History of English Literature Volume 1 (of 3)Taine, Hippolyte
History
History of English Literature Volume 1 (of 3)
Taine, Hippolyte
English literature -- History and criticism
"First, all the wilde heades of the parishe, conventying together, chuse
them a ground capitaine of mischeef, whan they innoble with the title of
my Lorde of Misserule, and hym they crown with great solemnitie, and
adopt for their kyng. This kyng anoynted, chuseth for the twentie,
fourtie, three score, or a hundred lustie guttes like to hymself to
waite uppon his lordely maiestie.... Then have they their hobbie horses,
dragons, and other antiques, together with their baudie pipers and
thunderyng drommers, to strike up the devilles daunce withall: then
marche these heathen companie towardes the churche and churche-yarde,
their pipers pipyng, their drommers thonderyng, their stumppes dauncyng,
their belles rynglyng, their handkerchefes swyngyng about their heads
like madmen, their hobbie horses and other monsters skirmishyng amongest
the throng; and in this sorte they goe to the churche (though the
minister be at praier or preachyng), dauncyng, and swingyng their
handkercheefes over their heades, in the churche, like devilles
incarnate, with such a confused noise, that no man can heare his owne
voice. Then the foolishe people they looke, they stare, they laugh, they
fleere, and mount upon formes and pewes, to see these goodly pageauntes,
solemnized in this sort. Then after this, aboute the churche they goe
againe and againe, and so forthe into the churche-yarde, where they have
commonly their sommer haules, their bowers, arbours, and banquettyng
houses set up, wherein they feaste, banquet, and daunce all that daie,
and peradventure all that night too. And thus these terrestriall furies
spend the Sabbaoth daie!... An other sorte of fantasticall fooles bringe
to these helhoundes (the Lorde of Misrule and his complices) some bread,
some good ale, some newe cheese, some olde cheese, some custardes, some
cakes, some flaunes, some tartes, some creame, some meate, some one
thing, some an other."
He continues thus:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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