The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-12-10


the city, was taken into the church and
placed near the high altar while the
service was performed: but instead Of
giving the usual responses the people
ali br4yed as loudly as they could. A
hymn in praise of the ass was also
sung, the congregation joining as loud
" as they could in the hee haw chorus.
This hymn is written in a strange mix
ture Of French and medieval Latin
and consists Of nine verses and a chO-
rus. 1t has been translated, ard we
quote three Of the verses so as to give
some IDEA Of its absurdity:
From the country OF the east
Came this strong and handsome beast,
This able ass, beyond compare,
Heavy loads and packs to bear.
Now, seigniOr ass, a noble bray;
Thy beauteous mouth at large display
Abundant food our haylofts yield,
And oats abundant load the field.
Hee hawl Hee haw! Hee haw!
True it is his pace is slow
TIN he feels the quickened blow,
Till he feels the urging goad
On his hinder part bestowed.
Now, seignior ass, etc.
With your belly full of grain.
Bray, most hOnored ass, ameni
Bray out loudly, bray again;
Never mind the old amen
Without ceasins bray again,
Amen Amen! Amen! Amen!
Hee haw Hee haw Hee haw!
The due observance Of many Of the
old ceremonies was often made the &C.
casion if not for what could, strictly
speaking. be called a pageant, yet at
least for a festive gathering Of the
whole neighborhood. The first known
mention of the DunmOw fitch of bacon
given to two people who would make
oath that they had been married a
year and a day and had never repented
their choice, never had a quarrel and,
II free to be married again, would
choose the same person, appears in
Chaucer, where it is spoken of in the
prologue to the ''vEife Of Bath's Tale"
as Of an already well known institu-
ton.
There are many other old English
.observances partaking Of the nature Of
a kind of rude, rustic pageant, which
with the decay Of farming seem to be
quite dying out Such are the Twelfth
day celebrations Of HerefOrdshire,
Worcestershire and the eastern coun-
ties and the Festival of Pillow Monday
that was formerly held the first day
that blowing was to recommence after
the Christmas holidays.
Pillow Monday was always the first
Monday after Twelfth day and is 8
very ancient festival Before the ref
ormation the plowmen used to go
from house to house collecting money
to purchase candles to burn before GER
tain of the statues in the churches with
a view to obtaining a blessing on their
labors. The reformation, we are told.
put out the lights. but could not ex-
tinguish the festival The plowmeh
still put on their clean white shirts
over their jackets and bedizened them
selves and their plows with ribbons,
as they had formerly done. but now,
instead Of buying pillow lights, as they
were called, they purchased beer and
ended the day in riOtOus convivlality
at the public house.
A Lincolnshire man, who says that
ne has himself blown the horn al
many of these rustic celebrations, tells
us how there the pillow is decorated and
the plowmen. the thrashers, the reap
ers and the carriers gathered from
many a hamlet round, attired either in
clean smOck frOcks or in g-OtesquC
garb, go about to the various houses
Of the locality singing and dancing and
not forgetting to shake in a suggestive
manner the money box. which is usual
" carried by a man called Bessy, dis
gulsed with long ringlets and petit
coats over his wOrsted stockings an6
-corduroys. Macmillan Magazine.