Worcestershire.
At Bewdley it was the custom for the bellman to go round on Christmas morning, ringing his bell in several parts of the town, and singing the following doggerel, first saying, “Good morning, masters and mistresses all, I wish you all a merry Christmas”:
“Arise mistress, arise,
And make your tarts and pies,
And let your maids lie still;
For if they should rise and spoil your pies
You’d take it very ill.
Whilst you are sleeping in your bed,
I the cold wintry nights must tread,
Past twelve o’clock. Ehe!”
Kidderminster Shuttle, Dec. 2nd, 1871.
At Yardley such of the poor as are excluded from partaking of certain doles on account of receiving regular weekly relief, are allowed one shilling each out of a general charity fund at Christmas, under the name of plum-pudding money, to the extent of about 4l.—Edwards, Old English Customs and Charities, p. 23.