Christmas In The Middle Ages

The Northern natiousof Europe overrunniug most of tho continent merged many of thüir national pastimes into the Chriatian idean and habita that they ftdopted. The strange mihgiing of the old faith and the now gave rise in each country to ruauy curious customs, once held in high esteem in tho courtly circles of the past, but in latter days left to the peasiDtry, and even there thoy are rapidly dying out. Christmas has its quoint picturesque ceremonies, some of which have crept across the Atlantic, but there are others that never joined the ernigrants, or, at least, never got naturalized. The mistletoe of the Druida still hangs in honor ia Euglish home, while all over Western Europe the Yule, or Christmas log, has niaintained its dignity almost to our day. The burning of the Yule log is an aneient Christmas ceremony, trausmitted to us from our Scandinavian ancestor, who, at theix feast of Juul, at the winter solstice, used to kindle hugo boniires in honor of their god, Thor. The eustona, thongk sadly shorn of the "pomp and circumstance " which formerly attended it, is still maiutained iu various parts of tho country. Tho bringing in and placing of the ponderous block on the hearth of the wido chimney in the baronial hall was the inost joyous of the oeremoniee observed on Christmas evo in feudal times. The venerable log, destined to crackle a welcomo to all corners, was drawn in trinmph from its resting-place at tho feet of its living brethren of the woods. Each wayfaror raised his hat as it paased, for he well knew that it was full of good promises, and that its flanie would burn out old wrongs and heartburnings, and cause the liquor to bubble in the wassail-bowl, that was quaffed to the drowning of aneient feuds and animosities. So the Yulo log was worthily honored, and tho aneient bards weloomed its entranco with tlieir ministry. The following ditty, appropriate to such an occasion, nppears in tho Sloano Manuscripts. It is supposed to bo of the time of Henry VI. : WELCOME YULE. Weleoine bo tbou, heavenly Kins, Welcome boni on Hum morning. Wtlcome for whnm we shull finsr - Welcome Ynle. Welcome be ye, Stephen and John, Welcome Innocente every one, Wulcome ïhom'w Martvr ono - Weleonre Yn! Welcome be yo, pood Kew Ytar, Welcome Twclfth Pay. both ín erf, Welcome saiutH, lovud and dear- Welcome Yule. Welcome be ye, Candlomaw, Welcome bo ye, Quecn oí U1Í88, Welcome both to more or Ioks - Welcome Yulo. Welcome be ye that are here, Welcome all, aad uiakc good cbeer, Wnlcoiuc all, auother yoar- Welcome Ynle. And here, in connection with the featirities on Christmas eve. we niay quote Herrick's insj)iriting stanzas : Uome brinK wilh a noise, My merrj', nlerry boy. Tle Chriatluas log to the ürlng; Wliile my sood dame he Bid ye all be free. And drink to your hearta' clfulriafí. With the last yoar'8 br.vid Iitrht the pew tiTort, aud. Kor tfood auct'esB in Iiím HpcQdJog. On your psalteries pltiy That swoet luck may Come while the log ia a-tendinj;. Drink now the atroug beer, Out the white loa! here, Tho while the meat ia a-Rkreddlog; For the rare pie And the phuim HtUKl by To flll the pacto that'a a-knealln#. The allusion at the commencement of the Becond stanza is to tho practico of Inving aside the half-conaumed block after having served its purpose on Christmas eve, preserving it carefully in a cellar or other secure place till the next auniversary of Christmas, and then lighting thu new log with tho charred remains of its preaecessor' The due observnuce of this custom was considered of the higliest importiüace, and it wius believed that the preservation of last year's Christmas log was a most effectual security to the nouse against flxe. We are furthor iuformed that it was regardod as a sign of very bad luck if a squinting person entered tho hall wlièn the log was burning, and a similarly evil omen mis exhibited in tho arrival of a bare-footed porson, and, above all, of a flat-footed woman. As an aocorupaniment to tho yule log, a candle of monstrous size, called thé yule candle, or Christmas candle, ehei its light on the festivo board during tho eveninc;. During the Middle Ages tho church camo in to sauction the festi-ities and disprl any diabolio influenee of tlie heathen origin. The yulc log was sought for the castle by tho vossal, chosen with care and brought home with rejoicing. Before it entered the great hall, however, the chaplain, in ; surplioo and stole, with the ftoolyto beaiing the holy water, camo out to meet it. A benediction was chanted, tho log dnly sprinkled, the lord oí' tho , manor and his joinjiig in froni the porch, while the det'p voices of Me peasantry rnnp; 'OiiSive froin a respeotfñl distance. BlesKcd for use, the yule log -was thon borne into tho hall, and tho fire made reatly to kiurtic uk thn midnight hour rang forth, wlien, without, bonfires i blazed merrily.