Banbury is more celebrated than worth seeing. Commercial travellers consider
it one of the best towns in England, as it is a sort of metropolis to a great
number of thriving villages. Banbury cakes are known wherever English
children are bred, and to them, where not educated in too sensible a manner,
the Homeric ballad of--
"Ride a cock horse
To Banbury Cross,"
is sung. Unfortunately, the Puritans, in the time of Edward VI., pulled this
famous cross down.
They were in great force there; for as Drunken Barnaby, in his tour, tells
us:--
"There I found a Puritan one,
Hanging of his cat on Monday
For killing of a rat on Sunday."
At Banbury was fought, after the English fashion, one of the great fights
that preceded the carrying of the Reform Bill. Previous to that change,
sixteen electors had the privilege of sending a member to Parliament.
During the Reform excitement six of these privileged gentlemen seceded from
their usual compact, and determined to set up on their own account. For want
of a better man, they pitched upon Mr. Easthope, of the Morning Chronicle,
since that period, much to his own astonishment no doubt, pitchforked into a
baronetcy. The old original M.P. was Colonel Hutchinson, the companion of
Sir Robert Wilson in carrying off Lavalette. On entering the town, ten
thousand Reformers set up such a howling, that Colonel Hutchinson, thinking
his last hour at hand, drew a dagger. Upon which more groans and shrieks
followed, with such threats as made it prudent for the friends of the Colonel
to compel him to retreat. Under these circumstances, the streets of the town
were crammed full with an excited mob; the poll was opened; the six, amid
tremendous plaudits, voted for Easthope, and Reform; the ten very discreetly
staid at home, and thus, by six votes, a baronetcy was secured to the
unopposed candidate.
It is droll to look back upon the movement which led public opinion to prefer
a stockjobber to a gallant soldier.
Banbury manufactures horse girths and other kinds of webbing, as well as
excellent ale. There are two inns, both good.
The Buckinghamshire Railway has reduced the price of coal to the inhabitants
from 22s. to 15s. per ton, on 150,000 tons per annum.
BICESTER, commonly pronounced Bister, is thirteen miles by the road from
Oxford, a town as ancient as the Heptarchy; famous for a well once sacred and
dedicated to St. Edburgh, for its well attended markets and cattle fairs, and
especially for its excellent ale. It is in the centre of a capital hunting
country. The women make a little bone lace.