`The Myrth of the Honest'

Little is known with certainty about the English writer of Nicholas Breton (1554?-1626), a contemporary of Shakespeare. In its mingling of piety, sentimentality and verbosity, much of his poetry is unreadable. The rest is tired pastoral verse (“The Arbour of Amorous Devices” is misleadingly titled). In the year of his death, however, Breton published a little prose marvel, Fantastickes, chronicling the months of the year, the holidays and the cycle of seasons. His word-drunk account of Christmas is both earthy and devout in a typically Elizabethan manner, and is worth quoting at length:

“It is now Christmas, and not a Cup of drinke must passe without a Carroll, the Beasts, Fowle and Fish, come to a generall execution, and the Corne is ground to dust for the Bakehouse, and the Pastry: Cards and Dice purge many a purse, . . . now good cheere and welcome, and God be with you, and I thanke you: and against the new yeere, provide for the presents: the Lord of Mis-rule is no meane man for his time, and the ghests of the high Table must lacke no Wine: the lusty bloods must looke about them like men, and piping the dauncing puts away much melancholy: stolne Venison is sweet, and a fat Coney is worth money: . . . a good fire heats all the house, and a full Almes-basket makes the Beggars Prayers: the Maskers and Mummers make the merry sport: . . . Swearers and Swaggerers are sent away to the Ale-house, and unruly Wenches goe in danger of Judgement: Musicians now make their Instruments speake out, and a good song is worth the hearing. In summe, it is holy time, a duty in Christians, for the remembrance of Christ, and custome among friends, for the maintenance of good fellowship: in briefe, I thus conclude of it: I hold it a memory of the Heavens Love, and the worlds peace, the myrth of the honest, and the meeting of the friendly.”