Sir William Dugdale makes the following reference to
THE CHRISTMAS REVELS OF THE INNER TEMPLE:--
"First, the solemn Revells (after dinner, and the play ended,) are begun by the whole House, Judges, Sergeants at Law, Benchers; the Utter and Inner Barr; and they led by the _Master of the Revells_: and one of the Gentlemen of the Utter Barr are chosen to sing a song to the Judges, Serjeants, or Masters of the Bench; which is usually performed; and in default thereof, there may be an amerciament. Then the Judges and Benchers take their places, and sit down at the upper end of the Hall. Which done, the _Utter-Barristers_ and _Inner-Barristers_, perform a second solemn Revell before them. Which ended, the _Utter-Barristers_ take their places and sit down. Some of the Gentlemen of the _Inner-Barr_, do present the House with dancing, which is called the _Post Revells_, and continue their Dances, till the Judges or Bench think meet to rise and depart."
gave the citizens of London an opportunity of keeping Christmas on the ice. An old chronicler says: "From 21st December, 1564, a hard frost prevailed, and on new year's eve, people went over and alongst the Thames on the ise from London Bridge to Westminster. Some plaied at the football as boldlie there, as if it had been on the drie land; divers of the Court, being then at Westminster shot dailie at prickes set upon the Thames, and tradition says, Queen Elizabeth herself walked upon the ise. The people both men and women, went on the Thames in greater numbers than in any street of the City of London. On the third daie of January, 1565, at night it began to thaw, and on the fifth there was no ise to be seene between London Bridge and Lambeth, which sudden thaw caused great floods, and high waters, that bore downe bridges and houses and drowned Manie people in England."
HOW QUEEN ELIZABETH WENT TO WORSHIP, CHRISTMAS, 1565.
Nichols[55] gives the following particular account of Queen Elizabeth's attendance at Divine worship, at the "Chappell of Whitehall, Westminster," Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, 1565:--
"Item, on Monday, the 24th of December, the Officers of Arms being there present, the Queen's Majesty came to the evening prayer, the sword borne by the Earle of Warwick, her trayn borne by the Lady Strange.