Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 4 1886.djvu/113

Rh raised for the repairs of the church, maintaining of orphans, placing poor children in service, and defraying other charges. In the accompts for the Whitsontide-ale, 1624, the gains are stated as 22l. 2s. 9d. a considerable sum in those days."—(Brand, pp. 280-1.)

At meetings called for such purposes, even the highest in a parish might attend with propriety, and could hardly avoid doing so, and, doubtless, under such circumstances, the choice of lord and lady (or May Queen) would fall on the apparently most deserving, thus becoming an honour to be wished for. "At present," says Douce, quoting from Rudder, "the Whitsun-ales are conducted in the following manner:—Two persons are chosen, previous to the meeting, to be lord and lady of the ale, who dress as suitably as they can to the character they assume. A large empty barn, or some such building, is provided for the lord's hall, and fitted up with seats to accommodate the company. Here they assemble to dance and regale in the best manner their circumstances and place will afford; and each young fellow treats his girl with a riband or favour. The lord and lady honour the hall with their presence, attended by the steward, sword-bearer, purse-bearer, and mace-bearer, with their several badges or ensigns of office. They have likewise a train-bearer or page, and a fool or jester, drest in a party-coloured jacket, whose ribaldry and gesticulations contribute not a little to the entertainment of some of the company. The lord's music, consisting of a pipe and tabor, is employed to conduct the dance."—(Brand, vol. i. p. 279.)

Bearing in mind that in those times bear-baiting, morris-dancing, and the like were royal amusements, it may well be imagined that such meetings as those above described were pleasurable in a high degree, and thus Whitsun-ales were continued long after the causes which had given rise to them had ceased; but, being carried on merely for profit or sport, degenerating into amusements of a more rollicking and boisterous character than those of the earlier times. However, since the earlier part of the present century, when they