[Footnote 15: Bishop of Winchester, died 1684.]
The popular love of Christmas is well exemplified in a little 16mo book, printed in 1678, entitled "The Examination and Tryal of old Father CHRISTMAS; Together with his Clearing by the Jury, at the Assizes held at the Town of _Difference_, in the County of _Discontent_." The Jury was evidently a packed one. "Then saith the _Clerk_ to the _Cryer_, count them--_Starve-mouse_, one, _All-pride_, two, _Keep-all_, three, _Love-none_, four, _Eat-alone_, five, _Give-little_, six, _Hoard-corn_, seven, _Grutch-meat_, eight, _Knit-gut_, nine, _Serve-time_, ten, _Hate-good_, eleven, _Cold-kitchen_, twelve.
"Then saith the _Cryer_, all you bountiful Gentlemen of the Jury, answer to your names, and stand together, and hear your Charge.
"With that there was such a lamentable groan heard, enough to turn Ice into Ashes, which caused the _Judge_, and the rest of the Bench, to demand what the matter was; it was replied that the grave old Gentleman, _Christmas_, did sound (_swoon_) at the naming of the Jury; then it was commanded that they should give him air, and comfort him up, so that he might plead for himself: and here, I cannot pass by in silence, the love that was expressed by the Country people, some shreeking and crying for the old man; others striving to hold him up, others hugging him, till they had almost broke the back of him, others running for Cordials and strong waters, insomuch that, at last they had called back his wandring spirits, which were ready to take their last farewel."
Christmas challenged this jury, and another was empanelled consisting of Messrs _Love-friend_, _Hate-strife_, _Free-man_, _Cloath-back_, _Warm-gut_, _Good-work_, _Neighbour-hood_, _Open-house_, _Scorn-use_, _Soft-heart_, _Merry-man_, and _True-love_. His Indictment was as follows:
"_Christmas_, thou art here indicted by the name of _Christmas_, of the Town of _Superstition_, in the County of _Idolatry_, and that thou hast, from time to time, abused the people of this Common-wealth, drawing and inticing them to Drunkenness, Gluttony, and unlawful Gaming, Wantonness, Uncleanness, Lasciviousness, Cursing, Swearing, abuse of the Creatures, some to one Vice, and some to another; all to Idleness: what sayest thou to thy Inditement, guilty or not guilty? He answered, Not guilty, and so put himself to the Trial."