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Column for thf OLD CHRISTMAS AND HAPPINESS. From the New Monthly Belle Assemblée for December. 'Tis said that old Christmas and Happiness wander'd, In search of a home from calamity free, And as on their lot and their prospects they ponder'd, Both vow'd that where one was, the other should be. With this resolution, unyielding tho' vainly, O'er many a mile llid the travellers roam, And sad to relate, they perceiv'd but too plainly, Tho' nations were plenty, right scarce was a home. Sometimes, if old Christmas was cordially greeted, As greeted he should be with love and respect, His companion, alas was unworthily treated, Dull sorrow would come, their repose to infect. At length they reach'd England bright pearl of the ocean, When, after surveying the island all round, Both the Rovers exclaimed, with the deepellt emotion, Come, here let us rest, for a home we have found." Now, since the pair hither have chosen their dwelling, Let's hail them and prize them. while prize them we may, And watch, lest the foul traitor, Discord, rebelling, Should raise his foul head e'er to drive them away. Thro' each freak of fortune, mid all change of weather, May nothing occur these two friends to divide In peace may they live, and uniting together, Bring joy to our homes, and each blithe fireside. EPIPHANY; OR, TWELFTH DAY. Now Twelf Day is coming goode housewife I trowp, Get ready your churne and your milk from the cowe, And fire your oven all ready to bake, For Emma come hither a honnie Twelfth cake. The lads a.nd the lasses at night will be seen Round the wassaile bowie drawing for king and for queene. But could I possess thpir three kingdomes by lotte, I would rather have Emma and dwell in a cotte. The feast of the Epiphany, wlJich means appearance of manifestaf:on. is a festival established from the earliest period of Christianity, in commemoration of the day when Christ manifested himself to the Jews, by a star which conducted the wise men to Bethlehem. It is usually called Twelfth Day, from its being twelve days after Christmas or the Nativity. In the time of Alfred the whole twelve days were ordered to be kept aø festivals by a law made respecting holydays*. Brand observes that the customs of this day, though various in different countries, agree in doing honour to the Eastern Magi, or Wise MeR, who are supposed to have been of royal dignity and in this opinion Selden appears to agree when he says in his Table Talk-" Our choosing kings and queens on Twelfth Night has reference to three kings." These eastern magi, or kings, are still held in much veneration by Catholics and even in palaces kings on this day still make an offering at the altar, by proxy, of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Twelfth Day is considered as the winding up of the Christmas Holidays, and many still conclude the day with merriment by eat- ing cake and drawing for king and queen the manner in which they are now chosen is by drawing lots, or characters, and each assumes for the evening the character they draw the royal dignity is preserved by apportioning a larger division of the cake to the sovereigns, to whom Ihe other characters are held subor- dinate. Formerly a bean and a pea used to be put into the cake, and the possessors of those became monarchs for the evening. Now, now the mirth comes With the cake full of plums, Where Bean's the King of the spdrt here; Beside ye must know, The Pea also. Must revell, as Queene, in the Court here.—Herrick. The remoteness of the era at which the bean was used, can be traced to the thirteenth century, in a poem by Guillaume de "Wltneuve. The character of Baby-cake, in Ben Jonson's Masque of Christmas, enters attended by an usher, bearing a great Cake with a Bean and a Pease." The following particulars of Twelfth Cake and its ceremonies is from a book printed in 1620, called Mores, Leges, et Hitus omnium Gentium." The materials of the cake are honey, flour, ginger, and pepper. One is made for every family by the mis- tress, who thrusts in, at random, when she is kneading it, a small coin. When the cake is baked, it is divided into as many jiarts as there are persons in the family, & each have their share. Portions of it, also, are assigned to Christ, to the Virgin, and to the three Magi, which are given away in alms. Whoever finds the piece of coin in his share is saluted by all as king, and being placed on a seat or throne, is thrice lifted aloft with joyful accla- mations. He holds a piece of chalk in his right hand, and each tima that he is lifted up, makes a cros3 on the ceiling. These Crosses are thought to prevent many evils, and are much re- ■Wpod." The foregoing accords very nearly with the following, from the Popish Kingdom'' of Naorgeorgus, as translated by Bar- aiaby Googe, and printed in the year 1570 :— The wise Men's Day here followeth, who out from Persia farre, Brought gifts and presents unto Christ, conducted by a starre. The Papists do beleeve that these were Kings, and so them call, And do affinne that of the same there were but three ii'1 all. Hence sundry friends together come, and meet in companie, And make a King among themselves by voice or destinie "Who after princely guise appointes his officers alway, Then unto feasting do they go, and long time after play :— Then also every Householder, to his abilitie, Doth make a mightie Cake, that may suffice his companie Herein a penny he doth put, before it come to fire, This he divides according as his household doth require And every piece distributed, as round about they stand, Which in their names unto the poor is given out of hand But whoso chaunceth on the peece wherein Ihe money lies, Is counted King amongst them all (and is with showtes & cries lExalted to the Heavens up), who taking chalke in hande, Doth make a crosse on every beame and rafters as they stande <ire<rt force and powre have these against all injuryes and harms Of cursed Devils, Sprites, and Bugges, of conjurings and charmes. So much the King can do so much the crosses bring to passe ■Made by servant, maide, or childe, or by some foolish asse, Twice sixe nights then from Christmas,—and at the present time, The youth in every place doe flock, and all apparel'd fine, "With pypars through the streetes they runne, and sing at every dore, In commendation of the man—rewarded well therefore, The money on themselves they spend, or on the church as though The people were not plagude with rogues and begging friars enow. Their Cities are, where boys and gyrles together still do runne, About the street with like, as soone as night beginnes to come, And bring abroad their Wassail Bowles, who well rewarded bee W ith cakes and cheese, and great goode cheere, and money plenteouslee. In France the Twelfth Cake is made quite plain, something like a large bun, with a bean in it; when the cake is cut each -person draws a slice, and the one to whose lot the bean falls "becomes king or queen. To his or her majesty, the homage of 1he rest of the company is paid during the evening. See Collier's Ecclesiastical History.

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