Twelfth Night--The Pastry Cook's Shops--Dethier's Lottery--The Song of the Wren--"Holly Night" at Brough--"Cutting off the Fiddler's Head" 238

CHAPTER XXXII

St. Distaff's Day--Plough Monday--Customs on the Day--Feast of the Purification 246