All-Hallowtide revels at the Middle Temple

1 November · Middle Temple, London

No longer kept

London

The young lawyers of the Middle Temple counted All-Hallowtide as the start of Christmas, and in the reign of Charles I they chose a Master of the Revels for the season. In 1629 it was Bulstrode Whitelocke, who on the evening of All Hallows’ Day led sixteen richly dressed revellers into the hall behind the music. They danced the old masques and the brawls, then galliards, corantos and country dances until very late. The fame of the dancing soon drew court ladies and grandees, and entertaining them cost Whitelocke and the Templars dear.

In the reign of Charles I., the young gentlemen of the Middle Temple were accustomed at All-Hallow-Tide, which they considered the beginning of Christmas, to associate themselves for the festive objects connected with the season.

From Chambers's Book of Days, vol. 2, p. 538. Read the original

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Folklore from the old calendars

The All Saints’ triplets Lore and belief WalesA correspondent signing himself Gwilym Sais sent Hone seven triplets for the first of November, the Welsh Calan Gaeaf, from William Owen Pughe's translations of the elegies of Llywarch Hen.
Dole bread in Monmouthshire No longer kept MonmouthshireBritton wrote in his Cathedral Antiquities that in Monmouthshire the poorer people, Catholic and Protestant alike, went begging bread for the souls of the dead on All Saints' Day.
Seed cake at Allhallows No longer kept WarwickshireBrand's servant, a Warwickshire man, told him that in that county a seed cake was had at Allhallows, marking the end of wheat sowing.
Souling in Staffordshire No longer kept StaffordshireTollett noted that on All Saints' Day the poor of Staffordshire went from parish to parish souling, begging and singing for soul cakes or anything else to make them merry.
The Cheshire souling song Still kept CheshireOn the eve of All Souls' Day parties of boys in Cheshire went souling from door to door, singing for apples, pears, plums, beer or money.
The first three days of winter Lore and belief BanffshireThe minister of Kirkmichael in Banffshire reported a Gaelic weather saying about the first three days of winter, which began at Hallowtide.
Ringing for all Christian souls No longer kept EnglandBefore the Reformation the church bells were rung all night at Allhallowtide for all Christian souls.
Pork, souse and sprats at All Saints No longer kept EnglandAll Saints was the season for pork and souse, the pickled parts of the pig, and for laying in sprats and spurlings.
Slaughter time at Hallowtide No longer kept EnglandHallowtide began the season for killing stock, and with it the husbandman's feasting.
Hallow-fair at Fordyce No longer kept BanffshireFordyce's yearly market was called Hallow-fair, and its charter of 1592 set it at All Hallows, to run for eight days.
The rough first day of winter Lore and belief WalesAn old Welsh triplet held that Calangauaf, the first day of winter, brought hard weather quite unlike the first day of summer, but that only God could foretell what was to come.

All-Hallowtide revels at the Middle Temple

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