In all which
space there were fine and subtle disguisings, masks, and mummeries, with
playing at cards for counters, nails, and points, in every house, more
for pastime than for gain.
Against the feast of Christmas every man's house, as also the parish
churches, were decked with holm, ivy, bays, and whatsoever the season of
the year afforded to be green. The conduits and standards in the
streets were likewise garnished; amongst the which I read, in the year
1444, that by tempest of thunder and lightning, on the 1st of February,
at night, Paule's Steeple was fired, but with great labour quenched; and
towards the morning of Candlemas Day, at the Leadenhall in Cornhill, a
standard of tree being set up in midst of the pavement, fast in the
ground, nailed full of holm and ivy, for disport of Christmas to the
people, was torn up, and cast down by the malignant spirit (as was
thought), and the stones of the pavement all about were cast in the
streets, and into divers houses, so that the people were sore aghast of
the great tempests.
In the week before Easter, had ye great shows made for the fetching in
of a twisted tree, or with, as they termed it, out of the woods into the
king's house; and the like into every man's house of honour or worship.
In the month of May, namely, on May-day in the morning, every man,
except impediment, would walk into the sweet meadows and green woods,
there to rejoice their spirits with the beauty and savour of sweet
flowers, and with the harmony of birds, praising God in their kind; and
for example hereof, Edward Hall hath noted, that King Henry VIII.
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