New-York tribune., 1896-12-25
And may the Christmas splendor
A Joyous greeting bear
OF love that's true and tender
And faith that's sweet and fair.

the swarms Of TESTERS minstrels and harpers con-
sidered indispensable to the Christmas oahque'"e
tar gave place to a stately ceremonious observance
OF the day In keeping with the court OF maiden
Queen and her "beaux chevaliers'
The huge Joints OF salted beef on wooden or pewter
platters and the fagons OF ale were re'lreu from
the scene and our poor minstrel. from peing the
scul OF the feast and the companion OF kings WIS
now but a street ballad singer or alehouse Huu'er
relegated 10 an audience Of chatting boys or slohu
rustics In place OF the minstrel came tle poet
and IL he sang or wrote II with the understand
,rg tba. all was 10 be decently and decorously per-
formed From Thomas Tussers "Five hundred
Points OF Good Husbandry" came the lo'lo"lhs
chaste and eminently proper verses, 10 she" 'ne
new spirit that attended the Christmas season;
A. Christmas good husbands have corn IN the sTouha
In barn and in cellar. worth many a pound;
Things plenty in hous~ beside cattle and sHeep''
All sen, them mo doubt on good houses 20 keep.
At Christmas the hardness o winter doth rage.
A rriper of all things. especially age
Then lightly poor people. the young with 'he oid.
Ile sores. oppressed with hunger and colo
The next poem. from the pen Of Rober' Souih-
well is Of another nature He was educated ana
trained for the priesthood at Rome, but was Sent
as A missionary 10 England In 17si az the age oi
tutnty-four. After eight years OF consecFa.'u
mission work he became the object OF EHzaD''n
prosecuting zeal. arrested imprisoned 'o'-
tured and executed at Tyburn.
NEW rRINCT-NEw POMP.
Behold a silly. tender Babe.
In freezing winter night
In homely mango trembling lies
Alas, peous slght
The inn. ere full no Will Weld
rh. l,,le pilgrim bed:
pu, forced He with silly beasts
In crib o shroud His head
re.ps. Him not lying there.
FIRST whs, He Il inquire.
An Orient pearl often found
In depth % dirty mire
ve,r, not HI. crib His wooden dish.
Nor beasts that by Him feed.
Weigh not His mothers poor attire.
Nor Joseph's simple weed.
This stapl. is Princes court.
The crib Hts chair II state;
The beasts parcel Of His ponp
The wooden dish His plate
With 10y approach o Christian night
DO homage 20 thy King
And highly praise His humble pomp.
which lie from Heaven doth bring
shskespeare has made but little reference 20
Christmas save in his exquisite Holly Song in
AS You Like It and in Hamlet" where. upon
the disappearance Of the Ghost at the Growing OF
the cock Marcellus makes mention Of some OF 'he
superstitions connected with the Christmas season
Rare Ben Jonson' wrote a nasque caleu
christmas" but its wit was coarse ana me verse
imperfect. and the whole production unworthy It's
author.
Robert IIerrck on the contrary. has left us
cor,riate series Of truthful and beautiful word
naintn.,s descrit ing the day and it, various GUS
,onrs especially those attending the bringing In of
the YuIe log aud the duties OF the b"ilrnfn
'' the ears went 10y ard the troubous days ~
~. ,v,, was and the Pulitaric yea. that marked
"a. com nonwealfh came decided ddlnV"i was
th~own over the Nationa. hilariiy. f'na!tits VIZ
enforced against parish officers fer reiniitins the
d"rlrc of churches or for allowing dlNlie service
20 be performed there Oh CHRISTMAS fotilihg. a.'u
TO quote the words OF ola JVhh IaSioi' -, sac ,b
roe, AN the liberty and harmless sports, tne
,n.rr,, oembos dances and friscCis With when IA"
,oilng ploughrnan and aborer once Il Erar VIZ
,.rnf 10 Ie re .reateC. now extinct me mao
nese ~ The merry lords OF bad rule az Westminster
has extended itself TO the very Nts"t"D"s tI'
senseess trees herbs ana Weeus hoi,, i,, NM
hrsrcbes of superstition. And TO roast slrlon OF
I.rf 10 touch q collar OF Drawn! 10 take a PIE 10
put plum In the potiase poi ~ 80 ~ d. zoo y"nr
de- or 10 LAY one block more on me n'e Iof your
Nc Master Christmas is enough 10 make man
to be suspected and taken for Christhh' iot
which he shall be apprehended for committing h'e"
He inforrrs US also that plum pottage has come
IN mean NOR. popery; that roast orei II anu
woman OF Babylon. and a grouse. turkey or
canon are marks OF the beast , . =, ..
XII this the work OF the Puritan parry II, IN tns
c,tics but their efforts did not seem 10 meet WIN
success in the rural districts. for same
nna, de~crtbes a Christmas visit 10 q farmer IN
Devonshire. where after Sonyh Without pro
fsneness or obscenity. Some went 10 cards SONS SONS
sang carols and merry songs tnr ,ne poo, hhoys 1d
ns ms, nimbv 10 dancing during which performance
thev laughed and skipped for Joy. singing
LET, dance and sing and make good cheer
For Christmas comes but once year
During these same years. Milton that s.sir,n sesrn
st,onH stt,onsne,s' the Hymn to the Nativity"
Alter the Restoration revival OF the o'o n's-