and round about the Park of St. James, and returned home through Oldborn. "King Henry then considering the great charges of the citizens for the furniture of this unusual muster forbad the marching watch provided for at Midsummer that year; which being once laid down, was not raised again till the year 1548, the 2nd of Edward VI. Sir John Gresham then being Maior, who caused the marching watch both on the eve of St. John Baptist and of St. Peter the Apostle, to be revived and set forth, in as comely order as it had been accustomed, which watch was also beautified by the number of more than 300 demilances and light horse men, prepared by the citizens to be sent into Scotland, for the rescue of the town of Haddington. "This watch affording a great cavalcade and splendid show, brought abundance of all degrees together, and not a few of the lighter sort, such as rogues, pickpurses, quarrellers, whoremongers, and drunkards, which was found to have much inconvenience. Therefore in the year 1569, Sir Thomas Row, Maior, with the universal consent of the aldermen, agreed to lay it aside, for that year at least, and in the room thereof to have a substantial standing watch for the safety and preservation of the city. The Maior himself also being at this time so weak that he could not go in his own person, the Recorder acquainted the Queen and council with this resolution. But it was signified back that the Queen disliked it, and that it was her pleasure to have a going watch. Whereupon the Maior sent the Recorder to Sir William Cecyll the secretary, earnestly desiring his interest with the Lords that this order might at least that year take place, and from henceforth it began to be laid aside. "The like marching watch in this city hath not been used, though some attempts have been made thereunto, as in 1583 a book was drawn by a grave citizen,' and by him dedicated to Sir Thomas Pullison, then Margin, John Mountgomery. | Lord Maior, and his brethren the Aldermen, containing the manner and order of a marching watch in the city upon the even accustomed, in commendations whereof, namely, in times of peace to be used, he hath words to this effect. The artificers of sundry sorts were thereby well set awork, none but rich men charged, poor men helped, old soldiers, trumpeters, drummers, fifes and ensign bearers, with such like men, meet for the princes service, kept in ure, wherein the safety and defence of every commonweal consisteth. Armour and weapons being yearly occupied in this wise, the citizens had of their own, readily prepared for any need; whereas by intermission hereof, armorers are out of work, soldiers out of ure, weapons overgrown with foulness, few or none good being provided," &c.—Ibid. Bartholomew-tide Sports. "In the month of August, about the feast of St. Bartholomew the apostle, before the Lord Maior, Aldermen and Sheriffs of London, placed in a large tent near unto Clerkenwell, of old time were divers days spent in the pastime of wrestling; where the officers of the city, namely, the sheriffs, sergeants, and yeomen, the porters of the King's beam or weigh house (now no such men) and other of the city were challengers of all men in the suburbs to wrestle for games appointed, and on other days before the said Maior, Aldermen and Sheriffs in Fensbury field to shoot the standard, broad arrow and flight, for games. But now of late years the wrestling is only practised on Bartholomew day in the afternoon; and the shooting some three or four days after in one afternoon and no more. What should I speak of the ancient daily exercises in the long bow by citizens of this city, now almost cleanly left off and forsaken? I overpass it, for by the means of closing in of common grounds, our archers for want of room to shoot abroad, creep into bowling alleys, and ordinary dicing houses, near home, where they have room enough to hazard their money at unlawful games, where I leave them to take their pleasures."—Ibid. This was one of the great uses of publick houses in former time, namely, for game and exercise, rather than for drinking excessively; but now of a long while the pleasure and pastime of these houses is chiefly fuddling and devouring vast quantities of wine and ale, and stout, and brandy. Shrove Tuesday. "EVERY year on Shrove Tuesday, the school boys do bring cocks of the game to their master, and all the forenoon they delight themselves in cock-fighting. After dinner all the youths go into the fields to play at the ball. The scholars of every school have their ball or bastion in their hands. The antient and wealthy men of the city come forth on horseback, to see the sport of the young men and to take part of the pleasure in beholding their agility."— FITZSTEPHEN in STOW.1 Easter Water-tilts. "IN Easter holydays, they fight battles on the water; a shield is hanged on a pole, fixed in the midst of the stream. A boat is prepared without oars, to be carried by violence of the water, and in the forepart thereof standeth a young man ready to give charge upon the shield with his lance; if so be he break his launce against the shield, and doth not fall, he is thought to have performed a worthy deed; if so be without breaking his launce he runneth strongly against the shield, down he falleth into the water, for the boat is violently forced with the tide. But on each side of the shield ride two boats, furnished with young men, which recover him that falleth, as soon as they may. Upon the bridge, wharfs and houses, by the river side, stand great numbers to see and laugh thereat."—Ibid. Summer Holiday Evenings. "In the holydays all the summer the youths are exercised in leaping, dancing, shooting, wresting, casting the stone, and practising their shields. The maidens trip with their timbrels, and dance as long as they can well see. In winter, every holyday, before dinner, the boars prepared for brawn are set to fight, or else bulls or bears are baited."-Ibid. Whittington's Epitaph, St. Michaels, "Ur fragrans Nardus qui juste rexerat illam. testis sit cetus eorum. Anglicè Whittington, i. e. whiting-town. "SIR William Baud, knight the 3rd of Edward I., 1274, on Candlemas-day, granted to Harvey de Borham, Dean of Pauls, and to the chapter there, that in consideration of 22 acres of ground or land, by them granted within their manor of Westley, in Essex, to be inclosed into his park at Curingham, he would for ever, upon the feast day of the Conversion of Paul, in winter, give unto them a good doe, seasonable and sweet and upon the feast of the Commemoration of St. Paul, in summer, a good buck, and offer the same at the high altar; the same to be spent among the canons residents. The doe to be brought by one man, at the hour of procession, and through the procession to the high altar; and the bringer to have nothing. The buck to be brought by all his meyney in like manner, and they to have paid unto them by the church 12 pence only, and no more to be required. "Now what I have heard by report and have partly seen, it followeth : On the feast day of the Commemoration of St. Paul, the buck being brought up to the steps of the high altar in Pauls Church, at the hour of procession, the dean and chapter apparelled in coaps and vestments, with garlands of roses on their heads, they sent the body of This epitaph is not in the copy of Srow before me. These lines are evidently defective. WEEVER, in his Funeral Monuments, calls it "crazed and imperfect," p. 407.-J. W. W. the buck to baking, and had the head fixed on a pole, born before the cross in their procession, until they issued out at the west door, where the keeper that brought it blowed the death of the buck, and then the horners that were about the city presently answered him in like manner; for the which pains they had each man, of the dean and chapter, 4d. in money and their dinner. And the keeper that brought it, during his abode there, for that service, meat, drink, and lodging, at the dean and chapters charges, and 5d. in money at his going away, together with a loaf of bread, having the picture of St. Paul upon it. "There was belonging to the church of St. Paul, for both the days, two special suits of vestments, the one imbroidered with bucks, the other with does."—August 16, 1798, Hereford. Ostrich-eggs, how hatched.1 "WE read in an old Arabian manuscript that when the ostrich would hatch her eggs, she does not cover them as other fowls do, but both the male and female contribute to hatch them by the efficacy of their looks only; and therefore when one has occasion to go to look for food, it advertises its companion by its cry, and the other never stirs during its absence, but remains with its eyes fixed upon the eggs, till the return of its mate, and then goes in its turn to look for food. And this care of theirs is so necessary, that it cannot be suspended for a moment; for if it should, their eggs would immediately become addle."-HARRIS'S Collect. of Voy. P.VANSLEBE, Relat. d'Egypte, p. 103. This is said to emblem the perpetual attention of the Creator to the universe. The note book which furnishes these extracts has been kindly lent to me by Mrs. Southey.-J. W. W. 2 "Oh! even with such a look, as fables say, The mother ostrich fixes on her egg," &c. Thalaba, book iii. p. 24.-J. W. W. Gladiators, why suppressed. "UNDER the Emperor Honorius, when Prudentius, a Christian poet, had endeavoured to obtain the abolition of the gladiatorian spectacles, Telemachos, a hermit of the East, appeared in the amphitheatre. As soon as the combat had begun, he descended, with a dignified simplicity, inflamed by the spirit of benevolence and holy zeal, into the arena, and endeavoured to prevent the combatants from murdering each other. The spectators, enraged, rose and stoned him. Perhaps there may be some who will feel inclined to ridicule the simplicity of this dignified man, though had it been the act of a heathen philosopher, they would have admired and cited it as exemplary. Telemachos, however, was the last sacrifice to this accursed custom. Honorius was moved, forbad the games of the gladiators, and from that period they were entirely abolished.-STOLBERG'S Travels. This S. has another name, Almachius. Death of Ali's Sons celebrated. "THE Persians observe a festival in memory of the death of Hassan and his brother, the sons of Hali, who were killed by Omar, near Bagdad. It begins on the 23rd of August, and lasts ten days, during which every square is adorned with lights, and a long banner or streamer, near which a Mullah or priest gets up into a pulpit to preach, and makes a most hideous noise. All the inhabitants of that quarter go to hear him, clad in red and blue silk gowns, as a token of sorrow. The women supply the Mullahs with sweatmeats and rose-water, to cool them when they are heated with preaching. On one of the ten days, they set a figure of straw, which they call Omar, on an ass, and after having led them about the town, they kill the poor ass, and set fire to the image. They are fully persuaded that during these ten days, the gates of heaven stand continually open, and that all Mussulmen, who happen to die at this season, go directly to heaven."-GEMELLI. BROUGHTON'S Dict. of all Religions. Feast of Lights. "HANUCA or Channuccah, the feast of lights, or feast of dedication, an anniversary festival among the Jews, in memory of Judas Maccabæus's repairing and dedicating anew the temple and altar, which had been plundered and prophaned by Antiochus Epiphanes. It was observed on 25th of the month Cisleu, and was continued eight days. On the first day they light one lamp, on the second, two, and so on to the eighth day, when they light eight lamps. The occasion of this is as follows. The enemies having prophaned the city and temple, were driven out by Jonathan and his sons. Upon his return, he found there was not oil enough left to light the lamps of the great branch for more than one night, but by a miracle it lasted eight."-BROUGHTON. St. Peter ad Vincula.-Lammas Day.1 "THE first of August was celebrated in honour of Augustus, who on that day had occasion to change the name of the month been saluted with that name, and so given from Sextilis to August. Eudoxia, wife of Theodosius, having made a journey to Jerusalem, was there presented with the fetters which St. Peter had been loaded with in prison. These she presented to the Pope, who afterwards laid them up in a church built by Theodosius to the honour of St. Peter. She also obtained a decree of her husband, that the first of August should be kept holy in remembrance of St. Peter's bonds, thinking it unreasonable that a heathen emperor should have a holy day.”— Ibid. Certainly July and August ought to be christened. This day has another remarkable name, the GULE of August. See SPELMAN in v.-J. W. W. "THIS day is called Lammas day, from a conceit the people had that St. Peter was patron of the lambs, because our Saviour said to him, 'Feed my lambs.' Upon which account they thought the mass of this day very beneficial to make their lambs thrive." -Ibid. till the consummation of all things, when they were to be thrown into the gulph of fire. Uriel was sent to Noah, to warn and instruct him.”—Ibid. Egregori of the Book of Enoch. "THE Egregori, or watching angels, to the number of 200, having fallen in love with the daughters of men, on account of their excellent beauty, descended on the top of mount Hermon.' Their princes were twenty, Semiazas the chief. In the year of the world 170, they took themselves wives, and committed leudness with them till the flood, in which time the women bore to them three generations. The first was the giants; they begat the Nephilim, they the Eliud. Their chief taught them the force of poisonous roots and herbs. Azalzel, the art of working metals and precious stones, also of making swords, and other instruments of war. Pharmarus, charms and incantations. Chobabiel (astrology, Araciel), the signs of the earth. Sampsich, those of the sun. Sariel, those of the moon; and in like manner each of them revealed certain secrets to their wives and children. But impiety and all manner of corruption increasing upon the earth, the four archangels, by the command of God, bound the princes of those transgressors, and threw them into the abyss, there to remain till the day of judgement."-Ibid. "THE angel Raphael was commissioned to heal the earth of the wounds caused by the secrets these Egregori had revealed. Gabriel's charge was, to destroy the giants. Michael was commanded to bind Semiazas and his companions, and to lead them to the uttermost parts of the earth, where they were to be confined for seventy generations, See Abp. LAWRENCE's edit. of the Bock of Enoch, vii. 7. p. 6-J. W. W. River Dee, and Ceirioc. It seems as it would rive the rocks alone, strong; On both the sides are bankes and hilles good store, And mightie stones that makes the river rore. It flowes with winde, although no raine there bee, And swelles like sea with waves and foaming flood; A wonder sure, to see this river Dee A cause there is, a nature for the same, and frame.1 |
