James I recognized the importance of the May celebrations for the spirit of the people. In the face of growing Puritan opposition to festive occasions he explicitly legalized the practice.
After the restoration of Charles II, whose birthday was Whit Monday, the celebration of Whitsun Ales was commonplace. They resembled a modern county fair, with morris dancing being one of many diversions. The ales continued into the 19th century, and local morris teams from all over a shire would gather to compete for prizes and honor.
A century ago morris dancing was nearly extinct. It was rescued from oblivion by collectors who located and interviewed pensioners who had danced at ales in their youth. Now there are hundreds of teams all over the world, and they gather annually to hone their skills by recreating a piece of England from centuries past.