The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1876-05-04
Nay-pay.

lie zLIlu4HAEi U -'4i-t
Three centuries ago, the init OF May
was holiday for all classes in Europe.
Bourne, the historian Of popular customs
and supers.iliors, thus describes the cere-
monies with which our ancestors welcomed
the season OF budding trees and opening
blossoms: 'On the calends, or the first
day OF May, commonly called May-day,
the juvenile part OF both sexes were wont
TO rise little after midnight, and walk to
some neigh bouring wood, accompanied
with music and the blowing Of horns
where they break down branches from the
trees and adorn them with noeegays and
crowns of flowers. When this is done, they
return with their booty homewards, about
the rising OF the sun, and make their doors
and windows to triumph in the Aowery
spoil. The after-part Of the day is chiefly
spent in dancing round tall pole, which
is called May-pole; which, being placed
in convenient part of the village, stands
there, as il were, consecrated to the goddess
Of flowers, without the least violation Of
fered il in the whole circle OF the year"
And this is not the custom of the British
or Irish common people only, but it is the
usage OF the generality of other nations OF
Europe, particularly Of the Italians.
Polydore Virgil tells us that the "youth
Of both sexes were accustomed to 20 into
the fields on the calends of May, and bring
thence the branches of trees, singing all the
way as they came, and so place them on
the doors Of their houses. This is a relic
Of an ancient custom among the heather,
who observed the four last days of April,
and the first of May, in honor of the God
dess Flora, who was imagined the deity
presiding over the fruits and flowers"
Blu; the sports of May were not confined
Of the old courts did not disdain to borrow
a fragrance and freshness from the joys of
the people. Hall, the historian, gives US an
account Of Henry VIII. riding a-Maying
from Greenwich to the high ground Of
Shooters hill, with Queen Catherine, his
wife, accompanied with many lords and
ladies'" Stowe tells Us, too, SIN the month
OF May, the citizens OF London (of all
estates) two or three parishes joining to-
Gether, had their several Mayings, and did
fetch in May-poles with divers warlike
shows with good archers, morrice-dancers,
and other devices for past time all the day |
long; and towards the evening they had
stage-plaies and bone fires in the streets"
Amusements such as these belong to a |
state of manners which can never return |
to Us, and of which we can only look at |
the pOetical when We eXclaim,
''IIappy the age and harmless were the days,
For thea true love aud amity were found, |
When every village did May pole raise I"
The May-poles are gone, but it is useless |
to sigh for their revival and We are by no |
means sure that their revival would be any |
national advantage. We may all be hap
py in the contemplation of nature, without |
morrice-dancers and Lady Of the May
and though these excitements are gone, the |
same imperishable attractions remain,
which, on May morning, as Stowe describes,
summoned our ancestors "into the sweet |
meadows and green woods, there to rejoice
their spirits with the beauty and SAVIOUR OF
sweet flowers, and with the harmony of
birds priisIng God in their kind" We
should do well TO cling to the spirit of
these old customs, although we must of
necessity renounce their Ii eral observance.
Our forefathers, in procIaisning their en-
for the freshness Of beautiful
world, we're paying true and affecting
homage to Its Creator; and though their
might be boistrous, and its
origen heathenish. it was far better than
apathy which passes by the wonders and
beauties of the earth with indifference of
that precision, which in deprecating the
cultivation of pure and simple enjoyments,
shuts up the heart against the best feelings
OF kindness to man or devotion to God. At
any rate, May morning can never cease to
have a poetical interest, for it has been
hailed by Milton In one Of the most ex-
luisite songs that of languages, rich in
such excellence, has produced.