jan 1, 1605 - summer games

Description:

This referred to a festival held at Midsummer with dancing and dramatic performances, often associated with a light kept burning in the parish church. 1464 <i>lumini vocato Somer-game light iij buz. brasei ordei</i>, Kirk Deighton (SS79/103n); 1496 <i>lez Somergame in Capella de Kirkham</i> (PTD161); 1519 <i>To the Somer-game light in my parishe chirche ijs</i>, York (SS79/103); 1569 <i>admonishe youe to be ... cercumspecte what lycences yow geyve to persones to kepe common somer games for we here of some great abuses therein</i>, York (YRS112/155). It is likely that the celebrations took place in a traditional location: 1605 ‘abutting towards the east on <i>le Somergames’</i>, Swine (YRS65/78). The word ‘summer’ can probably be taken to refer to summer-games in certain contexts: 1469 <i>ad orreum quo ludus tentus fuit vulgariter dictum Somerhouse</i>, Wistow (PTD160n); 1571 <i>the minister and churchewardens shall not suffer any lords of misrule or somer lords or ladyes or any disguised persone ... at May games or any minstrels morice dauncers or others at Rishebearinges</i>, Diocese of York (PTD160-1). Possibly also: 1462 <i>j almery in the somerhall</i>, Wawne (SS30/261).

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