The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-12-21

the judges or bench think meet to rise and
depart
Lincoln's Inn celebrated Christmas as
early as the time Of Henry VII. !; but the
Temple and Gray's Inn afterward disputed
the palm with it, and indeed on some occa-
siOns seem to have surpassed the other Inns
of Court. The first particular account of
any regulations for conducting one of these
grand Christmases is in the ninth OF Henry
VIII, when, besides the king for Christ
mas day, the marshal and master of the
revels, it is ordered
THAT the king of the cockneys on Christ
mas day should sit and have due service,
and that he and all his officers should use
honest manner and good order, without any
waste or destruction making in wines, Drawn,
chely, or other vitails, ana also that he and
his marshall, butler, and coustable-marshall
should have their lawful and honest com
mandmeEts by delivery of al the officers of
Christmas !; and that the said king of the
cockneys nor none of his officers meddie in
the buttery, nor in the steward OF Christmas,
his Office, upon pain of forty shillings fo-
every such meddling. That Jack Straw
and all his adherents should be thenceforth
utterly bansht, and no more to De used in
this house upon pain of forfeit, for every time
f5 to be levied on every fellow happening
to offend against this rule.
Who this Jack Straw was, or what his
offences were, does not appear.
In order to divert the mind of the young
king, Edward VI, from the grief he felt
at the condemnation of the Duke of Som
erset, the most magnificent reyellings on
record were prepared. George Ferrers, OF
Lincoln's Inn, a gentleman of rank, was
appointed lord of misrule, or master of the
kings pastime, and acquitted himself so
we'll as to afford great delight to many and
some to the king, but mot in proportion
to his heaviness. He seems to have been
well adapted to his responsible office, being
not only man of rank, but person Of de-
cision and determination to carry the thing
through in the proper spirit and display.
He required of the master of the revels, Sir
Thomas Cowarden that John Smy.h should
be allowed him as bis clown besides jug
glers, tumblers, fools, etc. A new FOOLS
coat with hood was made for John Smyth,
who, from his being mentioned by name,
must have been a well known court fool.
The dress of this clown will show that no
expense was spared even about the officers
of this grand lord of misrule. He had a
long fools coat, of yellow cloth of-gold,
fringed with white, red, and green velvet,
containing y yds., at GO per yd., garded
with plain yellow cloth-of gold, 4 yds., at
33s. 4d., with IA hood and pair of buskins
of the same figured gold, containing p
yds., at e5 and a eirdle of yellow sarcenet,
of yd., at 16d. The whole value G26 las.
3d., goodly sum for the dress of a jester.
The dresses of the lord of misrule himself
must be mentioned to give some notion of
the style i'll which this celebrated revellng
was carried on. On Christmas day and dur
ing that week, he wore a robe of white
baudekin "a rich stuff, made of silk inter
woven with gold thread containing 8 yds.,
at los. yd., garded with embroidered
clorh-of- gold, wrought in knots, IA yds., at
lis. 4d. yd. having fur Of red feathers
with cape of camlet thrum. A coat of
fiat silver, fine works, , yds., at sos, with
an embroidered gard of leaves of gold and
silk, containing 10 yds., at 20s. A cap of
maintenance, of red feathers and camet
thrum, very Tich with a plume of feathers.
A pair of hose the breeches made of
yard of embroidered cloth of gold, 8 yds. of
garding, at 43s. 4d., liued with silver sar-
Genet, one ell at SIS. pair of buskins of
white baudekin, yd., at los, besides max
ing and other charges, IS. more. A pair
of pantacles, of Bruges satin, IS. 4d.
girdle Of yellow sarcenet, containing yd.,
at los. He had different but equally mag
nificent suits for New Years aud Twelfth
day. These dresses were supplied from
the kings stores, and must have satisfied
any one. Taking, too, in account that he
was attended by the members of his court,
and all handsomely dressed, it was enough
to turn any moderate mans head. His
suite was composed of his heir-apparent,
John Smyth, counsellors, pages of honor,
gentlemen ushers, sergeant-at arms, pri-
vate marshal, under-marshal, lieutenant of
ordnance, heralds, and trumpeters, an ora
tor, interpreter, jailer, footman, messenger,
05s IriShmd1l, an Irishtoomdn, six hunters,
jugglers, etc. The lord of misrule chosen
in the fourth year of Elizabeth 5 reign was
Mr.. Henry Helmes, and his title was as fol-
lows; The High and Mighty Prince,
Henry, Prince Of Purpoole, Archduke of
Stapulia and Bernardo, Duke of High and
Nethen Holborn, Marquis of St. Giles and
Tottenham, Count Palatine of Bloomsbury
and Clerkeuwell, Great Lord of the Can
tons of Islington, Kentish Town, Padding
ton and kuightsbridge, knight of the most
herocal order of the Helmet and Sovereign
of the same"
The revels of these grand Christmases
continued throughout the whole twelve
days Christmas day, New Years day, and
Twelfth day being more particularly dis
tingushed. On Twelfth day, the lord of
misrule, with one hundred followers, made
his progress through London in the morn
ing, aud arrived at the temple in time for
breakfast, at which were served Drawn,
mustard, and malmsey. The dinner, of
two courses, was served in the hall, and
after the firss course came the master Of the
game, dressed in green velvet, and the
ranger OF the forests, III green Satln, pear
ing a green bow with arrows, each of them
having a hunting- horn about his neck
after blowing three blasts of venery, they
paced three times round the fire, which
was then placed in the middle of the hall.
The master of the game next made three
courtesies and kuelt down, and petitioned
to be admitted into the services of the lord
of the feast. This ceremony having been
performed, huntsma1 came into the hall
with fox and a purse with a cat, both
bound at the end of staff, and nine or ten
couples of bounds, the horns blowing. The
fox and cat were then set upon by the
hounds and killed. This charming sport
being finished, the marshall ushered all
in their proper places to the dinner, and,
after the second course, the Oldest of the
masters of the revels sang a song, with the
assistance Of others present; after some
repose and further revels, supper of two
courses was served and, when finished,
the marshal was borne in by four men, on