the observation of Christmass, said in a Scotch jingle, 'Ye will say, sirs, good old Youl day; I tell you, good old Fool day. You will say it is a brave holiday; I tell you it is a brave belly-day.'" Swift, in his Tale of a Tub, might have given this as an instance of Jack's tearing off the lace, and making a plain coat.

Julklaps, or Yule-gifts, were so called from those who received them striking against the doors of the donors. See Ihre, Glossar. Suio.-Goth. pp. 1002, 1010.

We learn from Wormius, that to this day the Icelanders date the beginning of their year from Yule, in consequence of ancient custom, which the laws of their country oblige them to retain. They even reckon a person's age by the Yules he has seen. Fast. Dan. lib. i. s. 12. See Jamieson's Etym.

Dict. of the Scottish language; in v. Yule.

[The following very curious early poem, illustrating the popular beliefs regarding Christmas day, is preserved in MS. Harl. 2252, in the British Museum:

"Lordynges, I warne you al beforne,
Yef that day that Cryste was borne
Falle uppon a Sunday,

That wynter shalbe good par fay,
But grete wyndes alofte shalbe,
The somer shalbe fayre and drye;
By kynde skylle, wythowtyn lesse,
Throw all londes shalbe peas,
And good tyme all thyngs to don

But he that stelythe, he shalbe fownde sone:
Whate chylde that day borne be,

A grete lorde he shalle ge, etc.

Yf Crystemas day a Monday be,

A grete wynter that year have shall ye,

And fulle of wyndes, lowde and stylle,

But the somer, trewly to telle,

Shalbe sterne wyndes also,

And fulle of tempeste all thereto;

All batayle multiplye,

And grete plenty of beeve shall dye.

They that be borne that day, I wene,

They shalle be stronge eche on and kene

And he that stelylythe owghte;
Thow thowe be seke, thou dyeste not.

Yf Crystmas day on Tuysday be,
That yere shall dyen wemen plenté

And that wynter wex greter marvaylys;
Shyppys shalbe in grete perylles;

That yere shall kynges and lordes be slayne,
And myche hothyr pepylle agayn heym.

A drye somer that yere shallbe;

Alle that be borne there in may se,
They shalbe stronge and covethowse.
Yf thou stele awghte, thou lesyste the lyfe,
Thou shalte dye throwe swerde or knyfe;
But and thow fall seke, sertayne,
Thou shalte turne to lyfe agayne.

Yf Crystmas day, the sothe to say,

Fall uppon a Wodnysday,

That yere shall be an harde wynter and strong, And many hydeus wyndes amonge;

The somer mery and good shalbe,

That yere shalbe wete grete plenté;

Young folke shall dye that yere also,

And shyppes in the see shall have gret woo. Whate chylde that day borne ys,

He shalbe dowghte and lyghte i-wysse,

And wyse and slyee also of dede,

And fynde many men mete and wede.

Yf Crystemas day on Thursday be,
A wyndy wynter see shalle yee,
Of wyndes and weders all weked,
And harde tempestes stronge and thycke.
The somer shalbe good and drye,
Cornys and bestes shall multy plye,
That yere ys good londes to tylthe,

And kynges and prynces shalle dye by skylle:
What chylde that day borne bee,

He shalle have happe ryghte well to the,
Of dedes he shalbe good and stabylle;
Of speche and tonge wyse and reasonabylle:
Who so that day ony thefte abowte,
He shalbe shente wyth-owtyn dowte;
And yf sekenes on the that day betyde,
Hyt shall sone fro the glyde.

Yf Crystmas day on the Fryday be,
The fyrste of wynter harde shalbe,
With froste and snowe, and with flode.
But the last ende therof ys goode.
Agayn, the somer shalbe good also,
Folkes in hyr yere shall have grete woo;
Wemen wyth chyld, bestes wyth corne,
Shall multyplye, and none be borne ;

The chyde that ys borne that day,
Shall longe lyve and lecherowus be aye;
Who so stelythe awghte, he shalbe fownde,
And thow be seke, hyt lastythe not longe.

Yf Crystmas on the Saterday falle,
That wynter ys to be dredden alle,
Hyt shalbe so fulle of grete tempeste,
That hyt shall sle bothe man and beste,
Frute and corne shall fayle grete won,
And olde folke dyen many on;

Whate woman that day of chylde travayle,
They shalbe borne in grete perelle ;
And chyldren that be borne that day,
Within halfe a yere they shall dye, par fay.
The somer then shall wete ryghte ylle:
If thou awght stele, hyt shal the spylle;
Thou dyest yf sekenes take the."]

THE CHRISTMAS CAROL.

"Now too is heard

The hapless cripple, tuning through the streets
His Carol new; and oft amid the gloom

Of midnight hours, prevailed th' accustom'd sounds
Of wakeful Waits, whose melody (compos'd

Of hautboy, organ, violin and flute,

And various other instruments of mirth,)

Is meant to celebrate the coming time."

Christmas, a Poem, i. 40.

BISHOP TAYLOR observes that the "Gloria in Excelsis," the well-known hymn sung by the angels to the shepherds at our Lord's Nativity, was the earliest Christmas carol. Bourne cites Durand, to prove that in the earlier ages of the churches, the bishops were accustomed on Christmas Day to sing carols among their clergy. He seems perfectly right in deriving the word Carol from cantare, to sing, and rola, an interjection of joy. This species of pious song is undoubtedly of most

1 "In quibusdam quoque locis-in Natali, prælati cum clericis ludunt, vel in domibus episcopalibus: ita ut etiam descendant ad cantus." Durand. Rat. lib. vi. cap. 86, s. 9.

ancient date. We have before considered that of which the burden is Hagmena.

The subsequent Carol is of the date of the thirteenth century. It is copied from a Manuscript in the British Museum, Bibl. Reg. 16 E. VIII., where it occurs upon a spare page in the middle of the manuscript. The original is in Anglo-Norman,' 1 [We subjoin the original, as Douce's translation is not literal: "Seignors, ore entendez à nus,

De loinz sumes venuz à wous,
Pur quere NOEL !

Car l'em nus dit que en cest hostel
Soleit tenir sa feste anuel

and we are indebted for the translation which follows, to the pen of the late Mr. Douce:

"Now, Lordings, listen to our ditty,
Strangers coming from afar ;
Let poor minstrels move your pity,
Give us welcome, soothe our care:
In this mansion, as they tell us,
Christmas wassail keeps to day;
And, as the king of all good fellows,
Reigns with uncontrolled sway.

Lordings, in these realms of pleasure
Father Christmas yearly dwells;
Deals out joy with liberal measure,
Gloomy sorrow soon dispels:
Numerous guests, and viands dainty,
Fill the hall, and grace the board;
Mirth and beauty, peace and plenty,
Solid pleasures bere afford.

Lordings, 'tis said the liberal mind,
That on the needy much bestows,
From Heav'n, a sure reward shall find;
From Heav'n, whence ev'ry blessing flows.
Who largely gives with willing hand,

Or quickly gives with willing heart;
His fame shall spread throughout the land,
His memory thence shall ne'er depart.

Lordings, grant not your protection
To a base unworthy crew,
But cherish, with a kind affection,
Men that are loyal, good, and true.
Chase from your hospitable dwelling
Swinish souls, that ever crave;
Virtue they can ne'er excel in,
Gluttons never can be brave!

Lordings, Christmas loves good drinking,
Wines of Gascoigne, France, Anjou,

Car bevez ben:

E jo primes beverai le men,

E pois après chescon le soen,

Par mon conseil ;

Si jo vus di trestoz, Wesseyl!

Dehaiz eit qui ne dirra, Drincheyl!"]