Page:Christmas Carols Ancient and Modern.djvu/32

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beseche the same to let us knowe youre gracious pleasure concernyng aswell a ship of silver for the almes disshe requysite for her high estate, and spice plats, as also for trumpetts and a rebek to be sent, and whither we shall appoynte any Lord of Mysrule for the said honorable householde, provide for enterluds, disgysyngs, or pleyes in the said fest, or for banket on twelf nyght. And in likewise whither the Pryncesse shall sende any newe yeres gifts to the Kinge, the Quene, your Grace, and the Frensshe quene, and of the value and devise of the same. Besechyng youre grace also to pardon oure busy and importunate suts to the same in suche behalf made. Thus oure right syngler good lorde, We pray the holy Trynyte have you in his holy preservacion. At Teoxbury, the xxvij day of November.

Your humble orators,

John Exon.
Jeilez Grevile.
Peter Burnell.
John Salter.
G. Bromley.
Thomas Audeley.
“To the most reverent Father in God the Lord Cardinall his good grace.”


About this time the Christmasses at the Inns of Court became celebrated, especially those at Lincoln’s Inn, which had kept them as early as the 9th of Henry VI. The Temples and Gray’s Inn afterwards disputed the palm with it. The first particular account of any regulations for conducting one of these grand Christmasses is in the 9th of Henry VIII.;[1] when, besides the King for Christmas-day, the Marshal and the Master of the Revels, it is ordered that the King of Cockneys, on Childermas-

  1. Dugdale, Orig. Jurid.