Easter Eggs: A Sketch of a Good Old Custom

Front Cover
W.H. Cremer, 1870 - Easter eggs - 16 pages
 

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

Popular passages

Page 3 - They have an ancient custom at Coleshill, in the county of Warwick, that if the young men of the town can catch a hare, and bring it to the parson of the parish before ten o'clock on Easter Monday, the parson is bound to give them a calf's head and a hundred of eggs for their breakfast, and a groat in money.
Page 2 - Resurrection, whereof they rejoice. For when two friends meet during the Easter holidays (after the salutations of the day have been passed between them) they kiss and exchange their eggs, both men and women continuing in kissing four days together." "An eyewitness," in describing the " Feast of Paque " as kept at Moscow on the 5th of April, 1702, says that the bells were rung during all the night which preceded the fete, and likewise during the gala day, and the morrow. The eggs were distributed...
Page 6 - ... distributing Easter Eggs was once general, and it still survives in some parts. It can be traced back with certainty to the thirteenth century, and there are doubtless records of the practice at an earlier period. An entry in the roll of the household expenses of Edward I. is to the effect that i8d. were disbursed for 400 eggs at Easter— for the seasonable gifts, of course. Tradescant, the Dutch gardener to Charles I., had in the museum which he established at Lambeth, specimens of the " Easter...
Page 2 - Persons of distinction kept their eggs within doors, and made gifts of them to visitors, ejaculating as they did so the words given above, which were reiterated by the visitors with emphasis. The ordinary people gave their eggs in the streets. Domestics offered them to their masters and mistresses, and received presents in return. In Germany the Easter egg is a very popular gift. Among the middle classes in Naples, the merry-making at Easter includes presents of...
Page 6 - ... infinite variety. Paris has now become the rival of Vienna in the fabrication and display of the Easter egg. In England the custom of distributing Easter Eggs was once general, and it still survives in some parts. It can be traced back with certainty to the thirteenth century, and there are doubtless records of the practice at an earlier period. An entry in the roll of the household expenses of Edward I. is to the effect that 18d.
Page 3 - Easter-egg custom is very tenaciously observed to this day, a nest is in some parts made of moss, and a hare is set in it. This being hidden in the house or garden, the children are sent to Icok for the eggs that the hare has laid. In many districts, says Mr. Cremer ('Easter Eggs,

Bibliographic information