Plough-Monday.—This day is held on the ninth of January, the Monday after Twelfth-day. The ploughmen, in the north country, draw a plough from door to door, and beg money for drink; from whence this took its name. Plough-day had its origin when the feudal system prevailed in this country, when the lords and barons had their lands tilled by their vassals, or tenants. The Christmas holidays terminated on Twelfth-day, and the ploughing season for the new year commenced the first Monday after; on which day, the sock-men (as this sort of ploughmen were then called) were obliged to appear with their ploughs, &c. at a place appointed there, to have them examined, whether they were in a proper condition to perform their lord’s work; for ploughs were then scarce, and it was a mark of some consequence to possess one in good order. Hence the appellation of Plough-Monday has ever since being applied to the first Monday after Twelfth-day. It is conjectured, that the system of begging money arose at a time when they could not plough the land on account of its being frozen, as watermen drag about a boat in severe frosts, and beg money, because they are then unable to ply on the river.
New Year’s Gifts.—Nonius Marcellus refers the origin of New Year’s Gifts among the Romans to Titus Tatius, king of the Sabines, who reigned at Rome conjointly with Romulus, and who, having considered as a good omen a present of some branches cut in a wood consecrated to Strenua, the goddess of strength, which he received on the first day of the new year, authorized this custom afterwards, and gave to these persons the name of Strenæ. The Romans on that day celebrated a festival in honour of Janus, and paid their respects at the same time to Juno; but they did not pass it in idleness, lest they should become indolent during the rest of the year. They sent presents to one another of figs, dates, honey, &c. to shew their friends that they wished them a happy and agreeable life. Clients, or those who were under the protection of the great, carried presents of this kind to their patrons, adding to them a small piece of silver. Under Augustus, the senate, the knights, and the people, presented such gifts to him, and in his absence deposited them in the capitol. Of the succeeding princes, some adopted this custom, and others abolished it; but it always continued among the people. The early Christians condemned it, because it appeared to be a relic of paganism, and a species of superstition; but when it began to have no other object than that of being a mark of esteem, the church ceased to disapprove of it.
Christmas Boxes.—On looking into history, we find that this custom derived its existence much about the time that mass was first said by a Catholic priest. Rome, which originally gave birth to superstition, had an incredible number of clergy to support, and, among other devices, this was invented as one, and took its name of Mass from the Latin word mitto, to send. This word mitto was a kind of remembrancer, or rather dictator, which said, “Send gifts, offerings, and oblations to the priests, that they may intercede with Christ to save your soul by saying so many masses.”
Hence it was called Christ’s mass, or, as it is now abbreviated, Christmas. Thus far the etymology of the word is indisputable, and every man who has attended to the minutiæ of sacred history, must know the fact to be as here related. The word box, is a part of the same priestcraft trade, and took its origin from the following circumstance:—
Whenever a ship sailed from any of those ports where the religious profession was under the authority of Rome, a certain saint was always named, unto whose protection it’s safety was committed, and in that ship there was a box, and into that box every poor person put something, in order to induce the priests to pray to that saint for the safe return of the vessel; which box was locked up by the priests, who said the money should not be taken out until the vessel came back.
Chiltern Hundreds.—Frequent mention is made of members of parliament accepting the Chiltern Hundreds. The following is the explanation:—
The Chiltern Hundreds are hundreds, or divisions of counties, parcelled out by the wise Alfred, and now annexed to the crown; they still retain their peculiar courts.
The stewards of these courts are appointed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer; their salary is 20s. a year. As the law enacts that a member of parliament who receives a place under the Crown, may not sit, unless re-elected,—accepting the stewardship of the Chiltern Hundreds is merely a formal manner of resigning a seat, when the member wishes to be rechosen.
Origin of the Term “John Bull.”—Dr. John Bull was the first Gresham professor of music, and organist and composer to Queen Elizabeth. John, like a true Englishman, travelled for improvement; and having heard of a famous musician at St. Omer’s, he placed himself under him as a novice; but a circumstance very soon convinced the master, that he was inferior to the scholar. The musician shewed John a song, which he had composed in forty parts! telling him at the same time, that he defied all the world to produce a person capable of adding another part to his composition. Bull desired to be left alone, and to be indulged for a short time with pen and ink. In less than three hours, he added forty parts more to the song. Upon which the Frenchman was so much surprised, that he swore in great ecstasy, he must be either the Devil, or John Bull; which has ever since been proverbial in England.