ity parishes.

CHAPTER VI.

JUNE.

"The woods, or some near town
That is a neighbour to the bordering down,
Hath drawn them thither, 'bout some lusty sport,
Or spiced wassel-bowl, to which resort
All the young men and maids of many a cote,
Whilst the trim minstrell strikes his merry note."

FLETCHER, _The Faithful Shepherdess_.

Whitsuntide Sports--Church-ales--Church-house--Quarter-staff
--Whistling and Jingling Matches--St. John's Eve--Wrestling.

After May Day our villagers had not long to wait until the
Whitsuntide holiday came round. This holiday was notorious for the
"Church-ales," which were held at this season. These feasts were a
means of raising money for charitable purposes. If the church needed
a new roof, or some poor people were in sad straits, the villagers
would decide to have a "Church-ale"; generally four times a year the
feast was given, and always at Whitsuntide. The churchwardens
bought, and received presents of, a large quantity of malt, which
they brewed into beer, and sold to the company, and any inhabitant
of the parish who did not attend had to pay a fine. Every one who
was able contributed something to the entertainment. The feast was
held in the church-house, a building which stood near the church.
This was the scene of many social gatherings, and is thus described
by an old writer--

"In every parish was a church-house, to which belonged
spits, crocks, and other utensils for dressing provisions.
Here the housekeepers met. The young people were there,
too, and had dancing, bowling, shooting at butts, &c., the
ancients (_i.e._ the old folk) sitting gravely by and
looking on. All things were civil, and without scandal.
The church-ale is, doubtless, derived from the Agapai or
Love Feasts, mentioned in the New Testament."

Whether the learned writer was right in his conjecture we cannot be
quite certain, but church-ales subsequently degenerated into
something quite different from New Testament injunctions, and were
altogether prohibited on account of the excess to which they gave
rise. Let us hope that all these feasts were not so bad as they were
represented, and indeed in early times great reverence was attached
to them, which prevented excess. The neighbours, too, would come in
from the adjoining parishes and share the feast. An arbour of boughs
was erected in the churchyard,