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Read Ebook: Verdadera historia de los sucesos de la conquista de la Nueva-España (2 de 3) by D Az Del Castillo Bernal
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Ebook has 61 lines and 4173 words, and 2 pages
Transcriber's note:
In this text a character with macron is represented as . Superscripted characters are enclosed by curly brackets and preceed by a caret character .
CHRISTMAS:
TOGETHER WITH
ITS HISTORICAL EVENTS AND FESTIVE CELEBRATIONS DURING NINETEEN CENTURIES:
DEPICTING, BY PEN AND PENCIL,
MEMORABLE CELEBRATIONS, STATELY MEETINGS OF EARLY KINGS, REMARKABLE EVENTS, ROMANTIC EPISODES, BRAVE DEEDS, PICTURESQUE CUSTOMS, TIME-HONOURED SPORTS, ROYAL CHRISTMASES, CORONATIONS AND ROYAL MARRIAGES, CHIVALRIC FEATS, COURT BANQUETINGS AND REVELLINGS, CHRISTMAS AT THE COLLEGES AND THE INNS OF COURT, POPULAR FESTIVITIES, AND CHRISTMAS-KEEPING IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD, DERIVED FROM THE MOST AUTHENTIC SOURCES, AND ARRANGED CHRONOLOGICALLY.
W. F. DAWSON.
At home, at sea, in many distant lands, This Kingly Feast without a rival stands!
LONDON ELLIOT STOCK, 62, PATERNOSTER ROW, E.C. 1902.
REPUBLISHED BY GALE RESEARCH COMPANY, BOOK TOWER, DETROIT, 1968
PREFACE
Henceforth, I became a snapper-up of everything relating to Christmastide, utilised every opportunity of searching libraries, bookstalls, and catalogues of books in different parts of the country, and, subsequently, as a Reader of the British Museum Library, had access to that vast storehouse of literary and historical treasures.
Soon after commencing the work, I realised that I had entered a very spacious field of research, and that, having to deal with the accumulated materials of nineteen centuries, a large amount of labour would be involved, and some years must elapse before, even if circumstances proved favourable, I could hope to see the end of my task. Still, I went on with the work, for I felt that a complete account of Christmas, ancient and modern, at home and abroad, would prove generally acceptable, for while the historical events and legendary lore would interest students and antiquaries, the holiday sports and popular celebrations would be no less attractive to general readers.
From the vast store of materials collected it is not possible to do more than make a selection. How far I have succeeded in setting forth the subject in a way suited to the diversity of tastes among readers I must leave to their judgment and indulgence; but I have this satisfaction, that the gems of literature it contains are very rich indeed; and I acknowledge my great indebtedness to numerous writers of different periods whose references to Christmas and its time-honoured customs are quoted.
My aim is neither critical nor apologetic, but historical and pictorial: it is not to say what might or ought to have been, but to set forth from extant records what has actually taken place: to give an account of the origin and hallowed associations of Christmas, and to depict, by pen and pencil, the important historical events and interesting festivities of Christmastide during nineteen centuries. With materials collected from different parts of the world, and from writings both ancient and modern, I have endeavoured to give in the present work a chronological account of the celebrations and observances of Christmas from the birth of Christ to the end of the nineteenth century; but, in a few instances, the subject-matter has been allowed to take precedence of the chronological arrangement. Here will be found accounts of primitive celebrations of the Nativity, ecclesiastical decisions fixing the date of Christmas, the connection of Christmas with the festivals of the ancients, Christmas in times of persecution, early celebrations in Britain, stately Christmas meetings of the Saxon, Danish, and Norman kings of England; Christmas during the wars of the Roses, Royal Christmases under the Tudors, the Stuarts and the Kings and Queens of Modern England; Christmas at the Colleges and the Inns of Court; Entertainments of the nobility and gentry, and popular festivities; accounts of Christmas celebrations in different parts of Europe, in America and Canada, in the sultry lands of Africa and the ice-bound Arctic coasts, in India and China, at the Antipodes, in Australia and New Zealand, and in the Islands of the Pacific; in short, throughout the civilised world.
In looking at the celebrations of Christmas, at different periods and in different places, I have observed that, whatever views men hold respecting Christ, they all agree that His Advent is to be hailed with joy, and the nearer the forms of festivity have approximated to the teaching of Him who is celebrated the more real has been the joy of those who have taken part in the celebrations.
The descriptions of the festivities and customs of different periods are given, as far as possible, on the authority of contemporary authors, or writers who have special knowledge of those periods, and the most reliable authorities have been consulted for facts and dates, great care being taken to make the work as accurate and trustworthy as possible. I sincerely wish that all who read it may find as much pleasure in its perusal as I have had in its compilation.
WILLIAM FRANCIS DAWSON.
INDEX 351
PAGE
The Herald Angels 2
Virgin and Child 5
Joseph Taking Mary to be Taxed, and the Nativity Events 6
The Nativity 8
Virgin and Child 9
Group from the Angels' Serenade 10
Adoration of the Magi 11
"The Inns are Full" 14
Grape Gathering and the Vintage 16
German Ninth Century Picture of the Nativity 16
Ancient Agape 19
Early Celebrations in Britain 23
Queen Bertha 27
An Ancient Fireplace 30
Traveling in the Olden Time, with a "Christmas Fool" on the Front Seat" 31
The Wild Boar Hunt: Killing the Boar 32
Adoration of the Magi 34
A King at Dinner 40
Blind Minstrel at a Feast 42
Minstrels' Christmas Serenade at an Old Baronial Hall 44
Westminster Hall 46
Strange Old Stories Illustrated 50
A Cook of the Period 55
Monk Undergoing Discipline 56
Wassailing at Christmastide 57
Panoply of a Crusader 58
Royal Party Dining in State 63
Ladies Looking from the Hustings upon the Tournament 73
The Lord of Misrule 74
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