Part 12 (1/2)
[41] Introduction to ”Christmas Carols.”
[42] Hall's ”Chronicle.”
[43] Baker's ”Chronicle.”
[44] Hall's ”Chronicle.”
[45] Peter Bayne, LL. D.
[46] Wood's ”Athenae Oxonienses.”
[47] ”History of English Poetry.”
[48] Dugdale, ”Origines Juridiciales.”
_CHAPTER VII._
CHRISTMAS UNDER EDWARD VI., MARY, AND ELIZABETH.
(1547-1603.)
CHRISTMAS UNDER KING EDWARD VI.--GEORGE FERRERS ”MASTER OF THE KING'S PASTIMES.”
During the short reign of the youthful monarch Edward the Sixth (1547-1553), the splendour of the Royal Christmases somewhat abated, though they were still continued; and the King being much grieved at the condemnation of the Duke of Somerset, his uncle and Protector, it was thought expedient to divert his mind by additional pastimes at the Christmas festival, 1551-2. ”It was devised,” says Holinshed, ”that the feast of Christ's nativitie, commonlie called Christma.s.se, then at hand, should be solemnlie kept at Greenwich, with open houshold, and franke resort to Court (which is called keeping of the hall), what time of old ordinarie course there is alwaise one appointed to make sport in the court, commonlie Lord of Misrule; whose office is not unknown to such as have been brought up in n.o.blemen's houses, and among great housekeepers, who use liberall feasting in that season.
There was therefore by order of the Councell, a wise gentleman, and learned, named George Ferrers, appointed to that office for this yeare; who, being of better credit and estimation than comonlie his predecessors had been before, received all his commissions and warrants by the name of the maister of the King's pastimes. Which gentleman so well supplied his office, both in show of sundry sights and devices of rare inventions, and in act of diverse interludes, and matters of pastime plaied by persons, as not onlie satisfied the common sort, but also were verie well liked and allowed by the Councell, and other of skill in the like pastimes; but best of all by the young King himselfe, as appeered by his princelie liberalitie in rewarding that service.” The old chronicler quaintly adds, that ”Christmas being thus pa.s.sed with much mirth and pastime, it was thought now good to proceed to the execution of the judgment against the Duke of Somerset.” The day of execution was the 22nd of January, 1552, six weeks after the pa.s.sing of the sentence.
King Edward took part in some of the Christmas masques performed at his Court, with other youths of his age and stature, all the performers being suitably attired in costly garments. Will Somers also figured in some of these masques. The young King seems to have found more amus.e.m.e.nt in the pageants superintended by Master Ferrers than he had gained from some of the solemnities of the state in which he had been obliged to play a prominent part; but none of the diversions restored him to good health. Large sums of money were expended on these Christmas entertainments, and the King handsomely rewarded the Master of his pastimes.
George Ferrers, who was a lawyer, a poet, and an historian, was certainly well qualified for his task, and well supplied with the means of making sport, as ”Master of the King's Pastimes.” He complained to Sir Thomas Cawarden that the dresses provided for his a.s.sistants were not sufficient, and immediately an order was given for better provision. He provided clowns, jugglers, tumblers, men to dance the fool's dance, besides being a.s.sisted by the ”Court Fool” of the time--John Smyth. This man was newly supplied for the occasion, having a long fool's coat of yellow cloth of gold, fringed all over with white, red, and green velvet, containing 7 yards at 2 per yard, guarded with plain yellow cloth of gold, 4 yards at 33s. 4d. per yard; with a hood and a pair of buskins of the same figured gold containing 2 yards at 5, and a girdle of yellow sa.r.s.enet containing one quarter 16d., the whole value of ”the fool's dress” being 26 14s. 8d.
Ferrers, as the ”Lord of Misrule” wore a robe of rich stuff made of silk and golden thread containing 9 yards at 16s. a yard, guarded with embroidered cloth of gold, wrought in knots, 14 yards at 11s. 4d. a yard; having fur of red feathers, with a cape of camlet thrum. A coat of flat silver, fine with works, 5 yards at 50s., with an embroidered garb of leaves of gold and coloured silk, containing 15 yards at 20s.
a yard. He wore a cap of maintenance, hose buskins, panticles of Bruges satin, a girdle of yellow sa.r.s.enet with various decorations, the cost of his dress being 52 8s. 8d., which, considering the relative value of money, must be considered a very costly dress.
The office which George Ferrers so ably filled had been too often held by those who possessed neither the wit nor the genius it required; but, originally, persons of high rank and ability had been chosen to perform these somewhat difficult duties. Ferrers received 100 for the charges of his office; and afterwards the Lord Mayor, who probably had been at the Royal festival, entertained him in London. The cost of the Royal festivities exceeded 700.
Stowe, in his ”Annals,” thus refers to the celebration: ”The King kept his Christma.s.se with open houshold at Greenwich, George Ferrers, Gentleman of Lincolnes Inne, being Lord of the merry Disports all the 12 dayes, who so pleasantly and wisely behaved himselfe, that the King had great delight in his pastimes. On Monday the fourth of January, the said Lord of Merry Disports came by water to London, and landed at the Tower-wharfe, entered the Tower, and then rode through the Tower-streete, where he was received by Sergeant Vawce, Lord of Misrule to John Mainard, one of the Sheriffes of London, and so conducted through the Citie with a great company of young Lords and gentlemen, to the house of Sir George Barne, Lord Maior; where he, with the chiefe of his company dined, and after had a great banquet; and, at his departure, the Lord Maior gave him a standing cup, with a cover of silver and gilt, of the value of ten pounds, for a reward; and also set a hogs-head of wine, and a barrell of beere, at his gate, for his traine that followed him; the residue of his gentlemen and servants dined at other Aldermen's houses, and with the sheriffes, and so departed to the Tower wharfe againe, and to the Court by water, to the great commendation of the Maior and Aldermen, and highly accepted of the King and Councell.”
RELIGIOUS MATTERS
occupied public attention throughout the reign of Edward VI.
The young king was willing to support the reforming projects of Archbishop Cranmer, and a.s.sented to the publication of the new Liturgy in the Prayer Book of 1549, and the Act of Uniformity. And with the sanction of the sovereign, Cranmer, in 1552, issued a revised Liturgy, known as the Second Prayer Book of King Edward VI., and the Forty-two Articles, which were markedly Protestant in tendency. On his health failing, the King, acting on the advice of the Duke of Northumberland, altered the settlement of the crown as arranged in the will of Henry VIII., and made a will excluding Mary and Elizabeth from the succession in favour of Lady Jane Grey, daughter-in-law of Northumberland, which was sanctioned by Archbishop Cranmer and the Privy Council. Although Cranmer had sanctioned this act with great reluctance, and on the a.s.surance of the judges, it sufficed to secure his condemnation for high treason on Mary's accession. Edward sank rapidly and died on July 6, 1553.
The Duke of Northumberland then
PROCLAIMED LADY JANE GREY QUEEN,
but the people refused to recognise the usurpation. After a brief reign of eleven days,