Declaration concerning Sports. And home they hasten the posts to dight, With singing, and shouting, and jolly cheer: A fair flock of fairies, and a fresh bend Of lovely nymphs. (O that I were there, To helpen the ladies their May-bush bear!)' -Spenser's Shepherd's Calendar, Egloga Quinta. 1844 The children of the schools, and their parents, upwards of four hundred persons in all, were regaled with tea, cake, and wine, etc., to their hearts' content. . . . Then came the games. There was running in sacks, and running blindfold, jingling, racing, and dancing round the May-pole; while the band played old national airs that our forefathers loved.'-Account of a Festival in St. James's District, Enfield. English Churchman, Aug. 22, 1844.1 1 The reader is referred for full information respecting May Games and Maypoles, to Brand's Popular Antiquities, vol. i. pp. 125-142, new edition; Hone's Every-Day Book, vol. i. pp. 542-561; and Table-Book, vol. i. pp. 541-551. No lover of the good old games, customs, and festivities of our ancestors, ought to be without the above-named publications.-EDD. 1848. The Morris Dance 1585 'All the wild heads of the parish conventing together, The Morris choose them a grand captain (of mischief), whom they Dance. innoble with the title of My Lord of Misrule; and him they crown with great solemnity, and adopt for their king. This king anointed chooseth forth twenty, forty, three score, or a hundred lusty guts, like to himself, to wait upon his lordly majesty, and to guard his noble person. Then every one of these his men he investeth with his liveries of green, yellow, or some other light wanton colour: and as though that were not (bawdy) gaudy enough, I should say, they bedeck themselves with scarfs, ribbons, and laces, hanged all over with gold rings, precious stones, and other jewels. This done, they tie about either leg twenty or forty bells, with rich handkerchiefs in their hands, and sometimes laid across over their shoulders and necks, borrowed for the most part of their pretty mopsies, and loving Bessies, for bussing them in the dark. Thus all things set in order, then have they their hobby-horses, dragons, and other antiques, together with their baudy pipers and thundering drummers, to strike up the devil's dance [i. e. the morris dance] withal. Then march this heathen company toward the church and church-yard, the pipers piping, their drummers thundering, their stumps dancing, their bells jingling, their handkerchiefs swinging about their heads like madmen, their hobby-horses and other monsters skirmishing amongst the throng: and in this sort they go to the church (though the minister be at prayer or preaching), dancing and swinging their handkerchiefs over their heads in the church, like devils incarnate, with such a confused noise, that no man can hear his own voice. Then the foolish people, they look, they stare, they laugh, they fleere, and mount upon forms and pues to see these goodly pageants solemnized in this sort. Then after this, about the church they go again and again, and The Morris Dance. Feasts of so forth into the churchyard, where they have commonly their summer-halls, their bowers, arbours, and banquetinghouses set up, where they feast, banquet, and dance all that day, and (peradventure) all that night too. And thus these terrestrial furies spend the Sabbath-day."-The Anatomie of Abuses, fol. 92, 93. Feasts of Dedication or Wakes, and Church-Ales 1585 Philoponus. The manner of them [church-ales] is this. In certain towns, where drunken Bacchus bears sway, against Christmas and Easter, Whitsunday, or some other time, the churchwardens (so they call them) of every parish, with the consent of the whole parish, provide half-a-score or twenty quarters of malt, whereof some they buy of the church's stock, and some is given them of the parishioners themselves, every one conferring somewhat, according to his ability: which malt being made into very strong ale or beer, is set to sale, either in the church, or some other place assigned to that purpose. Spudeus. But, I pray you, how do they bestow that money which is got thereby? 'Philo. Oh, well, I warrant you, if all be true which they say for they repair their churches and chapels with it; they buy books for service, cups for the celebration of the Sacrament, surplices for Sir John, and such other necessaries. And they maintain other extraordinary charges in their parishes besides.' This is their order therein. Every town, parish, and village, some at one time of the year, some at another, 1 For further particulars respecting the Morris Dance, see Brand's Popular Antiquities, vol. i. pp. 142-154; and Hone's Year-Book, pp. 834-855. The hobbyhorse, dragon, etc., are excellently figured in Nash's Mansions of England in the Olden Time, first series, Plate xxv., 'Banqueting-Hall, Haddon, Derbyshire.'— EDD. 1848. (but so that every one keep his proper day assigned and Feasts of appropriate to itself, which they call their wake-day,) Dedication. useth to make great preparation and provision for good cheer to the which all their friends and kinsfolk, far and near, are invited.'-The Anatomie of Abuses, fol. 94, 96. 1744 'The wake-day is the day on which the parish church was dedicated; called so, because the night before it they were used to watch till morning in the church, and feasted all the next day. Waking in the church was left off because of some abuses. 1. The other in a great many places continues still to be observed with all sorts of rural merriments; such as dancing, wrestling, cudgel-playing, etc.'-Tusser Redivivus, p. 81, 8vo. 1744, qu. Brand's Popular Antiquities, ii. 4, new edit. 1602 'For the church-ale, two young men of the parish are yearly chosen by their last foregoers to be wardens; who, dividing the task, make collection among the parishioners of whatsoever provision it pleaseth them voluntarily to bestow. This they employ in brewing, baking, and other acates, against Whitsuntide: upon which holidays the neighbours meet at the church-house, and there merrily feed on their own victuals, each contributing some petty portion to the stock, which, by many smalls, groweth to a meetly greatness; for there is entertained a kind of emulation between these wardens, who, by his graciousness in gathering, and good husbandry in expending, can best advance the church's profit. Besides, the neighbour parishes at those times lovingly visit one another, and frankly spend their money together. The afternoons are consumed in such exercises as old and young folk (having leisure) do accustomably wear out the time withal. When the feast is ended, the wardens yield in their accounts to Feasts of the parishioners; and such money as exceedeth the disbursement is laid up in store, to defray any extraordinary charges arising in the parish, or imposed on them for the good of the country or the Prince's service; neither of which commonly gripe so much, but that somewhat still remainth to cover the purse's bottom.'—Carew's Survey of Cornwall, p. 68, qu. Ibid. i. 157. 1714 'There were no rates for the poor in my grandfather's days but for Kingston St. Michael (no small parish) the church-ale of Whitsuntide did the business. In every parish is (or was) a church-house, to which belonged spits, crocks, etc., utensils for dressing provision. There the housekeepers met and were merry, and gave their charity. The young people were there too, and had dancing, bowling, shooting at butts, etc., the ancients sitting gravely by, and looking on. All things were civil, and without scandal. The church-ale is doubtless derived from the Ayanα, or love-feasts, mentioned in the New Testament.'-Introduction to the Survey and Natural History of the North Division of the County of Wiltshire, by J. Aubrey, Esq., p. 32, qu. Ibid. 158. Letter of the Bishop of Bath and Wells to Arcbbishop Laud, concerning Wakes and other Feasts in Somersetsbire 1633 'Most Reverend Father in God, and my very honourable good Lord, my humble service presented to your Grace. I received upon the 12th of October last a letter from your Grace, dated the 4th of the same month; wherein your Grace hath required me, by a commandment |