{"id":4255,"date":"2024-12-30T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-30T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.chr.org.uk\/anddidthosefeet\/?p=4255"},"modified":"2025-12-29T10:05:36","modified_gmt":"2025-12-29T10:05:36","slug":"the-lord-of-misrule-london-december-30th","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chr.org.uk\/anddidthosefeet\/the-lord-of-misrule-london-december-30th\/","title":{"rendered":"The Lord of Misrule & London, December 30th"},"content":{"rendered":"
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John Stow memorial in St Andrew’s Church<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

On the sixth day of Christmas<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

My true love sent to me
6 Geese a Laying;
5 Golden Rings;
4 Calling Birds; 3 French Hens; 2 Turtle Doves
and a Partridge in a Pear Tree<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Lord of Misrule, Masters of the Revels, and Boy Bishops<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Roman festival of Saturnalia, held between 17th and 23rd of December, included reversing rules so that slaves, ruled and masters served. In the medieval period, the disorder of Christmas was continued with the election of Lords of Misrule, Masters of the Revels, and Boy Bishops. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Stow’s, Survey of London<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

He was London’s first great historian, wrote of the Lord of Misrule in London. In this section, Stow begins the role of the Lords of Misrule at Halloween and continues it until Candlemas, in erly February. See my post here for more details on Candlemas.<\/a> This is what Stow says:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now for sports and pastimes yearly used.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, in the feast of Christmas, there was in the king\u2019s house, wheresoever he was lodged, a lord of misrule, or master of merry disports, and the like had ye in the house of every nobleman of honour or good worship, were he spiritual or temporal. Amongst the which the mayor of London, and either of the sheriffs, had their several lords of misrule, ever contending, without quarrel or offence, who should make the rarest pastimes to delight the beholders. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

These lords beginning their rule on Alhollon eve, continued the same till the morrow after the Feast of the Purification, commonly called Candlemas day. In all which space there were fine and subtle disguisings, masks, and mummeries, with playing at cards for counters, nails, and points, in every house, more for pastime than for gain.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Against the feast of Christmas every man\u2019s house, as also the parish churches, were decked with holm, ivy, bays, and whatsoever the season of the year afforded to be green. The conduits and standards in the streets were likewise garnished; (…) , at the Leaden hall in Cornhill, a standard of tree being set up in midst of the pavement, fast in the ground, nailed full of holm and ivy, for disport of Christmas to the people…<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

John Stow, author of the \u2018Survey of London<\/em>\u2018 first published in 1598. Available at the wonderful Project Gutenberg: ‘https:\/\/www.gutenberg.org\/files\/42959\/42959-h\/42959-h.htm’<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n

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Holm is an evergreen oak called Quercus ilex. John Stow talks about the Tree in Leadenhall Street being destroyed in the great wind of 1444 which you can read about here.<\/a> You might also like to see the following posts, which include information about John Stow<\/a> and London’s customs<\/a>, and churches<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Childermas, Santa Nicklaus & Boy Bishops December 6th<\/a><\/blockquote>