These extraordinary amusements took place after their repast; for these grotesque Saturnalia appeared after that graver part of their grand Christmas.  Supper ended, the constable-marshal presented himself with drums playing, mounted on a stage borne by four men, and carried round; at length he cries out, “a lord! a lord!” &c., and then calls his mock court every one by name.

Sir Francis Flatterer, of Fowlshurt.

Sir Randall Rackabite, of Rascal-hall, in the county of Rakehell.

Sir Morgan Mumchance, of Much Monkery, in the county of Mad Mopery.

Sir Bartholomew Bald-breech, of Buttock-bury, in the county of
Break-neck.[135]

They had also their mock arraignments.  The king’s-serjeant, after dinner or supper, “oratour-like,” complained that the constable-marshal had suffered great disorders to prevail; the complaint was answered by the common-serjeant, who was to show his talent at defending the cause.  The king’s-serjeant replies; they rejoin, &c.:  till one at length is committed to the Tower, for being found most deficient.  If any offender contrived to escape from the lieutenant of the Tower into the buttery and brought into the hall a manchet (or small loaf) upon the point of a knife, he was pardoned; for the buttery in this jovial season was considered as a sanctuary.  Then began the revels.  Blount derives this term from the French reveiller, to awake from sleep.  These were sports of dancing, masking comedies, &c. (for some were called solemn revels,) used in great houses, and were so denominated because they were performed by night; and these various pastimes were regulated by a master of the revels.

Amidst “the grand Christmass,” a personage of no small importance was “the Lord of Misrule.”  His lordship was abroad early in the morning, and if he lacked any of his officers, he entered their chambers to drag forth the loiterers; but after breakfast his lordship’s power ended, and it was in suspense till night, when his personal presence was paramount, or, as Dugdale expresses it, “and then his power is most potent.”

Such were then the pastimes of the whole learned bench; and when once it happened that the under-barristers did not dance on Candlemas day, according to the ancient order of the society, when the judges were present, the whole bar was offended, and at Lincoln’s-Inn were by decimation put out of commons, for example sake; and should the same omission be repeated, they were to be fined or disbarred; for these dancings were thought necessary, “as much conducing to the making of gentlemen more fit for their books at other times,” I cannot furnish a detailed notice of these pastimes; for Dugdale, whenever he indicates them, spares his gravity from recording the evanescent frolics, by a provoking _&c. &c. &c._

The dance “round about the coal-fire” is taken off in the Rehearsal.  These revels have also been ridiculed by Donne in his Satires, Prior in his Alma, and Pope in his Dunciad.  “The judge to dance, his brother serjeants calls."[136]