Medieval and Tudor Topics: Some Curious Facts About Mumming.

Mumming and the Plough Monday sword dances began in early European history in the month of May. In most places, in late-Medieval and Tudor England, these masked dances were transferred to Twelfth Night and the Monday after. From the earliest forms of the mumming folk-play, there is a battle, enacted in a sword dance, a character is slain and a doctor (or Father Christmas) brings him back to life. This is clearly a distant memory of the ritual death of the pagan vegetation god and his resurrection encouraging the new year's successful crop. This, of course, is also commemorated each year in the far more sophisticated ritual of the death and Resurrection of Christ.

Also more sophisticated were formal mumming plays that became common during the late Middle Ages. These were productions in which new plays were written or sought out from professional playwrights, and costumes and props were prepared during the rest of the year.

Still, amateur folk mumming was a tradition in many places in Britain until the eighteenth century. In earlier times, the sword dance proved to have advantages that might be unsuspected. Performed before a king or nobleman, it could place disgruntled parties into close proximity with well honed blades in hand. Allies of Richard II planned to perform a sword dance, during the 1400 Christmas festivities, before Richard's usurper, King Henry IV, during which he was to be assassinated. They were betrayed and Richard was subsequently the one to die.

Not only were usurping kings in potential danger from mummers, but the population at-large could find themselves victims of crimes committed by the conveniently masked players. In fact, some groups of mummers were no more than roaming masked gangs in search of prey. Prohibitions like that of Henry V, in 1417, declaring “there shall be no mummyng during this Feast of Our Lord's Nativity”¹ were issued periodically over the centuries. Often enough to make clear that mumming could be a frightening public disturbance or even a cover for criminal activity.

The identification with vegetation rituals became less and less pronounced until it was altogether gone from early modern times. Mumming just became a sort of masked group, gamboling about, mugs in hand in expectation of coins and ale. In still later phases, the swords might be replaced by staves or sticks and the dance become the modern version of the Morris Dance.

Memorials of London provides us with a complete text of the regulations for the Christmas season of 1418. Again, mumming is forbidden.

Proclamation at Christmas, against Mumming, Plays, Interludes, and

Visors; and that a Lantern shall be kept burning before each house.

6 Henry V. A.D. 1418. Letter-Book I. fol. ccxxiii.²

THE Mair and Aldermen chargen on þe Kynges byhalf, and þis Cite, þat no manere persone, of what astate, degre, or condicioun bat euere he be, duryng þis holy tyme of Cristemes be so hardy in eny wyse to walk by nyght in eny manere mommyng, pleyes, enterludes, or eny oþer disgisynges with eny feynyd berdis, peyntid visers, diffourmyd or colourid visages in eny wyse, up peyne of emprisonement of þer bodyes, and macyng fyne aftir be discrecioun of þe Mair and Aldremen; outake þat hit be leful to eche persone for to be honestly mery as he can, with in his owne hous dwellyng. And more ouere þei charge on þe Kynges byhalf, and be Cite, þat eche honest persome, dwellyng in eny hye strete or lane of þis Citee, hang out of þer hous eche night, duryng his solempne Feste, a lanterne with a candell þer in, to brenne as long as hit may endure, vp peyne to pay ivd. to þe Chaumbre at eche tyme þat hit faillith.

THE Mayor and Aldermen charge on the King's behalf, and this City, that no manner of person, of what estate, degree, or condition that ever he be, during this holy time of Christmas be so hardy in anywise to walk by night in any manner mumming, plays, interludes, or any other disguisings with any feigned beards, painted visors, deformed or coloured visages in any wise, upon pain of imprisonment of their bodies, and making fine after the discretion of the Mayor and Aldermen; outake that it be lawful to each person for to be honestly merry as he can, within his own house dwelling. And more over they charge on the King's behalf, and the City, that each honest person, dwellng in any high street or lane of this City, hang out of their house each night, during his solemn Feast, a lantern with a candle therein, to burn as long as it may endure, upon pain to pay ivd. to the Chamber at each time that it fails.

The full text gives us a more complete picture of London and other English cities at the time. The streets could be dangerous. The welfare of the citizens must be maintained.

It should not come as any surprise that King Henry VIII went a-mumming on more than one occasion. For all he greatly enjoyed it, he eventually came to prefer the Italian style masque and established the latter in English Court circles. Perhaps this made it easier for him when he, too, had to issue a proclamation forbidding mumming in order to prevent the advantages the practice provided to criminal gangs.

Not to say that this was the end of mumming. It was far too popular for that. As we have said, it was a cherished part of the Christmases, in many areas, until the 18^th century, and survives even today as Morris Dancing with hobby horses, sticks and handkerchiefs.

1 “Regulations made for the ensuing Feast of Christmas. 5 Henry V. A.D. 1417. Journal 1. fol. 41. (Latin.)” Riley, Henry Thomas. Memorials of London and London Life (1868). 658.

2Ibid. 669.