British Popular Customs, Present and Past. T. F. Thiselton-Dyer

vestments, with garlands of roses on their heads, sent the body of the buck to be baked, and had the head and horns fixed on a pole before the cross in their procession round about the church, till they issued at the West door, where the keeper that brought it blowed the death of the buck, and then the horns that were about the city answered him in like manner; for which they had each of the Dean and Chapter three and fourpence in money, and their dinner; and the keeper, during his stay, meat, drink, and lodging, and five shillings in money at his going away; together with a loaf of bread, having on it the picture of St. Paul. This custom was continued till the reign of Elizabeth.—Beauties of England, Brayley and Britton, 1803, vol. v. p. 486.

Jan. 31.] EXECUTION OF CHARLES I.

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      Jan. 31.]

      EXECUTION OF CHARLES I.

      The anniversary of the execution of King Charles I. was formerly celebrated, and a special form of prayer made use of, which was removed from the Prayer Book by an Act of Parliament (22 Vict. c. 2, March 25, 1859).

      The following extract is taken from the Courier, of the 30th of January, 1826:

      “This being the anniversary of King Charles’ Martyrdom (in 1649), the Royal Exchange gates were shut till twelve o’clock, when they were opened for public business.”

      There is a story told regarding a Miss Russell, great granddaughter of Oliver Cromwell, who was waiting-woman to the Princess Amelia, daughter of George II., to the effect that, while engaged in her duty one 30th of January, the Prince of Wales came into the room, and sportively said, “For shame, Miss Russell! why have you not been at church, humbling yourself with weepings and wailings for the sins on this day committed by your ancestor?” To which Miss Russell answered, “Sir, for a descendant of the great Oliver Cromwell, it is humiliation sufficient to be employed, as I am, in pinning up the tail of your sister!”—Rede’s Anecdotes, 1799, quoted in Book of Days, vol. i. p. 192.

Jan. 31.]

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Isle of Man.

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      Jan. 31.]

      Isle of Man.

      On the eve of the 1st of February a festival was formerly kept, called in the Manks language Laa’l Breeshey, in honour of the Irish lady who went over to the Isle of Man to receive the veil from St. Maughold. The custom was to gather a bundle of green rushes, and standing with them in the hand on the threshold of the door, to invite the holy Saint Bridget to come and lodge with them that night. In the Manks language, the invitation ran thus:—“Brede, Brede, tar gys my thie, tar dyn thie ayms noght. Foshil jee yn dorrys da Brede, as lhig da Brede e heet staigh.” In English, “Bridget, Bridget, come to my house, come to my house to-night—open the door for Bridget, and let Bridget come in.” After these words were repeated, the rushes were strewn on the floor by way of a carpet or bed for St. Bridget.—Train’s History of the Isle of Man, 1845, vol. ii. p. 116.

Nottinghamshire.

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      The following extract from the Newark Advertiser of Feb. 2nd. 1870, describes a custom that existed for a long time at Newark:

      “For many years past the last day in January has been observed in Newark as a raffling day for oranges in the market-place. On Monday last application was made to Mr. Superintendent Riddell, at the Post Office, as to whether the practice would be allowed this year as usual. He advised them to apply to the sitting magistrates, and upon doing so Mr. Wallis (deputy clerk) read to them the Act of Parliament, which stated that they would be liable to three months’ hard labour if they raffled. The applicants said they believed there was some old charter which gave them the privilege in Newark for raffling on that day, but they were told the Act of Parliament made no exceptions, and the magistrates said they could not give them permission to break the law. On Monday, therefore, no raffling took place, and we may regard the practice as finally put an end to, which will be a matter of great satisfaction to many.—See, Every Day Book, vol. ii. p. 161.

Oxfordshire.

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      By the common people, the Saturday preceding Shrove Tuesday is called Egg Saturday. This name is employed as a date by Anthony à Wood: “One hundred and ninety-two bachelors to determine this Lent, but twenty-three or thereabouts were not presented on Egg Saturday.”—Med. Ævi Kalend. vol. i. p. 158. Lives of Leland, Hearne, and Wood, 1772, vol. ii. p. 297.

Feb. 1.] CANDLEMAS EVE.

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      Feb. 1.]

      CANDLEMAS EVE.

      On Candlemas Eve was kindled the yule-brand, which was allowed to burn till sunset, when it was quenched and carefully laid by to teend (i.e. light) the Christmas clog or log at the next return of the season. Thus Herrick, Hesperides, p. 337, says:

      “Kindle the Christmas Brand, and then Till sunne-set let it burne; Which quencht, then lay it up agen Till Christmas next returne.

      Part must be kept wherewith to teend

       The Christmas Log next yeare; And where ’tis safely kept, the fiend Can do no mischiefe there.”

      The rosemary, the bay, the ivy, the holly, and the mistletoe, the Christmas decorations of hall and cottage, were now pulled down, when, according to the popular superstition, not a branch, nor even a leaf, should be allowed to remain.

      “Down with the Rosemary and so Down with the Baies and the Misleto: Down with the Holly, Ivie, all Wherewith ye dress the Christmas Hall: That so the superstitious find No one least branch there left behind: For look, how many leaves there be Neglected there (maids trust to me), So many goblins you shall see.”

      Herrick (Hesperides, p. 361).

      In the place, however, of the Christmas decorations, the “greener box was upraised,” and Christmas now was positively at an end. Some indeed, considered this to have been the case on Twelfth Night, and old Tusser, in his Five Hundred Points of good Husbandry, strongly contends for it; but then his head was more full of the cart and plough than of regard for old customs; and like any other master, he was naturally anxious that the holidays should be ended, and the labourers should get to work again as soon as possible; and merry-making, however agreeable it may be, will not help to dig the land or sow the grain. But in spite of these wise saws, the truth of which nobody would contest, human feelings are stronger than human reason, and customs, when they tend to pleasure, will maintain their ground till they are superseded, not by privations, but by other forms of amusement.—New