BY HER MAJESTIE'S PERMISSION.

AT HEATLY'S BOOTH,

Over against the Cross Daggers, next to Mr. Miller's Booth: During the time of Bartholomew fair, will be presented a little Opera, call'd The Old Creation of the World, newly reviv'd, with the addition of the Glorious Battle obtained over the French and Spaniards by his Grace the Duke of Marlborough.

THE CONTENTS ARE THESE.

1. The Creation of Adam and Eve.

2. The intreagues of Lucifer in the Garden of Eden.

3. Adam and Eve driven out of Paradise.

4. Cain going to plow, Abel driving sheep.

5. Cain killeth his brother Abel.

6. Abraham offering his son Isaac.

7. Three Wisemen of the East guided by a Star, who worship him. 8. Joseph and Mary flee away by night upon an ass.

9. King Herod's cruelty, his men's spears laden with children. 10. Rich Dives invites his friends, and orders his porter to keep the beggars from his gate.

11. Poor Lazarus comes a begging at rich Dives' gate, the dogs lick

his sores.

12. The good angel and death contend for Lazarus' life.

13. Rich Dives is taken sick and dieth, he is buried in great solemnity. 14. Rich Dives in Hell, and Lazarus in Abraham's bosom, seen in

a most glorious object, all in machines, descending in a throne, guarded with multitudes of angels, with the breaking of the clouds, discovering the palace of the Sun, in double and treble prospects, to the admiration of the spectators.

In the early ages the bishops were accustomed on Christmas Day to sing Carols among the clergy.

Some of the Legendary Carols are very beautiful, and shadow forth the true spirit of our most admired ballad poetry. That entitled the "Holy Well" I

would beg to bring forward as a specimen. Although a fragment of an old monkish sermon, or, perhaps, the story of a priest to his simple audience, it is, to my thinking, full of poesy and fine feeling. Jesus, when young, had the ideas and youthful tastes of other children. One day he obtained permission of his mother to play with some little children down by the Holy Well. The juveniles proved to be "lords' and ladies'" sons, and knowing the poverty of Jesus' parents, they objected to his company, and twitted him with the meanness of his birth. Nothing can be more natural than the anger of the indignant mother upon learning the insult. She knows the mighty power of her heavenly boy, but the feelings of a wounded mother's pride are too strong to be suppressed, and she calls upon her son to punish them with his terrible malediction. Jesus' answer is soft and beautiful:

"Nay, nay," sweet Jesus mildly said,
"Nay, nay, that must not be,

For there are too many sinful souls
Crying out for the help of me."

Books of Carols were cried about the streets of Paris as early as the thirteenth century. In this country we know, from some fragments preserved in the public libraries, that they were published by the first printers.

There also exist numerous old MSS. containing ancient Carols; but these, although they delighted

our forefathers when sung by the minstrels, are now almost forgotten. In the time of Henry VIII, and down to the early years of the reign of Charles I, Carols were general at the festive season. When the Puritans came into power, however, an act of parliament was passed, "That no observation shall be had of the 25th day of December, commonly called Christmas Day," and the consequence was that Carols fell into disuse. At the Restoration they once more came into public favour; but, owing to the fondness of Charles for worldly enjoyment, the Carols that were composed and sung at this period are more frequently the subject of noisy mirth and festivity than religion. From this date to the present time the popularity of these joyous songs has been on the wane. Fashions have changed, and tastes have altered; and in this age of giddy excitement people appear to prefer novelty and flippant amusement to the innocent and delightful pastime of their ancient fathers.

Forty years ago an antiquary wrote complainingly:"Carols begin to be spoken of as not belonging to this century, and yet no one, as I am aware of, has attempted a collection of these fugitives." Several gleaners since then, however, have entered the field. Mr. Davies Gilbert, Mr. Sandys, Dr. Rimbault, and Mr. Thomas Wright have each garnered their gleanings into little volumes. From these I have derived much assistance in the compilation of the present work.

Much more could have been said in this introduction relative to the history of Carols than has been attempted, but the remarks prefixed to each Carol will be found to contain many particulars concerning our subject. With regard to the date of these pieces most of them may be pronounced ancient,-if not in composition, yet in subject.

The Editor is aware that many of the Carols represent the most indifferent poetry. He was prevailed upon to include them in the collection for various reasons, their earnest simplicity, the old religious stories they frequently contained, together with a considerable respect for that general favour which for many generations has been accorded to them by all classes.

Incollecting materials for the present work it was endeavoured not to include anything contrary to morality or good taste. The Editor has arranged the Carols under the several heads of Legendary and Narrative; Religious; Numeral; Carols in praise of the Holly and Ivy; Boar's Head Carols; and a selection of what may be entitled Festive Carols-the joyous songs of ancient hospitality and harmless mirth; the blending of festive enjoyment with religion of the heart. In the old days of simple manners it was the custom to hail the season of Christ's birth with a smiling face.

"Man, be merie as bryd on berie, and al thi care let away!"

is the advice prefixed to an ancient Carol in the British Museum. J. S.

CHRISTMAS CAROLS.

PART I.

LEGENDARY AND NARRATIVE.

CAROL FOR ST. STEPHEN'S DAY.

[THIS Carol is of the beginning of the fifteenth century. The legend itself dates back to a much more remote period. The story of the cock was originally applied to other saints, as St. James, St. Peter, or the Virgin. The oldest account, about 1200, is this:-Two friends sat down to dinner in Bologna, and one bade the other carve the cock, which he did, so that, as he said, not St. Peter or our Lord himself could put it together again. The cock sprang up, clapped his wings and crowed, scattering the sauce over the two friends, and rendering them lepers till the day of their death. The same miracle is related as having occurred to prove the innocence of persons falsely accused, and is found in the legends of Spain, Brittany, Italy, and Sclavonian countries. How it came to be appropriated to St. Stephen does not appear. The boar's head, which he brings in, was the established Yule-tide dish of the North in old heathen times, as well as afterwards.

I am indebted for the above facts to Dr. Prior's delightful volumes of Danish Ballads, recently published. That gentleman has given the very curious Danish version of the legend.

B