New-York tribune., 1868-12-25
CIJRIsTMAs IN HISTORY.

CHRISTMAS IN HISTORY.
The first celebration Of Christmas Of which
mention is made In history. was that Of multitude Of
Christians Who assembled ot NicoGems time during
the reign Of the Emperor Docetan 23i30j, while that
ruler was holding his court there on hearing OF Iaet
that these people had assembled to celebrate the bthday
Of the sayioT le ordered the church doors 10 be closed
and the bull ling TO be burned All tho worshpers per
i.hcd in the naucs According 10 some authorities Tbs
happened either IN April Say, Tor in the early days OF
the Christian era there uniformity in the period OF
oser, ing the Nativity tho day being celebrated by df
fereut communities different months. II was not untI
the foutth century that the 25th OF December was
appointed the day TO be observed; ana lt Aeu 10y
lnanY Biblical antquares that tho birth Of the Savior
coud not hnyo occurred ON day for in Judea II fans
IN the very worst part OF the rauy season, when fhe
herds could hardly be watching their foets by highe III
the plains The nrst certain traces OF the festFhi Oi
Christmas are found about the time OF the Emperor N"h
nodius us0Ig9. Tho first Christmas passed 10y the NOT
man conquorors in Britain witnessed the coronation OF
Kug Wnjau in Westminster Abbey The English people
had not yet recovered rom the stunning effects of 'he
battle OF Hastings ana tbe overthrow OF Harold 'her
King aud when they ordered to attend the coione-
ton their obedience was mechanical, ana they uu no'
realize the full sgni1cance and Importance OF the eefe
mony All around tho Abbey armed men were stationed
~ c,rd against any violent expression Of national III
will that nt burst forth, ana within the building Was
hrorgcd with the new Kings friends and supporters
Az tho appointed hour the Bishop OF Constance askeu the
Normans whether thoy would have William f9r thcif
King and the Archbishop OF York won't through the toh
a, puttnc tho same question to the English, OF whom
there wero few present The answer was q shout 20
loud that the sound heard outside the Abbey ana
the soldiers fciguug believe that tho tumnlt Was
caused by a attack the N0rmans within the churcb
forthwith upon tho uuonsndins people OF We'tnin
ster slew many of them aud pnnicred and burueam
a house before thoy could be stopped. This sad
81 at al NffN a.
now being taught tha, wanton spirit had entered the
hearts OF their c1nguerors.
ITo year, LAT, IN ls- " Nl,hain, , H,.s sb b5 tsEeo
advantage ~ revolt OF sOne Of the Norman bhrous ana
fhr No-nan yoko kept Christmas IN the City ~ York
H. disgust OF the people " DO nan I n" H. @
hc uaturcd ms plan FOR tho thorough determination ot
ihe refractory Mortimer when nc icstlvlies Neie Vtr
c gave nrcis that the whole OF the west country ne
tween York aud Durham should be DEVASTATED ana 'at
neither man, women, nor child shoulI oe sp"tsu @ hs
crnc order was faithfully executed Between tne Ouse
a,I @ @ i5 = rJ dsnss s,d their work efecfraIly Not "A
roof wns Left shelter unhappy wrechcs whom iuur
der famine had left alive. one hundred Thousand
men wo,nen aud children perished by the sword, by
starv alton cold and disease, and mark set mat
Christmas the northern counties that IL TOOK moIc
than hundred years 10 eGace.
ON Christmas Day, ll7I Thomas Becket prophesied
from the pulp of his cathedral church at Canterbury Ms
death nj the hands Of his enemies He was the only
Englshmau Who had been pronoted TO any great ohce
since the conquest and be waoohed upon by tho people
mars fhry loved him ana honorod him. Four days
after Christmas The four bdons who had resolved 10 an
tcpate the order o their sovereign Henry H. dragged
tie Archbishop from the altar where he was performing
the yesper seriCe and butchorod him with their dagger
forced by Stephen Langton the Prmae, and the coned
crate bnons, to sn the Magma Charta Of English 6er
years later when simon de Monfort sent ont wrts in
IN the Kings name conyoklng the nrst English Psf!ia
ment, thereby securing Tie nation IN the ouoy 0t
their national rights giving them tor the first time tho
prNiee OF saying they should be governed and de-
cidng what should and what should not be law.
On the first Christmas Day that followed the depOsing
%, T ns ars Of knasd KsR
and Surrey but for the accidental discovery Of the plot
10y tho Duke Of York father OF the hrstnamed lnforna
ton Of the plot AT sent 20 the King. Rutland
having been first secured aud n row days ihe conspra
tors heads ornamenng the gates ot the chief towns
In England sixteen years later SIR John Oidcaste Lord
Cobha was brocd 10 death over SLOW lire, as pun
1884, Wckfe the first bright light OF the Reforma-
tion, died Martin Luther soemniled tho Christmas of
burg the Papn Bu Which author Icd the sale Of par.
FOR sins committed and 10 be committed. Carlyle In
modest patient OF much had length got than
could bear, Journalism Pagan-Popism, and other fAse
here moro a found who durst tell ali
that Gods world stood not sembance but realities;
sOwn the seeds brought forth long and bloody wars
ms fruit cruel prosecutions. too aud he'telling In the
OF the earth forever.
The last CHRISTMAS Day spent on earth by Henry VII
poys % Snsr for the e s H
one OF whom Was soon afterward bcheaded. The last
perhaps the most miserable day of tho Queens life. Sir
John Harrington who permitted 10 see her, found
her IN great grief She haunted by the VISION OF the
murdered Essex aud OF the unfortunate Mary Queen
SCOTS who, Just sixteen years before, had written her
last letter 10 her cousin OF England.
One Cbri.tmae In The reign OF JanesI was remarfa.
BILE day IL was In 1921 In the OF the quarrel
which had been waged between the King and the House
OF Commons. James gave vent 10 those angular ideas
concerning kngshp which, put In practice by hlusef
ana ms Charles brought about the civil Before
ndiourllng for the Christmas holidays the COmona en-
and acts Of the king asserting they did Afsrward dur
Ing the reign OF Charles that tho liberties and Junsaic
tons OF Parliament the ancient anil undoubtod birth.
right and Inheritance Of the subjects of England James
sent for The Journal and In the Presence Of his council
tore out the page About aqugter of actntury after
this occurrence. Christmas was kept ss day
that time Archbishop Lsud spAnt Christmas With the
death warrant OF his companion In his HARD tbar.s
passed. his last Christnas In checrlcss
windsor, month before his execution. Eleven ysnrs
later. on Christmas Day. Monk was preparing to nseh
upon London TO undo the wsrk ueeoinplshod by Cron
weit on Christmas Day l6ss, James VI fugitiv. from
Ills own domnions reached the France. un ne
same day. ssd for James hut glorious one for tile
people of Great HraIn the Parliament presented an sd
dress 10 tho PTnco of Orange begging him " assae and
exercise tho Goyetnment of tLe country t lawful ooi
yohon coud meet aud decide how lac might continue 10
do ~ ns King.
Jutt before Christmas 1884, the Great Plague appeared
In London, and befure the next Christmas had and
gone 10000 of tho people had been led away by H.
The Great Frost which lasted sx weeks without break
began Chilsmas Day, 1882 Daring its continuance
roasted whole upon 10. ON Christmas bay,
1899. Den Buopaarto MS proclaimed First Consult TAO
days before tho next Christmas tina nttcmpt made TO
assassnate him while on his way ~ the opera.