† church-ale Obs.
[f. church + ale3.]
A periodical festive gathering held in connexion with a church.
| 1419 in Glasscock Rec. St. Michael's Bp. Stortford (1882) 27 Item of a chirch ale which was made to the use of the tabernacle vjs. viijd. 1571 Canon Eliz. in Canons Eccl. (1603) §88 The church-wardens..shall suffer no plays, feasts, banquets, suppers, church-ales, drinkings..to be kept, in the church, chapel, or churchyard. 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. 95 The Manner of Church-ales. Against a Christmas, an Easter, Whitsonday, or some other time, the Churche⁓wardens..prouide half a score or twenty quarters of mault..which mault beeing made into very strong ale or beere, it is set to sale, either in the Church or some other place assigned to that purpose..they repaire their Churches and Chappels with it; they buy bookes for seruice. 1640 H. Glapthorne Wit in Const. 11, At Churchales, When the sweet bag-pipe does draw forth the Damsells to frisque about the May poles. 1732–8 Neal Hist. Purit. II. 248 Church Ales are when people go from afternoon prayers on Sundays to..some public house, where they drink and make merry. 1875 Stubbs Const. Hist. I. xiii. 628 note 2 The later church-ale was a custom of collecting contributions of malt from the parishioners, with which a quantity of ale was brewed, and sold for the payment of church expenses. |