ancient poems-第33章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


the　saints　to　whom　the　　parish　churches　were　dedicated。　　But　now…a…days；　even　in　Catholic　　Lancashire；　all　traces　of　their　pristine　character　have　departed；　　and　the　hymns　and　prayers　by　which　their　observance　was　once　　hallowed　have　given　place　to　dancing　and　merry…making。　　At　　Greenside；　near　Manchester；　during　the　wakes；　two　persons；　dressed　　in　a　grotesque　manner；　the　one　a　male；　the　other　a　female；　appear　　in　the　village　on　horseback；　with　spinning…wheels　before　them；　and　　the　following　is　the　dialogue；　or　song；　which　they　sing　on　these　　occasions。＇


''TIS　Greenside　wakes；　we've　come　to　the　town　To　show　you　some　sport　of　great　renown；　And　if　my　old　wife　will　let　me　begin；　I'll　show　you　how　fast　and　how　well　I　can　spin。　Tread　the　wheel；　tread　the　wheel；　den；　don；　dell　O。'

'Thou　brags　of　thyself；　but　I　don't　think　it　true；　For　I　will　uphold　thy　faults　are　not　a　few；　For　when　thou　hast　done；　and　spun　very　hard；　Of　this　I'm　well　sure；　thy　work　is　ill　marred。　Tread　the　wheel；　tread　the　wheel；　den；　don；　dell　O。'

'Thou'rt　a　saucy　old　jade；　and　pray　hold　thy　tongue；　Or　I　shall　be　thumping　thee　ere　it　be　long；　And　if　that　I　do；　I　shall　make　thee　to　rue；　For　I　can　have　many　a　one　as　good　as　you。　Tread　the　wheel；　tread　the　wheel；　dan；　don；　dell　O。'

'What　is　it　to　me　who　you　can　have？　I　shall　not　be　long　ere　I'm　laid　in　my　grave；　And　when　I　am　dead　you　may　find　if　you　can；　One　that'll　spin　as　hard　as　I've　done。　Tread　the　wheel；　tread　the　wheel；　dan；　don；　dell　O。'

'Come；　come；　my　dear　wife；　here　endeth　my　song；　I　hope　it　has　pleased　this　numerous　throng；　But　if　it　has　missed；　you　need　not　to　fear；　We'll　do　our　endeavour　to　please　them　next　year。　Tread　the　wheel；　tread　the　wheel；　dan；　don；　dell　O。'



Ballad：　THE　SWEARING…IN　SONG　OR　RHYME。

As　formerly　sung　or　said　at　Highgate；　in　the　county　of　Middlesex。



＇THE　proverb；　'He　has　been　sworn　at　Highgate；'　is　more　widely　　circulated　than　understood。　　In　its　ordinary　signification　it　is　　applied　to　a　'knowing'　fellow　who　is　well　acquainted　with　the　'good　　things；'　and　always　helps　himself　to　the　best；　and　it　has　its　　origin　in　an　old　usage　still　kept　up　at　Highgate；　in　Middlesex。　　　Grose；　in　his　CLASSICAL　DICTIONARY　OF　THE　VULGAR　TONGUE；　London；　　1785；　says；　…


A　ridiculous　custom　formerly　prevailed　at　the　public…houses　of　　Highgate；　to　administer　a　ludicrous　oath　to　all　the　men　of　the　　middling　rank　who　stopped　there。　　The　party　was　sworn　on　a　pair　of　　horns　fastened　on　a　stick；　the　substance　of　the　oath　was　never　to　　kiss　the　maid　when　he　could　kiss　the　mistress；　never　to　drink　small　　beer　when　be　could　get　strong；　with　many　other　injunctions　of　the　　like　kind　to　all　of　which　was　added　a　saving　clause　…　UNLESS　YOU　　LIKE　IT　BEST！　　The　person　administering　the　oath　was　always　to　be　　called　father　by　the　juror；　and　he　in　return　was　to　style　him　son；　　under　the　penalty　of　a　bottle。


From　this　extract　it　is　evident　that　in　1786　the　custom　was　　ancient；　and　had　somewhat　fallen　into　desuetude。　　Hone's　YEAR…BOOK　　contains　a　very　complete　account　of　the　ceremony；　with　full　　particulars　of　the　mode　in　which　the　'swearing…in'　was　then　　performed　in　the　'Fox　under　the　Hill。'　　Hone　does　not　throw　any　　light　on　the　origin　of　the　practice；　nor　does　he　seem　to　have　been　　aware　of　its　comparative　antiquity。　　He　treated　the　ceremony　as　a　　piece　of　modern　foolery；　got　up　by　some　landlord　for　'the　good　of　　the　house；'　and　adopted　from　the　same　interested　motive　by　others　　of　the　tribe。　　A　subsequent　correspondent　of　Mr。　Hone；　however；　　points　out　the　antiquity　of　the　custom；　and　shows　that　it　could　be　　traced　back　long　before　the　year　1782；　when　it　was　introduced　into　　a　pantomime　called　HARLEQUIN　TEAGUE；　OR；　THE　GIANT'S　CAUSEWAY；　　which　was　performed　at　the　Haymarket　on　Saturday；　August　17；　1782。　　　One　of　the　scenes　was　Highgate；　where；　in　the　'parlour'　of　a　public　　house；　the　ceremony　was　performed。　　Mr。　Hone's　correspondent　sends　　a　copy　of　the　old　initiation　song；　which　varies　considerably　from　　our　version；　supplied　to　us　in　1851　by　a　very　old　man　（an　ostler）　　at　Highgate。　　The　reciter　said　that　the　COPY　OF　VERSES　was　not　　often　used　now；　as　there　was　no　landlord　who　could　sing；　and　　gentlemen　preferred　the　speech。　　He　said；　moreover；　'that　the　　verses　were　not　always　alike　…　some　said　one　way；　and　some　another　　…　some　made　them　long；　and　some　CUT　'EM　SHORT。'

Grose　was　in　error　when　he　supposed　that　the　ceremony　was　confined　　to　the　inferior　classes；　for　even　in　his　day　such　was　not　the　case。　　　In　subsequent　times　the　oath　has　been　frequently　taken　by　people　of　　rank；　and　also　by　several　persons　of　the　highest　literary　and　　political　celebrity。　　An　inspection　of　any　one　of　the　register…　books　will　show　that　the　jurors　have　belonged　to　all　sorts　of　　classes；　and　that　amongst　them　the　Harrovians　have　always　made　a　　conspicuous　figure。　　When　the　stage…coaches　ceased　to　pass　through　　the　village　in　consequence　of　the　opening　of　railways；　the　custom　　declined；　and　was　kept　up　only　at　three　houses；　which　were　called　　the　'original　house；'　the　'old　original；'　and　the　'real　old　　original。'　　Two　of　the　above　houses　have　latterly　ceased　to　hold　　courts；　and　the　custom　is　now　confined　to　the　'Fox　under　the　Hill；'　　where　the　rite　is　celebrated　with　every　attention　to　ancient　forms　　and　costume；　and　for　a　fee　which；　in　deference　to　modern　notions　of　　economy；　is　only　one　shilling。

Byron；　in　the　first　canto　of　CHILDE　HAROLD；　alludes　to　the　custom　　of　Highgate：…


Some　o'er　thy　Thamis　row　the　ribboned　fair；　Others　along　the　safer　turnpike　fly；　Some　Richmond…hill　ascend；　some　wend　to　Wara　And　many　to　the　steep　of　Highgate　hie。　Ask　ye；　Boeotian　shades！　the　reason　why？　'TIS　TO　THE　WORSHIP　OF　THE　SOLEMN　HORN；　GRASPED　IN　THE　HOLY　HAND　OF　MYSTERY；　IN　WHOSE　DREAD　NAME　BOTH　MEN　AND　MAIDS　（47）　ARE　SWORN；　AND　CONSECRATE　THE　OATH　WITH　DRAUGHT；　AND　DANCE　TILL　MORN。

Canto　I；　stanza　70。＇


ENTER　LANDLORD；　DRESSED　IN　A　BLACK　GOWN　AND　BANDS；　AND　WEARING　AN　　ANTIQUE…FASHIONED　WIG；　FOLLOWED　BY　THE　CLERK　OF　THE　COURT；　ALSO　IN　　APPROPRIATE　COSTUME；　AND　CARRYING　THE　REGISTRY…BOOK　AND　THE　HORNS。

LANDLORD。　　Do　you　wish　to　be　sworn　at　Highgate？　CANDIDATE。　　I　do；　Father。　CLERK。　　AMEN。

THE　LANDLORD　THEN　SINGS；　OR　SAYS；　AS　FOLLOWS：…

Silence！　　O；　yes！　you　are　my　son！　Full　to　your　old　father　turn；　sir；　This　is　an　oath　you　may　take　as　you　run；　So　lay　your　hand　thus　on　the　horn；　sir。

HERE　THE　CANDIDATE　PLACES　HIS　RIGHT　HAND　ON　THE　HORN。

You　shall　spend　not　with　cheaters　or　cozeners　your　life；　Nor　waste　it　on　profligate　beauty；　And　when　you　are　wedded　be　kind　to　your　wife；　And　true　to　all　petticoat　duty。

THE　CANDIDATE　SAYS　'I　WILL；'　AND　KISSES　THE　HORN　IN　OBEDIENCE　TO　　THE　COMMAND　OF　THE　CLERK；　WHO　EXCLAIMS　IN　A　LOUD　AND　SOLEMN　TONE；　　'KISS　THE　HORN；　SIR！'

And　while　you　thus　solemnly　swear　to　be　kind；　And　shield　and　protect　from　disaster；　This　part　of　your　oath　you　must　bear　it　in　mind；　That　you；　and　not　she；　is　the　master。

CLERK。　　'KISS　THE　HORN；　SIR！'

You　shall　pledge　no　man　first　when　a　woman　is　near；　For　neither　'tis　proper　nor　right；　sir；　Nor；　unless　you　prefer　it；　drink　small　for　strong　beer；　Nor　eat　brown　bread　when　you　can　get　white；　sir。

CLERK。　　'KISS　THE　HORN；　SIR！'

You　shall　never　drink　brandy　when　wine　you　can　get；　Say　when　good　port　or　sherry　is　handy；　Unless　that　your　taste　on　spirit　is　set；　In　which　case　…　you　MAY；　sir；　drink　brandy！

CLERK。　　'KISS　THE　HORN；　SIR！'

To　kiss　with　the　maid　when　the　mistress　is　kind；　Remember　that　you　must　be　loth；　sir；　But　if　the　maid's　fairest；　your　oath　doesn't　bind；　…　　Or　you　may；　if　you　like　it；　kiss　both；　sir！

CLERK。　　'KISS　THE　HORN；　SIR！'

Should　you　ever　return；　take　this　oath　here　again；　Like　a　man　of　good　sense；　leal　and　true；　sir；　And　be　sure　to　bring　with　you　some　more　merry　men；　That　they　on　the　horn　may　swear　too；　sir。

LANDLORD。　　Now；　sir；　if　you　please；　sign　your　name　in　that　book；　　and　if　you　can't　write；　make　your　mark；　and　the　clerk　of　the　court　　will　attest　it。

HERE　ONE　OF　THE　ABOVE　REQUESTS　IS　COMPLIED　WITH。

LANDLORD。　　You　will　please　pay　half…a…crown　for　court　fees；　and　　what　you　please　to　the　clerk。

THIS　NECESSARY　CEREMONY　BEING　GONE　THROUGH；　THE　IMPORTANT　BUSINESS　　TERMINATES　BY　THE　LAND