‘The mention of “plays” and “players” does not begin until the 13ᵗʰ of

Henry VII; but “Minstrels” and “Waytes” are often spoken of there as

receiving rewards from the convent. The following entries, regarding

“plays” and “players,” occur between the 13ᵗʰ and 23ʳᵈ of Henry VII:—

13 Henry VII [1497-8].

Itᵐ. sol. in regard 12 capital plays, 4ˢ.

Itᵐ. sol. to menstrell and players in festo Epiphaniae, 2ˢ.

19 Henry VII [1503-4].

Itᵐ. sol. to the play of Mydenale, 12ᵈ.

21 Henry VII [1505-6].

Itᵐ. sol. in regard lusoribus et menstrall, 17ᵈ.

23 Henry VII [1507-8].

Itᵐ. sol. in regard lusoribus div. vices, 3ˢ 4ᵈ.

Itᵐ. sol. in regard to Ixworth play, 16ᵈ.

Itᵐ. sol. in regard to Schelfanger play, 4ᵈ.

... From the 1ˢᵗ to the 31ˢᵗ Henry VIII, the King’s players, the King’s

jugglers, the King’s minstrels, and the King’s bearwards were visitors of

Thetford, and were paid various sums, from 4ᵈ to 6ˢ 8ᵈ, by the Prior of

the convent there, as appears by the entries in the account-book during

that period. On one occasion, 16 Henry VIII, Cornyshe, “the master of the

King’s chapel,” was paid 3ˢ 4ᵈ by the prior; but he was then, probably,

attendant upon the King, who is not unfrequently spoken of as having

arrived, and being lodged at the Priory. Mr. Brandon and Mr. Smith are

more than once rewarded as “Jugglers of the King.” The Queen’s players,

the Prince’s players, and the players of the Queen of France, also

experienced the liberality of the Prior, as well as those of the Duke

of Norfolk, the Duke of Suffolk, the Earl and Countess of Derby, Lord

and Lady Fitzwater, the Lord Privy Seal, the Lord Chancellor, Sir Thomas

Challoner and two gentlemen who are called Marks and Barney.’

IV. WINCHESTER COLLEGE.

[Extracts from _computi_ partly by Hazlitt-Warton, ii. 98,

and partly by M. E. C. Walcott, _William of Wykeham and his

Colleges_, 206. The _satrapae_ of 1466 and 1479 are said by

Mr. Walcott to have been local notables, but a collation to

them would not cost so little or be grouped with rewards to

minstrels in the _computus_. Ducange says that the word is used

‘pro quodam ministro vel satellite.’ The Magdalen accounts

use it for the ‘serjeants’ of the mayor of Oxford (Macray,

_Register_, i. 15).]

1400. In dono lusoribus civitatis Wynton venient. ad collegium cum

suo tripudio ex curialitate, xijᵈ.

1412. In dat. Ricᵒ. Kent bochier tempore regno suo vocat. Somerkyng,

xijᵈ.

1415. In dat. diversis hominibus de Ropley venientibus ad coll. die

Sanct. Innoc. et tripudiantibus et cantantibus in aula coram

Epō. scholarium, xxᵈ.

1422. Dat. histrioni dⁿⁱ epi Wynton et ioculatori ejusdem 5ᵗⁱ die

Ianuarii, cuilibet, xxᵈ.

1425. Dat. Gloucester ioculatori ludenti coram custode et sociis

penultimo die Iulii, ob reverentiam ducis Exon. xijᵈ.

1426. Dat. ministrellis d. epi Wynton tempore Nat. Dni. ex curialitate

et honestate, ijˢ viiiᵈ.

Dat. ij ministrallis comitissae de Westmorland vęnient’ ad coll.

xxᵈ.

1433. In dat. mimis dⁿⁱ cardinalis venient’ ad collegium erga festum

natale Dⁿⁱ iiijˢ.

1462. Dat’ Epo Nicholatensi visitanti Dominum custodem in hospitio suo

de nocte Sᵗⁱ. Nicholai, iiijᵈ.

1464. Et in dat. ministrallis comitis Kanciae venient. ad coll. in mense

Iulii, iiijˢ iiijᵈ.

1466. Et in dat. satrapis Wynton venientibus ad coll. festo Epiphaniae,

cum ijˢ dat. iiij. interludentibus et J. Meke citharistae eodem

festo, iiijˢ.

1467. Et in datis iiijᵒʳ mimis dom. de Arundell venient. ad coll. xiij.

die Febr. ex curialitate dom. custodis, ijˢ.

In dat. Ioh. Pontisbery et socio ludentibus in aula in die

circumcisionis, ijˢ.

1471. In dat. uni famulo dⁿⁱ regis Angliae venienti ad collegium cum

Leone mense Ianuarii, xxᵈ.

1472. Et in dat. ministrallis dom. Regis cum viijᵈ. dat. duobus

Berewardis ducis Clarentiae, xxᵈ.

Et in dat. Iohanni Stulto quondam dom. de Warewyco, cum iiijᵈ

dat. Thomae Nevyle taborario.

Et in datis duobus ministrallis ducis Glocestriae, cum iiijᵈ.

dat. uni ministrallo ducis de Northumberland, viijᵈ.

Et in datis duobus citharatoribus ad vices venient. ad collegium

viijᵈ.

1477. Et in dat. ministrallis dom. Principis venient. ad coll. festo

Ascensionis Domini, cum xxᵈ. dat. ministrallis dom. Regis, vˢ.

1479. Et in datis satrapis Wynton venientibus ad coll. festo Epiphaniae,

cum xijᵈ dat. ministrallis dom. episcopi venient. ad coll.

infra octavas epiphaniae, iiiˢ.

Dat. lusoribus de civitate Winton. venientibus ad collegium in

apparatu suo mens. Iulii, vˢ vijᵈ.

1481. Et in sol. ministrallis dom. regis venientibus ad collegium xv

die Aprilis cum xijᵈ solut. ministrallis dom. episcopi Wynton

venientibus ad collegium iᵒ die Iunii, iiijˢ iiijᵈ.

Et in dat. ministrallis dom. Arundell ven. ad coll. cum viijᵈ dat.

ministrallis dom. de la Warr, ijˢ iijᵈ.

1483. Sol. ministrallis dom. regis, ven. ad coll. iijˢ iiijᵈ.

1484. Et in dat. uni ministrallo dom. principis et in aliis ministrallis

ducis Glocestriae v die Iulii, xxᵈ.

1536. In dat. ministrallis dⁿⁱ regis venientibus ad coll. xiij die April

pro regardo, ijˢ.

1573. In regardis dat’ tibicinis dominae reginae cum vino, vijˢ iiijᵈ.

In regardis dat. lusoribus dominae reginae, vjˢ viijᵈ.

V. MAGDALEN COLLEGE, OXFORD.

[Extracts from account books made by J. R. Bloxam and W.

D. Macray, _A Register of the Members of St. Mary Magdalen

College, Oxford_, First Series, ii. 235; New Series, i. 3; ii.

3. The dates given below are for the year in which the account

begins.]

1481. pro cerothecis pro chorustis, iiijᵈ.

1482. vᵒ die Decembris pro cerothecis episcopi in festo S. Nicholai

iiijᵈ.

1483. pro cerothecis datis ad honorem Sancti Nicolai duobus choristis,

viijᵈ.

1484. pro cerothecis Episcopi in festo Sancti Nicholai et eius crucem

ferentis, viijᵈ.

1485. ‘Ursarii’ of Lord Stanley dined with the Fellows.

1486. pro factura sepulturae erga pascham, xijᵈ.

‘Sex vagatores’ dined with the servants.

Solut. viᵒ die Ian. citharistis et mimis tempore ludi in aula in

regardo, in tempore Nativitatis Domini, viijᵈ.

Solut. pro quodam ornamento lusorum vocato _ly Cape mayntenawnce_,

ixᵈ.

1487. pro vestimentis lusorum tempore Nativ. Domini, consilio unius

decani, iiˢ ijᵈ.

pro clavis ad pannos in ornatum aulae pendendos, jᵈ.

1488. Sol. Iohanni Wynman pro scriptura unius libri de servicio episcopi

pro die Innocencium, vᵈ.

1490. Singers from Abingdon, London and Hereford entertained.

1494. Sol. Pescode servanti quandam bestiam vocatam _ly merumsytt_ ex

consilio seniorum, quia Rex erat apud Woodstocke, xijᵈ.

1495. Sol. Henrico Mertyn pro lino, _alyn_, et aliis emptis pro ludo in

die Paschae, xvijᵈ ob.

Sol. Pescod ducenti duo animalia nuncupata _mermosettes_.

1502. Sol. in expensis factis tempore Nativitatis Domini, in biberiis

post interludia et alia, xiijˢ iiijᵈ.

1506. To John Burgess, B.A., ... xᵈ were paid for writing out a

miracle-play (‘scriptura lusi’) of Sᵗ. Mary Magd., and vˢ.

for some music; and viijᵈ to a man who brought some songs

from Edward Martyn, M.A. For his diligence with regard to the

above miracle-play, Kendall, a clerk, was rewarded with iˢ.

pro expensis mimi, iiijˢ, at Christmas.

1507. in quatuor refectionibus citharistae, at Epiphany.

1508. Sol. famulo Regis ducenti ursam ad collegium, ex mandato

Vice-presidentis, xijᵈ.

1509. Sol. pane, cibo et aliis datis pueris ludentibus in die Paschae,

mandato Vicepr. xvijᵈ ob.

1510. Sol. pro expensis factis in aula tempore Nativitatis Domini, xiijˢ

iiijᵈ.

Sol. cuidam mimo tempore Nativitatis Domini in regardo, viijᵈ.

1512. Sol. Petro Pyper pro pypyng in interludio nocte Sancti Iohannis,

vjᵈ.

Sol. Iohanni Tabourner pro lusione in interludio Octavis

Epiphaniae, vjᵈ.

Sol. Roberto Johnson pro una tunica pro interludiis, iiijˢ.

1514. pro carnibus [? carbonibus] consumptis in capella tribus noctibus

ante Pascha et in tempore Nativitatis, ijˢ.

1518. To Perrot, the Master of the choristers, ‘pro tinctura et

factura tunicae eius qui ageret partem Christi et pro crinibus

mulieribus, ijˢ vjᵈ.’

1520. pro pane ... datis clericis in vigiliis Sᵗⁱ. Nicolai.

pro cerothecis puerorum in festo Sancti Nicolai.

1526. pro merendis datis episcopo capellanis clericis et aliis in

vigilia Sᵗ. Nicolai.

1529. pro ... episcopo Nicholai.

1530. pro pueris in festo Sancti Nicholai.

1531. Solut. mimis dominae principisshae, xxᵈ.

Pro biberio dato sociis et scolaribus post interludia in tempore

Natalis Domini, vjˢ viijᵈ.

1532. To the Queen’s players, by the President’s order, xiiᵈ.

pro biberio dato sociis post ludum baccalaureorum in magna aula,

vjˢ viijᵈ.

1535. pro merenda facta in vigilia Sancti Nicolai.

Actors at Christmas, iiiiˢ iiijᵈ.

pro merenda facta post comediam actam, ixˢ iijᵈ.

‘ioculatoribus Regis,’ by the President’s order, xxᵈ.

1536. pro biberio in nocte Sancti Nicholai.

Sol. mimo pro solatiis factis sociis et scholasticis tempore

Nativitatis Domini, viijˢ.

1537. pro carbonibus consumptis in sacrario, per custodes sepulchri,

et per pueros in festis hiemalibus, ijˢ [and in other years].

1539. pro bellariis datis sociis cum ageretur comedia, viijˢ.

1540. pro epulis datis sociis eo tempore quo agebatur tragedia, viijˢ

iiijᵈ.

pro bellariis datis sociis et clericis vigilia divi Nicolai, iiijˢ

viijᵈ.

pro pane et potu datis semicommunariis dum curabant publicam

exhibere comediam, xxᵈ.

1541. A ‘tympanista’ was hired at Christmas and comedies acted.

1554. 30 Ian. in adventu [dom. Matravers] ad tragedias per duas noctes,

xlijˢ viijᵈ ob.

Pro epulis datis sociis post exactas tragedias, xˢ ixᵈ.

The only Elizabethan entry I need note is:—

1561. Sol. Joyner, pictori, depingenti portenta religiosorum in

spectaculo Baulino, iijˢ iiijᵈ ... depingenti nomina

haeresium in spectaculo (in aula) quod choristarum

moderator [Richard Baull] ordinavit.

VI. SHREWSBURY CORPORATION.

[Extracts from the Bailiffs’ accounts by Owen and Blakeway,

_Hist. of Shrewsbury_ (1825), i. 262, 267, 275, 284, 290, 292,

325 sqq.; and by W. D. Macray in _Hist. MSS._ xv. 10. 25. It

is not always clear to which calendar year an entry belongs.

The accounts run from Michaelmas to Michaelmas, but Owen and

Blakeway generally quote entries under one calendar year and

sometimes under one regnal year.]

1401. ‘Histriones’ of the Prince and the Earl of Stafford.

‘Menstralles’ of the Earls of Worcester and Stafford.

1409. Players [i.e. in these early accounts, ‘histriones,’ not ‘lusores’]

of the countess and earl of Arundel, of Lord Powis, Lord Talbot,

and Lord Furnivall.

Players ‘in honorem villae’ at the marriage of a cousin of David

Holbache.

1437. Minstrels of earl of Stafford.

1438. Livery to two town minstrels, ‘voc. _waytes_.’

1442. Some town minstrels called ‘histriones.’ In same year,

‘histrionibus regis,’ and in subsequent years ‘histrionibus’

of earl of Shrewsbury and others, including one ‘voc. Trumpet.’

1450. Players and minstrels at coming of duke of York from Ireland.

1457. Denaria soluta uni ministrallo domini principis [Edward] pro

honestate villae.

Quatuor ministrallis domini ducis de Bukyngham.

Duobus ministrallis d’ni de Powys.

1 lagenae vini de Ruyn dictis ministrallis.

Denaria data uni ministrallo d’ni principis et suo puero.

iiij. ministrallis d’ni ducis de Eboraco.

iv. ministrellis d’ni ducis de Excestro.

1474. Regardo ministrallis d’ni ducis de Clarence.

1478. Waltero Harper ministrallo d’ni principis.

Regardo dato uni ministrallo ducis Gloucestris vocato le Taborer.

Regardo sex ministrallis d’ni Regis.

1479. Soluta pro liberata ministrallorum vocatorum Wayts, quilibet eorum.

Soluta pro conductu unius ministralli vocati Wayt a villa de

Norhampton usque Salop.

Soluta pro quodam regardo dato uni ministrallo d’ni Regis via

elemosinaria causa eius paupertatis et aetatis.

[From this point _histriones_ replaces _ministralli_ in the

accounts.]

1483. Soluta pro quodam regardo dato sex histrionibus domini Regis pro

honestate villae.

Pro vino dato dictis histrionibus in praesencia ballivorum et

aliorum proborum hominum pro honestate villae.

Pro liberatura communium histrionum vocatorum le Wayts villae.

Soluta ursenario domini Regis pro honestate villae.

1495. Pro vino dato domino Principi [Arthur] ad ludum in quarell.

1496. Wine given to the minstrels of our Lord the King.

To the King’s minstrels.

To the Queen’s minstrels.

To the Prince’s players.

To the Earl of Derby’s players.

To the Earl of Shrewsbury’s players.

1503. In regardo dato ij Walicis histrionibus domini Regis.

1510. ‘Lusoribus’ in feast of Pentecost.

‘Histrionibus’ of Earl of Shrewsbury and King.

1516. In vino, pomis, waffers, et aliis novellis datis et expenditis

super abbatem Salop et famulos suos ad ludum et demonstrationem

martiriorum Felicianae et Sabinae in quarera post muros.

In regardo dato lusoris eiusdem martirii tunc temporis hoc anno.

1517. Regardo ursinario comitis Oxoniae.

In regardo dato ursinario domini Regis pro agitacione bestiarum

suarum ultra denarios tunc ibidem collectos.

1518. In vino expendito super tres reges Coloniae equitantibus in

interludio pro solacio villae Salop in festo Pentecost.

1520. Ralph Hubard, minstrel of Lord de ‘Mountegyle.’

In regardo dato iiijᵒʳ interlusoribus comitis Arundele

ostendentibus ballivis et comparibus suis diversa interludia.

Et in vino dato eis et aliis extraneis personis intuentibus

interludia, ultra denarios collectos.

In regardo dato histrionibus Iohannis Talbot militis pro melodia

eorum facta in presencia ballivorum.

In regardo dato iij histrionibus comitis Arundelle pro honestate

villae Salop.

In regardo dato Benet & Welles histrionibus comitis Salop.

In regardo ij histrionibus comitissae de Derby pro honestate

villae Salop.

Et in vino expendito per ballivos et compares suos audientes

melodiam eorum.

Histrionibus domini Regis ex consuetudine.

In regardo dato et vino expendito super Willelmum More histrionem

domini Regis eo quod est caecus et principalis citherator

Angliae.

1521. Regardo dato M. Brandon ioculatori domini Regis pro honestate

villae

Et in vino expendito par ballivos & compares suos videntes lusum

et ioculationem dicti ioculatoris ultra ij denarios collectos

de qualibet persona villae extraneis exceptis.

Soluta pro una roba nova depicta, sotularibus & aliis necessariis

regardis & expensis factis super Ricardum Glasyer, abbatem de

Marham, pro honestate & iocunditate villae.

In regardo dato portitori communis campanae circa villam pro

proclamacione facta pro attendencia facienda super abbatem

de Marham tempore Maii hoc anno.

In regardo dato iiijᵒʳ histrionibus domini Regis de consuetudine.

Histrionibus comitis Derby.

Regardo dato ursinario ducis Suffolke ultra 2ˢ. 3ᵈ. de pecuniis

collectis de circumstantibus ad agitacionem ursarum suarum.

Pro ursinario domini marchionis Dorsett.

1522. ‘Ursenarius’ of duke of Suffolk.

In regardo dato ioculatori domini Regis.

1524. ‘Histrio’ of Henry Knight.

‘Histriones’ of Earl of Derby.

‘Histriones’ of Lord Mount Egle.

1525. In regardo dato iiij histrionibus comitis Arundell.

Et in vino expendito super ballivos & compares suos audientes

melodiam et ludentes inspicientes.

In regardo dato iiijᵒʳ interlusoribus ducis Suffolk.

Interludes of the Lady Princess, and wine spent at hearing their

interludes.

1526. In regardo dato custodi cameli domini Regis ostendenti ballivis

et comparibus suis ioca illius cameli.

Interlusoribus dominae principissae.

Ralph Hubard, minstrel of Lord de ‘Mountegyle,’ with one Lokkett.

1527. In regardo dato lusoribus villae tempore veris et mensis Maii pro

iocunditate villae.

Interlusoribus dominae principissae.

Interluders of our Lord the King.

‘Histriones,’ of Sir John Talbot, Arthur Neuton and Sir John

Lyngen.

1528. ‘Ursenarius’ of marquis of Exeter.

1530. ‘Histrio’ of baron of Burford.

1531. Data interlusoribus dominae principissae.

1533. Soluta Thomae Eton pro factura unius mansionis de duobus stagiis

pro domino presidenti [Bishop of Exeter] et ballivis tempore

ludi septimana Pentecostes.

Et in regardo dato lusoribus ad dictum lusum et pro reparacione

ornamentorum suorum.

In vino dato domino presidenti & ballivis in mansione sua tempore

lusi in Quarrera pone muros.

In regardo dato lusoribus & interlusoribus domini Regis

ostendentibus & offerentibus ioca sua.

Et in vino expendito super eos et comitivam ballivorum & comparium

suorum audientium & supervidentium lusum & melodiam eorum.

In expensis factis in garniamentis, liberatis et histrion[ibus]

pro domino abbate de Marham tempore mensis Maii pro honestate

villae hoc anno.

1535. In regardo m[agistro] Brandon, ioculatori domini Regis.

In regardo dato histrionibus extraneis melodiam et cantilenas

eorum coram ballivis et comparibus pronunciantibus.

1538. Data in regardo lusoribus domini privati sigilli.

Data in regarda lusoribus domini principis [Edward].

Expendita super lusores domini principis, domini privati sigilli,

domini visitatoris ... pro honestate villae.

‘Histriones’ of Sir Thomas Cornewall and of Thomas Newport.

Rogero Philipps, goldsmyth, pro argento et emendacione colarium

histrionum villae.

‘Ursenarius’ of marquis of Exeter.

1540. Data in regardo quibusdam interlusoribus de Wrexam ludentibus

coram ballivis et comparibus suis in vino tunc expendito.

‘Item, Mr. Bayleffes left on pᵈ more the same day at aftʳ the play.

‘Item, the vj men spend appon the kyng’s pleyers in wyne.

‘Item, there was left on pᵈ by Mr. Bayleffs wᵗ my Lorde Prinssys

plears on Sonday after Seint Bartlaumew day.

‘Item, there was sent them the nyght to supper a poˡ of red and

a poˡ of claret.

‘Item, Mr. Bayleffs left on pᵈ on Sonday after owre Lade day wyth

my Lord Prinsys plears.’

Cuidam iugulatori ludenti coram ballivis.

1541. ‘Ursenario ducis Norfoxiae.’

1542. In vino dato interlusoribus post interlusum in cimitirio sancti

Cedde coram commissariis domini Regis ballivis et aliis.

Cuidem ursuario de la Northewiche.

Ursiatori praepotentis viri comitis Derby ad ij tempora.

Pro reparacione et pictura ornamentorum abbatis de Mayvole.

Et soluta pro una toga de nova facta dicto abbati de Mayvole.

Soluta Ricardo Glasier pro labore suo in ludendo abbatem de

Mardall.

1548. Interlusoribus ludentibus cum domino abbate de Marall.

Soluta Iohanni Mason, peynter, pro pictura togae pro dicto domino

de Marrall.

In regardo istrionibus ludentibus ante viros armatos.

Cuidam istrioni ludenti ante viros equiles equitantes ad Scociam.

1549. James Lockwood ‘servienti et gestatori domini Regis.’

Interluders of Sir John Bridges and of Sir Edward Braye.

William Taylor, and others, interluders of the town of Salop,

playing there in the month of May.

‘Histriones’ of William Sheldon and of Lord Ferrers [last use of

term histrio].

1552. Interluders of Lord Russell.

Soluta domino de abbott Marram et pro apparatu eorum videlicet

pro calciamentis tunicis et aliis vestibus.

1553. Expendita per ballivos et associatos suos die lunae in le Whitson

wuck post visum lusum.

Pro tunicis et aliis vestimentis ac pistura eorundem pro Robyn

Hood.

In vino dato eisdem interlusoribus.

In regardo le tomlers.

1554. In regardo Thomae Staney le jugler.

Wyett le gester.

1559. Regardo lusiatoribus domini Stafford.

1561. Item, gyvyn unto my lord Wyllybe’s playarys in reward.

Item, spent at the gullet on the saem playarys.

1565. To Master Baly Pursell with the Quenes players.

1566. Yeven Mr. Justes Throgmerton’s mynstrell.

1574. Paid and geven to my L. Sandwayes man, the berwart.

The players of noblemen and others and ber-wards of noblemen and

mynstrells of noblemen, this yere, viiiˡⁱ xˢ viijᵈ.

1576. Leid out to my lord of Derby and my lord Staffart’s musicions.

1582. Bestowed on her Majesty’s players this yere.

1591. To my lord of Derby’s musysyons, and to the erle of Woster’s

players ... to my L. Beachem men, beinge players.

[From _Books of Council Orders in Hist. MSS._ xv. 13, 16, 18.]

1556. 16 May. The bailiffs to set forward the stage play this next

Whitsontide for the worship of the town and not to disburse

above £5 about the furniture of the play.

1570. 8 July. Lease of pasture ‘behind the walles, exceptinge the

Quarrell where the plases have bine accustomyd to be usyd.’

1575. 17 July. Five marks to be given to Mr. Churchyard for his pains

taken in setting forth the show against the Queen’s coming,

being sent hither by the Lord President.

VII. THE HOWARDS OF STOKE-BY-NAYLAND, ESSEX.

[From accounts of Sir John Howard, in _Manners and Household

Expenses_ (Roxburghe Club, 1841), 325, 511.]

2 May, 1465. Item that he [my master] delyverd the pleyers at Moleyns

[a servant of Sir John’s] weddynge, ijˢ.

12 Jan. 1466. And the sonday nexte after the xij day, I ȝafe to the

pleyeres of Stoke, ijˢ.

[From accounts of John, Lord Howard, afterwards Duke of

Norfolk, in _Household Books of John, Duke of Norfolk, and

Thomas, Earl of Surrey_ (ed. Collier, Roxburghe Club, 1844),

104, 145, 146, 148, 149, 202, 336, 339.]

29 Aug. 1481. I paid to the pleirs of Turton [Thorington] Strete, xxᵈ.

26 Dec. 1481. Item, the xxvj day of December, my Lord toke the Plaiers

of Kokesale [Coggeshall], iijˢ iiijᵈ.

27 Dec. 1481. Item, to the Plaiers of Hadley [Hadleigh], and the olde

man and ij. children, vjˢ viijᵈ.

7 Jan. 1482. Item, to the Plaiers of Esterforde, iijˢ iiijᵈ.

9 Jan. 1482. Item, to Senclowe, that he paid to my Lord of Essex

[Henry Bourchier] men, plaiers, xxᵈ.

Thei are of Canans.

22 May, 1482. Item, that my Lord yaffe to the cherche on Whitson Monday

at the pley, xˢ.

25 Dec. 1482. Item, on Crystemas day, my Lord gaff to iiij pleyers of

my lord of Gloucestres, iijˢ iiijᵈ.

Item, the same day, my Lord gaff to iiij pleyers of

Coksale, iijˢ iiijᵈ.

9 Jan. 1483. Item, the same day, my Lord paid to Garard, of Sudbury,

for all suche stoffe as folewyth, that he bought for

the Dysgysing [a schedule of paper, gunpowder,

‘arsowde,’ pack-thread, &c., follows]. Summe totall,

xxjˢ ob.

[From accounts of Thomas, Earl of Surrey, in _Household Books_

(_ut supra_), 515, 517, 519.]

20 Dec. 1490. Payd for xviij yardes of lynen cloth, that M. Leynthorpe

had for dysgysyng, at iiijᵈ the yard, ... vjˢ iiijᵈ.

[Other expenses for the disguising follow.]

27 Dec. 1490. Item, payd to the playars of Chemsford, vjˢ. viijᵈ.

2 Jan. 1491. Item, the said day, in reward to the panget [pageant (?)],

iijˢ iiijᵈ.

Item, payd to ——, when he went to Bury to fach stuff for

dygysers on Saynt Stevens day, xvjᵈ.

8 Jan. 1492. Item, in reward to the players of Lanam [Lavenham], xlˢ.

[The Howard accounts also include many payments for minstrelsy,

&c. The Duke of Norfolk kept singers, a harper, children of the

chapel, and two fools, ‘Tom Fool’ and Richard, ‘the fool of the

kitchen.’]

VIII. THE ENGLISH COURT.

[From Rymer, _Foedera_, x. 387. A memorandum _de strenis,

liberatis et expensis_, at Christmas, 1427.]

A Jakke Travail et ses compaignons feisans diverses jeuues et entreludes

dedeins le feste de Noell devant notre dit sire le roi, 4 lib.

Et as autres jeweis de Abyndon feisantz autres entreludes dedeins le dit

feste de Noel, 20 sol.

[Extracted by Collier, i. 50, from the _Household Book_ of

Henry VII, 1491-1505, and the _Book of King’s Payments_,

1506-9. I cannot identify the former; the latter appears to be

vol. 214 of the _Miscellanea of the Treasury of the Receipt of

the Exchequer_ (Scargill-Bird, _Guide to the Public Records_,

228). I omit, here and below, entries referring to minstrelsy,

disguisings, and plays by the King’s players and the Chapel.

Probably some of the performances were given at London;

others before the King on progress. I have corrected some of

Collier’s dates from the similar entries in Bentley, _Excerpta

Historica_, 85, taken from a transcript in _B. M. Add. MS._

7099.]

1 Jan. 1492. To my Lorde of Oxon pleyers, in rewarde, £1.

7 Jan. 1493. To my Lorde of Northumberlande Pleyers, in rewarde, £1.

1 Jan. 1494. To four Pleyers of Essex in rewarde, £1.

To the Pleyers of Wymborne Minster, £1.

6 Jan. 1494. To the Frenche Pleyers for a rewarde, £1.

31 Dec. 1494. To 3 Pleyers of Wycombe in rewarde, 13ˢ 4ᵈ.

4 Jan. 1495. To the Frenshe Pleyers in rewarde, £2.

20 July, 1498. To the pleyers of London in rewarde, 10ˢ.

14 June, 1499. To the pleyers with Marvells, £4.

6 Aug. 1501. To the Pleyers at Myles End, 3ˢ 4ᵈ.

2 Jan. 1503. To the Pleyers of Essex in rewarde, £1.

20 May, 1505. To the Players of Kingeston toward the bilding of the

churche steple, in almasse, 3ˢ 4ᵈ.

1 Jan. 1506. To the players that played afore the Lord Stewarde in

the Hall opon Sonday nyght, 6ˢ 8ᵈ.

To my lorde Princes players that played in hall on

new-yeres even, 10ˢ.

25 Dec. 1506. To the Players that played affore the Lord Stewarde

in the Hall opon Tewesday nyght, 10ˢ.

2 Jan. 1509. To my lord of Buckingham’s pleyers that playd in the

Hall at Grenewich, 6ˢ 8ᵈ.

[Extracted by Collier, i. 76, from the _Book of King’s

Payments_ for 1509-17, now vol. 215 of the _Miscellanea of the

Treasury of the Receipt of the Exchequer_. The document is more

fully analysed in Brewer, ii. 1441. It is an account of the

Treasurer of the Chamber.]

6 Jan. 1512. To the Players that cam out of Suffolke, that playd

affore the Lorde Stewarde in the Kings Hall opon Monday

nyght, 13ˢ 4ᵈ.

1 Jan. 1515. To the Erle of Wiltyshires playres, that shulde have

played in the Kings Hall oppon Thursday at nyght, in

rewarde, 13ˢ 4ᵈ.

1 Jan. 1516. To the Erle of Wilshire’s players, 13ˢ 4ᵈ.

[From _Accounts of Treasurer of Chamber_ in _Trevelyan Papers_

(C.S.), i. 146, 161, 174.]

1 Jan. 1530. To the Prince’s plaiers.

1 Jan. 1531. To the Princes pleyers.

Item, paid to certain Players of Coventrye, as in wey

of the Kinges rewarde, for playnge in the Corte this

last Cristmas.

1 Jan. 1532. To the Princesse plaiers.

F

MINSTREL GUILDS

A. FRANCE.

1. _Arras_, †1105.

The famous _Pui d’Arras_ (vols. i. p. 376, ii. p. 88) was in a sense

a minstrel guild. According to tradition a plague was stayed by a

simultaneous apparition of the Virgin in a dream to two minstrels, which

led to the acquisition of ‘le joyel d’Arras,’ the miraculous ‘cierge

de notre Dame.’ This was about 1105, and the result was the foundation

of the _Confrérie_ or _Carité de N. D. des Ardents_, which afterwards

developed into the _pui_. This was not confined to minstrels, but they

were predominant. The _Statutes_ say, ‘Ceste carité est estorée des

jogleors, et les jogleors en sont signors[680].’ The objects of the

_pui_, however, were religious, social, and literary. It was not a craft

guild, such as grew up two centuries later.

2. _Paris_, 1321.

Ordinances were made in 1321 ‘à l’acort du commun des menestreus et

menestrelles, jougleurs et jougleresses’ of Paris for the reformation

of their ‘mestier,’ and registered with the provost of Paris in 1341.

They chiefly regulate the employment of minstrels within the city. The

‘mestres du dit mestier’ are to be ‘ii ou iii preudes hommes’ appointed

by the provost on behalf of the King. A number of ‘guètes’ and other

minstrels sign, beginning with ‘Pariset, menestrel le roy,’ and ending

with ‘Jaque le Jougleur.’ As a possible head of the ‘mestier’ is named

‘li prevost de Saint-Julian.’ This seems to contemplate the foundation

of the _hospice et confrérie_ under the patronage of SS. Julian and

Genesius, and in close connexion with the ‘mestier,’ which actually took

place 1328-35. But in the later Statutes of 1407 the head of the guild is

called the ‘roy des ménestriers,’ and as by this time the guild seems to

claim some authority over the whole of France, it is probable that this

‘roy’ was identical with the ‘roy des menestreuls du royaume de France,’

a title which occurs in various documents from 1338 onwards. He may also

have been identical with the ‘roy’ of the King’s household minstrels

(cf. p. 239). The Paris guild lasted until the suppression of all such

privileged bodies in 1776[681].

3. _Chauny._

The corporation of ‘les Trompettes jougleurs’ of Chauny was founded

during the fifteenth century. This town claimed to provide _bateleurs_

for all the north of France[682].

B. ENGLAND.

There are two early jurisdictions over minstrelsy, which are not strictly

of the nature of guilds.

1. _Chester._

Tradition has it that †1210 Randal Blundeville, Earl of Chester, besieged

by the Welsh in Rhuddlan Castle, was relieved by Roger Lacy, constable

of Cheshire, with a mob of riff-raff from Chester Midsummer fair. Randal

gave to Lacy, and Lacy’s son John gave to his steward Hugh de Dutton

and his heirs the ‘magistratum omnium leccatorum et meretricum totius

Cestriae.’ The fact of the jurisdiction is undoubted. It was reserved by

the charter to the London guild in 1469, claimed by Laurence de Dutton

in 1499, admitted upon an action of _quo warranto_ as a right ‘from time

immemorial,’ further reserved in the first Vagrant Act (1572) which

specifically included minstrels, and in the successive Acts of 1597,

1603, 1628, 1641, 1713, 1740, 1744. It lapsed when this last Act was

repealed in 1822. Up to 1756 the heir of Dutton regularly held his _curia

Minstralciae_ at Chester Midsummer fair, and issued licences to fiddlers

in the city and county for a fee of 4½_d._, afterwards raised to 2_s._

6_d._ Thomas Dutton (1569-1614), under puritan influences, inserted a

proviso against piping and dancing on Sundays[683].

2. _Tutbury._

Letters patent of John of Gaunt dated 1380 and confirmed by an

‘inspeximus’ of Henry VI in 1443 assigned ‘le roy des ministralx’ in the

honour of Tutbury to arrest all minstrels within the honour not doing

service on the feast of the Assumption. It was a custom that the prior

of Tutbury should provide a bull for a bull-running by the assembled

minstrels on this feast. The court was still held by an annual ‘king of

the fiddlers,’ with the steward and bailiff of the honour (including

Staffs., Derby, Notts., Leicester, and Warwick), at the end of the

seventeenth century, and the minstrels claimed to be exempt, like

those of Chester, from vagrancy legislation. But their rights were not

reserved, either by the Charter of 1469 or the Vagrant Acts[684].

The first English craft guild of minstrels is later by a century and a

half than that of Paris.

3. _London._

A charter of Edward IV (1469), ‘ex querelosa insinuatione dilectorum

nobis Walteri Haliday, marescalli [and seven others] ministrallorum

nostrorum,’ declares that ‘nonnulli rudes Agricolae et Artifices

diversarum Misterarum Regni nostri Angliae finxerunt se fore

Ministrallos. Quorum aliqui Liberatam nostram, eis minime datam,

portarunt, seipsos etiam fingentes esse Ministrallos nostros proprios.

Cuius quidem Liberatae ac dictae Artis sive Occupationis Ministrallorum

colore in diversis Partibus Regni nostri praedicti grandes Pecuniarum

Exactiones de Ligeis nostris deceptive colligunt et recipiunt.’ Hence

illegitimate competition with the real minstrels, decay of the art, and

neglect of agriculture. The charter then does two things. It makes the

royal minstrels a corporation with a marshall elected by themselves, and

it puts them at the head of a ‘Fraternitatem sive Gildam’ of minstrels

already existing in the chapel of the Virgin in St. Paul’s, and in

the royal free chapel of St. Anthony. All minstrels in the country

are to join this guild or be suppressed. It is to have two _custodes_

and to make statutes and ordinances. The jurisdiction of Dutton over

Chester minstrels is, as already stated, reserved[685]. A ‘serviens’ or

‘serjeant’ seems to have been an officer of the guild[686]. With this

exception nothing more is heard of it until 1594, when a dispute as

to the office of the Master of the Musicians’ Company called for the

intervention of the Lord Keeper[687].’ In 1604 the Company received a

new charter, which gave it jurisdiction within the city and a radius

of three miles from its boundaries. It was further restricted to the

city itself under Charles I. It still exists as the Corporation of the

Master, Wardens, and Commonalty of the Art or Science of the Musicians of

London[688].

The London guild would appear, from its peculiar relation to the

royal household minstrels, and its claim to jurisdiction throughout

the country, to have been modelled upon that of Paris. This claim was

evidently not maintained, and in fact at least three other local guilds

can be shown to have existed in the sixteenth century. A search, which I

have not undertaken, would probably readily discover more.

4. _Canterbury._

Ordinances, dated 1526, of the ‘felowshyp of the craft and mystery of

mynstrells’ give the prerogative right to perform in the city to the

members of this body, saving the privileges of the city waits, and ‘the

King’s mynstrells, the Queane’s, my Lord Prince’s, or any honorable or

wurshipfull mann’s mynstrells of thys realme[689].’

5. _Beverley._

An order of the Governors of the city (1555) recites an old custom ‘since

Athelstan’ of the choice by minstrels between Trent and Tweed of aldermen

of their fraternities during Rogation days, and renews orders for the

‘fraternity of our Lady of the read arke in Beverley.’ The statutes deal

with the employment of minstrels in Beverley, and with their ‘castells’

at the Rogation-day procession. A new member must be ‘mynstrell to some

man of honour or worship or waite of some towne corporate or other

ancient town or else of such honestye and conyng as shalbe thought

laudable and pleasant to the hearers.’ It is claimed that such are

excluded from the ‘Kyng’s acts where they speake of vacabonds and

valiant beggers.’ Quite in the spirit of the London charter of 1469 it

is ordered that ‘no myler shepherd or of other occupation or husbandman

or husbandman servant’ shall assume the functions of a minstrel outside

his own parish[690]. The earliest notice of this guild in the Beverley

archives seems to be in 1557[691], but the terms of the order and the

existence of pillars put up by the minstrels in fifteenth-century

churches in Beverley[692] point to some informal earlier association.

6. _York._

A craft of Mynstrells certainly existed by 1561, in which year they

undertook the pageant of Herod at the Corpus Christi plays[693].

G

THOMAS DE CABHAM

[The following extract from a _Penitential_ formerly ascribed

to John of Salisbury, but now to Thomas de Cabham, Bishop

of Salisbury (†1313), is printed by B. Hauréau, _Notices et

Extraits de Manuscrits_, xxiv. 2, 284, from _B. N. MSS. Lat._

3218 and 3529ᵃ, and by F. Guessard and C. Grandmaison, _Huon de

Bordeaux_, vi., from _B. N. Sorbonne MS._ 1552, f. 71. The two

texts differ in several points. According to Gautier, ii. 22,

there are several similar thirteenth-century _Penitentials_,

and it is difficult to say which was the original. The doctrine

laid down about minstrels is often repeated in later treatises.

See e.g. a passage from the fifteenth-century _Le Jardin des

Nobles_ in P. Paris, _Manuscrits français_, ii. 144.]

Tria sunt histrionum genera. Quidam transformant et transfigurant corpora

sua per turpes saltus et per turpes gestus, vel denudando se turpiter,

vel induendo horribiles larvas, et omnes tales damnabiles sunt, nisi

reliquerint officia sua. Sunt etiam alii qui nihil operantur, sed

criminose agunt, non habentes certum domicilium, sed sequuntur curias

magnatum et dicunt opprobria et ignominias de absentibus ut placeant

aliis. Tales etiam damnabiles sunt, quia prohibet Apostolus cum talibus

cibum sumere, et dicuntur tales scurrae vagi, quia ad nihil utiles sunt,

nisi ad devorandum et maledicendum. Est etiam tertium genus histrionum

qui habent instrumenta musica ad delectandum homines, et talium sunt

duo genera. Quidam enim frequentant publicas potationes et lascivas

congregationes, et cantant ibi diversas cantilenas ut moveant homines

ad lasciviam, et tales sunt damnabiles sicut alii. Sunt autem alii, qui

dicuntur ioculatores, qui cantant gesta principum et vitam sanctorum, et

faciunt solatia hominibus vel in aegritudinibus suis vel in angustiis,

et non faciunt innumeras turpitudines sicut faciunt saltatores et

saltatrices et alii qui ludunt in imaginibus inhonestis et faciunt videri

quasi quaedam fantasmata per incantationes vel alio modo. Si autem non

faciunt talia, sed cantant in instrumentis suis gesta principum et alia

talia utilia ut faciant solatia hominibus, sicut supradictum est, bene

possunt sustineri tales, sicut ait Alexander papa. Cum quidam ioculator

quaereret ab eo utrum posset salvare animam suam in officio suo,

quaesivit Papa ab eo utrum sciret aliquod aliud opus unde vivere posset:

respondit ioculator quod non. Permisit igitur Papa quod ipse viveret de

officio suo, dummodo abstineret a praedictis lasciviis et turpitudinibus.

Notandum est quod omnes peccant mortaliter qui dant scurris vel

leccatoribus vel praedictis histrionibus aliquid de suo. Histrionibus

dare nichil aliud est quam perdere.

H

PRINCELY PLEASURES AT KENILWORTH

[From _Robert Laneham’s Letter_ (ed. F. J. Furnivall for

New Shakspere Society (1890); and in Nichols, _Progresses

of Elizabeth_, i. 420) describing the entertainment of

Elizabeth by the Earl of Leicester at Kenilworth, in July,

1575. G. Gascoigne, _The Princelye Pleasures at the Courte at

Kenelworth_ (1576, in Nichols, i. 502), leaves undescribed what

he calls the ‘Coventrie’ (ed. 2, ‘Countrie’) shows.]

I. A SQUIRE MINSTREL.

Mary, syr, I must tell yoo: Az all endeuoour waz too mooue mirth &

pastime (az I tolld ye): éeuen so a ridiculoous deuise of an auncient

minstrell & hiz song waz prepared to haue been profferd, if méet time

& place had béen foound for it. Ons in a woorshipfull company, whear,

full appointed, he recoounted his matter in sort az it should haue been

vttred, I chaunsed too be: what I noted, heer thus I tel yoo: A parson

very méet séemed he for the purpoze, of a xlv. yéers olld, apparelled

partly as he woold himself. Hiz cap of: his hed séemly roounded tonster

wyze: fayr kemb, _that_ with a spoonge deintly dipt in a littl capons

greaz was finely smoothed too make it shine like a Mallard’s wing. Hiz

beard smugly shauen: and yet hiz shyrt after the nu trink, with ruffs

fayr starched, sléeked, and glistening like a payr of nu shooz: marshalld

in good order: wyth a stetting stick, and stoout, that euery ruff stood

vp like a wafer: a side gooun of kendall green, after the freshnes of the

yéer noow, gathered at the neck with a narro gorget, fastened afore with

a white clasp and a keepar close vp to the chin: but easily for heat too

vndoo when he list: Séemly begyrt in a red caddiz gyrdl: from that a payr

of capped Sheffield kniuez hanging a to side: Out of hiz bozome drawne

forth a lappet of his napkin, edged with a blu lace, & marked with a

trulooue, a hart, and A. D. for Damian: for he was but a bachelar yet.

Hiz gooun had syde sleeuez dooun to midlegge, slit from the shooulder

too the hand, & lined with white cotten. Hiz doobled sleeuez of blak

woorsted, vpon them a payr of poynets of towny Chamblet laced a long

the wreast wyth blu threeden points, a wealt toward the hand of fustian

anapes: a payr of red neatherstocks: a pair of pumps on hiz féet, with a

cross cut at the toze for cornz: not nu indéede, yet cleanly blakt with

soot, & shining az a shoing horn.

Aboout hiz nek a red rebond sutable too hiz girdl: hiz harp in good grace

dependaunt before him: hiz wreast tyed to a gréen lace, and hanging by:

vnder the gorget of hiz gooun a fair flagon cheyn, (pewter, for) siluer,

as a squier minstrel of Middilsex, that trauaild the cuntrée this soommer

seazon vnto fairz & worshipfull mens hoousez: from hiz chein hoong a

Schoochion, with mettall & cooller resplendant vpon hiz breast, of the

auncient armez of Islington:

[Apparently the minstrel was got ready; but not shown. He was to have

recited an Arthurian romance in verse.]

II. THE COVENTRY HOCK-TUESDAY SHOW.

And héertoo folloed az good a sport (me thooght) prezented in an

historicall ku, by certain good harted men of Couentrée, my Lordes

neighboors thear: who, vnderstanding amoong them _the_ thing that

coold not bee hidden from ony, hoow carefull and studious hiz honor

waz, that by all pleazaunt recreasions her highnes might best fynd her

self wellcom, & bee made gladsum and mery, (the ground-worke indeede,

and foundacion, of hiz Lordship’s myrth and gladnesse of vs all), made

petition that they moought renu noow their olld storiall sheaw: Of

argument, how the Danez whylom héere in a troubloous seazon wear for

quietnesse born withall, & suffeard in peas, that anon, by outrage &

importabl insolency, abuzing both Ethelred, the king then, and all

estates euerie whear beside: at the greuoous complaint & coounsell of

Huna, the king’s chieftain in warz, on Saint Brices night, Ann. Dom.

1012 (Az the book sayz) that falleth yéerely on the thirtéenth of

Nouember, wear all dispatcht, and the Ream rid. And for becauz the matter

mencioneth how valiantly our English women for looue of their cuntrée

behaued themseluez: expressed in actionz & rymez after their maner, they

thought it moought mooue sum myrth to her Maiestie the rather.

The thing, said they, iz grounded on story, and for pastime woont too bee

plaid in oour Citee yéerely: without ill exampl of mannerz, papistry,

or ony superstition: and elz did so occupy the heads of a number,

that likely inoough woold haue had woorz meditationz: had an auncient

beginning, and a long continuauns: tyll noow of late laid dooun, they

knu no cauz why, onless it wear by the zeal of certain theyr Preacherz:

men very commendabl for their behauiour and learning, & swéet in their

sermons, but sumwhat too sour in preaching awey theyr pastime: wisht

therefore, that az they shoold continu their good doctrine in pulpet, so,

for matters of pollicy & gouernauns of the Citie, they woold permit them

to the Mair and Magistratez: and seyed, by my feyth, Master Martyn, they

woold make theyr humbl peticion vntoo her highnes, that they might haue

theyr playz vp agayn.

But aware, kéep bak, make room noow, heer they cum! And fyrst, ...

Captain Cox cam marching on valiantly before, cléen trust, & gartered

aboue the knée, all fresh in a veluet cap (master Goldingha_m_ lent it

him) floorishing with hiz tonswoord, and another fensmaster with him:

thus in the foreward making room for the rest. After the_m_ proudly

prickt on formost, the Danish launsknights on horsbak, and then the

English: each with their allder poll marcially in their hand. Eeuen at

the first entrée the méeting waxt sumwhat warm: that by and by kindled

with corage a both sidez, gru from a hot skirmish vnto a blazing battail:

first by speare and shield, outragious in their racez az ramz at their

rut, with furious encoounterz, that togyther they tumbl too the dust,

sumtime hors and man: and after fall too it with sworde & target, good

bangz a both sidez: the fight so ceassing; but the battail not so ended:

folloed the footmen, both the hostez, ton after toother: first marching

in ranks: then warlik turning, the_n_ fro_m_ ranks into squadrons, then in

too trianglz; fro_m_ that intoo rings, & so winding oout again: A valiant

captain of great prowez, az fiers az a fox assauting a gooz, waz so hardy

to giue the first stroke: then get they grisly togyther: that great waz

the actiuitée that day too be séen thear a both sidez: ton very eager for

purchaz of pray, toother vtterly stoout for redemption of libertie: thus,

quarrell enflamed fury a both sidez. Twise the Danes had _th_e better;

but at the last conflict, beaten doun, ouercom, and many led captiue for

triumph by our English wéemen.

This waz the effect of this sheaw, that, az it waz handled, made mooch

matter of good pastime: brought all indéed intoo the great court, een

vnder her highnes windo too haue been séen: but (az vnhappy it waz for

the bride) that cam thither too soon, (and yet waz it a four a clok).

For her highnes beholding in the chamber delectabl dauncing indéed: and

héerwith the great throng and vnrulines of the people, waz cauz that this

solemnitee of Brideale & dauncing, had not the full muster waz hoped for:

and but a littl of the Couentrée plea her highnes also saw: commaunded

thearfore on the Tuisday folloing to haue it ful oout: az accordingly it

waz prezented, whearat her Maiestie laught well: they wear the iocunder,

and so mooch the more becauz her highnes had giuen them too buckes, and

fiue marke in mony, to make mery togyther: they prayed for her Maiesty,

long, happily to reign, & oft to cum thither, that oft they moought sée

héer: & what, reioycing vpon their ampl reward, and what, triumphing vpon

the good acceptauns, they vaunted their play waz neuer so dignified, nor

euer any players afore so beatified....

Tuisday, according to commandement, cam oour Couentrée men: what their

matter waz, of her highnes myrth and good acceptauns, and rewarde vntoo

them, and of their reioysing thearat, I sheawd you afore, and so say the

less noow.

I

THE INDIAN VILLAGE FEAST

[From Sir Walter Elliot, _On the Characteristics of the

Population of Central India_, in _Journal of the Ethnological

Society of London_, N. S. i. 94 (1869).]

In the north-east corner of the central mountainous region represented on

the map, between the Mahanadi and Godavery rivers, is found a tribe which

has preserved its normal character remarkably free from change and from

external influence. The Konds, or, as they call themselves, the Kuingas,

although only discovered within the last thirty-five years, are better

known than most of the other barbarous tribes from the fact that for ages

they have been in the habit of sacrificing human victims in great numbers

to secure the favour of the deities presiding over their dwellings,

fields, hills, &c., but especially of the earth-goddess.

The successful efforts employed to abolish this barbarous rite have made

the subject familiar to all, and it is remarkable that such knowledge

should have failed to attract attention to a practice precisely similar

in its objects and in its details, which is observed in every village

of Southern India, with this single difference, that a buffalo is

substituted for a human victim. My attention was early drawn to this

practice, which is called the festival of the village goddess (_Devi_,

or _Grama Devati_), the descriptions of which led me to believe it might

throw light on the early condition of the servile classes, and resolving

to witness its celebrations, I repaired to the village of Serúr, in the

Southern Mahratta country, in March, 1829. It would occupy too much time

to describe the ceremony in full, which is the less necessary as the

details vary in different places; but the general features are always the

same.

The temple of the goddess is a mean structure outside the village.

The officiating priests are the Parias, who, on this occasion, and on

it alone, are exempt from the degrading condition which excludes them

from the village, and from contact with the inhabitants. With them are

included the Mangs or workers in leather, the Asádis or Dásaris, _paria_

dancing-girls devoted to the service of the temple, the musician in

attendance on them called Rániga, who acts also as a sort of jester or

buffoon, and a functionary called Pót-raj, who officiates as _pujári_ to

a rural god named also Pót-raj, to whom a small altar is erected behind

the temple of the village goddess. He is armed with a long whip, which he

cracks with great dexterity, and to which also at various parts of the

ceremony divine honours are paid.

All the members of the village community take part in the festival with

the hereditary district officers, many of them Brahmans. The shepherds

or _Dhangars_ of the neighbouring villages are also invited, and they

attend with their priests called _Virgars_ or _Irgars_, accompanied by

the _dhol_ or big drum peculiar to their caste. But the whole is under

the guidance and management of the Parias.

The festival commences always on a Tuesday, the day of rest among the

agricultural classes, both for man and beast. The most important and

essential ceremonies take place on the second and fifth days. On the

former, the sacred buffalo, which had been purchased by the Parias, an

animal without a blemish, is thrown down before the goddess, its head

struck off by a single blow and placed in front of the shrine with one

fore-leg thrust into its mouth. Around are placed vessels containing

the different cereals, and hard by a heap of mixed grains, with a drill

plough in the centre. The carcase is then cut up into small pieces, and

each cultivator receives a portion to bury in his field. The blood and

offal are collected into a large basket, over which some pots of the

cooked food which had been presented as a meat offering (_naivedya_)

had previously been broken, and Pót-raj taking a live kid called the

_hari-mariah_, hews it in pieces over the whole. The mess (_cheraga_)

is then mixed together, and the basket being placed on the head of a

naked Mang, he runs off with it, flinging the contents into the air, and

scattering them right and left, as an offering (_bhut-bali_) to the evil

spirits, and followed by the other Parias, and the village Paiks, with

drawn swords. Sometimes the demons arrest the progress of the party, when

more of the mess is thrown about, and fowls and sheep are sacrificed,

till the spirits are appeased.

During the whole time of the sacrifice the armed paiks keep vigilant

guard, lest any intruder should secrete a morsel of flesh or a drop of

blood, which, if carried off successfully, after declaring the purpose,

would transfer the merit of the offering to the strangers’ village.

On the return of the party from making the circuit of the village another

buffalo, seized by force wherever it can be found (_zulmi-khulga_) is

sacrificed by decapitating it in the same manner as the former; but no

particular importance is attached to it, and the flesh is distributed to

be eaten.

The third and fourth days are devoted to private offerings. On the former

all the inhabitants of caste, who had vowed animals to the goddess during

the preceding three years for the welfare of their families, or the

fertility of their fields, brought the buffaloes or sheep to the _paria

pujári_, who struck off their heads. The fourth day was appropriated

exclusively to the offerings of the Parias. In this way, some fifty or

sixty buffaloes and several hundred sheep were slain, and the heads

piled up in two great heaps. Many women on these days walked naked to

the temple in fulfilment of vows, but they were covered with leaves and

boughs of trees and surrounded by their female relations and friends.

On the fifth and last day (Saturday) the whole community marched in

procession, with music, to the temple, and offered a concluding sacrifice

at the Pót-raj altar. A lamb was concealed close by. The Pót-raj having

found it after a pretended search, struck it simply with his whip, which

he then placed upon it, and, making several passes with his hands,

rendered it insensible; in fact, mesmerised it. When it became rigid and

stiff he lifted it up and carried it about on the palm of his hand, to

the amazement of the spectators, and then laid it down on the ground. His

hands were then tied behind his back by the _pujári_, and the whole party

began to dance round him with noisy shouts, the music and the shepherd’s

drum making a deafening noise. Pót-raj joined in the excitement, his eyes

began to roll, his long hair fell loose over his shoulders, and he soon

came fully under the influence of the _numen_. He was now led up, still

bound, to the place where the lamb lay motionless. He rushed at it,

seized it with his teeth, tore through the skin, and ate into its throat.

When it was quite dead, he was lifted up, a dishful of the meat offering

was presented to him; he thrust his bloody face into it, and it was then,

with the remains of the lamb, buried beside the altar. Meantime his hands

were untied, and he fled the place, and did not appear for three days.

The rest of the party now adjourned to the front of the temple, where the

heap of grain deposited the first day was divided among the cultivators,

to be buried by each one in his field with the bit of flesh. After this

a distribution of the piled-up heads was made by the hand of the Rániga.

About forty sheep’s heads were given to certain privileged persons,

among which two were allotted to the Sircar! For the rest a general

scramble took place, paiks, shepherds, Parias, and many boys and men

of good caste, were soon rolling in the mass of putrid gore. The heads

were flung about in all directions, without regard to rank or caste,

the Brahmans coming in for an ample share of the filth. The scramble

for the buffalo heads was confined to the Parias. Whoever was fortunate

enough to secure one of either kind carried it off and buried it in his

field. The proceedings terminated by a procession round the boundaries of

the village lands, preceded by the goddess, and the head of the sacred

buffalo carried on the head of one of the Mangs. All order and propriety

now ceased. Rániga began to abuse the goddess in the foulest terms; he

then turned his fury against the government, the head man of the village,

and every one who fell in his way. The Parias and Asádis attacked the

most respectable and gravest citizens, and laid hold of the Brahmans,

Lingayats, and Zamindars without scruple. The dancing-women jumped on

their shoulders, the shepherds beat the big drum, with deafening clangor,

and universal license reigned.

On reaching a little temple, sacred to the goddess of boundaries

(_polimera-amma_), they halted to make some offerings, and bury the

sacred head. As soon as it was covered, the uproar began again. Rániga

became more foul-mouthed than ever. In vain the head-men, the government

officers, and others tried to pacify him by giving him small copper

coins. He only broke out with worse imprecations and grosser abuse, till

the circuit being completed, all dispersed; the Parias retired to their

hamlet outside the town, resuming their humble, servile character, and

the village reverted to its wonted peaceful appearance.

Next day (Sunday) the whole population turned out to a great

hunting-party.

I found this remarkable institution existing in every part of India where

I have been, and I have descriptions of it corresponding in all essential

points, from the Dekhan, the Nizam’s country, Mysore, the Carnatic, and

the Northern Circars. The details vary in different places, but the

main features agree in all, and correspond remarkably with the _Mariah_

sacrifice of the Konds, which also varies considerably on minor points in

different places.

J

SWORD-DANCES

I. SWEDEN (_Sixteenth Century_).

[From Olaus Magnus, _Historia de gentibus septentrionalibus_

(1555), Bk. xv. chh. 23, 24.]

Ch. 23, _de chorea gladiatoria vel armifera saltatione_.

Habent septentrionales Gothi et Sueci pro exercenda iuventute alium

ludum, quod inter nudos enses et infestos gladios seu frameas sese

exerceant saltu, idque quodam gymnastico ritu et disciplina, aetate

successiva, a peritis et praesultare sub cantu addiscunt: et ostendunt

hunc ludum praecipue tempore carnisprivii, maschararum Italico verbo

dicto. Ante etenim tempus eiusdem carnisprivii octo diebus continua

saltatione sese adolescentes numerose exercent, elevatis scilicet

gladiis sed vagina reclusis, ad triplicem gyrum. Deinde evaginatis

itidemque elevatis ensibus, postmodo manuatim extensis, modestius gyrando

alterutrius cuspidem capulumque receptantes, sese mutato ordine in modum

figurae hexagoni fingendi subiiciunt, quam rosam dicunt: et illico eam

gladios retrahendo elevandoque resolvunt ut super uniuscuiusque caput

quadrata rosa resultet: et tandem vehementissima gladiorum laterali

collisione, celerrime retrograda saltatione determinant ludum, quem

tibiis vel cantilenis, aut utrisque simul, primum per graviorem, demum

vehementiorem saltum et ultimo impetuosissimum moderantur. Sed haec

speculatio sine oculari inspectione vix apprehenditur quam pulchra

honestaque sit, dum unius parcissimo praecepto etiam armata multitudo

quadam alacritate dirigitur ad certamen: eoque ludo clericis sese

exercere et immiscere licet, quia totus deducitur honestissima ratione.

Ch. 24. Alia etiam iuvenum exercitatio est, ut certa lege arcualem

choream ducant et reducant, aliis quidam instrumentis, sed eadem ut

gladiatorum saltantium disciplina reducta. Arcubus enim seu circulis

inclusis [inclusi?], primum modesto cantu heroum gesta referente vel

tibiis aut tympanis excitati, gyrando incedunt seque dirigentis, qui rex

dicitur, sola voce reducunt, tandem solutis arcubus aliquantulum celerius

properantes mutua inclinatione conficiunt, veluti alias per gladios,

rosam, ut formam sexangularem efficere videantur. Utque id festivius

sonoriusque fiat, tintinnabula seu aereas campanulas genu tenus ligant.

II. SHETLAND (_Eighteenth Century_).

[From Sir Walter Scott’s _Diary_ for August 7, 1814, printed in

Lockhart, _Life of Scott_ (1837), iii. 162; (1878) i. 265.]

At Scalloway my curiosity was gratified by an account of the sword-dance,

now almost lost, but still practised in the Island of Papa, belonging

to Mr. Scott. There are eight performers, seven of whom represent the

Seven Champions of Christendom, who enter one by one with their swords

drawn, and are presented to the eighth personage, who is not named.

Some rude couplets are spoken (in _English_, not _Norse_), containing

a sort of panegyric upon each champion as he is presented. They then

dance a sort of cotillion, as the ladies described it, going through

a number of evolutions with their swords. One of my three Mʳˢ. Scotts

readily promised to procure me the lines, the rhymes, and the form of

the dance.... A few years since a party of Papa-men came to dance the

sword-dance at Lerwick as a public exhibition with great applause....

In a stall pamphlet, called the history of Buckshaven [Fifeshire], it

is said those fishers sprung from Danes, and brought with them their

_war-dance_ or _sword-dance_, and a rude wooden cut of it is given.

[A footnote by Lockhart adds:—]

Mr. W. S. Rose informs me that, when he was at school at Winchester,

the morris-dancers there used to exhibit a sword-dance resembling that

described at Camacho’s wedding in _Don Quixote_; and Mr. Morritt adds

that similar dances are even yet performed in the villages about Rokeby

[Yorks, N.R.] every Christmas.

[The following account was inserted in a note to Scott’s _The

Pirate_ (1821).]

To the Primate’s account of the sword-dance, I am able to add the words

sung or chanted, on occasion of this dance, as it is still performed in

Papa Stour, a remote island of Zetland, where alone the custom keeps its

ground. It is, it will be observed by antiquaries, a species of play

or mystery, in which the Seven Champions of Christendom make their

appearance, as in the interlude presented in _All’s Well that ends Well_.

This dramatic curiosity was most kindly procured for my use by Dr. Scott

of Haslar Hospital [died 1875], son of my friend Mr. Scott of Melbie,

Zetland. Dr. Hibbert has, in his _Description of the Zetland Islands_,

given an account of the sword-dance, but somewhat less full than the

following:—

‘WORDS USED AS A PRELUDE TO THE SWORD-DANCE, A DANISH OR

NORWEGIAN BALLET, COMPOSED SOME CENTURIES AGO, AND PRESERVED IN

PAPA STOUR, ZETLAND.

PERSONÆ DRAMATIS[694].

(_Enter MASTER, in the character of SAINT GEORGE._)

Brave gentles all within this boor[695],

If ye delight in any sport,

Come see me dance upon this floor,

Which to you all shall yield comfort.

Then shall I dance in such a sort,

As possible I may or can;

You, minstrel man, play me a Porte[696],

That I on this floor may prove a man.

[_He bows, and dances in a line._

Now have I danced with heart and hand,

Brave gentles all, as you may see,

For I have been tried in many a land,

As yet the truth can testify;

In England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Italy, and Spain,

Have I been tried with that good sword of steel.

[_Draws, and flourishes._

Yet I deny that ever a man did make me yield;

For in my body there is strength,

As by my manhood may be seen;

And I, with that good sword of length,

Have oftentimes in perils been,

And over champions I was king.

And by the strength of this right hand,

Once on a day I kill’d fifteen,

And left them dead upon the land.

Therefore, brave minstrel, do not care,

But play to me a Porte most light,

That I no longer do forbear,

But dance in all these gentles’ sight.

Although my strength makes you abased,

Brave gentles all, be not afraid,

For here are six champions, with me, staid,

All by my manhood I have raised.

[_He dances._

Since I have danced, I think it best

To call my brethren in your sight,

That I may have a little rest,

And they may dance with all their might;

With heart and hand as they are knights,

And shake their swords of steel so bright,

And show their main strength on this floor,

For we shall have another bout

Before we pass out of this boor.

Therefore, brave minstrel, do not care

To play to me a Porte most light,

That I no longer do forbear,

But dance in all these gentles’ sight.

[_He dances, and then introduces his knights as under._

Stout James of Spain, both tried and stour[697],

Thine acts are known full well indeed;

And champion Dennis, a French knight,

Who stout and bold is to be seen;

And David, a Welshman born,

Who is come of noble blood;

And Patrick also, who blew the horn,

An Irish knight amongst the wood.

Of Italy, brave Anthony the good,

And Andrew of Scotland King;

Saint George of England, brave indeed,

Who to the Jews wrought muckle tinte[698].

Away with this!—Let us come to sport,

Since that ye have a mind to war.

Since that ye have this bargain sought,

Come let us fight and do not fear.

Therefore, brave minstrel, do not care

To play to me a Porte most light,

That I no longer do forbear,

But dance in all these gentles’ sight.

[_He dances, and advances to JAMES of Spain._

Stout James of Spain, both tried and stour,

Thine acts are known full well indeed,

Present thyself within our sight,

Without either fear or dread.

Count not for favour or for feid,

Since of thy acts thou hast been sure;

Brave James of Spain, I will thee lead,

To prove thy manhood on this floor.

[_JAMES dances._

Brave champion Dennis, a French knight,

Who stout and bold is to be seen,

Present thyself here in our sight,

Thou brave French knight,

Who bold hast been;

Since thou such valiant acts hast done,

Come let us see some of them now

With courtesy, thou brave French knight,

Draw out thy sword of noble hue.

[_DENNIS dances, while the others retire to a side._

Brave David a bow must string, and with awe

Set up a wand upon a stand,

And that brave David will cleave in twa[699].

[_DAVID dances solus._

Here is, I think, an Irish knight,

Who does not fear, or does not fright,

To prove thyself a valiant man,

As thou hast done full often bright;

Brave Patrick, dance, if that thou can.

[_He dances._

Thou stout Italian, come thou here;

Thy name is Anthony, most stout;

Draw out thy sword that is most clear,

And do thou fight without any doubt;

Thy leg thou shake, thy neck thou lout[700],

And show some courtesy on this floor,

For we shall have another bout,

Before we pass out of this boor.

Thou kindly Scotsman, come thou here;

Thy name is Andrew of Fair Scotland;

Draw out thy sword that is most clear,

Fight for thy king with thy right hand;

And aye as long as thou canst stand,

Fight for thy king with all thy heart;

And then, for to confirm his band,

Make all his enemies for to smart.

[_He dances.—Music begins._’

‘FIGUIR[701].

‘The six stand in rank with their swords reclining on their shoulders.

The Master (Saint George) dances, and then strikes the sword of James

of Spain, who follows George, then dances, strikes the sword of

Dennis, who follows behind James. In like manner the rest—the music

playing—swords as before. After the six are brought out of rank, they

and the Master form a circle, and hold the swords point and hilt. This

circle is danced round twice. The whole, headed by the Master, pass

under the swords held in a vaulted manner. They jump over the swords.

This naturally places the swords across, which they disentangle by

passing under their right sword. They take up the seven swords, and

form a circle, in which they dance round.

‘The Master runs under the sword opposite, which he jumps over

backwards. The others do the same. He then passes under the right-hand

sword, which the others follow, in which position they dance, until

commanded by the Master, when they form into a circle, and dance round

as before. They then jump over the right-hand sword, by which means

their backs are to the circle, and their hands across their backs. They

dance round in that form until the Master calls “Loose,” when they pass

under the right sword, and are in a perfect circle.

‘The Master lays down his sword, and lays hold of the point of James’s

sword. He then turns himself, James, and the others, into a clew. When

so formed, he passes under out of the midst of the circle; the others

follow; they vault as before. After several other evolutions, they

throw themselves into a circle, with their arms across the breast.

They afterwards form such figures as to form a shield of their swords,

and the shield is so compact that the Master and his knights dance

alternately with this shield upon their heads. It is then laid down

upon the floor. Each knight lays hold of their former points and hilts

with their hands across, which disentangle by figuirs directly contrary

to those that formed the shield. This finishes the ballet.

‘EPILOGUE.

‘Mars does rule, he bends his brows,

He makes us all agast[702];

After the few hours that we stay here,

Venus will rule at last.

Farewell, farewell, brave gentles all,

That herein do remain,

I wish you health and happiness

Till we return again.

[_Exeunt._’

The manuscript from which the above was copied was transcribed from _a

very old one_, by Mr. William Henderson, jun., of Papa Stour, in Zetland.

Mr. Henderson’s copy is not dated, but bears his own signature, and, from

various circumstances, it is known to have been written about the year

1788.

K

THE LUTTERWORTH ST. GEORGE PLAY

[From W. Kelly, _Notices Illustrative of the Drama, &c., ...

from ... Manuscripts of the Borough of Leicester_ (1865), 53.

The version is that ‘performed in some of the villages near

Lutterworth, at Christmas 1863.’]

THE CHRISTMAS MUMMERS’ PLAY.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ.

1. CAPTAIN SLASHER, _in military costume, with sword and pistol_.

2. King of England, _in robes, wearing the crown_.

3. PRINCE GEORGE, _King’s Son, in robes, and sword by his side_.

4. Turkish Champion, _in military attire, with sword and pistol_.

5. A Noble Doctor.

6. Beelzebub.

7. A Clown.

_Enter Captain Slasher._ I beg your pardon for being so bold,

I enter your house, the weather’s so cold,

Room, a room! brave gallants, give us room to sport;

For in this house we do resort,—Resort,

resort, for many a day;

Step in, the King of England,

And boldly clear the way.

_Enter King of England._ I am the King of England, that boldly does

appear;

I come to seek my only son,—my only son is here.

_Enter Prince George._ I am Prince George, a worthy knight;

I’ll spend my blood for England’s right.

England’s right I will maintain;

I’ll fight for old England once again.

_Enter Turkish Knight._ I am the Turkish Champion;

From Turkey’s land I come.

I come to fight the King of England

And all his noble men.

_Captain Slasher._ In comes Captain Slasher,

Captain Slasher is my name;

With sword and pistol by my side,

I hope to win the game.

_King of England._ I am the King of England,

As you may plainly see,

These are my soldiers standing by me;

They stand by me your life to end,

On them doth my life depend.

_Prince George._ I am Prince George, the Champion bold,

And with my sword I won three crowns of gold;

I slew the fiery dragon and brought him to the slaughter,

And won the King of Egypt’s only daughter.

_Turkish Champion._ As I was going by St. Francis’ School,

I heard a lady cry ‘A fool, a fool!’

‘A fool,’ was every word,

‘That man’s a fool,

Who wears a wooden sword.’

_Prince George._ A wooden sword, you dirty dog!

My sword is made of the best of metal free.

If you would like to taste of it,

I’ll give it unto thee.

Stand off, stand off, you dirty dog!

Or by my sword you’ll die.

I’ll cut you down the middle,

And make your blood to fly.

[_They fight; Prince George falls, mortally wounded._

_Enter King of England._ Oh, horrible! terrible! what hast thou done?

Thou hast ruin’d me, ruin’d me,

By killing of my only son!

Oh, is there ever a noble doctor to be found,

To cure this English champion

Of his deep and deadly wound?

_Enter Noble Doctor._ Oh yes, there is a noble doctor to be found,

To cure this English champion

Of his deep and deadly wound.

_King of England._ And pray what is your practice?

_Noble Doctor._ I boast not of my practice, neither do I study in the

practice of physic.

_King of England._ What can you cure?

_Noble Doctor._ All sorts of diseases,

Whatever you pleases:

I can cure the itch, the pitch,

The phthisic, the palsy and the gout;

And if the devil’s in the man,

I can fetch him out.

My wisdom lies in my wig,

I torture not my patients with excations,

Such as pills, boluses, solutions, and embrocations;

But by the word of command

I can make this mighty prince to stand.

_King._ What is your fee?

_Doctor._ Ten pounds is true.

_King._ Proceed, Noble Doctor;

You shall have your due.

_Doctor._ Arise, arise! most noble prince, arise,

And no more dormant lay;

And with thy sword

Make all thy foes obey.

[_The Prince arises._

_Prince George._ My head is made of iron,

My body is made of steel,

My legs are made of crooked bones

To force you all to yield.

_Enter Beelzebub._ In comes I, old Beelzebub,

Over my shoulder I carry my club,

And in my hand a frying-pan,

Pleased to get all the money I can.

_Enter Clown._ In come I, who’s never been yet,

With my great head and little wit:

My head is great, my wit is small,

I’ll do my best to please you all.

_Song_ (_all join_). And now we are done and must be gone,

No longer will we stay here;

But if you please, before we go,

We’ll taste your Christmas beer.

[_Exeunt omnes._

L

THE PROSE OF THE ASS

[The text is taken from the following sources:—

i. _Beauvais, thirteenth century._—(_a_) [Duc.]—Ducange,

_Glossarium_ (ed. 1733-6), s.v. _Festum_, from a lost MS.;

copied incorrectly by Gasté, 23, and apparently also by

Clément, 158: (_b_) [B¹]—_Brit. Mus. Egerton MS._ 2615, f. 1,

with music for singing in unison: (_c_) [B²]—Same _MS._ f. 43,

with music harmonized in three parts; partly facsimiled in

_Annales Archéologiques_ (1856), xvi. 259, 300.

ii. _Sens, thirteenth century._—[S]—_MS. Senonense_, 46ᵃ, as

printed by G. M. Dreves, _Analecta Hymnica_, xx. 217. The text

has also been given from the MS. by F. Bourquelot, in _Bull. de

la Soc. Arch. de Sens_ (1858), vi. 79, and others. The version

of Clément, 126 is probably, like the facsimile given by him in

_Ann. Arch._ vii. 26, based on one ‘calqué’ from the MS. by a

M. Amé, and, where it differs from that of Dreves, is the less

trustworthy. Dreves, xx. 257 (cf. _infra_) and Millin, _Monum.

Ant. Inédits_, ii. 348, also give the music of the opening

lines. Modern settings are provided by B. De la Borde, _Essai

sur la Musique_ (1780), and Clément, in _Ann. Arch._ vii. 26,

and _Chantes de la Sainte Chapelle_. An old French translation

of the text is printed in Leber, ix. 368.

On these Beauvais and Sens MSS. cf. ch. xiii.

iii. _Bourges._—[Bo.]—The first verse with the music and

variants in the later verses are given by A. Gachet d’Artigny,

_Nouveaux Mémoires_ (1756), vii. 77, from a copy of a book

given to Bourges cathedral by a canon named Jean Pastoris. Part

of the Bourges music is also given by Millin, _loc. cit._

I print the fullest version from Ducange, italicizing the

lines not found elsewhere, and giving all variants, except of

spelling, for the rest.

Outside Beauvais, Sens, and Bourges the only localized allusion

to the prose that I have found is the Autun order of 1411

(vol. i. p. 312) ‘nec dicatur cantilena quae dici solebat

super dictum asinum.’ It is not in the Puy _officium_ for the

Circumcision, which, though in a MS. of 1553, represents a

ceremony as old as 1327 (U. Chevalier, _Prosolarium Ecclesiae

Aniciensis_, 1894). The _officium_ is full of _conductus_ and

_farsumina_, and the _clericuli_ at second Vespers _tripudiant

firmiter_. The _sanctum Praepucium_ was a relic at Puy.

The following passage is from Theoph. Raynaudus, _Iudicium de

puerorum symphoniacorum processione in festo SS. Innocentium_

(_Opera Omnia_, 1665, xv. 209): ‘Legi prosam quandam _de asino_

e Metropolitanae cuiusdam Ecclesiae rituali exscriptam; quae

super sacrum concinebatur in die S. Stephani, et dicebatur

_prosa fatuorum_, qua nihil insulsius aut asino convenientius.

Similis prosa _de bove_, quae canebatur in die S. Ioannis,

intercidisse dicitur, haud magno sane dispendio. Itaque hae

prosae erant particulae festi fatuorum, occoepti a die S.

Stephani.’ I have never come across the ‘Prose of the Ox,’ or

any notice of it which appears to be independent of Raynaud’s.]

I.

Orientis partibus

Adventavit Asinus,

Pulcher et fortissimus,

Sarcinis aptissimus. 4

_Hez, Sire Asnes, car chantez,_

_Belle bouche rechignez,_

_Vous aurez du foin assez_

_Et de l’avoine a plantez._ 8

II.

_Lentus erat pedibus,_

_Nisi foret baculus,_

_Et eum in clunibus_

_Pungeret aculeus._ 12

_Hez, Sire Asnes, etc._

III.

Hic in collibus Sichen

Iam nutritus sub Ruben,

Transiit per Iordanem,

Saliit in Bethleem. 20

_Hez, Sire Asnes, etc._

IV.

_Ecce magnis auribus_

_Subiugalis filius_

_Asinus egregius_

_Asinorum dominus._ 28

_Hez, Sire Asnes, etc._

V.

Saltu vincit hinnulos,

Dammas et capreolos,

Super dromedarios

Velox Madianeos. 36

_Hez, Sire Asnes, etc._

VI.

Aurum de Arabia,

Thus et myrrham de Saba

Tulit in Ecclesia

Virtus Asinaria. 44

_Hez, Sire Asnes, etc._

VII.

Dum trahit vehicula,

Multa cum sarcinula,

Illius mandibula

Dura terit pabula. 52

_Hez, Sire Asnes, etc._

VIII.

Cum aristis hordeum

Comedit et carduum:

Triticum e palea

Segregat in area. 60

_Hez, Sire Asnes, etc._

IX.

Amen dicas, Asine,

Iam satur de gramine,

Amen, Amen, itera,

Aspernare vetera. 68

_Hez va, hez va! hez va, hez!_

_Bialx Sire Asnes, car allez:_

_Belle bouche, car chantez._ 71

B¹ has heading _Conductus asi<ni ubi> adducitur_; S, _Conductus ad

tabulam_.

5-8 B¹, ² _Hez, hez, sire Asnes, hez_; S. _Hez, Sir asne, hez_; Bo. _He,

he, he, Sire Ane. He._

18. B¹, ²; S, _Enulritus_.

21-4. B¹ _Hez, hez_ (and so in all verses but last); B² _Hez_ (and so in

all verses); S, _Hez, Sir asne, hez_ (and so in all verses).

vi. B¹, ² omit; Bo. places after viii.

59. Duc. _a palea_.

65. Duc. adds (_hic genuflectebatur_).

66. Bo. _Iam satis de carmine_.

69-71. B² _Hez_; Clément,

_Hez va! hez va! hez va! hez!_

_Bialx, sir asnes, car chantez,_

_Vous aurez du foin assez_

_Et de l’avoine a plantez._

I append the air of the Sens prose, as given by Dreves, _Analecta

Hymnica_, xx. 257.

[Music:

Orientis partibus Adventavit Asinus,

Pulcher et fortissimus, Sarcinis aptissimus.

Hez, Sir Asne, hez.]

M

THE BOY BISHOP

I. THE SARUM OFFICE.

[From C. Wordsworth, _Ceremonies and Processions of the

Cathedral Church of Salisbury_ (1901), 52, which follows the

practically identical texts of the printed _Processionals_

of 1508 (ed. Henderson, 1882, 17) and 1555 and the printed

_Breviary_ (ed. Procter-Wordsworth, I. ccxxix). Mr. Wordsworth

also found the office in two MS. breviaries (_Sarum Chapter

MS._ 152 and _Peterhouse, Cambridge, MS._ 270). In the MS.

(†1445) processional from Salisbury Cathedral (_Chapter MS._

148), on which his book is mainly based, there is a _lacuna_,

probably due to intentional mutilation, where the office

should come. I find no allusion to the Boy Bishop in the

printed _Sarum Missal_ (ed. Dickinson, 67), or in the _Sarum

Consuetudinary_, _Custumary_, or _Ordinal_ (Frere, _Use of

Sarum_).]

⸿ _In die sancti Johannis._

[De Episcopo Puerorum.]

_Ad uesperas, post memoriam de S. Stephano eat processio

Puerorum ad altare Innocencium, uel Sancte Trinitatis et Omnium

Sanctorum quod dicitur Salue, in capis sericis, cum cereis

illuminatis et ardentibus in manibus, cantando, Episcopo

Puerorum pontificalibus induto (executore officij, siue

Episcopo presente) incipiente hoc responsorium._

_Solus Episcopus Innocencium, si assit, Christum Puerum, uerum et

eternum, Pontificem designans, incipiat_:

_R._ Centum quadraginta quattuor millia qui empti sunt de terra: hij sunt

qui cum mulieribus non sunt coinquinati, uirgines enim permanserunt.

Ideo regnant cum Deo et Agno, et Agnus Dei cum illis.

_Tres pueri dicant hunc uersum._

_V._ Hij empti sunt ex omnibus, primicie Deo et Agno, et in ore illorum

non est inventum mendacium. Ideo.

_Omnes pueri dicant cantando simul hanc prosam_

Sedentem in superne.

_Chorus post vnumquemque uersum respondeat cantum prose super vltimam

literam E._

_V._ Sedentem in superne maiestatis arce-e.

_V._ Adorant humillime proclamantes ad te-e.

_V._ Sancte · Sancte · Sancte · Sabaoth rex-e.

_V._ Plena sunt omnia glorie tue-e.

_V._ Cum illis vndeuiginti quinque-e.

_V._ Atque cum innocentissimo grege-e.

_V._ Qui sunt sine vlla labe-e.

_V._ Dicentes excelsa uoce-e.

_V._ Laus Tibi, Domine-e.

Rex eterne glorie-e.

_Chorus respondeat_ Ideo regnant.

_Ad hanc processionem non dicatur_ Gloria Patri _sed dum prosa canitur

tunc Episcopus Puerorum thurificet altare: deinde ymaginem Sancte

Trinitatis_.

_Et postea dicat Sacerdos, modesta uoce, hunc uersum._

_V._ Letamini in Domino, et exvltate iusti.

_R._ Et gloriamini omnes recti corde.

_Deinde dicat Episcopus Puerorum, sine_ Dominus uobiscum, _sed cum_

Oremus, _oracionem_.

Deus, cuius hodierna die preconium innocentes martires non loquendo sed

moriendo confessi sunt: omnia in nobis uitiorum mala mortifica, vt fidem

tuam, quam lingua nostra loquitur, eciam moribus uita fateatur. Qui cum

Deo Patre.

_In redeundo precentor puerorum incipiat responsorium de S. Maria, uel

aliquam antiphonam de eadem._

_R._ Felix namque es, sacra uirgo Maria, et omni laude dignissima. Quia

ex te ortus est Sol iusticie, Christus Deus noster.

_Et, si necesse fuerit, dicatur uersus_:

_V._ Ora pro populo, interueni pro clero, intercede pro deuoto

femineo sexu: senciant omnes tuum leuamen, quicumque celebrant tuam

solempnitatem. Quia ex te Gloria · Quia ·

_Et sic processio chorum intret, per ostium occidentale, vt supra. Et

omnes pueri, ex vtraque parte chori, in superiori gradu se recipiant;

et ab hac hora vsque post processionem diei proximi succedentis nullus

clericorum solet gradum superiorem ascendere, cuiuscumque condicionis

fuerit._

_Ad istam processionem pro disposicione puerorum scribuntur canonici, ad

ministrandum eisdem, maiores ad thuribulandum, et ad librum deferendum,

minores ad candelabra deferenda._

_Responsorio finito, cum suo uersu, Episcopus Puerorum in sede sua dicat

uersum modesta uoce_:

_V._ Speciosus forma pre filijs hominum:

_R._ Diffusa est gracia in labijs tuis.

_Oracio._ Deus qui salutis eterne beate Marie uirginitate fecunda

humano generi premia prestitisti; tribue, quesumus, vt ipsam pro nobis

intercedere senciamus, per quam meruimus Auctorem uite suscipere, Dominum

nostrum Jesum Christum Filium tuum. _Que sic terminetur_: Qui Tecum uiuit

et regnat in vnitate Spiritus Sancti Deus. Per omnia secula seculorum.

Amen.

Pax uobis.

_R._ Et cum spiritu tuo.

_Sequatur_ Benedicamus Domino, _a duobus uicarijs, uel a tribus, extra

regulam_.

_Tunc Episcopus Puerorum intret stallum suum, et in sede sua, benedicat

populum._

_Et interim cruciferarius accipiat baculum episcopi, conuersus ad

Episcopum, et cum uenerit ad istum versum_ Cum mansuetudine _conuertat

se ad populum et incipiat hanc antiphonam sequentem_ (_que non dicatur

Episcopo absente_): _et cantet totam antiphonam vsque ad finem_.

_Ant._ Princeps ecclesie, pastor ouilis, cunctam plebem tuam benedicere

digneris. _Hic conuertat se ad populum sic dicendo_:

Cum mansuetudine et caritate, humilitate uos ad benediccionem.

_Chorus respondeat_: Deo gracias.

_Deinde retradat baculum Episcopo, et tunc Episcopus Puerorum, primo

signando se in fronte, dicat, hoc modo incipiens_:

Adiutorium nostrum in nomine Domini:

_Chorus respondeat sic_: Qui fecit celum et terram.

_Item Episcopus, signando se in pectore, dicat sic_:

Sit nomen Dei benedictum:

_Chorus respondeat_: Ex hoc nunc, et vsque in seculum.

_Deinde Episcopus Puerorum, conuersus ad clerum, eleuet brachium suum, et

dicat hanc benediccionem_:

Crucis signo uos consigno:

_Hic conuertat se ad populum, sic dicendo_:

Nostra sit tuicio.

_Deinde conuertat se ad altare, dicens_:

Qui nos emit et redemit,

_Postea ad seipsum reuersus ponat manum suam super pectus suum dicendo_:

Sue carnis precio,

_Chorus respondeat, vt sequitur_, Amen.

_His itaque peractis incipiat Episcopus Puerorum COMPLETORIUM de die,

more solito, post_ Pater Noster _et_ Aue Maria.

_Et post Completorium dicat Episcopus Puerorum ad chorum conuersus sub

tono supradicto._

Adiutorium nostrum in nomine Domini,

_Chorus respondeat_: Qui fecit celum et terram.

_Episcopus Puerorum dicat_:

Sit nomen Domini benedictum:

_Chorus._ Ex hoc nunc, et vsque in seculum.

_Deinde dicat Episcopus_:

Benedicat nos omnipotens Deus, Pater, et Filius, et Spiritus Sanctus.

_Chorus_: Amen.

⸿ _In die SS. Innocencium_

si in DOMINICA euenerit:

_Eodem modo processio fiat vt in die S. Stephani, excepto quod hac die

tres pueri prosam in eundo dicant, in medio procedentes: que in ipsa

stacione ante crucem ab eisdem terminetur._

_In eundo, R._ Centum quadraginta.

_V._ Hij empti.

_Prosa._ Sedentem in superne.

_Sequatur._ Gloria Patri, et Filio.

Ideo.

_In introitu chori, de Natiuitate, vt supra._

AD MATUTINAS _in Die Innocencium_:

_In tercio Nocturno, post lecciones et cetera, ad gradum altaris omnes

pueri incipiant nonum Responsorium._

_R._ Centum quadraginta, _ut supra_.

_Omnes simul dicant uersum_:

_V._ Hij empti. Gloria Patri. Ideo.

_V._ Justi autem.

IN LAUDIBUS, _post Ps._ Laudate, _Episcopus Puerorum dicat modesta uoce,

quasi legendo, Capitulum, loco nec habitu mutato, quia per totum diem

capa serica vtitur_ (Apoc. xix.)

_Cap._ Vidi supra montem Syon Agnum stantem, &c.

_Ympnus._ Rex gloriose martirum. _De Communi plurimorum martirorum_

(Brev. Sarum, ii. 406).

_V._ Mirabilis Deus.

_Ant._ Hij sunt qui cum mulieribus, _et cetera, quam precentor dabit

Episcopo_.

_Ps._ Benedictus.

_Oracio._ Deus, cuius hodierna, &c. Qui tecum uiuit.

_Tunc omnes pueri dicant, loco_ Benedicamus, Verbum Patris (Brev. Sarum,

i. p. cxc).

_Chorus respondeat._

_Consequenter dicat Episcopus Puerorum benediccionem super populum eodem

modo quo ad uesperas precedentes._

_Post tres Memorias (scilicet de Natiuitate Domini, de S. Stephano, et de

S. Johanne) dicat Episcopus Puerorum benediccionem super populum, sicut

et post Completorium supra dictum est._

_Deinde tres de secunda forma dicant_ Benedicamus Domino, _more solito_.

AD VESPERAS. _Episcopus Puerorum incipiat._

Deus in adiutorium meum intende.

_Ant._ Tecum principium.

_Ps._ Dixit Dominus (_cix_).

_Capitulum._ Vidi supra montem.

_R._ Centum quadraginta.

_Hoc Responsorium ab vno solo Puero, scilicet Cancellario, incipiatur ad

gradum chori, in capa serica, et suus versus ab omnibus pueris cantetur

in superpelliceis in stacione puerorum, cum prosa, si placet, et eciam

cum_ Gloria Patri.

_V._ Hij empti sunt.

_Ympnus._ Rex gloriose martirum. _De Communi._

_V._ Mirabilis Deus.

_Episcopus Puerorum incipiat antiphonam_:

_Ant._ Ecce vidi Agnum stantem.

_Ps._ Magnificat.

_Oracio._ Deus, cuius hodierna.

_Dicta oracione, omnes pueri loco_ Benedicamus _dicant_ Verbum Patris.

_Ant. ad gradum altaris._

_Et chorus totum respondeant._

⸿ IN DIE S. THOMAE ARCHIEPISCOPI MARTYRIS.

_Ad Vesperas, post memoriam de S. Johanne, accipiat cruciferarius

baculum Episcopi Puerorum, et cantet antiphonam_ Princeps ecclesie,

_sicut ad primas uesperas_.

_Similiter Episcopus Puerorum benedicat populum supradicto modo._

_Et sic compleatur seruicium (officium Puerorum) huius diei._

II. THE YORK COMPUTUS.

[I have expanded the following document from the copy printed

with all the contractions by Dr. E. F. Rimbault in _The Camden

Miscellany_ (C.S.), vii (1875), 31. The original roll was in

the possession of the late Canon Raine.]

Compotus Nicholay de Newerk custodis bonorum Johannis de Cave Episcopi

Innocencium Anno domini etc. nonagesimo sexto.

[Sidenote: _Clausura._]

In primis receptum de xij denariis receptis in oblacione die Nativitatis

domini. Et de xxiiij solidis j denario receptis in oblacione die

Innocentium et j cochleare argenteum ponderis xx_d._ et j annulum

argenteum cum bursa cerica eodem die ad missam. Et de xx_d._ rec. de

Magistro Willelmo de Kexby precentore. Et de ij_s._ rec. de Magistro

Johanne de Schirburne cancellario. Et de vj_s._ viij_d._ rec. de Magistro

Johanne de Newton thesaurario ad Novam. Et de vj_s._ viij_d._ rec. de

Magistro Thoma Dalby archidiacono Richmunde. Et de vj_s._ viij_d._ rec.

de Magistro Nicholao de Feriby. Et de vj_s._ viij_d._ rec. de Magistro

Thoma de Wallworthe.

_Summa_ lv_s._ v_d._

[Sidenote: _Villa._]

Item rec. de vj_s._ viij_d._ rec. de Domino Abbate Monasterii beatae

Mariae virginis extra Muros Eboraci. Et de iij_s._ iiij_d._ rec. de

Magistro Willelmo de Feriby Archidiacono Estridinge.

_Summa_ x_s._

[Sidenote: _Patria._]

Item de iij_s._ iiij_d._ rec. de domino Thoma Ugtreht milite. Et de

ij_s._ rec. de priore de Kyrkham. Et de vj_s._ viij_d._ rec. de priore de

Malton. Et de xx_s._ rec. de comitissa de Northumbria et j anulum aureum.

Et de vj_s._ viij_d._ de priore de Bridlyngtone. Et de iij_s._ iiij_d._

de priore de Watton. Et de iij_s._ iiij_d._ de rectore de Bayntone. Et

de iij_s._ iiij_d._ de Abbate de Melsa. Et de xx_d._ rec. de priore de

Feriby. Et de vj_s._ viij_d._ rec. de domino Stephano de Scrope. Et de

ij_s._ de priore de Drax. Et de vj_s._ viij_d._ de Abbate de Selby. Et

de iij_s._ iiij_d._ rec. de priore de Pontefracte. Et de vj_s._ viij_d._

rec. de priore Sancti Oswaldi. Et de iij_s._ iiij_d._ rec. de priore de

Munkbretton. Et de vj_s._ viij_d._ rec. de domino Johanne Depdene. Et de

vj_s._ viij_d._ rec. de domina de Marmeon et j anulum aureum cum bursa

cerica. Et de iij_s._ iiij_d._ de domina de Harsay. Et de vj_s._ viij_d._

de domina de Rosse. Et de ij_s._ rec. de Abbate Ryavalli. Et de ij_s._

rec. de Abbate Bellalandi. Et de ij_s._ rec. de priore de Novoburgo. Et

de xx_d._ rec. de priore de Marton.

_Summa_ v lib. x_s._

_Summa totalis Receptorum_ viij lib. xv_s._ v_d._

De quibus dictus Nicholaus compotat.

[Sidenote: _Expensae infra civitatem._]

Ad ‘O virgo virginum.’ In pane pro speciebus j_d._ In cervisia vj_d._

Item in sua Cena. In pane vij_d._ Et in pane dominico iiij_d._ In

cervisia xxj_d._ In carne vitulorum et mutulorum ix_d._ obolus. In

sawcetiis iiij_d._ In ij anatibus iiij_d._ In xij gallinis ij_s._ vj_d._

In viij wodkoks et j pluver ij_s._ ij_d._ In iij dos̄ et x feldfars

xix_d._ In parvis avibus iij_d._ In vino ij_s._ iij_d._ In diversis

speciebus xj_d._ In lx wardons v_d._ ob. In melle ij_d._ ob. In cenapio

j_d._ In ij libris candelorum ij_d._ ob. In floure ij_d._ In focali j_d._

ob. Item coco vj_d._

_Summa_ xv_s._ vj_d._ ob.

Item die Innocentium ad cenam. In pane iij_d._ In cervisia v_d._ In carne

vitulorum et mutulorum vij_d._ In pipere et croco j_d._

Diebus veneris et sabbati nichil quia non visitarunt.

Item dominica prima sequentibus diebus lunae Martis Mercurii nichil quia

non visitarunt.

Die Jovis seu die Octavarum Innocentium inierunt versus Kexby ad dominum

de Ugtrehte et revenerunt ad cenam. In pane ij_d._ In cervisia iiij_d._

In carne v_d._

Diebus veneris et sabbati nichil quia non visitarunt.

Dominica ija seu die Sancti Willelmi devillaverunt. In pane ad Jantaculum

ij_d._ In cervisia iij_d._ In carne v_d._

Die lunae cum ebdomade sequente nichil quia extra villam.

Dominica iija cum ebdomade sequente extra villam.

Die sabbati revenerunt ad cenam. In pane j_d._ ob. In cervisia iij_d._ In

lacte et piscibus iij_d._

Dominica iiija nichil.

Die lunae inierunt ad scolas et post Jantaculum devillaverunt. In pane

ij_d._ In cervisia iij_d._ ob. In carne vij_d._

Die sabbati revenerunt ad cenam. In pane ij_d._ ob. In cervisia ij_d._ In

piscibus vj_d._

Dominica va usque ad finem Purificationis nichil.

_Summa_ v_s._ vij_d._ ob.

[Sidenote: _Variae expensae per totam viam._]

In primis. In zona empta pro episcopo iij_d._ In emendacione pilii sui

j_d._ In pane equino ante arreptum itineris ij_d._ In oblacione apud

Bridlyngtone ij_d._ In elemosina ibidem j_d._ In ferilay apud Melsam

iiij_d._ In ferilay apud Drax iiij_d._ In pane equino apud Selby iiij_d._

Item barbitonsori j_d._ In j garth apud Bridlyngton j_d._ In emendacione

j garth ibidem ob. In ij pectinibus equinis emptis apud Bridlyngtone

et Eboracum iiij_d._ In j garth apud Beverlacum j_d._ In ferracione

equorum apud Feriby viij_d._ ob. In emendacione j garth ob. In cena apud

Ledes xvij_d._ In feno et avena ibidem xiij_d._ Item in cena apud Riplay

xvj_d._ In feno et avena ibidem xij_d._ ob. In ferracione equorum apud

Fontans iiij_d._ In ferilay versus Harlsay iiij_d._ In bayting apud

Allertone vj_d._ In vino pro episcopo viij_d._ In pane et feno equorum

apud Helmslay vj_d._ In ferracione equorum apud Novumburgum iij_d._

_Summa_ x_s._ vij_d._

[Sidenote: _Variae expensae ad usum episcopi infra civitatem._]

In primis. In j torchio empto ponderis xij lib. iiij_s._ iij_d._ In j

pilio ix_d._ In j pari cirothecarum linearum iij_d._ In j pari manicarum

iij_d._ In j pari cultellorum xiiij_d._ In j pari calcarium v_d._ Item

pro factura robae xviij_d._ In furura agnina empta pro supertunica

ij_s._ vj_d._ In fururis ex convencione vj_s._ In tortricidiis per totum

tempus viij_d._ In carbone marino vij_d._ In carbone ligneo x_d._ In

paris candelorum iiij_d._ ob. In xxviij paribus cirothecarum emptis pro

vicariis et magistris scolarum iij_s._ iiij_d._ ob. Item pro emendacione

capae cericae ij_d._

_Summa_ xxiij_s._ j_d._

[Sidenote: _Stipendia servientium et equorum._]

In primis Nicholao de Newsome tenori suo xiij_s._ iiij_d._ Et eidem pro

suo equo conducto ij_s._ Item Roberto Dawtry senescallo vj_s._ viij_d._

Et pro predicationibus ejusdem in capella ij_s._ j_d._ ob. Item Johanni

Baynton cantanti medium x_s._ Item Johanni Grene v_s._ Item Johanni Ellay

iij_s._ iiij_d._ Item Johanni Schaptone servienti eidem cum ij equis suis

x_s._ ij_d._ Item Thomae Marschale pro j equo iij_s._ iiij_d._ Item j

sellare pro j equo iij_s._ vj_d._ Item pistori pro j equo iij_s._ vj_d._

Item Ricardo Fowler pro ij equis v_s._

_Summa_ lxvij_s._ xj_d._ ob.

[Sidenote: _Feoda ministrorum in ecclesia ministrancium._]

In primis succentori vicariorum ij_s._ Subcancellario xij_d._ Item

cerae puerorum xij_d._ Item clericis de vestibus xij_d._ Item sacristis

xij_d._ Item pro ornacione cathedrae episcopalis iiij_d._ Item in ligno

pro stallis iiij_d._ Item in denariis communibus xviij_d._ Item custodi

choristarum iij_s._ iiij_d._

_Summa_ xj_s._ vj_d._

Summa totalis Expensarum vj lib. xiiij_s._ x_d._ ob. Et sic Recepta

excedunt expensas xl_s._ vj_d._ ob. ad usum Episcopi.

N

WINTER PROHIBITIONS

I. 190-200. TERTULLIAN.

[From _De Idololatria_ (_Tertulliani Opera_, ed. A.

Reifferscheid and G. Wissowa, in _Corpus Script. Eccles._ xx;

_P. L._ i. 674). Part of the argument of c. 15 is repeated

in _De Corona Militari_, c. 13 (_P. L._ ii. 97). In _De Fuga

in Persecutione_, c. 13 (_P. L._ ii. 119), bribes given by

Christians to avoid persecution are called ‘saturnalitia’ given

to soldiers.]

c. 10. [de ludimagistris]. Ipsam primam novi discipvli stipem Minervae et

honori et nomini consecrat ... quam Minervalia Minervae, quam Saturnalia

Saturni, quae etiam serviculis sub tempore Saturnalium celebrari

necesse est. Etiam strenuae captandae et septimontium, et Brumae et

carae cognationis honoraria exigenda omnia, Florae scholae coronandae:

flaminicea et aediles sacrificant creati; schola honoratur feriis; idem

fit idolo natali: omnis diaboli pompa frequentatur. Quis haec competere

Christiano existimabit, nisi qui putabit convenire etiam non magistris?

c. 14. _Quemadmodum_, inquit, _omnibus per omnia placeo_, nimirum

Saturnalia et Kalendas Ianuarias celebrans hominibus placebat? ...

_Sabbata_, inquit, _vestra et numenias et ceremonias odit anima mea_;

nobis, quibus sabbata extranea sunt et numeniae et feriae a deo aliquando

dilectae, Saturnalia et Ianuariae et Brumae et Matronales frequentantur,

munera commeant et strenae, consonant lusus, convivia constrepunt.

c. 15. Sed luceant, inquit, opera vestra; at nunc lucent tabernae et

ianuae nostrae, plures iam invenias ethnicorum fores sine lucernis et

laureis, quam Christianorum ... ergo, inquis, honor dei est lucernae

pro foribus et laurus in postibus? ... certi enim esse debemus, si quos

latet per ignorantiam litteraturae saecularis, etiam ostiorum deos

apud Romanos, Cardeam a cardinibus appellatam et Forculum a foribus,

et Limentinum a limine et ipsum Ianum a ianua ... si autem sunt qui

in ostiis adorantur, ad eos et lucernae et laureae pertinebunt; idolo

feceris, quicquid ostio feceris ... scis fratrem per visionem eadem nocte

castigatum graviter, quod ianuam eius subito adnuntiatis gaudiis publicis

servi coronassent. Et tamen non ipse coronaverat aut praeceperat; nam

ante processerat et regressus reprehenderat factum ... accendant igitur

quotidie lucernas, quibus lux nulla est; affigant postibus lauros

postmodum arsuras, quibus ignes imminent; illis competunt et testimonia

tenebrarum et auspicia poenarum. Tu lumen es mundi et arbor virens

semper; si templis renuntiasti, ne feceris templum ianuam tuam, minus

dixi; si lupanaribus renuntiasti, ne induaris domui tuae faciem novi

lupanaris.

II. 190-200. TERTULLIAN.

[_Apologeticus_, c. 42 in _P. L._ i. 492.]

Sed si ceremonias tuas non frequento, attamen et illa die homo sum. Non

lavo sub noctem Saturnalibus, ne et noctem et diem perdam: attamen lavo

et debita hora et salubri.

III. †348. PRUDENTIUS.

[_Contra Symmachum_, i. 237 in _P. L._ lx. 139.]

Iano etiam celebri de mense litatur

auspiciis epulisque sacris, quas inveterato

heu! miseri sub honore agitant, et gaudia ducunt

festa Kalendarum.

IV. †370. PACIANUS, BISHOP OF BARCELONA.

[Pacianus, _Paraenesis ad Poenitentiam_ (_P. L._ xiii. 1081).

Jerome, _de Viris illustribus_, c. 106 (_P. L._ xxiii. 703),

says of Pacianus, ‘scripsit varia opuscula, de quibus est

Cervus.’]

Hoc enim, puto, proximus Cervulus ille profecit, ut eo diligentius

fieret, quo impressius notabatur.... Puto, nescierant Cervulum facere,

nisi illis reprehendendo monstrassem.

V. 374-397. ST. AMBROSE.

[From _De Interpellatione Job et David_, ii. 1 (_P. L._ xiv.

813), concluding a passage on the _cervus_ as a type of

David and of Christ. The Benedictine editors think that if

the allusion were to the _Cervulus_, St. Ambrose would have

reprobated it. But in any case it is only a passing allusion.]

Sed iam satis nobis in exordio tractatus, sicut in principio anni, more

vulgi, cervus allusit.

VI. 380-397. ST. CHRYSOSTOM.

[_Oratio Kalendis Habita_ (_P. G._ xlviii. 953). A sermon

preached at Antioch.]

Ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἕτερα κατεπείγοντα ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος ὥρμηται, τὰ σήμερον ὑπὸ τῆς

πόλεως ἁπάσης ἁμαρτηθέντα ... καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἡμῖν πόλεμος συνέστηκε νῦν ...

δαιμόνων πομπευσάντων ἐπὶ τῆς ἀγορᾶς. αἱ γὰρ διαβολικαὶ παννυχίδες αἱ

γινόμεναι τήμερον, καὶ τὰ σκώμματα, καὶ αἱ λοιδορίαι, καὶ αἱ χορεῖαι αἱ

νυκτεριναί, καὶ ἡ καταγέλαστος αὕτη κωμῳδία, παντὸς πολεμίου χαλεπώτερον

τὴν πόλιν ἡμῶν ἐξῃχμαλώτισαν ... περιχαρὴς ἡμῖν ἡ πόλις γέγονε καὶ

φαιδρά, καὶ ἐστεφάνωται, καὶ καθάπερ γυνὴ φιλόκοσμος καὶ πολυτελής,

οὕτως ἡ ἀγορὰ φιλοτίμως ἐκαλλωπίσατο σήμερον, χρυσία περιτιθεμένη,

καὶ ἱσμάτια πολυτελῆ, καὶ ὑποδήματα, καὶ ἕτερά τινα τοιαῦτα, τῶν ἐν

τοῖς ἐργαστηρίοις ἐκάστου τῇ τῶν οἰκείων ἔργων ἐπιδείξει τὸν ὁμότεχνον

παραδραμεῖν φιλονεικοῦντος. Ἀλλ’ αὕτη μὲν ἡ φιλοτιμία, εἰ καὶ παιδικῆς

ἐστι διανοίας, καὶ ψυχῆς οὐδὲν μέγα οὐδὲ ὑψηλὸν φανταζομένης, ἀλλ’

ὅμως οὐ τοσαύτην ἐπισύρεται βλάβην.... Ἀλλ’, ὅπερ ἔφην, οὐ τοσούτων

ἐγκλημάτων ἀξία αὕτη ἡ φιλοτιμία· οἱ δὲ ἐν τοῖς καπηλείοις ἀγῶνες

γινόμενοι τήμερον, οὗτοι μὲν μάλιστα ὀδυνῶσι, καὶ ἀσωτίας καὶ ἀσεβείας

ἐμπεπλημένοι πολλῆς· ἀσεβείας μέν, ὅτι παρατηροῦσιν ἡμέρας οἱ ταῦτα

ποιοῦντες, καὶ οἰωνίζονται, καὶ νομίζουσιν, εἰ τὴν νουμηνίαν τοῦ μηνὸς

τούτου μεθ’ ἡδονῆς καὶ εὐφροσύνης ἐπιτελέσαιεν, καὶ τὸν ἅπαντα τοιοῦτον

ἕξειν ἐνιαυτόν· ἀσωτίας δὲ, ὅτι ὑπὸ τὴν ἕω γυναῖκες καὶ ἄνδρες φιάλας

καὶ ποτήρια πληρώσαντες μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἀσωτίας τὸν ἄκρατον πίνουσι....

Ταῦτα ἀπὸ νουμηνίας φιλοσόφει, ταῦτα ἀπὸ τῆς περιόδου τῶν ἐνιαυτῶν

ἀναμιμνήσκου.... Τὸ παρατηρεῖν ἡμέρας οὐ Χριστιανικῆς φιλοσοφίας, ἀλλ’

Ἑλληνικῆς πλάνης ἐστίν.... Οὐδὲν ἔχεις κοινὸν πρὸς τὴν γῆν, ἔνθα ἡλίου

δρόμοι, καὶ περίοδοι, καὶ ἡμέραι.... Τὸ πρὸς ἡμέρας ἐπτοῆσθαι τοιαύτας,

καὶ πλείονα ἐν αὐταῖς δέχεσθαι ἡδονήν, καὶ λύχνους ἅπτειν ἐπὶ τῆς

ἀγορᾶς, καὶ στεφανώματα πλέκειν, παιδικῆς ἀνοίας ἐστίν.... Μὴ τοίνυν

ἐπὶ τῆς ἀγορᾶς ἀνακαύσῃς πῦρ αἰσθητόν, ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ τῆς διανοίας ἄναψον

φῶς πνευματικόν.... Μὴ τὴν θύραν τῆς οἰκίας στεφανώσῃς, ἀλλὰ τοιαύτην

ἐπίδειξαι πολιτείαν, ὥστε τὸν τῆς δικαιοσύνης στέφανον σῇ κεφαλῇ παρὰ τῆς

τοῦ Χριστοῦ δέξασθαι χειρός.... Ὅταν ἀκούσῃς θορύβους, ἀταξίας καὶ πομπὰς

διαβολικάς, πονηρῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ ἀκολάστων τὴν ἀγορὰν πεπληρωμένην, οἴκοι

μένε, καὶ τῆς ταραχῆς ἀπαλλάττου ταύτης, καὶ ἔμεινας εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ.

VII. 380-397. ST. CHRYSOSTOM.

[_Concio de Lazaro_ 1 (_P. L._, xlviii. 963). Preached at

Antioch on the day after No. vi.]

Τὴν χθὲς ἡμέραν, ἑορτὴν οὖσαν σατανικήν, ἐποιήσατε ὑμεῖς ἑορτὴν

πνευματικήν ... Διπλοῦν τούνυν οὕτω τὸ κέρδος ὑμῖν γέγονεν, ὅτι καὶ τῆς

ἀτάκτου τῶν μεθυόντων ἀπηλλάγητε χορείας, καὶ σκιρτήματα ἐσκιρτήσατε

πνευματικά, πολλὴν εὐταξίαν ἔχοντα· καὶ μετέσχετε κρατῆρος, οὐκ ἄκρατον

ἐκχέοντος, ἀλλὰ διδασκαλίας πεπληρωμένου πνευματικῆς· καὶ αὐλὸς ἐγένεσθε

καὶ κιθάρα τῷ Πνεύματι τῷ ἁγίῳ· καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῷ διαβόλῳ χορευόντων,

ὑμεῖς ... ἐδώκατε τῷ Πνεύματι κροῦσαι τὰς ὑμετέρας ψυχάς.

VIII. 388. ST. JEROME.

[_Comm. in Ephes._ vi. 4 in _P. L._ xxvi. 540.]

Legant episcopi atque presbyteri, qui filios suos saecularibus litteris

erudiunt, et faciunt comoedias legere, et mimorum turpia scripta cantare,

de ecclesiasticis forsitan sumptibus eruditos; et quod in corbonam pro

peccato virgo aut vidua, vel totam substantiam suam effundens quilibet

pauper obtulerat, hoc kalendariam strenam, et Saturnalitiam sportulam et

Minervale munus grammaticus, et orator, aut in sumptus domesticos, aut in

templi stipes, aut in sordida scorta convertit.

IX. †396. ASTERIUS OF AMASEA.

[_Sermo adv. Kal. Festum_, in _P. G._ xl. 215.]

Δύο κατὰ ταυτὸν ἑορταὶ συνέδραμον ἐπὶ τῆς χθιζῆς καὶ τῆς ἐνεστώσης

ἡμέρας, οὐ σύμφωνοί τε καὶ ἀδελφοί, πᾶν δὲ τοὐναντίον ἐχθρῶς τε καὶ

ἐναντίως ἔχουσαι πρὸς ἀλλήλας. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἐστι τοῦ ἔξωθεν συρφετοῦ, πολὺ

συνάγουσα τοῦ μαμωνᾶ τὸ ἀργύριον ... φιλεῖται μὲν τὸ στόμα, ἀγαπᾶται δὲ

τὸ νόμισμα· τὸ σχῆμα διαθέσεως, καὶ τὸ ἔργον πλεονεξίας ... τὰ δὲ ἄλλα

πῶς ἄν τις εἴποι; μὴ καὶ ἐκκαλυψάμενος γυναικίζεται ὁ ἀριστεύς; κ.τ.λ.

X. 387-430. ST. AUGUSTINE.

[_Sermo_ cxcviii in _P. L._ xxxviii. 1024. In _Sermones_ cxcvi

and cxcvii Augustine also attacks the Calends, but in more

general terms.]

Et modo si solemnitas gentium, quae fit hodierno die in laetitia saeculi

atque carnali, in strepitu vanissimarum et turpissimarum cantionum,

in conviviis et saltationibus turpibus, in celebratione ipsius falsae

festivitatis, si ea quae agunt gentes non vos delectent, congregabimini

ex gentibus.... Qui ergo aliud credit, aliud sperat, aliud amat, vita

probet, factis ostendat. Acturus es celebrationem strenarum, sicut

paganus, lusurus alea, et inebriaturus te: quomodo aliud credis, aliud

speras, aliud amas?... Noli te miscere gentibus similitudine morum

atque factorum. Dant illi strenas, date vos eleemosynas. Avocantur illi

cantionibus luxuriarum, avocate vos sermonibus scripturarum: currunt illi

ad theatrum, vos ad ecclesiam; inebriantur illi, vos ieiunate. Si hodie

non potestis ieiunare, saltem cum sobrietate prandete.... Sed dicis mihi;

quando strenas do, mihi accipio et ego. Quid ergo, quando das pauperi,

nihil accipis?... Etenim illa daemonia delectantur canticis vanitatis,

delectantur nugatorio spectaculo, et turpitudinibus variis theatrorum,

insania circi, crudelitate amphitheatri, certaminibus animosis eorum qui

pro pestilentibus hominibus lites et contentiones usque ad inimicitias

suscipiunt, pro mimo, pro histrione, pro pantomimo, pro auriga, pro

venatore. Ista facientes, quasi thura ponunt daemoniis de cordibus suis.

XI. †400. SEVERIAN.

[_Homilia de Pythonibus et Maleficis_ (Mai, _Spicilegium

Romanum_, x. 222). The author’s name is given as Severian.

A Severian was bishop of Gabala in Syria †400, a prolific

preacher and an opponent of St. Chrysostom in Constantinople.

It seems, however, a little hazardous to ascribe to him a Latin

homily.]

Ecce veniunt dies, ecce kalendae veniunt, et tota daemonum pompa

procedit, idolorum tota producitur officina, et sacrilegio vetusto

anni novitas consecratur. Figurant Saturnum, faciunt Iovem, formant

Herculem, exponunt cum venantibus suis Dianam, circumducunt Vulcanum

verbis haletantem turpitudines suas, et plura, quorum, quia portenta

sunt, nomina sunt tacenda; quorum deformitates quia natura non habet,

creatura nescit, fingere ars laborat. Praeterea vestiuntur homines in

pecudes, et in feminas viros vertunt, honestatem rident, violant iudicia,

censuram publicam rident, inludunt saeculo teste, et dicunt se facientes

ista iocari. Non sunt ioca, sed sunt crimina. In idola transfiguratur

homo. Et, si ire ad idola crimen est, esse idolum quid videtur?... Namque

talium deorum facies ut pernigrari possint, carbo deficit; et ut eorum

habitus pleno cumuletur horrore, paleae, pelles, panni, stercora, toto

saeculo perquiruntur, et quidquid est confusionis humanae, in eorum facie

collocatur.

XII. 408-410. ST. JEROME.

[_Comm. in Isaiam_, lxv. 11 (_P. L._ xxiv. 638).]

_Et vos qui dereliquistis Dominum, et obliti estis montem sanctum meum.

Qui ponitis fortunae mensam et libatis super eam_.... Est autem in

cunctis urbibus, et maxime in Aegypto, et in Alexandria idololatriae

vetus consuetudo, ut ultimo die anni et mensis eorum qui extremus est,

ponant mensam refertam varii generis epulis, et poculum mulso mixtum, vel

praeteriti anni, vel futuri fertilitatem auspicantes. Hoc autem faciebant

Israelitae, omnium simulacrorum portenta venerantes: et nequaquam altari

victimas, sed huiusce modi mensae liba fundebant.

XIII. †412-†465. MAXIMUS OF TURIN.

[_Homilia_ ciii, _de Calendis Gentilium_ (_P. L._ lvii. 491).]

Bene quodammodo Deo providente dispositum est, ut inter medias gentilium

festivitates Christus Dominus oriretur, et inter ipsas tenebrosas

superstitiones errorum veri luminis splendor effulgeret.... Quis enim

sapiens, qui dominici Natalis sacramentum colit, non ebrietatem condemnet

Saturnalium, non declinet lasciviam calendarum?... Sunt plerique, qui

trahentes consuetudinem de veteri superstitione vanitatis, calendarum

diem pro summa festivitate procurent; et sic laetitiam habere velint,

ut sit magis illis tristitia. Nam ita lasciviunt, ita vino et epulis

satiantur, ut qui toto anno castus et temperans fuerit, illa die sit

temulentus atque pollutus; et quod nisi ita fecerit, putet perdidisse

se ferias; quia non intelligit per tales se ferias perdidisse salutem.

Illud autem quale est, quod surgentes mature ad publicum cum munusculo,

hoc est, cum strenis unusquisque procedit; et salutaturus amicos, salutat

praemio antequam osculo? ... Adhuc et ipsam munificentiam strenas

vocant, cum magis strenuum, quod——cogitur.... Hoc autem quale est quod,

interposita die, tali inani exordio, velut incipientes vivere, aut

auspicia colligant, omniaque perquirant; et exinde totius anni sibi vel

prosperitatem, vel tristitiam metiuntur? ... Hoc autem malis suis addunt,

ut quasi de auspicatione domum redeuntes ramusculos gestent in manibus,

scilicet pro omine, ut vel onusti ad hospitium redeant.

XIV. †412-†465. MAXIMUS OF TURIN.

[_Homilia_ xvi, _de Cal. Ian._ (_P. L._ lvii. 255).]

Quamquam non dubitem vos ... universas calendarum supervenientium

vanitates declinare penitus et horrere ... necessarium, nec superfluum

reor ... precedentium patrum vobis repetantur alloquia.... Et illorum

gravior atque immedicabilis languor est, qui superstitionum furore et

ludorum suavitate decepti sub specie sanitatis insaniunt. An non omnia

quae a ministris daemonum illis aguntur diebus falsa sunt et insana,

cum vir, virium suarum vigore mollito, totum se frangit in feminam,

tantoque illud ambitu atque arte agit, quasi poeniteat illum esse,

quod vir est? Numquid non universa ibi falsa sunt et insana, cum se

a Deo formati homines, aut in pecudes, aut in feras, aut in portenta

transformant? Numquid non omnem excedit insaniam, cum decorem vultus

humani Dei specialiter manibus in omnem pulchritudinem figuratum,

squalore sordium et adulterina foeditate deturpant? ... Post omnia, ad

offensionis plenitudinem, dies ipsos annum novum vocant.... Novum annum

Ianuarias appellant calendas, cum vetusto semper errore et horrore

sordescant. Auspicia etiam vanissimi colligere se dicunt, ac statum vitae

suae inanibus indiciis aestimantes, per incerta avium ferarumque signa

imminentis anni futura rimantur.

XV. †412-†465. MAXIMUS OF TURIN?

[_Sermo_ vi, _de Cal. Ian._ (_P. L._ lvii. 543). The _Sermo_

is ascribed to Maximus in three good MSS. and the style agrees

with his. Other MSS. give it to St. Augustine or St. Ambrose,

and it is printed in the Benedictine edition of the latter’s

works (_Sermo_ vii. in _P. L._ xvii. 617). The editors,

however, do not think it his.]

Est mihi adversus plerosque vestrum, fratres, querela non modica: de

iis loquor qui nobiscum natale Domini celebrantes gentilium se feriis

dediderunt, et post illud coeleste convivium superstitionis sibi prandium

praepararunt.... Quomodo igitur potestis religiose Epiphaniam Domini

procurare, qui Iani calendas quantum in vobis est devotissime celebratis?

Ianus enim homo fuit unius conditor civitatis, quae Ianiculum nuncupatur,

in cuius honore a gentibus calendae sunt Ianuariae nuncupatae; unde qui

calendas Ianuarias colit peccat, quoniam homini mortuo defert divinitatis

obsequium. Inde est quod ait Apostolus: _Dies observastis, et menses,

et tempora, et annos; timeo ne sine causa laboraverim in vobis._

Observavit enim diem et mensem qui his diebus aut non ieiunavit, aut ad

Ecclesiam non processit. Observavit diem qui hesterna die non processit

ad ecclesiam, processit ad campum. Ergo, fratres, omni studio gentilium

festivitatem et ferias declinemus, ut quando illi epulantur et laeti

sunt, nunc nos simus sobrii, atque ieiuni, quo intelligant laetitiam suam

nostra abstinentia condemnari.

XVI. _Fifth century._ ST. PETER CHRYSOLOGUS.

[_Sermo_ clv in _P. L._ lii. 609.]

Ubi nostram Christus pie natus est ad salutem, mox diabolus divinae

bonitati numerosa genuit et perniciosa portenta, ut ridiculum de

religione componeret, in sacrilegium verteret sanctitatem.... Quorum

formant adulteria in simulacris, quorum fornicationes imaginibus mandant,

quorum titulant incesta picturis, quorum crudelitates commendant

libris, quorum parricidia tradunt saeculis, quorum impietates personant

tragoediis, quorum obscaena ludunt, hos qua dementia deos crederent, nisi

quia criminum desiderio, amore scelerum possidentur, deos exoptant habere

criminosos?... Haec diximus, quare gentiles hodie faciant deos suos talia

committere, quae sustinemus, et faciant tales qui videntibus et horrori

sunt et pudori; faciant ut eos aliquando et ipsi qui faciunt horreant

et relinquant, et Christiani glorientur a talibus se liberatos esse per

Christum: si modo non eorum ex spectaculis polluantur.... Et si tanta

est de assensione damnatio, quis satis lugeat eos qui simulacra faciunt

semetipsos?... Qui se deum facit, Deo vero contradictor existit; imaginem

Dei portare noluit, qui idoli voluerit portare personam; qui iocari

voluerit cum diabolo, non poterit gaudere cum Christo.... Abstrahat ergo

pater filium, servum dominus, parens parentem, civem civis, homo hominem,

Christianus omnes qui se bestiis compararunt, exaequarunt iumentis,

aptaverunt pecudibus, daemonibus formaverunt.

XVII. 470-542. CAESARIUS OF ARLES?

[_Sermo Pseud.-Augustin._ cxxix _de Kal. Ian._ in _P. L._

xxxix. 2001. Parts of this sermon are reproduced ‘mutatis

mutandis’ in the eighth-century Frankish _Homilia de

Sacrilegiis_ (§§ 23-26), edited by Caspari (cf. No. xxxix,

below), and also in a MS. homily, _De Kalendis Ianuariis_, in

_Cod. Lat. Monac._ 6108 (tenth century), f. 48ᵛ. The rest of

that homily is mainly from Maximus Taurinensis, _Hom._ 16 (No.

xiv, above). And nearly the whole of the present _Sermo_ is

included in the _Homiliarium_ of Burchardus of Würzburg and

printed from his MS. by Eckart, _Francia Orientalis_, i. 837.

On the date and authorship of the _Sermo_, cf. Caspari, 67. It

is ascribed to Augustine by a _Codex Colbertinus_. His editors,

Blancpain and Coutant, treat it as not his (_a_) on account

of the difference of style, (_b_) on account of the reference

to the _ieiunium_ prescribed by the _sancti antiqui patres_

(i.e. amongst others, Augustine himself: cf. No. x). A _Codex

Aceiensis_ ascribes it to Faustinus (i.e. Faustus of Raji), and

this is accepted by the Bollandists (_Acta SS. Ian._ i. 2),

and by Eckart, _op. cit._ i. 433. Finally a _codex Navarricus_

assigns it to Maxentius. This can hardly be the Scythian monk

of that name (†520). Caspari suggests that there has been a

scribal error. The _sermo_ is headed ‘De natali Domini. In

calendis ianuariis.’ There is nothing about the Nativity in

it, and possibly a Nativity sermon and the author’s name of

the Kalends sermon which followed it have dropped out. He

also thinks Maximus Taurinensis may be meant. However Caspari

finally agrees with Blancpain and Coutant, that the style and

the allusion to the _triduum ieiunii_ so closely resembling

that of the Council of Tours (No. xxii) point to a writer of

the first half of the sixth century, and that he may very

likely be Caesarius of Arles, who, as his _Vita_ (cf. No. xx)

states, did preach against the Kalends.]