The herald., 1894-12-25
YULE TIDE LEGENDS,
COLONIAL AND BRITISH,

surely yo CnrlahmaB Worahip III ue-
generating" wrote etaunch old Miles
Standish in tho middle OF the fifteenth
century, wben the warmth OF tho Vir~
ginia merrymsking had begun to per-
meate the colder rites OF Puritan New
England. For Christmas time has not
always been season OF turkey and
cranberry sauce, interspersed with
Santa Claus, mistletoe and mince pies.
The frat Christmas celebrations were
very staid. prosy affairs. They were in
fact days OF fasting and church-going.
days on which no flesh or fruit might
be psrtakeI Of, for our sturdy Pilgrim
Fathers were averse to decorating this
most sacred Of all days by attending to
the petty needs OF the phyeical body.
Christmas festivities were first cele-
brated in Virginia during the winter OF
16O9-l0. II is recorded in Smiths
memoirs. how, though the cnly pro-
vision was cracked corn and few CLAIMS
from the river, the Yule log that had
been brought over from Essex county,
Eugland, for this sacred festival was
brought from its place of honor in the
council hall and. gsyly bedecked with
laurel berries and cedar bougbs and
consigned to the Yule blazo-a fire kim
died with leaves from the Holy Bible.
This festival was regarded as 90 Gacred
that the ashes of the burned log were
carefully gathered together, preserved in
cases prepared for them, and religiously
treasured in the little wooden church at
Jamestown.
Another OF the early writer's records
that the burning OF this church during
Bacon's rebellion many years later,
twas thought to be an ill omen, for the
ashes of the escred Yule logs were ecRt-
tered in the flames and evil spirit was
seen by many skipping about in the
north window while the altsr was
burning"
Ludicrous as it may appear at this
day, 30 general WAS the belief that this
was presage OF evil that not g house
in the wbole village was rebuilt, and
soon alter the entire settlement was
abandoned.
1t was not in Virginia alone. however,
that the Yue log figured in the Christ
mas ceremonies. The second voyage OF
the Speedwell to Plymouth brought
with it "ye sacred log bswn by our dear
brothers and sent us in commemoration
OF our uacred Christmas festival"
The New England Yule ceremonies
differed somewhat from those of Vir-
gini.. 1t was the custom OF the Puri"
tans to deck the log with holly branches,
sprinkle it with sweet incense. fill ITS
hollow Ga most necessary requiaito OF all
Yule logs) with fruits. meatF and apicsa,
whose savory incenss they religiously
believed would sppsase hunger and cure
pain. Then the watchers would breathe
prayers aud sing hymns until the log
was consumed. They, too, treaaured
the aches, which were preserved in lit
tie sacks, that, Suspended from the
neck, were supposed to be q safeguard
against witchcrsit and ell infectious
diseases.
The custom OF feas.ing az Christmas
time was not introduced into New Eng
land until the begin ming OF the sixteenth
century, and the ministers Of the ortho-
dox church strenuously opposed it for
nearly . century. As late as 1865 it is
recorded that Matthew Prior, an "un-
godly man," was excluded from the
Lords Supper for having psrtaksn OF
fruit and flesh on Christmas morning.
lCkluk tuC DOnOa vi tbO ShAicthltto
turkey is q custom OF purely American
origin, that seems to have pervaded
nearly all the European nations. This
bird, like to the falcon in swiftness anu
to the eagle in strength is most savory
eating" says Smith in his memoirs. 81
presented two in captivity to her majesty
the queen"
From this time the turkey has grown
90 rapidly in favor with the English
epicureaEs, that the yearly consumption
is almost as great as that in the United
Ststes.
Before the advent OF this aavory
fowl roast OK end the prcverbial English
pudding was the menu OF the YUletide
festivals. This feast commenced on the
night OF the 25th and continued until
the 9th of January, during which time
it was the boast OF the old English
sQuires that not one OF all their retain.
ers or leassmsn went hungry or sthirst.
The Yule log was taken from the for.
est some weeks previous and water
logged until the days Of the festivities
in order that it might not be too quickly
consumed, for one log was expected to
last the entire fortnight. On the morn
ing of the 25th the squire and his imme.
diate relatives, both male and female,
marched to the pool 10 which the log
was submerged, drew it from the water
and conveyed 1t to the family mansion.
This was task that no retainer could
psrlorm, for it was considered desecra-
tion for any but one of the masters
blood to touch this Hacred wood. After
it was placed in the huge Fireplace tho
nearest heir to the feii approached, COW
ered il with holly plucked by bis own
hRnds, and lighted it from flint sup.
posed TO be struck for the frat time.
This igniting of the Yule blaze often
caused disssnsion and family strife arose
from the mooted question of who the
heir really was; go it fell into disrepute
and was compromised by tia equire'a
lighting the blaze himself.
The roaring flames and genial warmth
said to EN- anate from the burning of the
Yule log is amply delusion and q
snare set to entrap the unintistad, for
the log WAS 80 thoroughly wator~soaked
and the tenders 40 careful that it should
not be consumed before tho end of tho
festivities that it WAS customary to light
a second fire in the banquet hall to pre-
vent the guests from freezing.
The Introduction of the mistletoe to
the Christmas festivities dates from the
ninth century, when Tuscan monk,
according to the most popular legend,
while pursuing his thoughtful journey
through lonely wood, was startled by
hearing voice cry ont in plaintive dis
tress from the heart of live oak. Going
close to the tree he listened and heard q
young. damsel lamenting over her