Sira Are you at leisure for half an howers trouble? and will you be content I should keepe up the custome of writeing long letters with little in them? To begin therefor. Dec. 15. here 25 Christmas day about one in the morning I went a gossiping to our Lady. thinke me not prophane for the name is a great deale modester then the service I was at. I shall not describe all the particulars I observd in that church being the Principall of the Catholicks in Cleve. but only those that were particular to the occasion. neare the high altar, was a little altar for this days solemnity, the Scene was a stable, wherein was an ox, an asse, a cradle... RELEVANT SECTION This was the shew: the Musick to it was all vocall in the quire adjoyneing: but such as I never heard. They had strong voyces, but soe ill tund, soe ill manag'd, that 'twas their misfortune as well as ours, that they could be heard. He that could not, though he had a cold, make better Musick with Chivy chase over a pot of smooth ale deservd well to pay the reckoning and goe away a thirst. However I thinke they were the honestest singing men, I ever have seene, for they endeavourd to deserve their mony, and earnd it certainly with pains enough: for what they wanted in skill, they made up in loudnesse, and variety, every one had his owne tune, and the result of all was much like the noise at chooseing Parlament men, where every one endeavours to cry loudest. Besides the men there were a company of little Choristers. I thought when I saw them at first, they had dancd to the others Musick, and that it had beene your Grays Inne revells, for they were Jumping up and downe about a good Charcoall fire, that was in the middle of the Quire (this, their devotion, and their singing was enough I thinke to keepe them warme though it were a very cold night). But it was not danceing, but singing they servd for; when it came to their turnes, away they ran to their places, and there they made as good harmony as a consort of little pigs would, and they were much what as cleanly. Their part being donne, out they sallied again to the fire... END << less