"charity
from the country is fled," and the first verse will sufficiently
indicate the style of the writing:--

Christmas is my name, far have I gone,
Have I gone, have I gone, have I gone, without regard,
Whereas great men by flocks there be flown,
There be flown, there be flown, there be flown, to London-ward;
Where they in pomp and pleasure do waste
That which Christmas was wonted to feast, Welladay!
Houses where music was wont for to ring
Nothing but bats and owlets do sing.
Welladay! Welladay! Welladay! where should I stay?

OLD CHRISTMAS RETURNED

is the title of a lively Christmas ditty which is a kind of reply to
the preceding ballad. It is preserved in the collection formed by
Samuel Pepys, some time Secretary to the Admiralty, and author of the
famous diary, and by him bequeathed to Magdalene College, Cambridge.
The full title and first verse of the old song are as follows:--

"Old Christmas returned, or Hospitality revived; being a Looking-glass
for Rich Misers, wherein they may see (if they be not blind) how much
they are to blame for their penurious house-keeping, and likewise an
encouragement to those noble-minded gentry, who lay out a great part
of their estates in hospitality, relieving such persons as have need
thereof:

'Who feasts the poor, a true reward shall find,
Or helps the old, the feeble, lame, and blind.'"

"All you that to feasting and mirth are inclined,
Come, here is good news for to pleasure your mind;
Old Christmas is come for to keep open house,
He scorns to be guilty of starving a mouse;
Then come, boys, and welcome, for diet the chief,
Plum-pudding, goose, capon, minc'd pies, and roast beef."

CHRISTMAS-KEEPING IN THE COUNTRY

was revived in accordance with the commands of Queen Elizabeth, who
listened sympathetically to the "Lamentations" of her lowlier
subjects. Their complaint was that the royal and public pageants at
Christmastide allured to the metropolis many country gentlemen, who,
neglecting the comforts of their dependents in the country at this
season, dissipated in town part of their means for assisting them, and
incapacitated themselves from continuing that hospitality for which
the country had been so long noted. In order to check this practice,
the gentlemen of Norfolk and Suffolk were commanded by Queen Elizabeth
to depart from London before Christmas, and "to repair to their
counties, and there to keep hospitality am