On Twelfth Day they chose a king by lottery of the Cake: the king was lifted up on the hands of the others while he traced the sign of the Cross upon every rafter in the roof. This blessed sign kept off Devils. Another singular custom on this day was that the master of the house at eventide set down a loaf of bread on the hearth, and strewed frankincense on a pan of coals. He then, followed by the whole of his household, inhaled the fumes. This was to keep them all during the year to come from toothache, earache, or any malady of the eyes and nose. When all had thus fortified themselves, they took up the loaf and the pan of coals and bore them round the house. In so simple a way were they enabled to insure themselves against want of food and the power of witches. On Candlemas Day, 2nd February, every one offered a taper. These tapers were sovereign for keeping off ghosts, lightning, storm, and tempest. On the day of St. Blasius, they procured, at great cost, water made holy by being passed through one of the Saint’s bones. Barrels of this water were sold. Valentine’s Day they observed with zeal; says John Lydgate:— “Seynte Valentyn, of custom yeere by yeere Men have an usance in this regioun, To loke and serche Cupid’s Kalendere, And chose theyr choyse by grete affectioun: Such as ben prike with Cupid’s nocioun, Takyng theyr choyse as theyre sort doth falle: But I love oone which excellith alle.” Shrove Tuesday brought a very madness of revelry: the people dressed up like wild beasts and ran about the streets; they danced; they made shows; they feasted and drank. The street processions did not end with Shrove Tuesday, they were carried over to Ash Wednesday, when every one paraded the streets carrying a herring on a pole and singing doggerel. And the approach of spring was celebrated by the following rough sport, evidently an ancient custom:— “In some place all the youthful flocke with minstrels doe repaire, And out of every house they pluck the girles and maidens faire; And them to plough they straitway put, with whip one doth them hit: Another holds the plough in hand: the Minstrel here doth sit Amid the same and drunken songs with gaping mouth he sings Whom foloweth one that sows out sande, or ashes fondly flings. When thus they through the streets have plaied, the man that gardeth all Doth drive both plough and maidens through some pond or river small: And dabbled all with dirt, and wringing wet as they may bee To supper calls and after that to dancing lustilee.”