The woollen trade, as we have seen[191], gave occupation to a very large number of Shearmen. These belonged to the more unskilled class of labourers, the work they performed being simply that of preparing the wool for the later stages of manufacture. They were precisely the class to fail to appreciate the religious changes, and such as would be likely to resort to the physical force argument on any occasion. It was also to such men that the revelry of Christmastide, Maytime, and the like were most precious. Their life was a hard and colourless one, and they would for this reason cling desperately to the old occasions of merriment. The festival which appears to have been particularly odious to the Puritans was that of May Day, when, Stow[192] tells us, it was the custom for the citizens "of all estates" to have their "Mayings," and to "fetch in Maypoles, with divers warlike shows, with good archers, morris dancers, and other devices for pastime all the day long; and toward the evening they had stage plays, and bonfires in the streets." To the youth of the town it was a sufficiently harmless summer holiday. To the precise it was plainly and purely a heathen survival. At Shrewsbury they were early in active antagonism to it. In 1583 there occurred "soom contrav'sie about the settinge upp of maye poales and bonfyers mackinge and erection of treese before the sherman's haule and other places[193]," though apparently without immediate effect, for two years later appears another entry "Pd. for cutting down the tree, and the journeymen to spend xv{ d}.[194]"
But it was not long before the Puritans prevailed. The May Day merry-making was stopped and even the Gild festival prohibited. "This yeare [1590-1] and the 6 day of June beinge Soondaye and the festivall day of the Co{ y} of the Shearmen of Salop aboute the settinge upp of a greene tree by serte yonge men of the saide Co{ y} before their hall doore as of many years before have been acostomid but preachid against by the publicke precher there and commawndid by the baylyffs that non sutche shoulde be usid, and for the disobedience therein theye were put in prison and a privey sessions called and there also indicted and still remayne untill the next towne sessions for further triall[195]." The letter of the law however was in their favour. At the sessions the judges decided that the tree should be erected and "usyd as heretofore have be' so it be don syvely and in lovynge order w{ th}out contencion[196]." But the soreness remained and the Shearmen were very turbulent for a long period. A curious entry in 1596 betokens a continuance of the friction: "P{ d} oure fyne for not rerynge of Cappes to Mr Bayliffe 3/4[197]." For Puritan influence had waxed stronger, and at length it was "agreed that there shall not be hereafter any interludes or playes within this town or liberties uppon anye Soundays or in the night tyme. Neyther shall there be any playinge at footballe, or at hiltes or wastrells, or beare baytinge, within the walles of this towne[198]."