The child bishop sings to Queen Mary

6 December · London

No longer kept

In 1554 the boy bishop of St Paul’s and his company were admitted to Queen Mary’s privy chamber and sang before her on St Nicholas’s Day. They came again on Holy Innocents’ Day. Henry VIII had abolished the boy bishops, and Mary revived them; Strutt, following Strype, noted that the custom ended for good at her death.

the child bishop, of Paules church, with his company,' were admitted into the queen's privy chamber, where he sang before her on Saint Nicholas-day and upon Holy Innocents-day.

From Strutt's Sports and Pastimes, 2nd ed., p. 306. Read the original

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Folklore from the old calendars

The boy bishop Still kept WiltshireOn St Nicholas's Day a chorister was chosen as boy bishop and, with a boy dean and chapter, carried out the bishop's offices until Holy Innocents' Day.
Cocks and pence at Wye School No longer kept KentHasted recorded that the master of Wye School in Kent, founded by Archbishop Kempe in 1447, was to teach grammar free to rich and poor alike.
Breaking the master’s cellar door at Curry Rivel No longer kept SomersetOn St Nicholas's Day the schoolboys of Curry Rivel, who were taught in a school inside the church, had a barrel of good ale brought into the church.
Orders, Master, orders No longer kept YorkshireAround St Nicholas's Day, the schoolboys' patron, northern grammar school boys shut their master out and chanted for their orders before letting him back in.
The boy bishop’s dinner at Lambeth No longer kept London, SurreyOn St Nicholas's Day the boy bishop of Lambeth and his company were given a dinner at the parish's expense.

The child bishop sings to Queen Mary

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