[1100] ‘Deliberaverunt super festo folorum quod fieri consuevit anno quolibet in festo Circumcisionis Domini, ad resecandum superfluitates et derisiones quae fieri consueverunt ... item quod amodo non adducatur asinus ad processionem dictae diei, ut fuit solitum fieri, nec dicatur cantilena quae dici solebat super dictum asinum, et supra officio quod fieri consuetum est dicta die in Ecclesia dicti Domini postea providebunt.’ Ducange says that the ass had a golden foot-cloth of which four of the principal canons held the corners. On the cantilena cf. Appendix L.
[1101] ‘Ordinaverunt quod festum folorum penitus cesset.’
[1102] ‘Concluserunt ad requestum stultorum quod hoc anno fiat festum folorum ... cum solemnitatibus in dicto festo requisitis in libris dicti festi descriptis ... qui defecerit in matutinis et aliis horis statutis comburatur in fonte.’
[1103] ‘In fine Matutinarum nonnulli larvati alii inordinate vestiti choreas, tripudia et saltus in eadem ecclesia faciunt ... [aliquos] ad fontem deferunt et ibi aqua intinguntur.’
[1104] Cf. ch. xix. A representation of the ‘Flight into Egypt’ might well come into a play of Herod. The Hist. d’Autun, 462, says that, before the reform of 1411, the ass appeared as Balaam’s ass in connexion with a Prophetae on a stage at the church door. There was a procession to church, and the Prose. The rex received a cheese from the chapter.
[1105] Cf. ch. xv.
[1106] ‘Regna Herodis et Episcopatus Innocentium, seu fatuorum festa hactenus ... fieri solita ... abolentes.’
[1107] ‘Quod vulgo dicitur Les Gaigizons ... amplius neminem balneare aut ... pignus aufferre.’ It is here only the choice of ‘bishop’ and ‘dean’ of Innocents, ‘quod festum fatuorum a nonnullis nuncupatur’ that is forbidden. Apparently ‘Herod’ had died out.
[1108] Du Tilliot, 100; Petit de Julleville, Les Com. 194. Amongst Du Tilliot’s woodcuts is one of a bâton (No. 4) bearing this date 1482. It represents a nest of fools.
[1109] Ibid. 21.