A Righte Merrie Christmasse Part 18

DOCTOR.

Put aside your hunting pole, and get some a.s.sistance to help up your wife.

(OLD BET _is raised up to life again._)

Fal, dal, lal! fal, dal, lal! my wife's alive!

_Enter_ SERVANT MAN _who sings._

Well met, my brother dear!

All on the highway Sall and I were walking along, So I pray, come tell to me What calling you might be.

I'll have you for some serving man.

OLD FATHER CHRISTMAS.

I'll give thee many thanks, And I'll quit thee as soon as I can; Vain did I know Where thee could do so or no, For to the pleasure of a servant man.

SERVANT MAN.

Some servants of pleasure Will pa.s.s time out of measure, With our hares and hounds They will make the hills and valleys sound That's a pleasure for some servant man.

OLD FATHER CHRISTMAS.

My pleasure is more than for to see my oxen grow fat, And see them prove well in their kind, A good rick of hay, and a good stack of corn to fill up my barn, That's a pleasure of a good honest husband man.

SERVANT MAN.

Next to church they will go with their livery fine and gay, With their c.o.c.ked-up hat, and gold lace all round, And their s.h.i.+rt so white as milk, And st.i.tched so fine as silk, That's a habit for a servant man.

OLD FATHER CHRISTMAS.

Don't tell I about thee silks and garments that's not fit to travel the bushes.

Let I have on my old leather coat, And in my purse a groat, And there, that's a habit for a good old husband man.

SERVANT MAN.

Some servant men doth eat The very best of meat, A c.o.c.k, goose, capon, and swan; After lords and ladies dine, We'll drink strong beer, ale, and wine; That's a diet for some servant man.

OLD FATHER CHRISTMAS.

Don't tell I of the c.o.c.k, goose, or capon, nor swan; let I have a good rusty piece of bacon, pickled pork, in the house, and a hard crust of bread and cheese once now and then; that's a diet for a good old honest husband man.

So we needs must confess That your calling is the best, And we will give you the uppermost hand; So no more we won't delay, But we will pray both night and day, G.o.d bless the honest husband man. Amen.

[_Exeunt_ OMNES.]

CHAPTER XVIII

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

This is rather sorry stuff; but then in purely rural places, untouched by that great civiliser, the railroad, a little wit goes a great way, as we may see by the following story told in Pasquil's "Jests," 1604.

"There was some time an old knight, who, being disposed to make himself merry on a Christmas time, sent for many of his tenants and poore neighbours, with their wives to dinner; when, having made meat to be set on the table, he would suffer no man to drinke till he that was master over his wife should sing a carrol; great niceness there was who should be the musician. Yet with much adoe, looking one upon another, after a dry hemme or two, a dreaming companion drew out as much as he durst towards an ill-fas.h.i.+oned ditty. When, having made an end, to the great comfort of the beholders, at last it came to the women's table, when, likewise, commandment was given that there should no drinkes be touched till she that was master over her husband had sung a Christmas carroll, whereupon they fell all to such a singing that there never was heard such a catterwauling piece of musicke.

Whereat the knight laughed so heartily that it did him halfe as much good as a corner of his Christmas pie."

Of Masques I have already written, in describing Royal Christ-tides, but there is one, a notice of which must not be omitted, Ben Jonson's Masque of Christmas, as it was presented at Court 1616. The _dramatis personae_ are:--

CHRISTMAS, attired in round hose, long stockings, a closed doublet, a high-crowned hat, with a brooch, a long thin beard, a truncheon, little ruffs, white shoes, his scarfs and garters tied cross, and his drum beaten before him.

HIS SONS AND DAUGHTERS (ten in number) led in, in a string, by CUPID, who is attired in a flat cap, and a prentice's coat, with wings at his shoulders.

MISRULE, in a velvet cap, with a sprig, a short cloak, great yellow ruff, his torch-bearer bearing a rope, a cheese, and a basket.

CAROL, a long tawney coat, with a red cap, and a flute at his girdle, his torch-bearer carrying a song-book open.

MINCED PIE, like a fine cook's wife, drest neat; her man carrying a pie, dish, and spoons.

GAMBOL, like a tumbler, with a hoop and bells; his torch-bearer arm'd with a colt staff and a binding staff.

POST AND PAIR, with a pair-royal of aces in his hat; his garment all done over with pairs and purs; his squire carrying a box, cards, and counters.

NEW YEAR'S GIFT, in a blue coat, serving man like, with an orange, and a sprig of rosemary gilt, on his head, his hat full of brooches, with a collar of gingerbread; his torch-bearer carrying a march pane with a bottle of wine on either arm.

MUMMING, in a masquing pied suit, with a vizard; his torch-bearer carrying the box, and ringing it.

Wa.s.sEL, like a neat sempster and songster; her page bearing a brown bowl, drest with ribands, and rosemary, before her.

OFFERING, in a short gown, with a porter's staff in his hand, a wyth borne before him, and a bason, by his torch-bearer.

BABY CAKE (_Twelfth cake_), dressed like a boy, in a fine long coat, biggin bib, muckender, and a little dagger; his usher bearing a great cake, with a bean and a pease.

After some dialogue, Christmas introduces his family in the following song:--

Now, their intent, is above to present, With all the appurtenances, A right Christmas, as, of old, it was, To be gathered out of the dances.

Which they do bring, and afore the king, The queen, and prince, as it were now Drawn here by love; who over and above, Doth draw himself in the geer too.

[_Here the drum and fife sounds, and they march about once. In the second coming up_, Christmas _proceeds to his_ Song.]

Hum drum, sauce for a coney; No more of your martial music; Even for the sake o' the next new stake, For there I do mean to use it.

And now to ye, who in place are to see With roll and farthingale hooped; I pray you know, though he want his bow, By the wings, that this is CUPID.

He might go back, for to cry _What you lack?_ But that were not so witty: His cap and coat are enough to note, That he is the Love o' the City.

And he leads on, though he now be gone, For that was only his rule: But now comes in, Tom of Bosom's-Inn, And he presenteth MIS-RULE.