University of Virginia Library

XXIII.
A Christmas Piece

of garnered rhyme, from hidden stores of olden time, that
since the language did begin, have welcomed merry
Christmas in, and made the winter nights so long, fleet
by on wings of wine and song; for when the snow is on
the roof, the house within is sorrow proof, if yule clog
blazes on the hearth, and cups and hearts o'er-brim with
mirth. Then bring the wassail to the board, with nuts
and fruit—the winter's hoard; and bid the children take
off shoe, to hang their stockings by the flue; and let the
clear and frosty sky, set out its brightest jewelry, to show
old Santa Claus the road, so he may ease his gimcrack
load. And with the coming of these times, we'll add
some old and lusty rhymes, that suit the festive season
well, and sound as sweet as Christmas bell. And here's a
stave from rare old Ben, who wrote with most melodious
pen:

And here's from that Bricklayer's pate, a stave that's
most appropriate; for when the Christmas chimes begin,
to eat and drink we count no sin; as sexton at the rope
doth pull, it cries, “Oh, bell! bell! bell-y-full!”

Now just bethink of castle gate, where humble midnight
mummers wait, to try if voices, one and all, can
rouse the tipsy seneschal, to give them bread and beer
and brawn, for tidings of the Christmas morn; or bid each
yelper clear his throat, with water of the castle moat; for
thus they used, by snow and torch, to rear their voices
at the porch:

And here's a Christmas carol meant for children, and
most excellent, and though the monk that wrote it was
hung, yet still his verses may be sung.

And here's a song so pure and bright, it may be read
on Christmas night, unless the moon her light do lack,
for which consult the almanae:

And here is something quaint and tough, for such as
have not had enough: a Christmas carol, that was done
in 16 hundred twenty 1:

And here are several hints to show, how Christmas
oustoms first did grow, for as the holy fathers say, some
Pagan tricks we Christians play, and prove that Yule and
Christmas box, are not precisely orthodox, for so we quote
and understand,

ANTIQUITIES FROM FATHER BRAND.

In the Primitive Church, Christmas-Day was always
observed as the Lord's-Day was, and was in like Manner

preceded by an Eve or Vigil. Hence it is that our
Church hath ordered an Eve before it, which is observed
by the Religious, as a Day of Preparation for that great
Festival.

Our Fore-Fathers, when the common Devotions of the
Eve were over, and Night was come on, were wont to
light up Candles of an uncommon Size, which were called
Christmas-Candles, and to lay a Log of Wood upon the
fire, which they termed a Yale-Clog or Christmas-Block
These were to Illuminate the House, and turn the Night
into Day; which Custom, in some Measure, is still kept
up in the Northern Parts.

The Apostles were the Light of the World; and as
our Saviour was frequently called Light, so was his
Coming into the World signified, and pointed out by the
Emblems of Light: “It was then,” (says our Countryman
Gregory) “the longest Night in all the Year; and it was
the midst of that, and yet there was Day where he was:
For a glorious and betokening Light shined round about
this Holy Child. So says Tradition, and so the Masters
describe the Night Piece of the Nativity.” If this be
called in Question, as being only Tradition, it is out of
Dispute, that the Light which illummated the Fields of
Bethlehem, and shone round about the Shepherds as they
were watching their Flocks, was an Emblem of that
Light, which was then come into the World. “What can
be the Meaning,” says venerable Bede, “that this Appartion
of Angels was surrounded with that heavenly Light,

which is a Thing we never meet with in all the Old
Testament? For tho' Angels have appeared to Prophets
and holy Men, yet we never read of their Appearing in
such Glory and Splendor before. It must surely be, because
this Privilege was reserved for the Dignity of this
Time. For when the true Light of the World, was born
in the World, it was very proper that the Proclaimer of
His Nativity, should appear in the Eyes of Men, in such
an heavenly Light, as was before unseen in the World.
And that supernatural Star, which was the Guide of the
Eastern Magi, was a Figure of that Star, which was
risen out of Jacob; of that Light which should lighten the
Gentiles.” “God,” says Bishop Taylor, “sent a miraculous
Star, to invite and lead them to a new and more
glorious Light, the Light of Grace and Glory.”

In Imitation of this, as Gregory tells us, the Church
went on with the Ceremony: And hence it was, that for
the three or four First Centuries, the whole Eastern
Church called the Day, which they observed for our
Saviour's Nativity, the Epiphany or Manifestation of the
Light. And Cassian tells us, that it was a Custom in
Egypt, handed down by Tradition, as soon as the Epiphj
any, or Day of Light was over, &c. Hence also came
that ancient Custom of the same Church, taken Notice of
by St. Jerome, of lighting up Candles at the Reading of
the Gospel, even at Noon-Day; and that, not to drive
away the Darkness, but to speak their Joy for the good
Tidings of the Gospel, and be an Emblem of that Light,

which the Psalmist says, was a Lamp uuto his Feet and
a Light unto his Paths.

The Yule-Dough (or Dow), was a kind of Baby or
little Image of Paste, which our Bakers used formerly to
bake at this Season, and present to their Customers, in
the same manner as the Chandlers gave Christmas
Candles. They are called Yule-Cakes in the county of
Durham. I find in the antient Calendar of the Romish
Church, that at Rome, on the Vigil of the Nativity,
Sweetmeats were presented to the Fathers in the Vatican,
and that all Kinds of little Images (no doubt of Paste)
were to be found at the Confectioners' Shops.

There is the greatest Probability that we have had
from hence both our Yule-Doughs and Mince Pies, the
latter of which are still in common Use at this Season.
The Yule-Dough has perhaps been intended for an Im
age of the Child Jesus. It is now, if I mistake not,
pretty generally laid aside, or at most retained only by
Children.

J. Boëmus Aubanus tells us, that in Franconia, on the
three Thursday Nights preceding the Nativity of our
Lord, it is customary for the Youth of both Sexes to go
from House to House, knocking at the Doors, singing
their Christmas Carrols, and wishing a happy new Year.
They get in Return from the Houses they stop at, Pears,
Apples, Nuts, and even Money.

Little Troops of Boys and Girls still go about in this
very Manner at Newcastle, some few Nights before, on

the Night of the Eve of this Day, and on that of the Day
itself. The Hagmena[3] is still preserved among them.
They still conclude, too, with wishing “a merry Christ,
mas, and a happy new Year.”

We are told in the Athenian Oracle, that the Christ
mas Box Money is derived from hence. The Romish
Priests had Masses said for almost every Thing: If a
ship went out to the Indies, the Priests had a Box in her-under
the Protection of some Saint: And for Masses, as
their Cant was, to be said for them to that Saint, &c.,
the poor People must put in something into the Priests'
Box, which is not to be opened till the Ship return.

The Mass at that time was called Christmas; the Box,
Christmas Box, or Money gathered against that Time,
that Masses might be made by the Priests to the Saints
to forgive the people the Debaucheries of that Time; and
from this Servants had the Liberty to get Box Money.
that they too might be enabled to pay the Priest for his
Masses, knowing well the Truth of the Proverb:

Another Custom observed at this Season, is the adorning
of Windows with Bay and Laurel. It is but seldom
observed in the North, but in the Southern-Parts it is
very Common, particularly at our Universities; where it
is Customary to adorn, not only the Common Windows

of the Town, and of the Colleges, but also to bedeck the
Chapels of the Colleges, with Branches of Laurel.

The Laurel was used among the ancient Romans, as
an Emblem of several Things, and in particular, of Peace,
and Joy, and Victory. And I imagine, it has been used
at this Season by Christians, as an Emblem of the same
Things; as an Emblem of Joy for the Victory gain'd over
the Powers of Darkness, and of that Peace on Earth, that
Good-will towards Men, which the Angels sung over the
Fields of Bethlehem.

It has been made use of by the Non Conformists, as
an Argument against Cermonies, that the second Council
of Bracara, Can. 73, forbad Christians “to deck their
Houses with Bay Leaves and Green Boughs.” But the
Council does not mean, that it was wrong in Christians
to make use of these Things, but only “at the same Time
with the Pagans, when they observed and solemnized their
Paganish Pastime and Worship. And of this Prohibition,
they give this Reason in the same Canon; Omnis hœc
observatio paganismi est. All this kind of Custom doth
hold of Paganism; Because the outward Practice of
Heathenish Rites, perform'd jointly with the Pagans
themselves, could not but imply a Consent in Paganism.”

But at present, there is no hazard of any such Thing.
It may be an Emblem of Joy to us, without confirming
any, in the practice of Heathenism. The Time, the
Place, and the Reasons of the Ceremony, are so widely

different, that, tho' formerly, to have observed it, would
unquestionably have been a Sin, it is now become harmless,
comely, and decent.

So here we close our prose and rhyme, and end the
Chrismas pantomime, with wishing health and happy
cheer, to you through all the coming year, and prosperous
times in every State, for eighteen hundred sixty-eight.