“_An account of a May-Game, performed at Richmond, Yorkshire, on the
29th of May, 1660, by the inhabitants of that town; whereby they
demonstrated their universal joy for the happy return of Charles II.,
whom God was pleased to make the instrument of freeing this nation
from tyranny, usurpation, and the dismal effects of a civil war._
“They came into the town, in solemn equipage, as follows:--
“1. Three _antics_ before them with bagpipes.
“2. The representative of a _lord_, attended by trumpets, falconers,
four pages, as many footmen, and fifty attendants, all suited as became
persons of their quality.
“3. The representative of a _sheriff_, with forty attendants, in their
liveries.
“4. The _bishop_ of _Hereford_, with four pages and footmen, his
chaplain, and twenty other household officers, besides their attendants.
“5. Two companies of _morris-dancers_, who acted their parts to the
satisfaction of the spectators.
“6. _Sixty nymphs_, with music before them, following Diana, all richly
adorned in white and gorgeous apparel, with pages and footmen attending
them.
“7. Three companies of _foot soldiers_, with a captain and other
officers, in great magnificence.
“8. _Robin Hood_, in scarlet, with forty bowmen, all clad in Lincoln
green.
“Thus they marched into the town. Now follows their performance.
“They marched decently, in good order, round the market-cross, and came
to the church, where they offered their cordial prayers for our most
gracious sovereign; a sermon preached at that time.
“From thence my lord invited all his attendants to his house to dinner.
“The reverend bishop did the same to all his attendants, inviting the
minister and other persons to his own house, where they were sumptuously
entertained.
“The soldiers marched up to the cross, where they gave many vollies of
shot, with push of pike, and other martial feats.
“There was erected a scaffold and arbours, where the morris-dancers and
nymphs acted their parts; many thousands of spectators having come out
of the country and villages adjacent.
“Two days were spent in acting ‘Robin Hood.’ The sheriff and reverend
bishop sent bottles of sack to several officers acting in the play, who
all performed their parts to the general satisfaction of the spectators,
with acclamations of joy for the safe arrival of his sacred majesty.
“Something more might have been expected from the civil magistrate of
the town, who permitted the conduit to run water all the time.
“The preceding rejoicings were performed by the commonalty of the
borough of Richmond.”