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第33章

ancient poems-第33章

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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

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