GRAND DAYS were those days in every term solemnly kept in the inns of court and chancery—viz., in Eastern term, Ascension-day; in Trinity term, St. John the Baptist's clay; in Michaelmas term, All Saints' day (and of late, All Souls' day); and in Hilary term, the festival of the Purification of our Lady, commonly called Candlemas day; and these are dies non juridici, no clays in court. On these days were formerly held the revels for which the inns of court were famous. The last revel held in the inner temple was on Candlemas day, 1733, on the occasion of Mr. Talbot's elevation to the woolsack. At this feast fourteen students of the inn waited at the benchers' table. After dinner a play was performed by actors, who came full dressed from the Hay market in chairs, and it is said, refused to receive payment for the honor of the occasion. After dinner, judges, sergeants, .and benchers, formed a ring round the stove in the center of the ball, and danced, or rather walked about the coal fire, according to the old ceremony, three times, and all the time the ancient song was sung by one .Toby Aston,
dressed in a bar-gown. The prince of \Vales, Frederick, father of George III., wit nessed this part of the ceremony incog. The room was then prepared for dancing, which was kept up, with the pleasing interlude of a splendid supper, until morning. Sea Pearce's Inns of Court and Chancery. Grand- days continue to be observed, but they have no longer the solemn character formerly attached to them. Nor are they held on the same days as formerly; for by the alteration in the law terms made by 11 Geo. IV. and 1 Will. IV. c. 70, those days no longer fall within the term. Grand days are now fixed at the pleasure of the benchers. On these days an entertainment is given in ball to the judges who had formerly been members of the Inn, and on this occasion en addi tional bottle of wine is supplied to every mess of four men among the barristers and students. On circuits, also, the circuit bar appoints a special clay for the gram? clay, on which, after dinner, the various matters of social interest affecting the circuit are dis cussed and settled.