"Credo" at Mass ended in a bray, and at the close of the service the
priest instead of saying "Ite, missa est," had to bray three times, and
the people to respond in like manner. Mr. Chambers's theory is that the
ass was a descendant of the _cervulus_ or hobby-buck who figures so
largely in ecclesiastical condemnations of Kalends customs.

The country _par excellence_ of the Feast of the Fools was France. It can
also be traced in Germany and Bohemia, while in England too there are
notices of it, though far fewer than in France. Its abuses were the
subject of frequent denunciations by Church reformers from the twelfth to
the fifteenth century. The feast was prohibited at various times, and
notably by the Council of Basle in 1435, but it was too popular to be
quickly suppressed, and it took a century and a half to die out after
this condemnation by a general council of the Church. In one cathedral,
Amiens, it even lingered until 1721.

When in the fifteenth century and later the Feast of Fools was expelled
from the churches of France, associations of laymen sprang up to carry on
its traditions outside. It was indeed a form of entertainment which the
townsfolk as well as the lower clergy thoroughly appreciated, and they
were by no means willing to let it die. A _Prince des Sots_ took the
place of the "bishop," and was chosen by _societes joyeuses_ organized by
the youth of the cities for New Year merrymaking. Gradually their
activities grew, and their celebrations came to take place at other
festive times beside the Christmas season. The _sots_ had a distinctive
dress, its |306| most characteristic feature being a hood with asses'
ears, probably a relic of the primitive days when the heads of sacrificed
animals were worn by festal worshippers.{21}

THE BOY BISHOP.

Of older standing than the Feast of Fools were the Christmas revels of
the deacons, the priests, and the choir-boys. They can be traced back to
the early tenth century, and may have originated at the great song-school
of St. Gall near Constance. The most important of the three feasts was
that of the boys on Holy Innocents' Day, a theoretically appropriate
date. Corresponding to the "lord" of the Feast of Fools was the famous
"Boy Bishop," a choir-boy chosen by the lads themselves, who was vested
in cope and mitre, held a pastoral staff, and gave the benediction. Other
boys too usurped the dignities of their elders, and were attired as dean,
archdeacons, a