Folklore of Shakespeare: Twelfth-Day

Customs Connected with the Calendar: Chapter XI.

Twelfth-Day.—There can be no doubt that the title of Shakespeare's play, "Twelfth-Night," took its origin in the festivities associated with this festival. The season has from time immemorial been one of merriment, "the more decided from being the proper close of the festivities of Christmas, when games of chance were traditionally rife, and the sport of sudden and casual elevation gave the tone of the time. Of like tone is the play, and to this," says Mr Lloyd, 2 "it apparently owes its title." The play, it appears, was probably originally acted at the barristers’ feast at the Middle Temple, on February 2, 1601–2, as Manningham tells us in his "Diary" (Camden Society, 1868, ed. J. Bruce, p. 18). It is worthy of note that the festive doings of the Inns of Court, in days gone by at Christmas-tide, were conducted on the most extravagant scale. In addition to the merry disports of the Lord of Misrule, there were various revels. The Christmas masque at Gray's Inn, in 1594, was on a magnificent scale.

Folk-lore of Shakespeare, by T.F. Thiselton Dyer; London: Griffith & Farran [1883]:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/sks/flos/index.htm

Chapter XI. Customs Connected with the Calendar:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/sks/flos/flos13.htm