Oxford, Dr. Rimbault discovered what appeared to him to be the first
draft of the hymn in question. It has the following note:--“This hymn
is sung every day in Magdalen College Hall, Oxon, dinner and supper,
throughout the year for the after-grace, by the chaplain, clerks, and
choristers there. Composed by Dr. Benjamin Rogers, Doctor of Musicke,
of the University of Oxon, 1685.” It has been popularly supposed, says
Dr. Rimbault, to be the Hymnus Eucharisticus, written by Dr. Nathaniel
Ingelo, and sung at the civic feast at Guildhall on the 5th of July,
1660, while the King and the other exalted personages were at dinner;
but this is a mistake, for the words of Ingelo’s hymn, very different
from the Magdalen hymn, still exist, and are to be found in Wood’s
Collection in the Ashmolean Museum.
Dr. Rimbault, in a communication to the _Illustrated London News_ (May
17th, 1856), speaking of this custom, says:--In the year of our Lord God
1501, the “most Christian” King Henry VII. gave to St. Mary Magdalen
College the advowsons of the churches of Slimbridge, county of
Gloucester, and Fyndon, county of Sussex, together with one acre of land
in each parish. In gratitude for this benefaction, the college was
accustomed, during the lifetime of their royal benefactor, to celebrate
a service in honour of the Holy Trinity, with the collect still used on
Trinity Sunday, and the prayer, “Almighty and everlasting God, we are
taught by Thy Holy Word that the hearts of kings,” &c.; and after the
death of the king to commemorate him in the usual manner. The
commemoration service ordered in the time of Queen Elizabeth is still
performed on the 1st of May, and the Latin hymn in honour of the Holy
Trinity, which continues to be sung on the tower at sun-rising, has
evidently reference to the original service. The produce of the two
acres above mentioned used to be distributed on the same day between the
President and Fellows; it has however for many years been given up to
supply the choristers with a festal entertainment in the college-hall.
It was also the custom at Oxford a generation ago for little boys to
blow horns about the streets early on May-day, which they did for the
purpose of “calling up the old maids.” “I asked an aged inhabitant,”
says a correspondent of _N. & Q._ (_4th S._ vol. vii. p. 430), “how long
the horn-blowing had ceased, and he replied, ever since the Reform Bill
came in; but that he remembered the time when the workhouse children
were let out for May-day early in the morning with their horns and
garlands, and a worthy alderman whom he named always kept open house on
that day, and gave them a good dinner.” “Calling up the old maids” no
doubt refers to the practice of calling up the maids, whether old or
young, to go a-maying. Hearne, in his preface to Robert of Gloucester’s
_Chronicle_, alluding to the custom (p. 18) says:--“’Tis no wonder,
therefore, that upon the jollities on the first day of May formerly the
custom of blowing with, and drinking in, horns so much prevailed, which,
though it be now generally disused, yet the custom of blowing them
prevails at this season, even to this day at Oxford, to remind people of
the pleasantness of that part of the year, which ought to create mirth
and gayety.”
Aubrey has this memorandum in his _Remains of Gentilisme and Judaisme_
(MS. Lansd. 266, p. 5):--At Oxford the boys do blow cows’ horns and
hollow canes all night; and on May-day the young maids of every parish
carry about garlands of flowers, which afterwards they hang up in their
churches.
At Combe, in the same county, troops of little girls dressed up
fantastically parade the village, carrying sticks, to the top of which
are tied bunches of flowers, and singing the following song:--
“Gentlemen and ladies,
We wish you a happy May;
We’ve come to show our garlands,
Because it is May-day.”
The same verse, substantially, is the May-day song at Wootton, an
adjoining parish. The last two of the four lines are sometimes as
follow:--
“Come, kiss my face, and smell my mace,
And give the lord and lady something.”
_N. & Q. 3rd S._ vol. vii. p. 425.
At Headington, about two miles from Oxford, the children gather garlands
from house to house. Each garland is formed of a hoop for a rim, with
two half hoops attached to it and crossed above, much in the shape of a
crown; each member is adorned with flowers, and the top surmounted by a
crown imperial or other showy bunch of flowers. Each garland is attended
by four children, two girls dressed in all their best, who carry the
garland, supported betwixt them by a stick passed through it between the
arches. These are followed by the “lord and lady,” a boy and girl, who
go from house to house and sing the same song as is sung at Combe. In
the village are upwards of a dozen of these garlands, with their “lords
and ladies,” which give to the place the most gay and animated
appearance.--_Literary Gazette_, May 1847.
At Islip the children, carrying May-garlands, go about in little groups,
singing the following carol:--
“Good morning, mi-sus and master,
I wish you a happy day;
Please to smell my garland,
Because it is the first of May.”
Brand, _Pop. Antiq._ 1849, vol. i. p. 219.
SHROPSHIRE.
It has been usual for the people in this neighbourhood to assemble on
the Wrekin hill on the Sunday after May-day, and the three successive
Sundays, to drink a health “to all friends round the Wrekin;” but as on
this annual festival various scenes of drunkenness and licentiousness
were frequently exhibited, its celebration has of late been very
properly discouraged by the magistracy, and is going deservedly to
decay.--_Every Day Book_, vol. ii. p. 599.
SOMERSETSHIRE.
At Minehead May-day is observed by the celebration of a custom called
“Hobby-horsing.” A number of young men, mostly fishermen and sailors,
having previously made some grotesque figures of light stuff, rudely
resembling men and horses with long tails, sufficiently large to cover
and disguise the persons who are to carry them, assemble together and
perambulate the town and neighbourhood, performing a variety of antics,
to the great amusement of the children and young persons. They never
fail to pay a visit to Dunster Castle, where, after having been
hospitably regaled with strong beer and victuals, they always receive a
present in money. Many other persons, inhabitants of the places they
visit, give them small sums, and such persons as they meet are also
asked to contribute a trifle; if they are refused, the person of the
refuser is subjected to the ceremony of booting or pursuing. This is
done by some of the attendants holding his person while one of the
figures inflicts ten slight blows on him with the top of a boot, he is
then liberated, and all parties give three huzzas. The most trifling sum
buys off this ceremony, and it is seldom or never performed but on
those who purposely throw themselves in their way, and join the party,
or obstruct them in their vagaries. This custom probably owes its origin
to some ancient practice of perambulating the boundaries of the
parish.--Savage, _History of Carthampton_, p. 583.
STAFFORDSHIRE.
At Uttoxeter groups of children carry garlands of flowers about the
town. The garlands consist of two hoops, one passing through the other,
which give the appearance of four half circles, and they are decorated
with flowers and evergreens and surmounted with a bunch of flowers as a
sort of crown, and in the centre of the hoops is a pendent orange and
flowers. Mostly one or more of the children carry a little pole or
stick, with a collection of flowers tied together at one end, and
carried vertically, and the children themselves are adorned with ribbons
and flowers. Thus they go from house to house, which they are encouraged
to do by the pence they obtain.--Redfern, _History of Uttoxeter_, 1865,
p. 262.
SUFFOLK.
Formerly in this county it was the custom in most farm-houses for any
servant who could bring in a branch of hawthorn in full blossom to
receive a dish of cream for breakfast. To this practice the following
rhyme apparently alludes:--
“This is the day,
And here is our May,
The finest ever seen,
It is fit for the queen;
So pray, ma’am, give us a cup of your cream”--
Brand, _Pop. Antiq._ 1849, vol. i. p. 229.
SURREY.
In the parish of St. Thomas, Southwark, says Allen (_History of Surrey
and Sussex_, 1829, vol. i. p. 261), there was an ancient custom for the
principal inhabitants to meet and dine together annually on the first of
May. This was called the “May-feast.” The gentleman who presided on the
occasion was called the steward. At the meeting in 1698, Mr. John
Panther, being in that office, proposed to make a collection for binding
out as apprentices the children of poor persons having a legal
settlement. This was readily acceded to, and it was resolved that the
minister of the parish, and such gentlemen as had served the office of
steward, and should afterwards serve it, should be governors. This
excellent plan has been followed ever since: the members for the borough
are always invited to the feast, and a liberal collection is made. By
means of donations and good management on the part of the governors a
considerable sum has been invested in the public funds. These boys are
apprenticed annually, and if so many are not found in St Thomas’s
parish, the stewards in rotation may each appoint one from any other
parish.--Brayley, _History of Surrey_, 1841, vol. v. p. 399.
SUSSEX.
In very early times May-day was celebrated with great spirit in the town
of Rye; young people going out at sunrise and returning with large
boughs and branches of trees, with which they adorned the fronts of the
houses. About three hundred years ago the Corporation possessed certain
woodlands, called the common woods, whither the people used to go and
cut the boughs, until at length they did so much damage that the
practice was prohibited. A few years ago here and there a solitary
may-bough graced a house, but they have now ceased to appear altogether.
A garland or two carried by little children, and the chimney-sweepers in
their ivy-leaves, representing “Jack of May,” are the only relics of
these May-day sports, so characteristic of merry England in former
times.--Holloway, _Hist. of Rye_, 1847, p. 608.
WESTMORELAND.
At a village called Temple Sowerby it is customary for a number of
persons to assemble together on the green, and there propose a certain
number as candidates for contesting the various prizes then produced,
which consist of a grindstone as the head prize; a hone, or whetstone
for a razor, as the second; and whetstones of an inferior description
for those who can only reach a state of mediocrity in “the noble art of
lying!” The people are the judges. Each candidate in rotation commences
a story such as his fertile genius at the moment prompts, and the more
marvellous and improbable his story happens to be, so much the greater
chance is there of his success. After being amused in this manner for a
considerable length of time, and awarding the prizes to the most
deserving, the host of candidates, judges, and other attendants adjourn
to the inns, where the sports of the day very often end in a few
splendid battles.--_Every Day Book_, vol ii. p. 599.
In this county it is the practice, every May-morning, to make folks
May-goslings,[58] a practice similar to that on the first of April. This
custom prevails till twelve o’clock at noon, after which time none carry
on the sport. On this day, too, ploughmen and others decorate themselves
with garlands and flowers, and parade through different towns for their
annual collection, which they spend in the evening with their
sweethearts at the maypole.--_Time’s Telescope_, 1829, p. 176.
[58] See page 233.
WORCESTERSHIRE.
The dance round the Maypole is kept up, says Cuthbert Bede (_N. & Q. 1st
S._ vol. x. p. 92), at the village of Clent, near Hagley.
WALES.
About a fortnight previous to May-day the question among the lads and
lasses is, “Who will turn out to dance in the summer this year?” From
that time the names of the performers are buzzed in the village, and
rumour proclaims them throughout the surrounding neighbourhood. Nor is
it asked with less interest, “Who will carry the garland?” and “Who will
be the Cadi?” About nine days or a week previous to the festival a
collection is made of the gayest ribbons that can be procured. During
this time, too, the chosen garland-bearer is busily employed.
Accompanied by one from among the intended dancers who is best known
among the farmers for good conduct, they go from house to house
throughout their parish, begging the loan of watches, silver spoons, and
other utensils of this metal, and those who are satisfied with the
parties, and have a regard for the celebration of this ancient day,
comply with their solicitation. When May-day morn arrives the group of
dancers assemble at the village tavern. From thence (when permission can
be obtained from the clergyman of the parish) the procession sets forth,
accompanied by the ringing of bells. The arrangement and march are
settled by the Cadi, who is always the most active person in the
company, and is, by virtue of his office, the chief marshal, orator,
buffoon, and money-collector. He is always arrayed in comic attire,
generally in a partial dress of both sexes, a coat and waistcoat being
used for the upper part of the body, and for the lower petticoats
somewhat resembling Moll Flagon, in the “Lord of the Manor.” His
countenance is also distinguished by a hideous mask, or is blackened
entirely over, and then the lips, cheeks, and orbits of the eyes are
sometimes painted red. The number of the rest of the party, including
the garland-bearer, is generally thirteen, and with the exception of the
varied taste in the decoration of their shirts with ribbons, their
costume is similar. It consists of clothing entirely new, made of a
light texture for dancing. White decorated shirts, are worn over the
rest of their clothing; the remainder of the dress is black velveteen
breeches, with knee-ties depending halfway down to the ancles, in
contrast with yarn hose of a light grey. The ornaments of the hats are
large rosettes of varied colours, with streamers depending from them;
wreaths of ribbon encircle the crown, and each of the dancers carries in
his right hand a white pocket-handkerchief. The garland consists of a
long staff or pole, to which is affixed a triangular or square frame,
covered with strong white linen, on which the silver ornaments are
fixed, and displayed with great taste. Silver spoons, &c. are placed in
the shape of stars, squares, and circles. Between these are rows of
watches, and at the top of the frame, opposite to the pole in its
centre, the whole collection is crowned with the largest and most costly
of the ornaments, generally a large silver cup or tankard. This
garland, when completed on the eve of May-day, is left for the night at
that farm-house from whence the dancers have received the most liberal
loan of silver and plate for its decoration, or with that farmer who is
distinguished in his neighbourhood as a good master, and liberal to the
poor. Its deposit is a token of respect, and it is called for early on
the following morning. The whole party being assembled, they march,
headed by the Cadi. After him follows the garland-bearer, and then the
fiddler, while the bells of the village merrily ring the signal of their
departure. As the procession moves slowly along the Cadi varies his
station, hovers about his party, brandishes a ladle, and assails every
passenger for a customary and expected donation. When they arrive at a
farm-house they take up their ground on the best station for dancing. In
the meantime the buffoonery of the Cadi is exhibited without
intermission. He assails the inmates of the house for money, and when
this is obtained the procession moves off to the next farm-house. They
do not confine the ramble of the day to their own parish, but go from
one to another, and to any county town in the vicinity. When they return
to their resident village in the evening, the bells, ringing merrily,
announce their arrival. The money collected during the day’s excursion
is appropriated to defray whatever expenses may have been incurred in
the necessary preparations, and the remainder is spent in jovial
festivity.--_Every Day Book_, vol. i. p. 562.
At Tenby, says Mason (_Tales and Traditions of Tenby_, 1858, p. 22), it
was customary for the possessors of a maypole to try and pull down those
set up in other places. A watch was therefore set up round each.
SCOTLAND.
In some parts of Scotland, says Pennant, there is a rural sacrifice on
May-day. A cross is cut on some sticks, each of which is dipped in
pottage, and the Thursday before Easter one of these is placed over the
sheep-cote, the stable, or the cow-house. On the first of May they are
carried to the hill, where the rites are celebrated, all decked with
wild flowers, and after the feast is over replaced over the spots they
were taken from. This was originally styled _Clonau-Beltein_, or the
split branch of the fir of the rock.--_Tour in Scotland_, 1790, vol. i.
p. 206.
COUNTY OF EDINBURGH.
At Edinburgh about four o’clock in the morning there is an unusual stir;
and a hurrying of gay throngs through the King’s Park to Arthur’s Seat
to collect the May-dew. In the course of half an hour the entire hill is
a moving mass of all sorts of people. At the summit may be seen a
company of bakers and other craftsmen, dressed in kilts, dancing round a
maypole. On the more level part is usually an itinerant vendor of
whisky, or mountain (not May) dew. These proceedings commence with the
daybreak. About six o’clock the appearance of the gentry, toiling up the
ascent, becomes the signal for servants to march home; for they know
that they must have the house clean and everything in order earlier than
usual on May-morning. About eight o’clock the fun is all over; and by
nine or ten, were it not for the drunkards who are staggering towards
the “gude town,” no one would know that anything particular had taken
place.--See _Every Day Book_, vol. ii. p. 609.
Fergusson the Scottish poet thus describes this custom:--
“On May-day in a fairy ring
We’ve seen them, round St. Anthon’s spring,
Frae grass the caller dew-drops wring,
To wet their ein,
And water clear as crystal spring,
To synd them clean.”
Formerly the magistrates of Canongate, Edinburgh, used to walk in
procession to church upon the first Sunday after Beltane, carrying large
nosegays. This observance was evidently a modified relic of the ancient
festival of the sun; and the original meaning of the custom must have
been an expression of gratitude to that luminary, deified under the name
of Baal, for the first-fruits of his genial influence.--_Household
Words_, 1859, vol. xix. p. 558.
THE HIGHLANDS.
On the first of May the herdsmen of every village hold their Beltein, a
rural sacrifice. They cut a square trench on the ground, leaving the
turf in the middle; on that they make a fire of wood, on which they
dress a large caudle of eggs, butter, oatmeal, and milk; and bring,
besides the ingredients of the caudle, plenty of beer and whisky, for
each of the company must contribute something. The rites begin with
spilling some of the caudle on the ground, by way of libation; on that
every one takes a cake of oatmeal, upon which are raised nine square
knobs, each dedicated to some particular being, the supposed preserver
of their flocks and herds, or to some particular animal, the real
destroyer of them: each person then turns his face to the fire, breaks
off a knob, and flinging it over his shoulder, says, This I give to
thee, preserve thou my horses; this to thee, preserve thou my sheep; and
so on. After that they use the same ceremony to the noxious animals.
This I give to thee, O fox! spare thou my lambs; this to thee, O
hooded-crow! and this to thee, O eagle!
When the ceremony is over they dine on the caudle, and, after the feast
is finished, what is left is hid by two persons deputed for that
purpose; but on the next Sunday they re-assemble, and finish the
reliques of the first entertainment.--Pennant’s _Tour in Scotland_,
1790, vol. i. p. 112.
PERTHSHIRE.
In Sinclair’s _Stat. Acc. of Scotland_ (1794, vol. xi. p. 620) the
Minister of Callander says:--Upon the first day of May all the boys in a
township or hamlet meet on the moors. They cut a table in the green sod
of a round figure, by casting a trench in the ground of such
circumference as to hold the whole company. They kindle a fire, and
dress a repast of eggs and milk of the consistence of a custard. They
knead a cake of oatmeal, which is toasted at the embers against a stone.
After the custard is eaten up, they divide the cake into so many
portions, as similar as possible to one another in size and shape, as
there are persons in the company. They daub one of these portions all
over with charcoal until it is perfectly black. They put the pieces of
the cake into a bonnet. Every one blindfold draws out a portion; he who
holds the bonnet is entitled to the last piece. Whoever draws the black
piece is the devoted person who is to be sacrificed to Baal, whose
favour they mean to implore in rendering the year productive of the
sustenance of man and beasts. There is little doubt of these inhuman
sacrifices having been once offered in this country as well as in the
East, although they now omit the act of sacrificing, and only compel the
_devoted_ person to leap three times through the flames: with which the
ceremonies of this festival are closed.--See _N. & Q. 1st. S._, vol.
viii. p. 281.
At Logierait the 1st of May, old style, is chiefly celebrated by the
cowherds, who assemble by scores in the fields to dress a dinner for
themselves of boiled milk and eggs. These dishes they eat with a sort of
cakes baked for the occasion, and having small lumps raised all over the
surface.--_Ibid._ vol. v. p. 84.
WESTERN ISLES OF SCOTLAND.
Martin, in his _Account of the Western Islands of Scotland_ (1703, p.
7), speaking of the Isle of Lewis, says that the natives in the village
Barvas retain an ancient custom of sending a man very early to cross
Barvas river every first day of May, to prevent any females crossing it
first; for that they say would hinder the salmon from coming into the
river all the year round. They pretend to have learned this from a
foreign sailor, who was shipwrecked upon that coast a long time ago.
IRELAND.
In the south-eastern parts of Ireland (and no doubt all over the island)
a custom used to prevail--perhaps so still--on May-day, when the young
people of both sexes, and many old people too, collected in districts
and localities, and selected the handsomest girl, of from eighteen to
twenty-one years of age, as queen of the district for twelve months. She
was then crowned with wild flowers; and feasting, dancing, and rural
sports were closed by a grand procession in the evening. The duties of
her majesty were by no means heavy, as she had only to preside over
rural assemblies of young folks at dances and merrymakings, and had the
utmost obedience paid to her by all classes of her subjects. If she got
married before the next May-day her authority was at an end, but still
she held office until that day, when her successor to the throne was
chosen. If not married during her reign of twelve months, she was
capable of being re-elected; but that seldom happened, as there was
always found some candidate put forward by the young men of the district
to dispute the crown the next year.--_N. & Q. 3rd S._ vol. iv. p. 229.