CHAP. XXV. Of May-Day; the Custom of going to the Woods the Night before: this is the Practice of other Nations: The Original of it; the Unlawfulness. ON the Calends, or the first Day of May, commonly called May-Day, the juvenile Part of both Sexes, were wont to rise a little after Mid-night, and walk to some neighbouring Wood, accompany'd with Musick and the blowing of Horns; where they break down Branches from the Trees, and adorn them with Nose-gays and Crowns of Flowers. When this is done, they return with their booty home-wards, about the rising of the Sun, and make their Doors and Windows to Triumph in the Flowery Spoil. The after-part of the Day, is chiefly spent in dancing round a TallPoll, which is called a May-Poll; which being placed in a convenient Part of the Village, stands there, as it were consecrated to the Goddess of Flowers, without the least Violation offer'd it, in the whole Circle of the Year. And this is not the Custom of the 7 British British Common People only, but it is the Custom of the Generality of other Nations; particularly of the Italians, where Polydore Virgil tells us, The * Youth of both Sexes were accustomed to go into the Fields, on the Calends of May, and bring thence the Branches of Trees, singing all the way as they came, and so place them on the Doors of their Houses. This is the Relick of an ancient Custom among the Heathen, who observed the four last days of April, and the first of May, in Honour of the Goddess Flora, who was imagin'd the Deity presiding over the Fruit and Flowers. It was observed with all Manner of Obscenity and Lewdness, and the undecent Sports and Postures of naked Women, who * Est autem consuetudinis, ut juventus promiscui sexus Lætæbunda cal. Maii exeat in agros, & cantitans inde virides reportet arborum ramos eosque ante domorum fores ponat præsertim apud Italos,&c. Poly. Virg. 302. † Celebrabantur autem hæ feriæ atque ludi, Lactantio teste cum omni lascivia verbis & moribus pudendis, ad placandam deam, quæ floribus & fructibus præerat. Nam per tubam convocabantur omnis generis meretrices. Unde Juvenalis. were called together with the Noise of Trumpets, and danced before the Spectators. From this Custom of the Heathens hath ours undoubtedly come; and tho' for that Reason barely, it need not be laid aside; yet forasmuch as many Country People are of Opinion, That the Observation of this Ceremony is a good Omen, and a Procurer of the Success of the Fruits of the Earth, which is entirely a Piece of Superstition; and because also much Wickedness and Debauchery are committed that Night, to the Scandle of whole Families, and the Dishonour of Religion, there is all the Reason in the World, for laying it aside. *Sic nos tunc eo anni tempore, cum virent omnia, quasi per hunc modum, fructuum ubertatem ominamur, ac bene precamur. Polyd. Virg. 302. OBSERVATIONS ON CHAP. XXV. IN the old Calendar of the Romish Church above cited, there is the following Observation on the 30th of April: "The Boys go out and seek May-Trees*." * Mail Arbores a Pueris exquiruntur. Stow Stow tells us, in his Survey of London,* that in the Month of May, namely, on May-day in the Morning, every Man, except impediment, would walk into the sweet Meddowes and green Woods, there to rejoice their Spirits with the Beauty and Savour of sweet Flowers, and with the Harmony of Birds praising God in their Kinde. He quotes from Hall an Account of Henry the Eighth's riding a Maying from Greenwich to the high Ground of Shooter's Hill, with Queen Katherine his wife, accompanied with many Lords and Ladies. He further tells us, "I find also that in the "Month of May, the Citizens of London (of all "Estates) lightly in every Parish, or sometimes "two or three Parishes joining together, had their "several Mayingst, and did fetch in May-Poles " with *The Mayings, says Mr. Strutt, are in some Sort yet kept up by the Milk-Maids at London, who go about the Streets with their Garlands and Music, dancing: But this tracing is a very imperfect Shadow of the original Sports; for May-Poles were set up in the Streets, with various martial Shews, Morris-dancing, and other Devices, with which, and Revelling and good Cheer, the Day was passed away. At Night they rejoiced and lighted up their Bonfires. English Era, Vol. II. p. 99. Mr. Pennant tells us, that on the first of May, in the Highlands of Scotland, the Herdsmen of every Village hold their Beltein, a rural Sacrifice: They cut a square Trench in the Ground, leaving the Turf in the Middle; on that they make a Fire of Wood, on which they dress a large Caudle of Eggs, Butter, Oat-meal and Milk, and bring besides the Ingredients of the Caudle, Plenty of Beer and Whiskey; for each of the Company must contribute something. The Rites begin with spilling some of the Caudle on the Ground by Way of Libation: On that every one takes a Cake of Oat-meal, upon which are raised nine square Knobs, each de dicated "with divers warlike Shews, with good Archers, "Morrice Dancers, and other Devices for Pastime "all the Day long; and towards the Evening they "had Stage-Plaies and Bone-Fires in the Streets." And again he says, "in the Reign of Henry the Sixth, the Aldermen and Sheriffs of London, bẹing on May-day at the Bishop of London's Wood, " and having there a worshipful Dinner for them"selves and other Commers, Lydgate the Monk "of Bury sent them, by a Pursivant, a joyful Com"mendation of that Season, beginning thus: Mighty Flora, Goddess of Fresh Flow'rs, "Which clothed hath the Soil in lusty Green, By Influence of the Sun sheene, "To do Pleasance of Intent full cleane, "Unto the States which now sit here "Hath Ver sent down her own Daughter dear*.” P, 83. Mr. Borlase, in his curious Account of the Man ners dicated to some particular Being, the supposed Preserver of their Flocks and Herds, or to some particular Animal, the real Destroyer of them: Each Person then turns his Face to the Fire, breaks off a Knob, and flinging it over his Shoulders, says, this I give to thee, preserve thou my Horses; this to thee, preserve thou my Sheep; and so on: After that they use the same Ceremony to the noxious Animals. This I give to thee, O Fox! spare thou my Lambs; this to thee, O hooded Crow' this to thee, O Eagle! When the Ceremony is over they dine on the Caudle, and after the Feast is finished, what is left is hid by two Persons deputed for that Purpose; but on the next Sunday they re-assemble, and finish the Reliques of the first Entertainment. P. 91. * Browne, in his Britannia's Pastorals, thus describes some of the May Revellings : As |