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[Illustration: BRINGING IN THE YULE LOG. _Frontispiece._]
CHRISTMAS:
_ITS ORIGIN AND ASSOCIATIONS,_
TOGETHER WITH
ITS HISTORICAL EVENTS AND FESTIVE
CELEBRATIONS DURING NINETEEN
CENTURIES:
DEPICTING, BY PEN AND PENCIL,
MEMORABLE CELEBRATIONS, STATELY MEETINGS OF EARLY KINGS,
REMARKABLE EVENTS, ROMANTIC EPISODES, BRAVE DEEDS,
PICTURESQUE CUSTOMS, TIME-HONOURED SPORTS,
ROYAL CHRISTMASES, CORONATIONS AND ROYAL MARRIAGES,
CHIVALRIC FEATS, COURT BANQUETINGS AND REVELLINGS,
CHRISTMAS AT THE COLLEGES AND THE INNS OF COURT,
POPULAR FESTIVITIES, AND CHRISTMAS-KEEPING
IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD,
DERIVED FROM THE MOST AUTHENTIC
SOURCES, AND ARRANGED
CHRONOLOGICALLY.
BY
W. F. DAWSON.
At home, at sea, in many distant lands,
This Kingly Feast without a rival stands!
LONDON
ELLIOT STOCK, 62, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C.
1902.
REPUBLISHED BY GALE RESEARCH COMPANY, BOOK TOWER, DETROIT, 1968
[Illustration]
PREFACE.
In the third quarter of the nineteenth century, it fell to my lot to
write an article on Christmas, its customs and festivities. And,
although I sought in vain for a chronological account of the festival,
I discovered many interesting details of its observances dispersed in
the works of various authors; and, while I found that some of its
greater celebrations marked important epochs in our national history,
I saw, also, that the successive celebrations of Christmas during
nineteen centuries were important links in the chain of historical
Christian evidences. I became enamoured of the subject, for, in
addition to historical interest, there is the charm of its legendary
lore, its picturesque customs, and popular games. It seemed to me that
the origin and hallowed associations of Christmas, its ancient customs
and festivities, and the important part it has played in history
combine to make it a most fascinating subject. I resolved, therefore,
to collect materials for a larger work on _Christmas_.
Henceforth, I became a snapper-up of everything relating to
Christmastide, utilised every opportunity of searching libraries,
bookstalls, and catalogues of books in different parts of the country,
and, subsequently, as a Reader of the British Museum Library, had
access to that vast storehouse of literary and historical treasures.
Soon after commencing the work, I realised that I had entered a very
spacious field of research, and that, having to deal with the
accumulated materials of nineteen centuries, a large amount of labour
would be involved, and some years must elapse before, even if
circumstances proved favourable, I could hope to see the end of my
task. Still, I went on with the work, for I felt that a complete
account of Christmas, ancient and modern, at home and abroad, would
prove generally acceptable, for while the historical events and
legendary lore would interest students and antiquaries, the holiday
sports and popular celebrations would be no less attractive to general
readers.
The love of story-telling seems to be ingrained in human nature.
Travellers tell of vari-coloured races sitting round their watch fires
reciting deeds of the past; and letters from colonists show how, even
amidst forest-clearing, they have beguiled their evening hours by
telling or reading stories as they sat in the glow of their camp
fires. And in old England there is the same love of tales and stories.
One of the chief delights of Christmastide is to sit in the united
family circle and hear, tell, or read about the quaint habits and
picturesque customs of Christmas in the olden time; and one of the
purposes of _CHRISTMAS_ is to furnish the retailer of Christmas wares
with suitable things for re-filling his pack.
From the vast store of materials collected it is not possible to do
more than make a selection. How far I have succeeded in setting forth
the subject in a way suited to the diversity of tastes among readers I
must leave to their judgment and indulgence; but I have this
satisfaction, that the gems of literature it contains are very rich
indeed; and I acknowledge my great indebtedness to numerous writers of
different periods whose references to Christmas and its time-honoured
customs are quoted.
I have to acknowledge the courtesy of Mr. Henry Jewitt, Mr. E.
Wiseman, Messrs. Harper, and Messrs. Cassell & Co., in allowing their
illustrations to appear in this work.
My aim is neither critical nor apologetic, but historical and
pictorial: it is not to say what might or ought to have been, but to
set forth from extant records what has actually taken place: to give
an account of the origin and hallowed associations of Christmas, and
to depict, by pen and pencil, the important historical events and
interesting festivities of Christmastide during nineteen centuries.
With materials collected from different parts of the world, and from
writings both ancient and modern, I have endeavoured to give in the
present work a chronological account of the celebrations and
observances of Christmas from the birth of Christ to the end of the
nineteenth century; but, in a few instances, the subject-matter has
been allowed to take precedence of the chronological arrangement. Here
will be found accounts of primitive celebrations of the Nativity,
ecclesiastical decisions fixing the date of Christmas, the connection
of Christmas with the festivals of the ancients, Christmas in times of
persecution, early celebrations in Britain, stately Christmas meetings
of the Saxon, Danish, and Norman kings of England; Christmas during
the wars of the Roses, Royal Christmases under the Tudors, the Stuarts
and the Kings and Queens of Modern England; Christmas at the Colleges
and the Inns of Court; Entertainments of the nobility and gentry, and
popular festivities; accounts of Christmas celebrations in different
parts of Europe, in America and Canada, in the sultry lands of Africa
and the ice-bound Arctic coasts, in India and China, at the Antipodes,
in Australia and New Zealand, and in the Islands of the Pacific; in
short, throughout the civilised world.
In looking at the celebrations of Christmas, at different periods and
in different places, I have observed that, whatever views men hold
respecting Christ, they all agree that His Advent is to be hailed with
joy, and the nearer the forms of festivity have approximated to the
teaching of Him who is celebrated the more real has been the joy of
those who have taken part in the celebrations.
The descriptions of the festivities and customs of different periods
are given, as far as possible, on the authority of contemporary
authors, or writers who have special knowledge of those periods, and
the most reliable authorities have been consulted for facts and dates,
great care being taken to make the work as accurate and trustworthy as
possible. I sincerely wish that all who read it may find as much
pleasure in its perusal as I have had in its compilation.
WILLIAM FRANCIS DAWSON.
[Illustration]
[Illustration: Contents]
CHAPTER I. PAGE
THE ORIGIN AND ASSOCIATIONS OF CHRISTMAS 5