The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #117781   Message #2539877
Posted By: Jack Campin
14-Jan-09 - 09:01 PM
Thread Name: Folklore: Naked Morris Dancing in 1578
Subject: RE: Folklore: Naked Morris Dancing in 1578
In the Easter week of [1282] (March 29-April 5), a parish priest of Inverkeithing, named John, performed the rites of Priapus, by collecting the young girls of the town, and making them dance round the figure of this god; without any regard for the sex of these worshippers, he carried a wooden image of the male members of generation before them in the dance, and himself dancing with them, he accompanied their songs with movements in accordance, and urged them to licentious actions by his no less licentious language. The more modest part of those who were present felt scandalized with the priest, but he treated their words with contempt, and only gave utterance to coarser obscenities. He was cited before his bishop, defended himself upon the common usage of the country, and was allowed to retain his benefice; but he must have been rather a worldly priest, after the style of the middle ages, for a year afterwards he was killed in a vulgar brawl.

- ultimate source for that, the Chronicle of Lanercost