Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-04-30

same colour; each of them carried bugle-
horn attached 10 baldrick of silk, which he
sounded as passed the barrier. After them
came PcterLanaret, the baron's chief falcon
CT, who pcrsonifed Robin Hood he was at
tired in bright grass-greentu nic, fringed with
gold his hood and his hosen were part-co-
Toured blue and white he had alarge garland
of roscbuds on his head,a bow bent in his hand,
sIicat of arrows at his girdle, and bugle-
horn depending from badrick Of light blue
tarantine, embroidered with silver; he had
also sword and a dagger, the hits of both
being richly embossed with gold.-Fabian,
page, as Little John, walked at his right
hand; and Cecil Celerman the butler, as
VIII Stukcly, at his left. These, with ten
others of the jolly outlaws attendants who
followed, were habitcd in green garments,
bearing their bows bent in their hands, and
their arrows in their girdles. Then came
t,co mdidcns, in orange-colourcd kirtles with
white courtpies, strcwing flowers, followed
Immediately by the Maid Marian, elegantly
habited in watchet- coloured tunic reaching
to the ground over which she wore white
linen rochct with loose sleeves, fringed with
silver, and very neatly plated; her girdle
was of silver bandekin, fastened with dou-
bic bow on the left side her long naxen hair
was divided into many ringlets, and flowed
upon her shoulders; the top part of her head
was covered with network cawl of gold,
upon which was placed garland Of silver,
ornamcnted with blue violcts. She was sup
ported by tvo bride-maidens, in sky-colouied
rockets girt with crimson girdlcs, wearing gar
lands upon their heads of blue and white violet.
After them came four other females in green
courtpics, and garlands ofviolets and cowsips.
Then Sampson the smith,as Friar Tuck, CAR
rying huge quarter-stafi on his shoulder and
Morris the mole-takcr, who represented
Much the mlller's son, having a long pole
with an inflated bladder attached to one end.
And after them the Mcy-pole, drawn by
eight fine oxen, decorated with scarfs, rib
bons, and flowers of divers colours and the
tips of their horns were embcllished with gold.
The rear was closed By the hobby-horsc and
the drogon.-When the May-pole was drawn
into the square. the foresters sounded their
horns, and the populace expressed their
pleasure by shouting necessarily until it
reached the place assigned for its elevation:
e and during the time the ground was pre-
pairing for its reception, the barriers Of the
bottom of the inclosure were opened for the
villagers to approach, and adorn i, with rib
f bons, garands, and flowers, as their incli-
C nation prompted them.-The pole being
sufficiently oncrated with finery, the square
! was cleared from such as had no part to per-
h form in the pageant; and then it was clavat-
$ ed amidst the reiterated acclamatons of the
5 spectators. The WoOdmen and the milk
r maidcns danced around it according to the
o rustic fashion the measure was played
by Pcrotto Chevcrittc, the baron's chief
y MINSTREL, on the bagpipes accompanied witt
: the pipe and tabour, performed by one Of
= his associates. When the dence was finish
C ed, Gregory the jester, who undertook to
f play the hobby-horse, came forward with
$ his appropriate equipment, and irlsking ur
: and down the square without restriction
It initiated the gallopIng, curvetting, ambling
is trotting, and other PAGES of horse, to til,
V infinite satisfaction Of the lower classes o
d the spectators. lie was followed by Peter
:, Parker, the baron's ranger, who personatct
), a dragon, Missing, yelling, and shaking Iii
h wings with wonderful ingenuity and to com
: plete the mirth, Morris, in the character o.
f Much, having small bells attached TO his knee
h and elbows, capered here and there between
). the two monsters in the form of dance
If and as often as he came near to the sides o
;. the Enclosure, he cast silly handful of mea
v into the faces ofthe gaping rllstics, or raped
o them about their heads with the bladder tie'
e at the end of his pole. In the mean time
d Sampson, representing Friar Tuck, walked
1t with much gravity around the square, ant
e occasionally let fall his heavy staff upon tn,
I e, 80 H.. Al, Ia
ID approaching more forward than they ough
to do; and if the sufferers cried out from TIN
&c sense of pain, he addressed them in solemn
er tone of voice, advising them to count thei
Of beads, say paternoster or two, and to bewar
e of purgatory. These vagarcs we're highl
ID paatable to the populace, who announce
to their delight by repeated plaudits and lou
,r bursts of laughter; for this reason they wer
in continued for a considerable length of time
but Gregory, beginning at last to faulter i
ne his PAGES, ordered the dragon to fall back
in the well-nurtured beast, being out Of breath
L. readily obeyed, and their two companion
al followed their example; which concluded thi
tn part of the pastime.-Then the archers Sc
s, up target at the lower part of the gree
S. and made trial of their skill in regular sue
n cession. Robin Hood and Will Stukely eA
in cellcd their comrades; and both of theI
lodged an arrow IN the centre circle of golt
IN so near to each other that the diiicrenc
I'D could not readily be decided, which occasion
a, ed them to shoot again; when Robin struc
of the gold second time, and StukcIy'S arro
all was affixed upon the edge off it. Robin wa
rs, therefore adiudgcd the conqucror; and tn
". prize of honour, a garland of laurel embe
n lshed with varicgated ribbons; was put upo
ne his head; and to Stukely was given garlan
. Of ivy, because he was the second best pei
former in that contest.-The pageant wa
finished with the archery; and the proce.
sion began to move away to make room f(
the villagers, who afterwards assembled
the square, and amused themselves by dan
cling round the May-pole in promiscuo'
companies, according to the antient en-
TOM" 1t is scarcely possible to give
,,e better general idea of the regular May-gam
than a. il has hppn hara ronroSnn.cd