On beer : a statistical sketch / by M. Vogel.

  • Vogel, Max.
Date:
1874
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On beer : a statistical sketch / by M. Vogel. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    45/98 (page 29)
    UNITED KINGDOM. Beer must have been known for a long time in Eng- land, for we ^^find in its history various ale-festivals, ascending to very remote periods, and we read notably of bride-ales, clerk-ales, give-ales, lamb-ales, leet-ales, midsummer-ales. Scot-ales, Whitsun-ales, &c. The most remarkable appear to have been Whitsun- ale in Oxfordshire, and further, Lamb-ale and Church- ale.i For the celebration of Wliitsun-ale it was necessary to elect a lord and lady of the ale, who dressed as fantastically as possible for their office. The locality for celebrating the festivity was gene- rally a large, empty barn, where seats w'ere arranged for the company. Then arrived the lads and lasses of the village for feasting and dancing, and the young men offered ribbons and other finery to their sweethearts. Then came the beer-lord and beer-lady, accompanied by their grand chamberlain, sword-bearer, purse-bearer, and train-bearer, every one wearing the insignia of his office. Generally there was also a page bearing the train of the beer-lady, and a clown in particoloured