the hall. The barristers and students
had their ordinary fare, with the addition of a flask of claret to each
mess; but a superior repast was served at the High Table where fourteen
students (of whom the Chancellor's eldest son was one), served as
waiters. Whilst the banquet was in progress, musicians stationed in the
gallery at the upper end of the hall filled the room with deafening
noise, and ladies looked down upon the feasters from a large gallery
which had been fitted up for their reception over the screen. After
dinner, as soon as the hall could be cleared of dishes and decanters,
the company were entertained with 'Love for Love,' and 'The Devil to
Pay,' performed by professional actors who "all came from the Haymarket
in chairs, ready dressed, and (as it was said), refused any gratuity for
their trouble, looking upon the honor of distinguishing themselves on
this occasion as sufficient." The players having withdrawn, the judges,
sergeants, benchers, and other dignitaries, danced 'round about the coal
fire;' that is to say, they danced round about a stove in which there
was not a single spark of fire. The congregation of many hundreds of
persons, in a hall which had not comfortable room for half the number,
rendered the air so oppressively hot that the master of the revels
wisely resolved to lead his troop of revellers round an empty grate. The
chronicler of this ridiculous mummery observes: "And all the time of the
dance the ancient song, accompanied by music, was sung by one Toby
Aston, dressed in a bar-gown, whose father had formerly been Master of
the Plea Office in the King's Bench. When this was over, the ladies came
down from the gallery, went into the parliament chamber, and stayed
about a quarter of an hour, while the hall was being put in order. They
then went into the hall and danced a few minuets. Country dances began
at ten, and at twelve a Very fine cold collation was provided for the
whole company, from which they returned to dancing, which they
continued as long as they pleased, and the whole day's entertainment was
generally thought to be very genteelly and liberally conducted. The
Prince of Wales honored the performance with his company part of the
time; he came into the music _incog._ about the middle of the play, and
went away as soon as the farce of 'walking round the coal fire' was
over."

With this notable dance of lawyers round an empty grate, the old revels
disappeared. In their Grand Day