Images de page
PDF
ePub

A century ago, when the houses in streets were unnumbered, they were distinguished by sign-boards. The chemist had the dragon (some astrological device); the pawnbroker the three golden pills, the arms of the Medici and Lombardy, as the descendant of the ancient bankers of England; the barber-chirurgeon the pole for the wig, and the parti-colored ribands to bind up the patient's wounds after blood-letting; the haberdasher and wool-draper the golden fleece; the tobacconist the snuff-taking Highlander; the vintner the bunch of grapes and ivy-bush; and the Church and State bookseller the Bible and crown. The Crusaders brought in the signs of the Saracen's Head, the Turk's Head, and the Golden Cross. Near the church were found the Lamb and Flag, the Bell, the Cock of St. Peter, the Maiden's Head, and the Salutation of St. Mary.

KHOND FABLE.

The following is a free version of a fable current among the Khonds of Oriosa, of whom a very interesting account is given by Captain Macpherson in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society for 1852:

A mosquito was seated on the horn of a bull, and fearing that his weight might be oppressive to the quadruped, he politely accosted him, begging that, if he felt any inconvenience, he would mention it, and professing himself ready, in that case, to remove to some other position. The bull replied, “O mosquito, so far are you from oppressing me with your weight, that I was not even aware of your existence."

This fable is clearly from Lokman, of which the following is Hélot's translation :

ne moustique se posa un jour sur la corne d'un taureau, et, pensant qu'elle pouvait être trop lourde pour lui, elle lui dit: "Si je te suis à charge, fais-le-moi savoir afin que je m'envolé." Le taureau lui réspondit: “Je ne t'ai point sentie au moment où tu es descendue, je ne saurai pas davantage quand

tu t'envoleras." Cette fable regarde celui qui cherche à s'atribuer de l'honneur et de la gloire tandis qu'il est faible et méprisable.

The sense of the bull's reply in Arabic seems to be—

O you, whatever you are [Ya hadi]. I did not know when you descended, nor shall I know when you take yourself off [Taterin].

A pointed reply, leaving the mosquito on one horn of the dilemma. The following fable by Prior somewhat resembles the other :

[merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

The emperor and king of the following epigram, found among some old papers, are Leopold I. and Louis XIV. :

EPIGRAM BY THE EMPEROR, 1666, AND THE KING OF FRANCE.

Bella fugis, sequeris bellas, pugnæque repugnas,

Et bellatori sunt tibi bella tori.

Imbelles imbellis amas, totusque videris

Mars ad opus Veneris, Martis ad arma Venus.

PARISH REGISTERS.

Those who have had opportunities of looking over parish registers have doubtless often been amused at reading many of the entries which are to be found therein, not a few of which are calculated to throw a light on the customs, manners, and habits of the good people in the olden times, which are interesting, not only to antiquarians and those who are admirers of venerable antiquity, but also to the general reader; it is as it were looking through Time's telescope, and viewing through the vista long-past events, which are brought out in full review before the eye, like objects in a panorama. The following extracts, compiled from authentic sources, part of which have been transcribed from the originals, will serve to illustrate the foregoing remarks. The first on the list relates principally to the town of Braintree.

Anno 1580.-April 2 was baptized Joseph Mann, son of Joseph Mann. Mem. That the said Joseph Mann the son, in the year 1631, did lay open the street called New Street, and also built the New Cross, at his own proper costs and charges, and afterwards sold the same to the Right Hon. Robert Earl of Warwick, for the sum of 600l., being then bailiff to the said Earl of the town of Brayntree.—23 Hen. VIII., Robert Pucklow gave a crown for a light before St. Nicholas; Richard Norfolk the like before St. Catharine; John Tomkin the like before St. Michael; and Henry Evet the like before Trinity.-A drinking in Lent, towards which, besides what private persons paid, was given by Rayne, 4s.; Cressing, 3s.; Black Notley, 3s. 8d.; Bocking, 3s.; and Braintree, 5s.

These were in Popish times. There was a canon against these drinkings; but Whitsun ales, which were similar things, were allowed in King James's Book of Sunday Sports. Images in churches do not appear to have been entirely removed until 1588 (1 Eliz.), when the churchwardens received for three images, 26s. 8d.

1574. Received for six almanvyvets, 22s. (Qy. German music-books?

which seem to have been superseded by the more solemn music adapted to such psalmody as that of Sternhold and Hopkins )-Received for the organ pipes...

The almanvyvets and organ pipes seem to have fallen before the Puritanic spirit which was at this time prevailing.

1581. Payd for rynging on crowenation-day, 2s. 6d.; layd out for yenk and paper [ink and paper], 1d.; payd the hie constable for Cataway Bridge, 10s.; payd to Father Wod, for helling [healing] of Widow Matthews, 20s.

оссира

Father Wod was most likely a Popish priest, but that " tion gone," he practised physic. It is well known that at the present period, in Roman Catholic countries, the priests, actuated by a kind and benevolent feeling, study in some degree the healing art, in order that they may be enabled to prescribe remedies in cases of sudden illness among the poorer members of their flock, when medical aid through a surgeon, from distance or other causes, is not attainable.

1585. Payd for discharging Father Andrew howt of the Cowrte, being cited for reading the servyce, 16d.

This, probably, was another Popish clergyman, who had committed himself by performing some duty contrary to the Reformed doctrines and laws.

1586. Payd to Persom for rushes and flaskes gathering when the byshope was here [to strew the church with], 12d.

Strewing churches, and even private houses, with rushes, was at this time a common practice.

1593. Received from "The Hart," 24 quarts of wyne, at 8d., 15s. 4d.; and 11 quarts of muskydine, at 11d., 10s. 1d.; and 8 quarts of wyne, at 9d., 6s. Item, received from the coke [cook] 27 quarts of wyne, at 8d., 18s.; and 23 quarts of wyne, at 9d., 17s. 3d.; and 1 quart of sack, 12d. Payd for bread, 3s. 2d.

That is, 94 quarts of wine (nearly 8 dozen) in one year for the Communion, in a town with a population of about 2,000; but

17

[ocr errors]

this was at a period when almost every adult communicated; and there are some intimations that at this period our ancestors drank deep on those occasions, in order to evince their sincerity. For instance, it is said of "Rare Ben Jonson," that he was twelve years a Papist, but was afterwards reconciled to the Church of England, and that at his first communion, in token of his true reconciliation, he drank the full cup of wine. The quantities and the prices charged do not in several instances agree: but our ancestors were in general very bad arithmeticians.

1625. It is agreed that Hugh Wises's wife shall have some barley allowed her, at the best hand, to bake bread.

Poor persons at the present time would not evince much gratitude for such a gift as this.

1635. J. M. hath payd to Mr. W. 5s. 6d., which he layed out to send Burnham with a letter to my Lord of Warwick, in London [distance 40 miles].— 1637. It is agreed that. J. M. shall have 2s. for his journey to Heddingham, about ship-money.

The levying "ship-money" at this time was one of the principal causes which led to the civil war.

1662. In an inventory of the goods belonging to the parish is enumerated a sheet for harlots to do penance in. It appears as if the parish authorities at Braintree, at this period, were desirous of establishing a high standard of morality in their town. Whether the article in question was frequently called into use or otherwise, we are not informed.

1719. Ordered, to allow John Wilkinson's wife 9s. to redeem a piece of gold touched by the king.

This was a relic of the ancient practice of touching for the king's evil. The practice had been discontinued some time, but the pieces of money used on those occasions were supposed to retain their virtue. In the next article we hardly know which is most

« PrécédentContinuer »