"In certaine townes where dronken Bacchus beares swaie, against Christmas and Easter, Whitsondaie, or some other tyme, the churchewardens of every parishe, with the consent of the whole parishe, provide halfe a score or twenty quarters of mault, wherof some they buy of the churche stocke, and some is given them of the parishioners themselves, every one conferring somewhat, according to his abilitie; whiche maulte being made into very strong ale or beere, is sette to sale, either in the church or some other place assigned to that purpose. Then when this is set abroche, well is he that can gette the soonest to it, and spend the most at it.—In this kinde of practice they continue sixe weekes, a quarter of a yeare, yea, halfe a year together." "That money, they say, is to repaire their churches and chappells with, to buy bookes for service, cuppes for the celebration of the Sacrament, surplesses for sir John, and such other necessaries. And they maintaine other extraordinarie charges in their Parish besides." At a vestry held at Brentford in 1621, several articles were agreed upon with regard to the management of the parish stock by the chapel-wardens. The preamble stated that the inhabitants had for many years been accustomed to have meetings at Whitsuntide, in their church-house and other places there, in friendly manner to eat and drink together, and liberally to spend their money, to the end neighbourly society might be maintained, and also a common stock raised for the repairs of the church, maintaining of orphans, placing poor children in service, and defraying other charges. In the Accounts for the Whitsuntide Ale 1624, the gains are thus discriminated£ s. d. "Imprimis, cleared by the pigeon holes 4 19 o 40702 by hocking 7 3 7 £22 2 9." The hocking occurs almost every year till 1640, when it appears to have been dropt. It was collected at Whitsuntide "1618. Gained with hocking at Whitsuntide £16. 12s 3d." The other games were continued two years later. The following extracts are from the Chapel warden's Account Books for a pair of pigeon holes. 6 8 O" 1621. Paid to her that was LADY at Whitsontide, by consent Good wife Ansell, for the pigeon holes 1629. Received of Robert Bicklye, for the use of our Games Of the said R. B. for a silver bar which was lost at Elyng o 1634. Paid for the silver Games 1643. Paid to Thomas Powell, for pigeon holes. 23-2 O II The following occur in the Churchwardens' Books at Chiswick At a court of the Manor of Edgware in 1555, "it was presented that the butts at Edgware were very ruinous, and that the inhabitants ought to repair them; which was ordered to be done before the ensuing Whitsontide." Sir William Blackstone says that it was usual for the lord of this manor to provide a minstrel or piper for the diversion of the tenants while they were employed in his service. In the introduction to Aubrey's Survey and Natural History of the North Division of the County of Wiltshire, is the following curious account of Whitsun Ales : "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, &c., utensils for dressing provision. Here the housekeepers met and were merry, and gave their charity. The young people were there too, and had dancing, bowling, shooting at butts, &c., the ancients sitting gravely by, and looking on. All things were civil, and without scandal. The Church-Ale is doubtless derived from the Ayama, or Love Feasts, mentioned in the New Testament." He adds:"Mr A. Wood assures me that there were no almshouses, at least they were very scarce, before the Reformation; that over against Christ Church, Oxon. is one of the ancientest. In every church was a poor man's box, but I never remembered the use of it; nay, there was one at great inns, as I remember it was before the wars. These were the days when England was famous for the grey goose quills." The following lines on Whitsunday occur in Googe's translation of Naogeorgus "On Whitsunday whyte pigeons tame in strings from heauen flie, Among the ancient annual church disbursements of St-Mary-at-Hill, London, we find the following entry: "Garlands, Whitsunday, iijd." Sometimes also the subsequent: "Water for the Funt on Whitson Eve, id." This item is explained by the following extract from Strutt's Manners and Customs :-" Among many various ceremonies, I find that they had one called 'the Font hallowing,' which was performed on Easter Even and Whitsunday Eve; and, says the author [of a MS. volume of Homilies in the Harleian Library, No. 2371], in the begynnyng of holy chirch, all the children weren kept to be crystened on thys even, at the Font hallowyng; but now, for enchesone that in so long abydynge they might dye without crystendome, therefore holi chirch ordeyneth to crysten at all tymes of the yeare; save eyght dayes before these Evenys, the chylde shalle abyde till the Font hallowing, if it may savely for perrill of death, and ells not.'" Collinson, in his History of Somersetshire, speaking of Yatton, says that "John Lane of this parish, gent., left half an acre of ground, called the Groves, to the poor for ever, reserving a quantity of the grass for strewing the church on Whitsunday." A superstitious notion appears anciently to have prevailed in England that," whatsoever one did ask of God upon Whitsunday morning, at the instant when the sun arose and play'd, God would grant it him." Arise Evans, in his Echo to the Voice from Heaven (1652), says he went up a hill to see the sun arise betimes on Whitsunday morning, and he "saw it at its rising skip, play, dance, and turn about like a wheel." Till within the last century the inhabitants of the parish of Ensham in Oxfordshire were allowed on Whitmonday to cut down and carry away as much timber as could be drawn by men's hands into the abbey-yard, the churchwardens previously marking out such timber by giving the first chop. As much as they could carry out again, notwithstanding the efforts of the servants of the abbey to prevent it, they kept for the repair of the church. By this service they held their right of commonage at Lammas and Michaelmas. "At Kidlington, in Oxfordshire," says Beckwith in his edition of Blount's Jocular Tenures, "the custom is, that, on Monday after Whitson Week, there is a fat live lamb provided; and the maids of the town, having their thumbs tied behind them, run after it, and she that with her mouth takes and holds the lamb is declared Lady of the Lamb, which being dressed, with the skin hanging on, is carried on a long pole before the lady and her companions to the green, attended with music, and a Morisco dance of men, and another of women, where the rest of the day is spent in dancing, mirth, and merry glee. The next day the lamb is partly baked, boiled, and roast, for the Lady's Feast, where she sits majestically at the upper end of the table, and her companions with her, with music and other attendants, which ends the solemnity." In Poor Robin's Almanack for 1676, stool-ball and barley-break are spoken of as Whitsun sports. In the almanack for the following year, in June, opposite Whitsunday and Holidays, we read "At Islington A fair they hold, At Highgate and Here every day. At Totnam Court And Kentish Town, And all those places Up and down." TRINITY, OR TRINITY SUNDAY, EVEN. AMONG the curious extracts, in Lysons, from the Churchwardens' Accounts at Lambeth are the following 1519. Item, for garlonds and drynk for the chylderne on Trenyte Even £ s. d. To Spryngwell and Smyth for syngyng with the Procession O O 6 O O 12 Item. for four onssys of garnesyng rebonds, at 9d. the onse o 3 0. In a letter from E. G. to Aubrey (Miscellanies on several curious subjects, 1714) dated Ascension Day 1682, is an account of Newnton in North Wiltshire, to perpetuate the memory of the donation by King Athelstan of a common to which place, and of a house for the hayward, i.e., the person who looked after the beasts that fed upon this common, the following ceremonies were appointed: "Upon every Trinity Sunday, the Parishioners being come to the Door of the Hayward's House, the door was struck thrice, in honour of the Holy Trinity; then they entered. The Bell was rung; after which, silence being ordered, they read their prayers aforesaid. Then was a Ghirland of Flowers (about the year 1660. one was killed striving to take away the Ghirland) made upon an Hoop, brought forth by a Maid of the Town upon her Neck, and a young Man (a Bachelor) of another Parish, first saluted her three times, in honour of the Trinity, in respect of God the Father. Then she puts the Ghirland upon his neck, and kisses him three times, in honour of the Trinity, particularly God the Son. Then he puts the Ghirland on her neck again, and kisses her three times, in respect of the Holy Trinity, and particularly the Holy Ghost. Then he takes the Ghirland from her neck, and, by the Custom, must give her a penny at least, which, as Fancy leads, is now exceeded, as 2s. 6d. or &c. "The method of giving this Ghirland is from House to House annually, till it comes round. "In the Evening every Commoner sends his supper up to this House, which is called the Eale House; and having before laid in there equally a Stock of Malt, which was brewed in the House, they sup together, and what was left was given to the poor." EVE OF THURSDAY AFTER TRINITY SUNDAY. Caerwis], on Thursday after Trinity Sunday, which they call Dudd son Duw, or Dydd gwyl duw, on the Eve before, they strew a sort of fern before their doors, called Redyn Mair." till the Font hallowing, if it may savely for perrill not.' " Collinson, in his History of Somersetshire, speak that "John Lane of this parish, gent., left half an ac the Groves, to the poor for ever, reserving a quant strewing the church on Whitsunday." A superstitious notion appears anciently to have land that, "whatsoever one did ask of God upon W at the instant when the sun arose and play'd, God w Arise Evans, in his Echo to the Voice from Hea went up a hill to see the sun arise betimes on Wh and he "saw it at its rising skip, play, dance, and wheel." Till within the last century the inhabitants of the in Oxfordshire were allowed on Whitmonday to c away as much timber as could be drawn by me-abbey-yard, the churchwardens previously marking giving the first chop. As much as they could ca withstanding the efforts of the servants of the al they kept for the repair of the church. By this serv right of commonage at Lammas and Michaelmas. 66 At Kidlington, in Oxfordshire," says Beckwith Blount's Jocular Tenures, "the custom is, that, Whitson Week, there is a fat live lamb provided; the town, having their thumbs tied behind them, ri that with her mouth takes and holds the lamb is deLamb, which being dressed, with the skin hanging t long pole before the lady and her companions to th with music, and a Morisco dance of men, and a where the rest of the day is spent in dancing, mirt, The next day the lamb is partly baked, boiled, Lady's Feast, where she sits majestically at the table, and her companions with her, with music and which ends the solemnity." In Poor Robin's Almanack for 1676, stool-ball an spoken of as Whitsun sports. In the almanack for is Barns when t gest day ew: in June, opposite Whitsunday and Holidays, we reove "At Islington A fair they hold, At Highgate and At An Ex YS |