The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-01-01

1ouo VI Inc 1atuefs Oh the cnurcn wrote
against the practice, as being fraught with tha
greatest abuses, and the magistrates consequently
forced to relnqush It, The origin Of these presents s
ascribed to Romulus and Tans and we learn that the
usual presents IN those days Ggs and dates covered
with leaf gold and accompanied with piece Of money!
which expended 10 purchase the statues OF del
ties Fosbroke, in his Dictionary Of Antiquities
mentions amphora "a jar, which still exists with an
inscription, denong that 1t New Years present
from the poters 10 their patroness He also instances
other pieces Of Roman pottery and medallions either
bearing the inscription "a happy New Year' deco
rated with the laurel, fig and date.
The Druds accustomed certain days to cut the
sacred msletoe with golden knife forest dedicated
TO the gods and to distribute its branches among the
people with much ceremony as New Years gifts.
Bishop stllingheet informs that among the
saxons of the North the festival OF the New Year
was observed with than ordinary jolty
and feastng, and by sending New Years gifts to
another Mr. Fosbroke notices the continuation Of
the Roman practice during the Middle Ages and that tho
English kings and nobility especially in,erchanged pre-
sents Old Matthew Paris states that Henry the Third
extorted New Years gifts. MS Of the public revenue
of the fifth year Of the reign Edward the Sixth contains
an entry of "Rewards given New Years day 70 the
Kings officers and servants in ordinary f155 S. and to
their servants that present the Kings majestic with New
reference Mr. Fosbroke and the early authors to have
been popular New Years Offering 1t is suggested
that the use Of this present may be ascerained from
remark by old Lupton, that the flavor of wine is i'm
proved and the wine itself from mouldness by
orange or lemon stuck with cloves being hung within
vessel touch the liquor Eggs Of various
coors especially those died red also anciently
as presents The latter custom incidentally proves the
common origin Of men; for in Persia similar custom
prevails at the Of the solar year. and not
only feast celebrated but the people of that country
present each other with coored eggs tokens Of friend
ship.
From the household book Of Henry Algernon Percy,
the fifth Earl Of Northumberland In 1911 we ind that
when the Earl was at home New Years day he used
give various presents in money To the servants who
brought him New Years presents from the King, the
Queen and his various relatives he presented vary
ing from twenty -four cents to twenty five dollars, the
OF his and heir receiving the lesser amount
and that of the King the larger-an increase being
made in the latter case If the Kings servant was
special friend" Of his ordships, in which he
ceved sum equal to $685. To his own household he also
gave presents for himself and in instances for his
lady Also w she is at my lords finding and not at her
own these instances being to the Ministries Of the
household and tho six trumpcters for "playing at my
lords chamber door New Years day in the morning.
manuscript Of services and ceremonies at Court in
the time of Henry the Seventh, entitled "Royalle
Book supposed to have been written by esquire
gentleman usher Of that sovereign contains the order Of
regal ceremony New Years day, and only gives
the proper attire Of and attendance the King
he sits in state 10 receive his presents
the first Of which comes from the Queen-but
it states the proper gratuity to be given TO each
bearer of present 1t also regulates the rules to DO
observed by the Queen in like ceremony, whose ire
rJc that hrfuo horD hall hn
Ms the Kings''
Honest old Iatmer, instead Of presenting Henry the
Eighth with purse Of gold, customary for New
Years gift, put into the Kings hand New Testament,
with leaf conspcuously doubled down Hebrews Kill
d. which reference will be found to have verify
of all acceptaion, though not perhaps well accepted
In the days Of "Good Queen Bessn the maiden mo-
march, who had the soul OF q mantuamaker as well az
Of sovereign, received whole wardrobes Of gowns and
caps, well caskets Of jewery and it said that
these departments were principally supported by the
annual contributions New Years day From the orig
nal rolls published in her progresses it appears that the
greatest part If not all tho peers and peeresses Of the
realm, all the bishops the chief officers Of State and
several of the Queens household servants down TO
her apothecares master cook sergeant OF the pastry
&c. gave New Years gifts 10 her Majesty, consisting in
general, either Of sum OF money jewels trinkets,
wearing apparel &c. The largest sum given by any Of
the temporal lords was ono hundred dollars but the
Archbishop Of Canterbury gave two hundred dollars,
the Archbishop Of York hundred and fifty dollars
and the other spiritual lords hundred dollars nty
dollars Many Of the temporal lords and great officers,
and most Of the pceresses gave rich gowns pettooats
Shifts silk stockings, garters sweet bags doubles man
ties embroidered with precious stones looking glasses
FANS bracelets, caskets studded with ewery and other
costly trinkets. From her household and trsdesmen
shn mos italy
lures gloves, boxes Of ozenges swcstmeats cherries
aprcots and other confectionery pots Of green ginger
and preserves drinking glasses &C. her cutler presented
her with "a meat knife, having fair haft Of bone, with
conceit in It - and her dustman with two bolts Of
brick" Dr. Drake says that though Elizabeth made re-
turns TO the New Years. gifts In plate and other articles
yet she took sufficient that the balance should al
ways be in her own favor.
Sir John Harrington, of Bath, sent TO James l., then
James VI Of Scotland, at Christmas 1902, q New
Years gift, curious dark lantern, richly ornamented
and containing, among other devices representations OF
the sum- and planets, Gas 1t found graved by
king Of Scotland David ~, that prisoner in Not
tngham" Sir John caused TO be Inscribed thereon in
latin passage the translation Of which reads Lord
remember when thou contest into the kingdom lis
affirmed that this present evidently fabricated ut
moment when the lamp Of life grew dim in the frame
Of Queen Eizabeth II is curious relic of craft
displaying darkness visible in the character OF tho
polite knight
In the year 1904 upon New Years day, Prince Henry
then ia his tenth year, sent to his father, James L.
short poem In hcxamcter Latin verses being his FIRST
Offering Of that kind In the following year New Years
day passed without any solemnty and the exorbtant
gifts that wont to be presented that day
far discontinued that "the accustomed present Of tho
purse Of gold was hard to be had without asking"
Among the various New Years gifts that wont to
be presented was that Of capons from tenants TO their
landlords, which custom Is versiaed by Cowey and by
Bishop Hall. Poetasters used TO SNAKE verses and
present them to their lady loves their superors tho
boys OF Eton school used to make and present them
TO the provost and masters and TO each other.
Pins acceptable New Years gifts 10 the ladies' In
stead Of the wooden skcwes which they used till the end
Of the fifteenth century. Sometimes they received
compensation In money and hence allowance for