Lord of Misrule
england lord misrule – known scotland abbot unreason france prince de sot – officer appointed lot christmastide preside feast fool lord misrule generally peasant subdeacon appointed charge christmas revelry often included drunkenness wild partying catholic church england held similar festival involving boy bishop custom abolished henry viii restored catholic mary abolished protestant elizabeth though lingered time longer continental europe suppressed council basel revived place time time even late eighteenth century tudor period lord misrule sometimes called abbot misrule king misrule mentioned number time contemporary document referring revel court among ordinary people mostly known british holiday custom folklorists james frazer mikhail bakhtin said borrowed novel idea frazer claimed appointment lord misrule come similar custom practised roman celebration saturnalia ancient rome december julian calendar man chosen mock king appointed feast saturnalia guise roman deity saturn hypothesis heavily criticized william warde fowler christmas custom lord misrule christian era saturnalian custom antiquity may completely separate origin two separate custom however compared contrasted many custom regarding lord misrule incorporated modernday carnival mardi gras celebration january ad bishop asterius amasea pontus modern amasya turkey preached sermon feast calends foolish harmful delight describes role mock king late antiquity new year feast included child arriving doorstep exchanging gift reward festival teach even little child artless simple greedy accustoms go house house offer novel gift fruit covered silver tinsel receive return gift double value thus tender mind young begin impressed commercial sordid contrasted christian celebration held chance adjoining day celebrate birth christ since time god manifested flesh celebrate feast light epiphany since forgiveness sin led forth dark prison former life life light uprightness significantly asterius christian feast explicitly entry darkness light although conscious solar nature could expressed certainly renewed light midwinter celebrated among roman pagan officially time aurelian festival birth unconquered sun meanwhile throughout city amasea although entry temple holy place forbidden decree theodosius festival giftgiving noise tumult rejoicing new year kiss gift coin went around intense disgust scorn bishop misnamed feast full annoyance since going outofdoors burdensome staying within door undisturbed common vagrant juggler stage dividing squad horde hang every house gate public official besiege especial persistence actually shouting clapping hand beleaguered within exhausted throw whatever money even mendicant going door door follow one another late evening relief nuisance crowd succeeds crowd shout shout loss loss honest farmer coming city likely jeered spanked robbed worse even excellent guileless prophet unmistakable representative god unhindered work faithful minister treated insolence soldier spend wage riot loose woman see play perhaps learn vulgarity practice actor military discipline relaxed slackened make sport law government appointed guardian ridicule insult august government mount chariot though upon stage appoint pretended lictors publicly act like buffoon nobler part ribaldry doings one mention champion lionhearted man man armed admiration friend terror foe loose tunic ankle twine girdle breast use woman sandal put roll hair head feminine fashion ply distaff full wool right hand bore trophy draw thread changing tone voice utter word sharper feminine treble golden bough james frazer cite greek martyrology claim saturnalia durostorum danube modern silistra roman soldier would choose man among ceremonial temporary king thirty day end term soldier cut throat altar saturn christian saint dasius supposedly chosen ritual refused participate martyred result frazer speculated similar ritual human sacrifice could origin british lord misrule tudor period john stow survey london published give description lord misrule feaste christmas kinges house wheresoeuer hee lodged lord misrule maister merry disports like yee house euery noble man honor good worshippe spirituall temporall amongst mayor london eyther shiriffes seuerall lordes misrule euer contending without quarrell offence make rarest pastime delight beholder lordes beginning rule alhollon eue halloween continued till morrow feast purification commonlie called candlemas day space fine subtle disguisinges maskes mummery playing cardes counter nayles pointes euery house pastime gaine lord misrule also mentioned philip stubbes anatomie abuse state wilde heades parishe conventynge together chuse grand capitaine mischeefe ennobel title lorde misrule describes dress colourfully tie bell onto leg go churche though minister praier preachyng dauncying swingyng handercheefes rise puritan party th century church england custom lord misrule outlawed deemed disruptive even restoration custom remained banned soon became forgotten early th century oxford movement anglican church ushered development richer symbolic form worship building neogothic church revival increasing centrality keeping christmas christian festival well special charity poor addition special service musical event charles dickens writer helped revival holiday changing consciousness christmas way celebrated emphasized family religion giftgiving social reconciliation opposed historic revelry common place bracebridge dinner nine lesson carol carnival asterius amasia ad asterius amasea sermon edition pp – sermon festival calends latin oratio adversus kalendarum festum transcribed roger pearse ipswich uk festival calends asterius amasea ad transcribed roger pearse ipswich uk webpage asterius james frazer golden bough roman saturnalia deal lord misrule