Page:History of the Fylde of Lancashire (IA historyoffyldeof00portiala).pdf/109

 by a general vote, and to them belonged the honour of presiding over the festivities. The costumes of these pseudo-regal personages were liberally adorned with scarfs and ribbons, so that their appearances should be in unison with the rest of the gay preparations. The morris-dance formed an important feature of the festival, and the performers in that somewhat vigorous exercise wore richly decorated habits on to which small bells, varying in tone, had been fastened. The new year was ushered in with feasting and joviality, whilst friendly interchanges of presents took place amongst all classes. In the evening, a huge wassail-bowl filled with spiced ale was carried to the different houses of the villages, and all who quaffed its exhilerating contents drank prosperity to the coming year, and rewarded the cup-bearers, usually female farm-servants, with some small donation; the following carol in a more antique form, or some similar one, was sung on the occasion:—

"Good Dame, here at your door, Our Wassel we begin, We are all maidens poor,  We pray now let us in,              With our Wassel. "Our Wassel we do fill, With apples and with spice, Then grant us your good will To taste here once or twice Of our Wassel.

"Some bounty from your hands Our Wassel to maintain. We'll buy no house nor lands  With that which we do gain,              With our Wassel.

On Shrove Tuesday a barbarous custom prevailed of tying cocks to a stake driven into the ground, and throwing at them with sticks, until death ensued from repeated blows. St. Valentine's day received a merry welcome from the country swains and maidens, who at that auspicious time made choice of, or more properly speaking were mated to, their true loves for the year The all important selection was made by writing the names of an equal number of each sex on separate slips of paper, and then dividing them into two lots, one of which represented the males