Christmas with the Tudors | Hacker News Reader

Christmas with the Tudors

historytoday.com

32 pointspepys10 comments

Here is bit more information on the lovely custom of the “boy bishop,” which has made a return in some places, both Roman Catholic and Anglican: https://www.newliturgicalmovement.org/2022/12/the-feast-of-c... (Under the “Customs” heading.)

An amusing detail from the article: “Originally the custom was meant to foster vocations to the priesthood by giving youngsters a taste of liturgical officiating, but once it moved to within the Twelve Days of Christmas, it became linked with more riotous topsy-turvy customs like the Feast of the Ass or the Lord of Misrule. In an effort to put an end to this nonsense, Church authorities decided to move the custom to the feast of St. Nicholas on December 6, safely out of the way of the Christmas mayhem. The plan, however, backfired. Instead of stemming abuses, it prolonged them: the Boy Bishop would now preside from December 6 to December 28.”

   A crucial Christmas entertainment was the temporary government of the Lord of Misrule. At the royal court, in noble houses, Inns of Court and university colleges, Misrule presided, mocking and turning the world upside down. He even had a gibbet for mock executions. Similarly, in cathedrals and churches, boys from the choir were ‘appointed’ as bishops. Such inversion of the norms was fun and necessary.

This is really strange. Did Manorialism exist at this time, and did the peasants do this with their Lord?

Yes, and yes... But of course, if they went too far the rest of the year was fit for regrets!

it’s also exactly on-brand for the holiday: what starker example of “Freaky Friday” inversion of social order is there than the Incarnation, and as the child of an itinerant nobody at the ass-end of the world, to boot? And this, proclaimed as good news.

I feel like we’ve lost something important in the loss of this yearly moment of re-enactment of incarnation’s radical weirdness and challenge to establishment; the 14th century cleric’s remarks in the article seem pretty wise.

Don’t wine skins and barrels burst very often if the air-hole is not opened from time to time? We too are old barrels.

the house of tudor is illegitimate

plantagenets will rise again

Ah, a Ricardian! Splendid!

I was in Westminster Abbey a few weeks ago. It's arranged, in so far as it's planned at all, to lead you to the tomb of Henry Tudor, who (in sharp distinction to the other kings) is locked away in what resembles a giant iron cage -- presumably owing to his own paranoia.

Anyway, I like the idea of saying that _this_ dynasty which won the throne through vast acts of violence is legitimate, and any subsequent wresting of the throne through the sword is illegitimate. Wasn't legendarily Briton originally settled by refugees from Troy? I wonder if we can determine which of us is the closest male patrilineal descendant of Brutus. Make them king.

Edit: got my ancestors and descendants confused :).

Your passion and dedication are impressive.

Great username

In the illustration at the top of the article, the man in the foreground looks like he is a news reporter being filmed by the man on his left.

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