of our
Lord. There was an old Miracle Play which was performed at Easter;
for we find in the churchwardens' books at Kingston-upon-Thames, in
the reign of Henry VIII., certain expenses for "a skin of parchment
and gunpowder for the play on Easter Day," for a player's coat,
stage, and "other things belonging to the play."

Then there was the custom in the North of England of "lifting" or
"heaving," which was originally designed to represent our Saviour's
Resurrection. On Easter Monday the men used to lift the women, whom
they met, thrice above their heads into the air, and the women
responded on Easter Tuesday, and lifted the men. This custom
prevailed also in North Wales, Warwickshire, and Shropshire.

The Pace Eggs, or _Pasche_, or _Paschal_ Eggs, were originally
intended to show forth the same truth, as the egg retaining the
elements of future life was used as an emblem of the Resurrection.
These Pace eggs were dyed, decorated with pretty devices, and
presented by friends to each other. In the North of England, the home
of so many of our old customs, the practice of giving Pace eggs still
lingers on; and we find amongst the household expenses of King Edward
I. an item of "four hundred and a half of eggs--eighteenpence," which
were purchased on Easter Day. The prices current in the thirteenth
century for eggs would scarcely be deemed sufficient by our modern
poultry-keepers!

The decoration of churches and houses with flowers just risen from
their winter sleep, the practice of always wearing some part of the
dress new on Easter Day, all seem to have had their origin in the
holy lessons which cluster round the festival of the resurrection.
An old writer tells us that it was the custom in some churches for
the clergy to play at handball at this season; even bishops and
archbishops took part in the pastime; but why they should profane
God's house in this way we are at a loss to discover. The reward of
the victors was a tansy-cake, so called from the bitter herb tansy,
which was supposed to be beneficial after eating so much fish during
Lent. Of the various kinds of games with balls I propose to treat in
another chapter.

At Easter there were numerous sports in vogue in different parts of
the country. In olden times almost every county had its peculiar
sport, which was regarded as a monopoly of that district. People did
not work so hard in those days, and seem to have had more time and
energy for ancient pastimes. Ma