Pindar of Wakefield, and the Friar of Fountain's Abbey, Clim of the
Clough, Ranulph of Chester, his Exploits in the Holy Land, together with
the wondrous deeds of war and love performed by Sir Roger of Calverly,
had been sung and recited to strange and uncouth music. Carols, too,
were chanted between whiles in a most unreverend fashion. A huge
Christmas pie, made in the shape of a cratch or cradle, was placed on
the board. This being accounted a great test of orthodoxy, every one was
obliged to eat a slice, lest he should be suspected of favouring the
heretical tenets then spreading widely throughout the land.
Blind-man's-buff and hot-cockles had each their turn; but the sport that
seemed to afford the most merriment was a pendulous stick having an
apple at one end, and on the other a lighted candle, so that the
unfortunate and liquorish wight who bit at this tempting bait generally
burnt his nose on the rebound, as the stick bounced to and fro on its
pivot. The hall was now cleared for the masks. In this play, the Black
Knight himself generally joined, laughing heartily at and hurrying on
the mis-haps of the revellers. Many horrible and grotesque-looking
shapes and disguises soon made their appearance; but one, more
especially than the rest, excited no slight degree of distress and
alarm. His antics proved a continual source of annoyance to the rest of
the company. He singed Will the Arrowsmith's beard, poured a whole
flagon of hot liquor in the wide hosen of Hobbe Adamson; but the enactor
of St George in a more especial manner attracted his notice; he crept
between his legs, and bore him right into the middle of the pig-sty,
before he could be stayed; from whence the heroic champion of England
issued, sorely shent with the admixtures and impurities of the place.

This termagant was a little broad-set figure wearing a mask, intended as
a representation of his Satanic majesty, adorned with a huge pair of
horns. From it hung a black cloak or shirt, out of which protruded a
goodly and substantial tail. No one could discover this ruthless
disturber of their sports. Every attempt was unavailing; he shot through
their fingers as though they had been greased, and a loud and
contumelious laugh was the only reward of their exertions.

In the end, a shrewd conjecture went abroad that he was none other than
some malicious imp of darkness let loose upon their frolics, to disquiet
and perplex their commemoration of the Blessed Nat