Bids ye all be free,
And drink to your hearts' desiring."

The Yule-clog is still burnt in many farmhouses and kitchens in England,
particularly in the north, and there are several superstitions connected
with it among the peasantry. If a squinting person come to the house
while it is burning, or a person barefooted, it is considered an ill
omen. The brand remaining from the Yule-clog is carefully put away to
light the next year's Christmas fire.]

[Footnote 3: NOTE C.

From the Flying Eagle, a small gazette, published December 24, 1652:
"The House spent much time this day about the business of the Navy, for
settling the affairs at sea; and before they rose, were presented with
a terrible remonstrance against Christmas day, grounded upon divine
Scriptures, 2 Cor. v. 16; 1 Cor. xv. 14, 17; and in honour of the Lord's
Day, grounded upon these Scriptures, John xx. I; Rev. i. 10; Psalm
cxviii. 24; Lev. xxiii. 7, 11; Mark xvi. 8; Psalm lxxxiv. 10, in which
Christmas is called Anti-Christ's masse, and those Mass-mongers and
Papists who observe it, etc. In consequence of which Parliament spent
some time in consultation about the abolition of Christmas day, passed
orders to that effect, and resolved to sit on the following day, which
was commonly called Christmas day."]

[Footnote 4: NOTE D.

An English gentleman at the opening of the great day, i. e. on Christmas
day in the morning, had all his tenants and neighbours enter his hall
by daybreak. The strong beer was broached, and the black jacks went
plentifully about with toast, sugar, nutmeg, and good Cheshire cheese.
The hackin (the great sausage) must be boiled by daybreak, or else two
young men must take the maiden (i.e. the cook) by the arms and run her
round the market-place till she is shamed of her laziness.--Round about
our Sea-coal Fire.]

[Footnote 5: NOTE E.

The old ceremony of serving up the boar's head on Christmas day is still
observed in the hall of Queen's College, Oxford. I was favoured by the
parson with a copy of the carol as now sung, and as it may be acceptable
to such of my readers as are curious in these grave and learned matters,
I give it entire.

"The boar's head in hand bear I,
Bedeck'd with bays and rosemary;
And I pray you, my masters, be merry,
Quot estia in convivio.
Caput apri defero
Reddens laudes Domino.

"The boar's head, as I unde