A Righte Merrie Christmasse Part 9

CHAPTER XI

Christmas Eve in North Notts--Wa.s.sailing the Fruit Trees--Wa.s.sail Songs--Wa.s.sailing in Suss.e.x--Other Customs--King at Downside College--A Christ-tide Carol--Midnight Ma.s.s--The Manger--St. Francis of a.s.sisi.

As these old customs are fast dying out, and should be chronicled, I must be pardoned if I give another and very similar ill.u.s.tration of how Christmas eve was spent in North Notts fifty years ago.[39]

[Footnote 39: _Notes and Queries_, seventh series, ii. 501.]

"None keep Christmas nowadays as was the fas.h.i.+on fifty to a hundred years ago in this part of the country. Here and there are to be met the customs, or bits of the customs, which were then observed: but, as a rule, the old ways have given place to new ones. Here in North Notts, every house is more or less decked in the few days before Christmas Day with holly, ivy, and evergreens, nor is mistletoe forgotten, which would scarcely be likely by any one living within a dozen miles of Sherwood Forest, where mistletoe grows in rare profusion on thorn bushes, the oak, and other trees, and under certain conditions may be had for the asking.

"Fifty years ago, at any rate, in all the villages and towns of North Notts, the preparations among farmers, tradesmen, and poor folks for keeping Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were always on a bountiful scale. Fat pigs were killed a week or so previously, portions of which were made into Christmas pies of various kinds. Plum puddings were made, and the mince meat, cunningly prepared some weeks beforehand, was made into mince pies of all sorts, sizes, and shapes. Yule 'clogs,' as they are here called, were sawn or chopped in readiness, and a stock laid in sufficient to last the whole of one or two evenings.

"In well-regulated houses it was usual to have all the preparations and the housework completed by early in the afternoon of Christmas Eve, and after an early tea in parlour and kitchen--the servants, clean and neat, piled up the Yule clogs in the rooms, getting the large ones well alight, and keeping them going by smaller knots of wood. Long, large, white Christmas Candles were lighted, set in old-fas.h.i.+oned, time-honoured, bra.s.s candlesticks, accompanied by equally old and honoured bra.s.s snuffers and trays, all bright and s.h.i.+ning. Of candles, there was no lack, and when all were fairly going, parlour and kitchen presented a blaze of warm, ruddy light, only seen once in the year. In both rooms the Christmas Eve tables were laid with snowy linen, and set for feasting, with all the good things provided. On each table would be a large piece of beef, and a ham, flanked by the pies and other good things, including a Christmas Cheese.

"About six in the evening, the chief item of the feast was prepared.

This was hot spiced ale, usually of a special brew. This was prepared by the gallon in a large kettle, or iron pot, which stood, for the purpose, on the hob. The ale was poured in, made quite hot, but not allowed to boil, and then sugar and spice were added according to taste, some women having a special mode of making the brew. When ready, the hot ale was ladled into bowls,--the large earthenware ones now so rare. A white one, with blue decorations, was used in the parlour, a commoner one, of the yellowish earthenware kind, with rough blue or other coloured bands for ornamentation, being for the kitchen.

These, nearly full of the steaming brew, were carried to the tables.

Whoever then dropped in, and usually there were many, to see parlour or kitchen company, had to drink from these bowls, lifting the bowl to the lips with both hands, expressing a good seasonable wish, and taking a hearty drink. The visitors then partook of anything on the table they liked, and one and all were treated bountifully. Soon, as the company arrived, the fun increased in parlour and kitchen, particularly in the latter, as the womenkind went through the old-fas.h.i.+oned ceremony under the mistletoe, which was hung aloft from a highly-decorated 'kissing-bunch.'

"All sorts of games and fun went on till about ten o'clock, as a rule, about which time the master, mistress, and family, with the rest of the parlour company, visited the kitchen. Then the steaming ale bowl was refilled, and all, beginning with the master and the mistress, in turn drank from the bowl. This over, the parlour company remained, and entered into the games for a time. There was always some one who could sing a suitable song; and one, if song it can be called, was:

"_The Folks' Song._

"When me an' my folks Come to see you an' your folks, Let you an' your folks Treat me an' my folks As kind, as me an' my folks Treated you an' your folks, When you an' your folks Came to see me an' my folks, Sure then! never were such folks Since folks were folks!

"This was sung several times over with the last two lines as a chorus.

The proceedings in the kitchen closed with another general sup from the replenished bowl, the parlour folks returning to the parlour.

During the evening the proceedings were varied by visits from Christmas singers and the mummers, all of whom were well entertained.

Usually, if the weather was fit, the kitchen folks wound up the night with a stroll, dropping in to see friends at other houses. As a rule, soon after midnight the feastings were over, but most folks never thought of retiring till they heard the bands of singers in the distance singing the morning hymn, 'Christians, awake!'"

A very old custom was that of "wa.s.sailing" the fruit trees on Christmas eve, although it obtained on other days, such as New Year's day and Twelfth day. Herrick says:

Wa.s.saile the Trees that they may beare You many a Plum and many a Peare; For more or lesse fruits they will bring, As you do give them Wa.s.sailing.

This custom of drinking to the trees and pouring forth libations to them differs according to the locality. In some parts of Devons.h.i.+re it used to be customary for the farmer, with his family and friends, after partaking together of hot cakes and cider (the cakes being dipped in the liquor previous to being eaten), to proceed to the orchard, one of the party bearing hot cake and cider as an offering to the princ.i.p.al apple tree. The cake was formally deposited on the fork of the tree, and the cider thrown over it.

In the neighbourhood of the New Forest the following lines are sung at the wa.s.sailing of the trees:

Apples and pears, with right good corn Come in plenty to every one; Eat and drink good cake and hot ale, Give earth to drink, and she'll not fail.

Horsfield, who wrote of Suss.e.x, speaks somewhat at length of this subject, and says that the wa.s.sail bowl was compounded of ale, sugar, nutmeg, and roasted apples, the latter called "lambs' wool." The wa.s.sail bowl is placed on a small round table, and each person present is furnished with a silver spoon to stir. They then walk round the table as they go, and stirring with the right hand, and every alternate person pa.s.ses at the same time under the arm of his preceding neighbour. The wa.s.sailing (or "worsling," as it is termed in West Suss.e.x) of the fruit trees is considered a matter of grave importance, and its omission is held to bring ill luck, if not the loss of all the next crop. Those who engage in the ceremony are called "howlers."

The farm labourers, or boys (says Horsfield), after the day's toil is ended, a.s.semble in a group to wa.s.sail the apple trees, etc. The trumpeter of the party is furnished with a cow's horn, with which he makes sweet music. Thus equipped, they call on the farmer, and inquire, "please, sir, do you want your trees worsled?" They then proceed to the orchard, and encircling one of the largest and best-bearing trees, chant in a low voice a certain doggerel rhyme; and this ended, all shout in chorus, with the exception of the trumpeter, who blows a loud blast. During the ceremony they rap the trees with their sticks. "Thus going from tree to tree, or group to group, they wa.s.sail the whole orchard; this finished, they proceed to the house of the owner, and sing at his door a song common on the occasion. They are then admitted, and, placing themselves around the kitchen fire, enjoy the sparkling ale and the festivities of the season."

There are two wa.s.sail rhymes in Suss.e.x:

"Stand fast, root; bear well, top; Pray the G.o.d send us a good howling crop.

Every twig, apples big; Every bough, apples enow.

Hats full, caps full, Full quarters, sacks full.

Holloa, boys, holloa! Hurrah!"

The other is:

"Here's to thee, old apple tree; May'st thou bud, may'st thou blow, May'st thou bear apples enow!

Hats full! Caps full!

Bushel, bushel sacks full!

And my pockets full, too!

Hurrah!"

In the _Gentleman's Magazine_ (January 1820, p. 33) mention is made of "an ancient superst.i.tious custom obtaining at Tretyre, in Herefords.h.i.+re, upon Christmas Eve. They make a cake, poke a stick through it, fasten it upon the horn of an ox, and say certain words, begging a good crop of corn for the master. The men and boys attending the oxen range themselves around. If the ox throws the cake behind it belongs to the men; if before, to the boys. They take with them a wooden bottle of cyder, and drink it, repeating the charm before mentioned."

There is a curious custom at Downside College, near Bath. On Christmas eve the scholars of this well-known inst.i.tution proceed to the election of their king and other officers of his household, consisting of the mayor of the palace, etc. His reign lasts fourteen days, during which period there are many good feasts; a room in the college being fitted up in fine style, and used by his Majesty as his palace. At Oxford, too, in pre-Reformation time, at Merton College, they had a king of Christmas, or misrule; at St. John's he was styled lord, and at Trinity he was emperor!

There is a rather rough but pretty west country carol for Christmas eve, which is to be found in Davies Giddy, or Gilbert's _Ancient Christmas Carols, etc._, and which, he says, was chanted in private houses on Christmas eve throughout the west of England up to the latter part of the last century.

The Lord at first did Adam make Out of the dust and clay, And in his nostrils breathed life, E'en as the Scriptures say.

And then in Eden's Paradise He placed him to dwell, That he, within it, should remain, To dress and keep it well.

_Now let good Christians all begin An holy life to live, And to rejoice and merry be, For this is Christmas Eve._

And then within the garden he Commanded was to stay, And unto him in commandment These words the Lord did say: "The fruit which in the garden grows To thee shall be for meat, Except the tree in the midst thereof, Of which thou shall not eat."

_Now let good Christians, etc._

"For in the day that thou shall eat, Or to it then come nigh; For if that thou doth eat thereof, Then surely thou shalt die."

But Adam he did take no heed Unto the only thing, But did transgress G.o.d's holy law, And so was wrapt in sin.

_Now let good Christians, etc._

Now, mark the goodness of the Lord, Which He for mankind bore, His mercy soon He did extend, Lost man for to restore; And then, for to redeem our souls From death and h.e.l.lish thrall, He said His own dear Son should be The Saviour of us all.

_Now let good Christians, etc._

Which promise now is brought to pa.s.s, Christians, believe it well; And by the coming of G.o.d's dear Son We are redeemed from thrall.

Then, if we truly do believe, And do the thing aright; Then, by His merits, we, at last, Shall live in heaven bright _Now let good Christians, etc._

And now the Tide is nigh at hand In which our Saviour came; Let us rejoice, and merry be, In keeping of the same.

Let's feed the poor and hungry souls, And such as do it crave; Then, when we die, in heaven sure Our reward we shall have.

_Now let good Christians, etc._

Christmas eve is notable in the Roman Catholic Church for the unique fact that ma.s.s is celebrated at midnight. I say, advisably, _is_ celebrated, because, although Cardinal Manning abolished public ma.s.s at that hour within the diocese of Westminster about 1867, yet in conventual establishments it is still kept up, and in every church three ma.s.ses are celebrated. The ancient, and, in fact, the modern use, until interrupted by Cardinal Manning, was to celebrate ma.s.s at midnight, at daybreak, and at the third hour (9 a.m.) This use is very old; for Thelesphorus, who was Pope A.D. 127, decreed that three ma.s.ses should be sung _in Festo Nativitatis_, to denote that the birth of Christ brought salvation to the fathers of three periods--viz. the fathers before, under, and after the law.

Another Roman Catholic custom on Christmas eve is the preparation of "the Manger," which in some places is a very elaborate affair. The Christ is lying on straw between the ox and a.s.s, Mary and Joseph bending over Him; the shepherds are kneeling in adoration, and the angels, hovering above, are supposed to be singing the _gloria in excelsis_. A writer in the _Catholic World_ (vol. x.x.xiv. p. 439) says:--"Christmas Dramas are said to owe their origin to St. Francis of a.s.sisi. Before his death he celebrated the sacred Birth-night in the woods, where a stable had been prepared with an ox and an a.s.s, and a crib for an altar. A great number of people came down from the mountains, singing joyful hymns and bearing torches in their hands; for it was not fitting that a night that had given light to the whole world, should be shrouded in darkness. St. Francis, who loved to a.s.sociate all nature with his ministry, was filled with joy. He officiated at the Ma.s.s as deacon. He sang the Gospel, and then preached in a dramatic manner on the birth of Christ. When he spoke of the Lamb of G.o.d, he was filled with a kind of divine frenzy, and imitated the plaintive cry of the sacrificial lamb; and, when he p.r.o.nounced the sweet name of Jesus, it was as if the taste of honey were on his lips. One soul before the rural altar, that night, with purer eyes than the rest, saw the Divine Babe, radiant with eternal beauty, lying in the manger."

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.