That strange book Fantasticks, by Nicholas Breton (1554-1626) is something of a favorite. Not many people know about it, but those who do seem to like the archaic language and ritual cadence of it.
It is out of print, so since October I’ve been copying bits out, beginning with the section on the months, this is the third. There are a few chapters on special days, Christmas, Easter etc. so there may be a bonus post a bit later this month.
But for now here is December.
December
It is now December, and hee that walkes the streets, shall find durt on his shooes, Except hee goe all in bootes. Now doth the Lawyer make an end of his harvest, and the Client of his purse. Now Capons and Hennes, beside Turkies, Geese and Duckes, besides Beefe and Mutton, must all die for the great feast, for in twelve dayes a multitude of people will not bee fed with a little. Now plummes and spice, Sugar and Honey, square it among pies and broth, and Gossip I drinke to you, and you are welcome, and I thanke you, and how doe you, and I pray you bee merrie. Now are the Taylors and the Tiremakers full of worke against the Holidayes, and Musicke now must bee in tune, or else never. The youth must dance and sing, and the aged sit by the fire, it is the Law of Nature, and no Contradiction in reason. The Asse that hath borne all the yeare, must now take a little rest, and the leane Oxe must feed till he bee fat: the Footman now shall have many a foule step, and the Ostler shall have worke enough about the heeles of the Horses, while the Tapster, if hee take not heed, will lie drunke in the Seller: The prices of meat will rise apace, and the apparell of the proud will make the Taylor rich: Dice and Cardes, will benefit the Butler: And if the Cooke doe not lacke wit, hee will sweetly licke his fingers: Starchers and Launderers will have their hands full of worke, and Periwigs and painting will not bee a little set by, strange stuffes will bee well sold, strange tales well told, strange sights much sought, strange things much bought, And what else as fals out. To conclude, I hold it the costly Purveyour of Excesse, and the after breeder of necessitie, the practice of Folly, and the Purgatorie of Reason.
Farewell.
One note
Even in 1600 “A costly purveyour of excesse”, the more things change……….
Boadicea's Chariot 
Marvellous stuff. Such phrases and cadences.
Now doth the Lawyer make an end of his harvest, and the Client of his purse
This is still custom in rural Wales. Between Christmas and New Year, all settle their debts to each other. If they have a tab or slate at any local business it will be paid before Dec 31st to start the new Year right.
LW nothing ever seems to change much does it?
CO: “The practice of folly and the purgatorie of reason”. Not much changes. I was surprised to see turkeys mentioned in this, I always thought turkeys were “New World” beasts and would not have got to Europe by 1600 or thereabouts. Then of course I tried Google and guess what? Turkeys were introduced to Europe in 1550 by the navigator William Strickland who was granted a coat of arms showing the turkey. Live and learn.
I would have thought them later too, more on a par with the Tradescants, but obviously not.
Interesting how such novel imports were soon propagated and reproduced for consumption.
Love it. Is it diary, similar to Pepys? In what year was this written….?
Blueers, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Breton
And http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_Breton – says it was written in 1626
Hello Bleuebelle: More “a book of days” than a diary, subtitle is “Descants of the Quarters, Moneths and Houres of the Yeere with Other Matters” but a little snapshot in time for all that.
It’s fascinating; thank you for this. It tells more of the seventeenth century than any overstuffed bunch of official history books.