Part 39 (1/2)

Which may be done thus into English:-

A mother, great with coming child, Much suffers in her dreams, That naught beyond a monster head Her inward burden seems.

A head so huge, yet with such might Endowed, that at his birth, Supported on a wooden staff The infant issues forth.

{173} The account of this incident is also given in ”Gilda Aurifabrorum,” by Chaffers, 66. King Charles seems to have made himself merry over his cups, with others beside the Lord Mayor. It is recorded that dining with Chief Justice Sir George Jeffreys, the sovereign found his lords.h.i.+p's wine so good that he ”drank to him seven times.”-Verny, ”Memoirs,” vol. iv., p. 234

{175} Early in this chapter.

{176} ”Religious Houses on the Witham,” Appendix, p. 167, note 46.

{178} Bull-baiting was in vogue at Stamford in this county as early as the reign of King John, 1209, and continued till 1839.

A bill against the sport was introduced into the House of Commons, May 24th, 1802, but was rejected, mainly through the influence of Mr.

Wyndham, who used some curious arguments in favour of the sport. It has since been made illegal, through the instrumentality of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, established 1824. At one time many towns, and even villages, practised the sport. Strutt, ”Sports” (p.

277), says many of the rings ”remain at the present time” (1780.)

{179} Liberty to hold an annual fair, two days before the Eve of St.

Barnabas, and to continue eight days, was granted by Henry III. by charter, to Ralph de Rhodes, Lord of the Manor. This is the present June Fair. A. second charter, granted by the same king, empowered the Lord of the Manor to hold an annual fair, to commence on the Eve of the Feast of St. Lawrence, and to continue seven days. This is the great August Fair, once perhaps the largest in the world, though now greatly reduced. Our third, or October, Fair was removed to Horncastle from Market Stainton, where it was a Statute Fair, in 1768.

{180} The inst.i.tution of ”Bough-houses” at fairs was not confined to Horncastle. By Act of Parliament (35 George III., c. 113, s. 17) an exception was made to the general rule of a license being required for the sale of beer, that at fair-time any one hanging a bough at their door, and thus const.i.tuting the house a ”booth,” might sell beer without a license. It prevailed at Persh.o.r.e, with the sanction of the magistrates, as late as 1863; also at Bridgewater, Church Staunton, and Newton Poppleford (”Notes and Queries,” 3rd series, vol. iv., pp. 141 and 258). Hence we find at Carmarthen, the princ.i.p.al hotel named ”The Ivy Bush”; and at Carlisle, in English Street, there is a coaching inn called ”The Bush.” (”On the track of the Mail Coach,” by J. E. Baines, p. 226).

There is also a ”Bush Hotel” at Farnham. In out-of-the-way parts of Germany, as in the Upper Eisel District, at the village feast called ”Kirmess” a bough is hung out at a house door to shew that refreshment may be obtained there. (”Field, Forest, and Fell,” by J. A. Owen, p.

74). Of the existence of similar houses at an early period in England, we have evidence in Chaucer's ”Canterbury Tales.” There were ale-houses on the country road-sides, marked by a pole projecting over the door; and as the pilgrims rode along, the Pardoner would not begin his tale till he had stopped to refresh himself,

”But first, quod he, her, at thys ale-stake, I will both drynke, and biten at a cake.”

Jusseraud, in his ”Wayfaring life of 14th century,” gives a sketch of such a Bow-house from a XIV. century illuminated MS.

{181} This peculiar and ready mode of dissolving the bond of wedlock was not uncommon in former times; but I have a note of a similar transaction occurring in or near Scarborough in a quite recent year; and in 1898 (Nov. 18) a case came before Mr. Justice Kekewich, in the Chancery Court, when it was found that one of the parties concerned, before leaving this country for Australia, had sold his wife for 250.

{183} Abbey and Overton, ”Church of England in the 18th Century,” quoted ”Church Folklore,” by J. E. Vaux, p. 2.

{184} ”Literae Laureatae”; or, the Poems of John Brown, the Horncastle Laureate. Edited by J. Conway Walter.

{188a} Other Roman mazes have been found in Lincolns.h.i.+re at Alkborough, as well as at Louth and Appleby; at Wing, in Rutlands.h.i.+re; at Sneinton and Clifton, in Notts.; at Hilton, in Hunts.; and many other places. The one at Hilton is also called ”Julian's Bower.” Views of the plans of some are given in the Architectural Society's Journal (Yorks.h.i.+re), vol.

iv., pp. 251268. I shall go into this subject again further on, in dealing with ”Troy wood,” at Coningsby.

{188b} ”Architect. Soc. Journ,” vol. iv., p. 200.

{188c} Stukeley, ”Itin. Curios.” p. 91.

{188d} At Helston, in Cornwall, on May 8th, a procession of young persons marches through the town, decked with flowers; and the day is called ”Flurry-day,” doubtless a corruption of the Roman ”Floralia.”

{188e} ”The Vikings of Western Christendom,” by C. F. Keary, p. 52.

{188f} ”History of Horncastle,” p. 27.

{188g} ”Collectanea,” vol. ii, p. 509.

{190} In the ”Memoirs of the Verney Family,” Vol. i., it is stated that the King's army were raw levies, pressed by force at short notice, ill fed and ill clothed. The Verneys' relative, Dr. Denton, present with the forces, writes, ”Our men are very rawe, our armes, of all sorts, naught, our vittle scarce, and provision for horses worse” (p. 315). Sir Jacob Astley writes, his recruits ”have neither colours nor halberts”; and he has to ”receive all the arch knaves of the kingdom, who beat their officers and break open prisons.” Edmund Verney writes, ”We have 6 weeks' pay due, and unless there be some speedy payment, you may expect to hear that our souldyers are in a mutiny; they are notable sheep stealers already.” Many had only rude pykes and lances; few who had a musket had a sword as well. Pistols and matchlocks were scarce. Old armour, which had hung in churches and manor houses, was used over again (pp. 109116).