Page:History of the Fylde of Lancashire (IA historyoffyldeof00portiala).pdf/108

 enumerated which still held their sway, were club, and trap-ball, bowling, prisoners'-bars, hood-man blind, (a game similar to the modern blindman's-buff, but entered into by adults alone,) battledore and shuttlecock, and during hard frosts skating, at first by means of the shank bone of a sheep fastened on to the sole of the boot and afterwards with iron-shod skates. Hawking and hunting were confined to the familes of position who resided at the ancient Halls of the Fylde and to others of similar social standing, forming but a small proportion of the entire population. At Christmas the largest log obtainable was lighted on the hearth and denominated the yule log. If the mass burned throughout the night and the whole of the next day, it was regarded as an omen of good fortune by the members of the household, but if it were consumed or extinguished before that time had expired, it was looked upon as auguring adversely for their prosperity. The first Monday after Twelfth Day was called Plough Monday, a name still familar to many an old Fylde man, and was observed as a general holiday by the men whose labours were associated with that instrument, who on this day went about the villages from house to house asking for plough-money to spend in ale. Their processions, if such they could be called, consisted of a plough, which was dragged along by a number of sword-dancers; a labourer, dressed to resemble an old woman; and another, who was clothed in skins, and wore the tail of some animal hanging down his back. These two oddly garbed individuals solicited small contributions from the people whilst the remainder were engaged in dancing, and if anyone refused to disburse some trifling sum when requested, they turned up the ground fronting his doorway with the plough. During Christmas week the country people blackened their faces, and thus disguised committed all sorts of frolics and absurdities 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