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IN GERMANY.

Three weeks before the day whereon was born the Lord of grace,
And on the Thursday, boys and girls do run in every place,
And bounce and beat at every door, with blows and lusty snaps,
And cry the advent of the Lord, not born as yet, perhaps:
And wishing to the neighbors all, that in the houses dwell,
A happy year, and everything to spring and prosper well:
Here have they pears, and plums, and pence; each man gives willingly,
For these three nights are always thought unfortunate to be,
Wherein they are afraid of sprites and cankered witches’ spite,
And dreadful devils, black and grim, that then have chiefest might.

In these same days, young, wanton girls that meet for marriage be,
Do search to know the names of them that shall their husbands be.
Four onions, five, or eight they take, and make in every one
Such names as they do fancy most and best do think upon.
Thus near the chimney then they set, and that same onion than
The first doth sprout doth surely bear the name of their good man.
Their husband’s nature eke they seek to know and all his guise:
When as the sun hath hid himself, and left the starry skies,
Unto some woodstack do they go, and while they there do stand,
Each one draws out a fagot stick, the next that comes to hand,
Which if it straight and even be, and have no knots at all,
A gentle husband then they think shall surely to them fall;
But, if it foul and crooked be, and knotty here and there,
A crabbed, churlish husband then they earnestly do fear.

Then comes the day wherein the Lord did bring his birth to pass,
Whereas at midnight up they rise, and every man to Mass.
This time so holy counted is, that divers earnestly
Do think the waters all to wine are changed suddenly
In that same hour that Christ himself was born and came to light,
And unto water straight again transformed and altered quite.
There are beside that mindfully the money still do watch
That first to altar comes, which then they privily do snatch.
The priests, lest other should it have, take oft the same away,
Whereby they think throughout the year to have good luck in play,
And not to lose: then straight at game till daylight do they strive
To make some present proof how well their hallowed pence will thrive.

This done, a wooden child in clouts is on the altar set,
About the which both boys and girls do dance and trimly get,
And carols sing in praise of Christ, and for to help them here,
The organs answer every verse with sweet and solemn cheer.
The priests do roar aloud, and round about the parents stand,
To see the sport, and with their voice do help them and their hand.
Thus wont the Coribants perhaps upon the mountain Ide,
The crying noise of Jupiter, new born, with song to hide,
To dance about him round, and on their brazen pans to beat,
Lest that his father, finding him, should him destroy and eat.

Then followeth Saint Stephen’s Day, whereon doth every man
His horses jaunt and course abroad, as swiftly as he can.
Until they do extremely sweat, and then they let them blood,
For this being done upon this day, they say doth do them good,
And keeps them from all maladies and sickness through the year,
As if that Stephen any time took charge of horses here.
Next, John, the son of Zebedee, hath his appointed day,
Who once, by cruel tyrant’s will, constrained was, they say,
Strong poison up to drink, therefore the Papists do believe
That whoso puts their trust in him, no poison them can grieve.
The wine beside that hallowed is, in worship of his name,
The priests do give the people that bring money for the same.
And after with the selfsame wine are little manchets[F] made,
Against the boisterous winter storms, and sundry such like trade.
The men upon this solemn day do take this holy wine,
To make them strong, so do the maids to make them fair and fine.