amongst their neighbours. The chief rustic festival, however, was appointed for the first of May, on which day the May-pole was drawn to the village green by several oxen, whose horns were decorated with bunches of flowers, and accompanied by a joyous band of revellers, who after its erection on the accustomed site held their jubilee of feasting and dancing around it. The pole itself was covered with floral garlands, and streamed with flags and handkerchiefs from its summit. A Lord and Lady, or Queen, of May were elected by a general vote, and to them belonged the honour of presiding over the festivities. The costumes of these pseudo-regal personages were liberally adorned with scarfs and ribbons, so that their appearances should be in unison with the rest of the gay preparations. The morris-dance formed an important feature of the festival, and the performers in that somewhat vigorous exercise wore richly decorated habits on to which small bells, varying in tone, had been fastened. The new year was ushered in with feasting and joviality, whilst friendly interchanges of presents took place amongst all classes. In the evening, a huge wassail-bowl filled with spiced ale was carried to the different houses of the villages, and all who quaffed its exhilarating contents drank prosperity to the coming year, and rewarded the cup-bearers, usually female farm-servants, with some small donation; the following carol in a more antique form, or some similar one, was sung on the occasion:— “Good Dame, here at your door, Our Wassel we begin, We are all maidens poor, We pray now let us in, With our Wassel. “Our Wassel we do fill, With apples and with spice, Then grant us your good will To taste here once or twice Of our Wassel. ... “Some bounty from your hands Our Wassel to maintain. We’ll buy no house nor lands With that which we do gain, With our Wassel.”