The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-05-16
reigns ofH Hsnry she seyenth and eighth

"a fhua. s. al
e d.
To the menstora1, on May Day o o 4l
For 2 payres of gloYys for Ro.
bynhode and Maybe Ma
To Maybe SMaryan for her la q
bour= for two years ~. 20 g. %
Eight yards Of! f!fpstyan for tho
f,aores aa,n,sar's coats % 16 o.
2 ellis of worstede for Maybe
Maryan's Myrtle .s. % 8 6.
The properties of this festive day
we're carefully retained for the ensuing
year, for there is q memorandum in the
books GO Henry YIIT.) to the follow
ing effect:
'sMem. m.--Lefte in the kepeing Of the
wardens now beinge, q flyers cote of
russet and kyrtle Of worsted weltyd
with red cloth, q Mowran's (Moor's)
buckram, md 4 morres daunsar's
cotes Of white fustian spangelyd,
and two gyrne satin cotes and dy-
sordd's fool's) cote of cotton, and 6
payre of garters with BELLS"
Our phonographists can take lesson
in spelling from these quaint records.
In "Stow's Survey of London, }" C1603)
we find the following:
Gin the moneth of may--namely, on
May-daY in the morning man
except impeachment would walk into the
sweet meadows and green woods, there
to reioyce their spiritcs with the beauty
and SAVIOUR Of sweete flowers and with
the harmony Of birds, praysing God in
their kind, and for example hereof Ed
ward Hall hath noted that X. Henry
the Eight, as in tho 3 Of his reigne, on
May.day in the morning, with Queene
Katheren his wife, accompanied with
many lordes and ladies, rode q Maying
from Greenwich to the high ground Of
Shooters Hill.'
Our ascetic Puritan ancestors made
dreadful war on those pastimes, by
preaching and invectiyes. Poor Maid
Marian, the May queen, they termed
0the Red Lady of Babylon Friar
Tuck was "a remnant popery," and
they we're all put to rout as the bitter
est enemies ofreligion. In tract cal
led "The Lords Loud Call to England
published in 1860, the country and
town is represented as abounding with
vanitics:
"Now the rcins of liberty and licen-
tiousness are let loose. May-pozes and
playes and juglers, and all things else,
now pass current. Sin appears with a
! brazen face -
Charles the First, in 1868, was not
quite as fastidious, though really a pi-
GUS man. In warrant dated October
18th Of that year, he directs that 'sfor
his good peoples recreation, after the
end of divine service his good people
shall not be disturbed, letter, or discour.
aged from any lawful recreation: nor
from having Of May games, Whitson
ales, other sports Herewith used, so
that tho same behad in due time with
out impcdiment or neglect of divine SER
vice." In 1644, however, an ordin-
ance had been passed against May
poles in the following words:
"And because the profanation of the
Lords day hath been heretofore great
ly occasioned by May-polcs, Ca heath
enish vanity genererally abused to
superstition and wickedncss,) } the Lords
and Commons do further order and or
dain that all and singular May-polcs
that are or shall be erected, shall be
taken down and removed by the consta-
bles, busholders, tything men, petty
constables, and churchwardens Of the
parishthe said officers to be fined five
shilling weekly till the said May-poles
be taken down."
How contemtible all kinds of reli gion
fanaticism appear to the enlightened
mind! We have however, no May
poles to dance round on Tuesday next.
Instead of floral wreaths for the Queen
of May, our queens will be crowned with
mob caps and bandanna hankcrchicfs,
filled with dust and cob webs, instead
of lilies and honeysuckles--.a bloom in
stead Of a sceptre, and the rafting of
crockery instead of the bells of the
morris dancers, the wassail cups, or
summer bowers. Times and Messe1-
ger, April 29th.
TO MARY ANN.
Your fnce Your topnuo Vo,,.,.;.