Contents
A righte Merrie Christmasse!!!
The Story of Christ-tide
By John Ashton.
Copperplate Etching of
"The Wassail Song," by
Arthur C. Behrend.
London: published by the Leadenhall
Press, Ltd., 50 Leadenhall Street;
Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent
& Co., Ltd. New York: Charles
Scribner's Sons, 153-157 Fifth Avenue.
[1894]
Transcriber's Note: This text contains passages using theAnglo-Saxon thorn (þ, equivalent of "th"), which should display properlyin most browsers. This text also contains the Anglo-Saxon yogh(equivalent of "y," "g," or "gh"),which may not display properly in some browsers. A mouse-over pop-up transliteration has been providedfor words containing a yogh, e.g., Ȝe. In addition, the text contains two instances of a single mwith a macron over it, signifying a double m. This is represented here as "m[m]."
TO THE READER
| I do not craue mo thankes to haue, than geuen to me all ready be; but this is all, to such as shall peruse this booke. That, for my sake, they gently take what ere they finde against their minde, when he, or she, shal minded be therein to looke. Tusser. |
PREFACE
It is with a view of preserving the memory of Christmas that I havewritten this book.
In it the reader will find its History, Legends, Folk-lore, Customs,and Carols—in fact, an epitome of Old Christ-tide, forming a volumewhich, it is hoped, will be found full of interest.
JOHN ASHTON.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
Date of Christ's Birth discussed—Opinions of the Fathers—TheEastern Church and Christ-tide—Error in Chronology—RomanSaturnalia—Scandinavian Yule—Duration of Christ-tide 1
CHAPTER II
Historic Chris