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— 182 —
the hearths of our unsophisticated ancestors; a style, by the by, we may soon expect to see again, if the taste for medievalism and prse-Raphaelism extends much more, and we shall have a modern ode to parliament, beginning—
" Sit you merry gentlemen, Let nothing you dismay."
In the fifteenth century, the Low Countries had their carols, similar to the English; in some cases, even the subjects being the same, and equally adapted to the simplicity of their hearers. Several examples of these are given by Hoffman, in the second part of his Horse Belgicse; and I must here express my thanks to Mr. Thorns, who will, no doubt, convey them safely to the editor of that very useful publication, ' Notes and Queries,' for the kind loan of this book.
There is a story on record, of a terrible plague at Goldsberg, in 1553, which carried off above 2500 persons, leaving not more than twenty-five housekeepers alive in the place. The plague having abated, one of the few survivors went, on Christmas Eve, to the lower ring, and sang a carol, according to old custom; he was gradually joined by others, to excite each other to thanksgiving; and thence arose a custom for the people to assemble in large numbers, at the upper and lower ring, on Christmas morning, to sing carols, beginning with, " Unto us this day a child is born."
In the time of Henry the Seventh, after the introduction of the wassail, a good song, that is, no doubt, a carol, was to be given in answer to the steward's cry of wassail, by those belonging to the chapel; and when the king held his state on other occasions, at Christmas, the carol was introduced. The reward given to the children of the chapel, for singing " Gloria in excelsis," appears to have been usually 40s.; and, in the |
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