204
Catalogue of Bi^and Material.
Thread-the-Needle, at Aln- wick on the Pasture
Match at trap-ball between old women (Hone) -
LOCALITY.
Northumbd. (Alnwick). Suffolk (Bury).
III. Local Observances.
(Out-door assemblies for merrymaking form the leading feature of Whitsuntide observance.)
(a) Whitsun Ales, Church Ales.' The following list includes Church Ales only, noting local peculiarities. Ale drunk in the Church Church-house, and parish utensils - - - -
Tithe-barn used -
Feast provided by customary contributions in kind
Miller of Biddenham provided
malt gratis - - - Two young men yearly
chosen to collect funds and
provisions Girls gathered money under
tree in churchyard - Brewing forbidden during
brewing for the Ale, 1461,
and sale of liquor till all
Ale consumed, 1464 Villages agreed to attend
each others' Ales
Ales held regularly to 1548, then a loss of 7s. 6d. : dropped till 1559, recom- menced with profit -
LOCALITY.
Berks. (Reading), 1506.
Devon (Chudleigh). Glos. (Minchinhampton,
1603, 1611). Wilts. (Kingston St.
Michael, Aubrey).
Lines. (Grimsby).
Glos. (Child's Wickham).
Beds. (Biddenham).
Cornwall (1602). Berks. (Reading, 1505).
Wilts. (Castle Combe).
Derbysh. (Elvaston and Ockbrook) .
Sussex (Tarring).
1 Ales were festivals got up by local authorities to raise funds ior public purposes by the sale of drink, usually at Easter or Whitsuntide. A "bower" or booth was generally erected and the festivity was presided over by a " Lord" and a " Lady," who were attended by mace-bearers, morris-dancers, etc., and held a mock court of justice with laws and penalties.
