, four
rabbits, eight partridges, two pullets, five sugar loaves, half a
pound of nutmeg, one basket of apples, two baskets of pears."

Hone[72] states that "in the ninth year of King Charles I. the four
Inns of Court provided a Christmas mask, which cost L2,400, and the
King invited a hundred and twenty gentlemen of the four Inns to a mask
at Whitehall on Shrove Tuesday following." And Sandys says that on the
13th December, 1637, a warrant under Privy Seal was issued to George
Kirke, for L150 to provide masking apparel for the King; and on the
1st of the same month Edmund Taverner had a warrant for L1,400 towards
the charge of a mask to be presented at Whitehall the next Twelfth
Night. A similar sum for a similar purpose was granted to Michael
Oldisworth on the 3rd of January, 1639.

In connection with the entertainments at the Inns of Court, Sandys
mentions that by an order, 17th November, 4th Charles I., all playing
at dice, cards, or otherwise was forbidden at Gray's Inn, except
during the 20 days in Christmas.

As indicating the prolongation of the Christmas revels at this period,
it is recorded that in February, 1633, there was a celebrated masque,
called "The Triumph of Peace," presented jointly by the two Temples,
Lincoln's Inn and Gray's Inn, which cost the Societies about L20,000.
Evelyn, in his "Memoirs," relates, that on the 15th December, 1641, he
was elected one of the Comptrollers of the Middle Temple revellers,
"as the custom of ye young students and gentlemen was, the Christmas
being kept this yeare with greate solemnity"; but he got excused.

An order still existed directing the nobility and gentry who had
mansions in the country "to repair to them to keep hospitality meet to
their degrees;" for a note in Collier's History states that Sir J.
Astley, on the 20th of March, 1637, in consequence of ill-health,
obtained a license to reside in London, or where he pleased, at
Christmas, or any other times; which proves such license to have been
requisite.

At this period noblemen and gentlemen lived like petty princes, and in
the arrangement of their households copied their sovereign, having
officers of the same import, and even heralds wearing their coat of
arms at Christmas, and other solemn feasts, crying largesse thrice at
the proper times. They feasted in their halls where many of the
Christmas sports were performed. When coals were introduced the hearth
was commonly in the middle, whence, accordin