sant town about sixteen miles from the capita!, in order to spend the time in greater festivity.

Some are of opinion, that the customs formerly observed in England on the first of May, have rather been borrowed from our Gothic ancestors than from the Romans; whether this may have been the case or not, they were certainly observed with equal spirit. Shakspeare says, that it was impossible to make the people sleep on May morning; and this eagerness

To do observance to a morn of May," was not confined to any particular rank in society, but royal and noble personages, as well as the vulgar, went out a Maying" early in the morning of the first of May. Chaucer says, on that day "forth goeth all the court, both most and least, to fetche the flouris fresh, and braunch and blome;" and Stowe states, that in the month of May, the citizens of London of all estates, in every parish, or sometime two or three parishes adjoining together, had their several Mayings, and did fetch in maypoles, with divers wailike shows, with good archers, morris-dancers, and other devices for pastime all the day long; and towards the evening they had stage plays, and bonfires in the streets.”

King Henry the Eighth and Queen Katherine partook of this diversion, and rode a Maying from Greenwich to the high ground at Shooter's Hill, accompanied with many lords and ladies. Here they were received by a company of 200 tall yeomen all clothed in green, with green hoods and bows and arrows. One of them personating Robin Hood, as captain of the band, requested the king and all his company to stay and see his men shoot; to which his majesty agreeing, Robin Hood whistled, and all the two hundred discharged their arrows at once, which they repeated on his whistling again. Their arrows bad something placed in the heads of them which made them whistle as they flew, and altogether made a loud and uncommon noise. The gentleman who sumed the character of Robin Hood, then desired the king and queen, with their retinue, to enter the green wood, where, in arbours made with boughs intermixed with flowers, they were plentifully supplied with venison and wine by Robin Hood and his men.

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About two years after this, an event happened which turned this day of rejoicing into one of sorrow, and led for a time to the entire suppression in London

of the May games. The citizens taking offence at the encouragement granted to foreigners, a priest named Bell was persuaded to preach against them at the Spital church, and in a very inflaming sermon, he invited the people to oppose the settlement of all strangers among them. Suddenly a rumour arose that on May day all the foreigners in London would be assassinated, and many of them sought their safety in flight. The circumstance coming to the knowledge of the king and council, Cardinal Wolsey sent for the Lord Mayor and several of the city council, and exhorted them in strong terms to use measures for the preservation of the peace. A court of common council was accordingly assembled at Guildhall, the evening before May day, in which it was resolved to order every man to shut up his doors, and keep his servants at home during the day. The order was communicated by each alderman to the inhabitants of his ward; but when May morning came, it was found to have met with only a partial observance. As one of the aldermen was passing up Cheapside, he observed two young men at play, and many others looking at them: he seized the youths, in order to send them to the Compter, but they were soon rescued, and the cry raised of "Prentices! Prentices! Clubs! Clubs!" A great crowd instantly assembled; the mayor and sheriff's made proclamation for their dispersion in the king's name, but to no purpose; instead of obeying it, they broke open the houses of a number of foreigners, particularly Frenchmen, and continued plundering them till three next morning. As the multitude began then to scatter to their homes, the mayor and his attendants picked up about 400 of the stragglers, and committed them to the several prisons. While the riot lasted, the lieutenant of the tower fired several large pieces of ordnance into the city, but it is said without doing much mischief.

On the 4th of May a special commission was opened at Guildhall, for the trial of the prisoners; and to protect the proceeding from any interference on the part of the populace, the Duke of Norfolk brought into the city a body of 1300 men. On the 5th, thirteen persons were convicted and sentenced to be hanged, drawn, and quartered; and on the 7th, several more were condemned to suffer the same fate. For the execution of the criminals, ten gibbets were erected in different parts of the city, and

raised upon wheels, in order that they might be moved from street to street, and from door to door, the better to impress the whole population with the salutary terrors of the law. The dreaded day of punishment arrived; one man was executed at Cheapside, and the rest were about to be turned off, when, to the great joy of many a weeping family, and of the populace at large, a respite arrived from his majesty, and the criminals were remanded to prison.

It was now resolved that the Lord Mayor, recorder, and aldermen, should wait upon the king, and solicit bis forgiveness for the city. They went accordingly to his palace at Greenwich, all clothed in deep mourning, but were allowed to wait a long time at the privy chamber door before his majesty would deign to give them audience. At last, the king, attended by a number of his nobles, came forth; the city deputation fell immediately on their knees, and the recorder, in the name of the rest, begged in the most humble and submissive terms that his highness would forgive them for the unfortunate events of May day, and would have compassion on the offenders, whom he represented "as a small number of light persons." Henry, in great anger, demanded why they had not attempted to fight with the offenders, since they were such "a small number of light persons?" No answer being given, his majesty proceeded to observe that they must have winked at the disorder, and that nothing could atone for their negli gence; saying which, he turned on his heel, and left the prostrate citizens in a state of inexpressible mortification.

A trial of pride still severer awaited the corporation. The king and court seemed resolved to make them undergo the most abject humiliation before restoring them to favour. On the 22d of May, the king held a court at Westminster Hall; he sat at the upper end under a cloth of state, surrounded by a great many nobles, knights, and gentlemen. Cardinal Wolsey announced to his majesty, that the lord mayor, aldermen, and common council of the city of London, were in waiting, and desired to lay themselves at his majesty's feet. The deputation were then introduced by the lower end of the hall, and as they advanced, presented a truly melancholy spectacle. The chief magistrate and other dignitaries of the city were clothed in mourning gowns; they were followed by the whole of the prisoners, amounting to about four hundred, stripped to

their shirts, bound together with cords, and with halters round their necks; and to add to the wretchedness of the lat.er part of the scene, eleven women were beheld among the number of the condemned. The whole falling on their knees, the recorder repeated the supplication which the corporation had before submitted to his majesty. Cardinal Wolsey made answer in the name of the king. After severely rebuking the lord mayor, aldermen, and commonalty, for their neglect of duty, he told the prisoners, that for their offences against the laws of the realm, and against his majesty's crown and dignity, they richly merited death. At this, they all set up a cry of Mercy, gracious lord, mercy!" The king seemed moved; the nobles interceded; and at last yielding to the sentiment of compassion which the spectacle before him was so deeply calculated to excite, Henry pronounced aloud his forgiveness of the city, and the pardon of the criminals; who being immediately released from their bonds, threw up their halters in the air, crying, God save the king!"

After this disgraceful affair, the May games fell for a time into disrepute; but as time deprived the recollection of its bitterness, they were gradually revived, till in the reign of James the First, there was scarcely a village in the kingdom but had its appropriate games and dances on May day.

In 1664, the long parliament issued an ordinance against May-poles, and they were all taken down. At the restoration, they were permitted to be erected again; but the Puritans had by that time deprived the May game of its principal glories.

Strutt has given a very pleasing and accurate description of the May games and morris-dance of Robin Hood, as they were in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.

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Eight masqueraders in the most grotesque dresses, consisting of Robin Hood, Maid Marian, Friar Tuck, Little John, the Fool, Tom the Piper, the Hobbyhorse, and the Dragon, with from two to ten morris-dancers, or, in lieu of them, the same number of Robin Hood's men, in coats, hoods, and hose of green, with a painted pole in the centre, represented the most complete establishment of the May games.

In the front of the pavilion, a large square was staked out, and fenced with ropes, to prevent the crowd from pressing upon the performers, and interrupt

ing the diversion: there were also two bars at the bottom of the inclosure, through which the actors might pass and repass, as occasion required.

Six young men first entered the square, clothed in jerkins of leather, with axes upon their shoulders like woodmen, and their heads bound with large garlands of ivy leaves intertwined with sprigs of hawthorn. Then followed six young maidens of the village, dressed in blue kirtles, with garlands of primroses on their heads, leading a fine sleek cow, decorated with ribbons of various colours interspersed with flowers, and the horns of the animal were tipped with gold. These were succeeded by six foresters, equipped in green tunics, with hoods and hose of the same colour; each of them carried a bugle-horn attached to a baldrick of silk; which he sounded as he passed the barrier. After them, came Peter Lanaret, the baron's chief falconer, who personfied Robin Hood: he was attired in a bright grass-green tunic, fringed with gold; his hood and his hose were parti-coloured, blue and white; he had a large garland of rosebuds on his head, a bow bent in his hand, a sheaf of arrows at his girdle, and a bugle horn depending from a baldrick of light blue tarantine, embroidered with silver; he had also a sword and a dagger, the hilts of both being richly embossed with gold.

Fabian, a page, as Little John, walked at his right hand; and Cecil Cellerman, the butler, as Will. Stukely, at his left. These, with ten others of the jolly outlaw's attendants who followed, were habited in green garments, bearing their bows bent in their hands, and their arrows in their girdles. Then came two maidens, in orange-coloured kirtles with white courtpies, strewing flowers; followed immediately by the Maid Marian, elegantly habited in a watchet-coloured tunic reaching to the ground; above which she wore a white linen rochet with loose sleeves, fringed with silver, and very neatly plaited; her girdle was of silver baudekin, fastened with a double bow on the left side; her long flaxen hair was divided into many ringlets, and flowed upon her shoulders; the top part of her head was covered with a network cawl of gold, upon which was placed a garland of silver, ornamented with blue violets. She was supported by two bride maidens, in sky-coloured rochets girt with crimson girdles, wearing garlands upon their heads of blue and white violets, After them, came

four other females in green courtpies, and garlands of violets and cowslips: then Sampson, the smith, as Friar Tuck, carrying a huge quarter-staff on his shoulder; and Morris, the moletaker, who represented Much, the miller's son, having a long pole with an inflated bladder attached to one end: and after them the May-pole, drawn by eight fine oxen, decorated with scarfs, ribbons, and flowers of divers colours; and the tips of their horns were embellished with gold. The rear was closed by the Hobby-horse and the Dragon.

When the May-pole was drawn into the square, the foresters sounded their horns, and the populace expressed their pleasure by shouting incessantly until it reached the place assigned for its elevation and during the time the ground was preparing for its reception, the barriers of the bottom of the inclosure were opened for the villagers to approach, and adorn it with ribbons, garlands, and flowers, as their inclination prompted them.

The pole being sufficiently burdened with finery, the square was cleared from such as had no part to perform in the pageant; and then it was elevated amidst the reiterated acclamations of the spectators. The woodmen and the milk maidens danced around it according to the rustic fashion; the measure was played by Peretto Cheveritte, the baron's chief minstrel, on the bagpipes, accompanied with the pipe and tambour, performed by one of his associates. When the dance was finished, Gregory, the jester, who undertook to play the hobbyhorse, came forward with his appropriate equipment, and, frisking up and down the square without restriction, imitated the galloping, curvetting, ambling, trotting, and other paces of a horse, to the infinite satisfaction of the lower classes of the spectators. He was followed by Peter Parker, the baron's ranger, who personated a dragon, hissing, yelling, and shaking his wings with wonderful ingenuity; and to complete the mirth, Morris, in the character of Much, having small bells attached to his knees and elbows, capered here and there, between the two monsters, in the form of a dance; and as often as he came near to the sides of the inclosure, he cast slily a handful of meal into the faces of the gaping rustics, or rapped them about their heads with the bladder tied at the end of his pole. In the mean time, Sampson, representing Friar Tuck, walked with much gravity around the

square, and occasionally let fall his heavy staff upon the toes of such of the crowd as he thought were approaching more forward than they ought to do; and if the sufferers cried out from the sense of pain, he addressed them in a solemn tone of voice, advising them to count their beads, say a paternoster or two, and to beware of purgatory. These vagaries were highly palatable to the populace, who announced their delight by repeated plaudits, and loud bursts of laughter; for this reason they were continued for a considerable length of time; but Gregory, beginning at last to faulter in his paces, ordered the dragon to fall back; the well-nurtured beast, being out of breath, readily obeyed, and their two companions followed their example; which concluded this part of the pastime.

The archers then set up a target at the lower part of the green, and made trial of their skill in regular succession. Robin Hood and Will. Stukely excelled their comrades; and both of them lodged an arrow in the centre circle of gold, so near to each other, that the difference could not readily be decided, which occasioned them to shoot again; when Robin struck the gold a second time, and Stukely's arrow was affixed upon the edge of it. Robin was therefore adjudged the conqueror; and the prize of honour, a garland of laurel embellished with variegated ribbons, was put upon his head; and to Stukely was given a garland of ivy, because he was the second best performer in that contest.

The pageant was finished with the archery; and the procession began to move away, to make room for the villagers, who afterwards assembled in the square, and amused themselves by dancing round the May pole, in promiscuous companies, according to the ancient

custom.

Strutt mentions another custom observed on this day, which was kept up even in his time; that of the milk-maids dressing themselves very gaily, and borrowing abundance of silver plate, whereof they made a pyramid, which they adorned with ribbons and flowers, and carried it upon their heads, instead of their common pails. They were accompanied by some of their fellow milkmaids, and with a bagpipe or fiddle, they went from door to door, and danced before the houses of their customers.

All the ancient May day customs are entirely in disuse in London; but in

some parts of the North of England the first of May is still a festival, and some of the honours of the May game are still retained.---In our own times, the only remains of May festivities are the assemblage of the sweeps, who parade the streets for three days, decorated with tinsel ornaments, and performing grotesque dances.

HIGHLAND TRADITIONS

RANALD OF THE HENS.

EARLY in the 16th century, Macdonald, of Clanranald, married the daughter of Fraser Lord Lovat, and from this connexion some very unfortunate consequences to both these powerful families followed. Soon after this marriage Clanranald died, and left but one lawful son, who was bred and educated at Castle Donie, the seat of Lovat, under the care of his maternal grandfather. The name of the young chieftain was Ranald, and unhappily for himself, he was distinguished by the appellation Gaulta, or Lowland, because Lovat's country was considered as approaching towards the manners, customs, and appearance of the Lowlands, compared to his own native land of Moidart, one of the most barren and mountainous districts in the Highlands.

Ranald was an accomplished youth, and promised to be an ornament to his family and his country; his disposition was amiable, and his appearance was much in his favour.-When yet but a stripling, he visited his estate; and his people being desirous to give him the best reception in their power, he found at every house great entertainments were provided, and much expense incurred by the slaughter of cattle and other acts of extravagance, which appeared to Ranald very superfluous. He was a stranger to the customs of the country, and it would seem that he had no friendly or judicious counsellor. In an evil hour, he remarked that he was extremely averse to this ruinous practice, which he was convinced the people could ill afford; and said that, for his own part, he would be perfectly satisfied to dine on a fowl. Ranald had an illegitimate brother, (or as some now say, an uncle's son,) who was born and bred on the estate. He was many years older than the young Clanranald, and was possessed of very superior abilities in his way. He was active, brave, and

ambitious, to which were added much address and shrewdness. Having always resided in Moidart, where he associated with the people, and had rendered himself very popular, he had acquired the appellation of Ian Muidar ich, or John of Moidart, a much more endearing distinction than Gaulta.

The remark Ranald had made, as to the extravagance of his people, gave great offence; and the preference he gave to a fowl was conceived to indicate a mean sordid disposition unbecoming the representative of so great a family. John Muidartich and his friends encouraged these ideas, and Ranald was soon known by the yet more contemptuous appellation of the Ranald of the Hens. He soon left Moidart, and again returned to his grandfather's house. His brother (and now his opponent) remained in that country, and he used all the means in his power to strengthen his interest. He married the daughter of Macdonald, of Ardnamurchan, the head of a numerous and turbulent tribe, whose estate bordered on Moidart, and his intention to oppose Ranald, became daily more evident. Several attempts were made by mutual friends to effect a compromise, but without any permanent effect. At length a conference between the brothers was appointed at Inverlochy, where Ranald attended, accompanied by old Lovat and a considerable body of his clan; but especially a very large portion of the principal gentlemen of his name were present. John also appeared; and to prevent any suspicion of violence, the number of his attendants was but small, and his demeanour was pacific and unassuming.

Lovat made proposals on the part of his grandson, and with very little hesitation they were acceded to by John and his friends. All parties appeared to be highly pleased, and they separated,-John with his small party directing their course homeward, whilst Ranald accompanied his aged relation to his own country, which was much more distant.

John of Moidart, however, was all along playing a deep game: he ordered a strong body of his father-in-law's people to lie in ambush in a certain spot near the path by, which Lovat and his men, must necessarily pass on their return home; and he took care to join them himself, by travelling all night across the mountains.

The Frasers and young Clanranald appeared, and they were attacked by

their wily foe. It is said that no more than six of Lovat's party escaped, and not triple that number of their enemies. Ranald, unquestionably the lawful representative of the family, fell covered with wounds, after having given proof that he was possessed of the greatest bravery; and his memory is to this day respected even among the descendants of those who destroyed him. John of Moidart obtained possession of the whole estate, and led a very turbylent life. Tradition says that he compromised the claims of Macdonald, of Morar, for a third part of the lands, which he yielded up to him on relinquishing all further right.

This conflict is distinguished by the designation of Blar leine, or the Battle of the Shirts, the combatants having stripped themselves during the action It was fought at the eastern end of Lochlochy, near the line of the Caledonian Canal, in July 1554. This subject has recently become of considerable importance, being one of the principal points at issue between two chieftains of the Macdonalds. We do not pretend to interfere in any such questions; we merely relate the circumstances as they have been given to us by many persons in that country, some of them descendants of John of Moidart.

SELECT BIOGRAPHY.

ANECDOTES OF ILLUSTRIOUS WOMEN. (No. II)

CHRISTINA, QUEEN OF SWEDEN. Christina, daughter of the great Gustavus Adolphus, king of Sweden, was born in 1626. During the pregnancy of the Queen, her mother, it was predicted by the astrologer, that a son was about to be born to Gustavus, destined to maintain the glory of his father: when informed of the birth of his daughter, he said, "Let us, however, thank GOD; this girl will, trust, prove not less valuable than a boy." Christina, when about two years old, was taken by her father to Calmar; the governor hesita ted whether to give the King the usual salute, lest the infant should be terrified by the noise of the cannon; Gustavus being consulted, replied after a moment's hesitation, Fire, the girl is the daughter of a soldier, and should be accustomed to it early!" The salute being

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