the play of striking a
ball through an iron ring, it is arranged that he that is beat shall
make and repeat extempore some verses in praise of him that beat
him. This certainly would make many a youth keen to win the contest!

CHAPTER XII.

DECEMBER.

"The Darling of the world is come,
And fit it is we find a room
To welcome Him. The nobler part
Of all the house here is the heart,

"Which we will give Him; and bequeath
This holly and this ivy wreath
To do Him honour, who's our King,
And Lord of all this revelling."

HERRICK, _A Christmas Carol_.

St. Nicholas Day--The Boy Bishop--Christmas Eve--Christmas
Customs--Mummers--"Lord of Misrule"--Conclusion.

Now dark and chill December has arrived; and very dark and chill it
must have seemed to our ancestors. No gaslights illuminated the
streets, here and there a feeble oil lamp helped to make the
darkness visible, when the oil was not frozen: the roads were deep
with mud, and everything outside was cold and cheerless. But within
the farmer's kitchen the huge logs burned brightly, and the
Christmas holidays were at hand with the accustomed merrymakings, to
cheer the hearts of all in the depths of the dreary winter.

But before Christmas Day arrived, the children enjoyed a great treat
on St. Nicholas' Day, December 6th, when it was the custom for
parents to convey secretly presents of various kinds to their little
sons and daughters, who were taught to believe that they owed them
to the kindness of St. Nicholas, who, going up and down among the
towns and villages, came in at the windows and distributed the
gifts. St. Nicholas, who died A.D. 343, threw a purse filled with
money into the bedroom of a poor man for the benefit of his three
daughters, who were in sore trouble; and this story seems to have
originated the custom which has been observed in many countries, and
brought much enjoyment to the young folk who received St. Nicholas'
bounty.

Before the Reformation there was another very strange custom
associated with this day; namely, the election of a boy bishop, who
was dressed in episcopal robes, with a mitre on his head, and who
actually was allowed to preach in the church. This was done
regularly at many of our cathedrals and collegiate churches, and we
find records of the custom amongst the archives of Salisbury and
many other places; even the service which they used is in existence.