Page:Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern.djvu/108

 extremities, although far different in public estimation from those of former times, a few further particulars will not be out of place. Traces of the fool’s dance, a sort of religious mummery at Christmas, may be discovered as far back as the time of Edward the ‘Third. In the early part of Henry the Sixth’s reign, there are payments to “Jakke Travaill & ses compaignons faisans diverses jeuues & eutreludes dedeins le feste de Noell devant notre dit sire le Roi.”

The feast of fools, and the feast of asses, with other similar observances, were probably derived from some of the rites of idolatry. The ceremonies on the last of these festivals, as described by Ducange, appear to us in the present day as perfect profanation of religion, there being a regular burlesque service in honour of the ass, and all sorts of impurities committed even at the holy altar, and a hymn was sung, beginning as follows:

The chorus to the last verse was in the following beautiful strain—