Archery was amongst the May-day sports, especially in
the company of Robin Hood. The Summer King and Queen were perhaps the
oldest characters. They seem to be identical with the Lord and Lady, and
sometimes to have been merged in Robin Hood and Maid Marian.
"Maid Marian fair as ivory bone,
Scarlet, and Mutch, and Little John."
The King and Queen of May are spoken of in the thirteenth century, but
morris-dancing at May-time does not seem to date earlier than Henry
VII., and is not so old a custom as the immemorial one of going a-Maying
"To bring the summer home
The summer and the May-O!"
This was not confined to young people or to country-folk. Chaucer says
that on May-day early "fourth goth al the court, both most and lest, to
fetche the flowres fresh, and braunch, and blome," and Henry VIII. kept
May-day very orthodoxly in the early years of his reign.
Milkmaids have been connected with May-day customs from an early period.
Perhaps because syllabub and cream were the recognized dainties of the
festival. In Northumberland a ring used to be dropped into the syllabub
and fished for with a ladle. Whoever got it was to be the first married
of the party. An odd old custom in Suffolk suggests that the hawthorn
was not always ready even for the Old Style May-day.
Pages:
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153