Now if you really want World Turned Upside Down, take a yomp in time with me back to the age of Roundheads and Cavaliers, the English Civil Wars (three of them between 1642-1651), the ousting of the monarchy and the subsequent establishment of the republican Commonwealth of England.Even if you're not into history, you're probably aware that England underwent a seismic shift in the middle of the 17th century. It was in essence a revolution, the deposing of the monarchy and the establishment of a new puritan republic. The parallels with the Iranian revolution of 1979, the deposing of a corrupt Shah and the subsequent supremacy of the religiously fanatical Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) should not be underestimated.
The lasting impact of the Civil Wars was the curtailment of the power of the monarchy and the central principle of multi-party democratic politics via parliament, but for the duration of the Commonwealth of England, the rise of religious puritanism meant a clamp down on social structures that were deemed to be frivolous at best, immodest in the main and immoral at worst. It all became quite strict. Theatres were closed, dress and fashion became plainer, religious observance was a paramount duty of everyone and that observance itself had to be serious and shorn of frippery and fun. (They weren't called puritans for nothing.)Even Christmas got cancelled - and that had a modern ring to it. Or if not cancelled, as least the fun and excess would be taken out of it. In other words, no ho ho! For parliament decreed that the holiday should be a solemn occasion, and so outlawed traditional English Christmas celebrations, which were seen as too closely associated with Roman Catholicism and the old aristocracy.
"Old Christmas is kickt out of Town"
I wrote a poem in a recent blog about what life must have been like for Iranians in the last fifty years: "I have never truly found life. The light was elsewhere." Ordinary English people living under Oliver Cromwell's Protectorate must have felt a similar sense of repression, that life was dour, all the fun had gone out of it.Popular protest against such stricture came in the form of a ballad of the time, titled...
The World Turned Upside Down
Listen to me and you shall hear, news hath not been this thousand year:
Since Herod, Caesar, and many more, you never heard the like before.
Holy-dayes are despis'd, new fashions are devis'd.
Old Christmas is kickt out of Town.
Yet let's be content, and the times lament, you see the world turn'd upside down.
The wise men did rejoyce to see our Savior Christs Nativity:
The Angels did good tidings bring, the Sheepheards did rejoyce and sing.
Let all honest men, take example by them.
Why should we from good Laws be bound?
Yet let's be content, and the times lament, you see the world turn'd upside down.
Command is given, we must obey, and quite forget old Christmas day:
Kill a thousand men, or a Town regain, we will give thanks and praise amain.
The wine pot shall clinke, we will feast and drinke.
And then strange motions will abound.
Yet let's be content, and the times lament, you see the world turn'd upside down.
Our Lords and Knights, and Gentry too, doe mean old fashions to forgoe:
They set a porter at the gate, that none must enter in thereat.
They count it a sin, when poor people come in.
Hospitality it selfe is drown'd.
Yet let's be content, and the times lament, you see the world turn'd upside down.
The serving men doe sit and whine, and thinke it long ere dinner time:
The Butler's still out of the way, or else my Lady keeps the key,
The poor old cook, in the larder doth look,
Where is no goodnesse to be found,
Yet let's be content, and the times lament, you see the world turn'd upside down.
To conclude, I'le tell you news that's right, Christmas was kil'd at Naseby fight:
Charity was slain at that same time, Jack Tell troth too, a friend of mine,
Likewise then did die, rost beef and shred pie,
Pig, Goose and Capon no quarter found.
Yet let's be content, and the times lament, you see the world turn'd upside down.
(as found in the Thomason Tracts, dated 8 April 1646)It should come as no great surprise that England's flirtation with republicanism only lasted eleven years. Tired of military rule, religious oppression and political experimentation, the majority of people in the country turned with relief to the old ideas of what constituted a proper Parliament and government, and the monarchy was restored with sensible checks and balances. And yes, theatres opened, life became fun, the nation got its yo ho ho! back and Christmas became Christmas again.
Thanks for reading. Have a good week, S ;-) Email ThisBlogThis!Share to XShare to Facebook
