fter dinner, the Constable Marshal called a
burlesque Court, and began the Revels, with the help of the Lord of
Misrule. At seven o'clock in the morning of St. John's Day, December
the 27th (which was a Saturday in 1561) the Lord of Misrule was afoot
with power to summon men to breakfast with him when service had closed
in the church. After breakfast, the authority of this Christmas
official was in abeyance till the after-dinner Revels. So the
ceremonies went on till the Banqueting Night, which followed New
Year's Day. That was the night of hospitality. Invitations were sent
out to every House of Court, that they and the Inns of Chancery might
see a play and masque. The hall was furnished with scaffolds for the
ladies who were then invited to behold the sports. After the play,
there was a banquet for the ladies in the library; and in the hall
there was also a banquet for the Lord Chancellor and invited ancients
of other Houses. On Twelfth Day, the last of the Revels, there were
brawn, mustard, and malmsey for breakfast after morning prayer, and
the dinner as on St. John's Day.

The following particulars of this "Grand Christmas" at the Inner
Temple are from Nichols's "Progresses of Queen Elizabeth":--

"In the fourth year of Queen Elizabeth's reign there was kept
a magnificent Christmas here; at which the Lord Robert Dudley
(afterwards Earl of Leicester) was the chief person (his title
Palaphilos), being Constable and Marshall; whose officers were
as followeth:

Mr. Onslow, Lord Chancellour.
Anthony Stapleton, Lord Treasurer.
Robert Kelway, Lord Privy Seal.
John Fuller, Chief Justice of the King's Bench.
William Pole, Chief Justice of the Common Pleas.
Roger Manwood, Chief Baron of the Exchequer.
Mr. Bashe, Steward of the Household.
Mr. Copley, Marshall of the Household.
Mr. Paten, Chief Butler.
Christopher Hatton, Master of the Game. (He was afterwards Lord
Chancellor of England.)
Mr. Blaston }
Mr. Yorke }
Mr. Pension } Masters of the Revells.
Mr. Jervise }
Mr. Parker, Lieutenant of the Tower.
Mr. Kendall, Carver.
Mr. Martin, Ranger of the Forests.
Mr. Stradling, Sewer.

"And there were fourscore of the Guard; beside divers others not here
named.

"Touching the particulars of this Grand Feast, Gerard Leigh, in his
'Accidence of Armory,' p. 119, &c., having spoken of the Pegasus borne
for the armes of this Society, thus goes on: 'After I had travelled
through the