"_Cryer_--The poor old man upon St. Thomas his day was arraigned, condemned, and after conviction cast into prison amongst the King's Souldiers; fearing to be hanged, or some other execution to be done upon him, and got out at so narrow a passage, between two Iron Bars of a Window, that nothing but onely his old gray beard and hoarie haire of his head stuck there, but nothing else to be seen of him; and, if you will have that, compound for it, lest it be sold among the sequestred goods, or burnt with the next Popish pictures, by the hand of the hangman. "_Lady_--But is old, old, good old Christmas gone? Nothing but the hair of his good, grave old head and beard left! Well I will have that, seeing I cannot have more of him, one lock whereof will serve _Mr. Woodcock_ for a token. But what is the event of his departure? "_Cryer_--The poor are sory for it, for they go to every door a-begging as they were wont to do (_Good Mrs., somewhat against this good Time_); but Time was transformed (_Away, begone, here is not for you_); and so they, instead of going to the Ale-house to be drunk, were fain to work all the Holidayes. The Schollers came into the Hall, where their hungry stomacks had thought to have found good Brawn and Christmas pies, Roast Beef and Plum-porridge; but no such matter. Away, ye prophane, these are superstitious meats; your stomacks must be fed with wholesome doctrine. Alas, poor tallow-faced Chandlers, I met them mourning through the streets, and complaining that they could get no vent for their Mustard, for want of Brawn. "_Lady_--Well, if ever the Catholiques or Bishops rule again in England, they will set the Church dores open on Christmas day, and we shall have Masse at the High Altar, as was used when the day was first instituted, and not have the holy Eucharist barred out of School, as School boyes do their Masters against the festival![7] What! shall we have our mouths shut to welcome old Christmas? No, no, bid him come by night over the Thames, and we will have a back door open to let him in. I will, myself, give him his diet for one year, to try his fortune this time twelve month, it may prove better." [Footnote 7: This Saturnalia of barring out the Schoolmaster at Christmas--just before breaking up--was in use certainly as late as 1888. Vide _Notes and Queries_, 7th series, vol. vi. p. 484.] CHAPTER V The popular love of Christmas--Riots at Ealing and Canterbury--Evelyn's Christmas days, 1652 '3 '4 '5 '7--Cromwell and Christ-tide--The Restoration--Pepys and Christmas day, 1662--"The Examination and Tryal of old Father Christmas."