“Fryndys,” says one preacher, “you schall understonde that hyt ys a custome in plasys of worschyp, and in many other dyvers plasys, that at thys solempe fest of Estern, the whyche ys ye day and fest of the glorious Resurexcion of our Lorde Ihesu, now to put owghte and remove ye fire owghte of ye hall wt ye blakke wynture brondys defyllyd and made blakke wt vyle smoke, and instede of ye seyde fyre and blakke wynter brondys to strewe ye hall wythe green rushys and other swete flewres.”
And another preacher adds the moral—
“Shewing example to all men and women that they should in like wise clense the house of their soules.”
Langland gives us a slight sketch of an Easter morning in England as he knew it in the fourteenth century.
“Men rang to ye resurrection and with that ich awakede
and kallyd Kytte my wyf, and Kalote my daughter,
A-ryse and go reverence, Godes resurrection,
and creep on knees to he cryos and cusse hit, for
And ryghtfullokest a relyk. Non riccher juwel on erthe
for Godes blesside body hit bar for oure bote