Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 5, 1894.djvu/14

6 "Item, that Maister Canynge hath deHver'd, this 4th day of July, in the year of our Lord 1470, to Maister Nicholas Fetters, Vicar of St. Mary Redcliffe; Moses Conterin, Philip Barthelemew, Procurators of St. Mary Redcliffe, aforesaid; a new sepulchre well gilt with golde, and a civer thereto.

"Item, Therto longeth Heaven, made of timber and stain'd clothes.

"Item, Hell, made of timber and ironwork thereto, with Divels to the number of 13.

"Item, 4 knights armed, keeping the sepulchre, with their weapons in their hands; that is to say, 2 axes and 2 spears, with 2 pares.

"Item, 4 payr of Angels wings for 4 Angels, made of timber and well painted.

"Item, the Fadre, the Crowne, and Visage, the Well with a Cross upon it, well gilt with fine gould.

"Item, the Holy Ghosht coming out of Heaven into the sepulchre.

"Item, longeth to the 4 Angels 4 Chevaliers."

I have not seen, nor have I been able to learn, whether anything of this kind is still done in Ital}'. It is the Christmas celebrations, which die hardest, that are the subject of the following pages.

The Presepio is a representation of the Nativity. Many churches have one, usually those where the poor frequent. Thither come the people, bearing humble gifts of chesnuts, apples, tomatoes, and the like, which they place as offerings, in the hands of the figures. These are very often life-size. Mary is usually robed in blue satin, with crimson scarf and white head-dress. Joseph stands near her dressed in the ordinary working garb. The onlookers are got up like Italian contadini. The Magi are always very prominent in their grand clothes, with satin trains borne by black slaves, jewelled turbans, and satin tunics all over jewels.