153 of the _Tatler_, 1710, is a description of a poor but doubtless a
proud person with a muff. "I saw," it is stated, "he was reduced to
extreme poverty, by certain shabby superfluities in his dress,
for--notwithstanding that it was a very sultry day for the time of the
year--he wore a loose great coat and a _muff_. Here we see poverty trying
to imitate prosperity." There are at least three allusions to the muff in
the pages of the _Spectator_. We find in the issue for March 19th, 1711, a
correspondent desires Addison to be "very satyrical upon the little muff"
that was then fashionable amongst men.
A satirical print was published in 1756, at the Gold Acorn Tavern, facing
Hungerford Market, London, called the "Beau Admiral." It represents
Admiral Byng carrying a large muff. He had been sent to relieve Minorca,
besieged by the French, and after a futile action withdrew his ships,
declaring that the ministry had not furnished him with a sufficient fleet
to successfully fight the enemy. This action made the ministry furious,
and Byng was brought before a court martial, and early in 1757 he was,
according to sentence, shot at Portsmouth.
In America muffs were popular with both men and women. Old newspapers
contain references to them. The following advertisement is drawn from the
_Boston News Letter_ of March 5th, 1715:--
"Any man that took up a Man's Muff drop't on the Lord's Day between
the Old Meeting House & the South, are desired to bring it to the
Printer's Office, and shall be rewarded."
Mrs. Alice Morse Earle, in her "Costume of Colonial Times" (New York:
1894), gives other instances of men's muffs being missing, "In 1725," says
Mrs. Earle, "Dr. Prince lost his 'black bear-skin muff,' and in 1740 a
sable-skin man's muff was advertised." It is clear from Mrs. Earle's
investigations that the beaux of New England followed closely the lead of
the dandies of Old England. "I can easily fancy," she says, "the mincing
face of Horace Walpole peering out of a carriage window or a sedan-chair,
with his hands and his wrists thrust in a great muff; but when I look at
the severe and ascetic countenance in the portrait of Thomas Prince, I
find it hard to think of him, walking solemnly along Boston streets,
carrying his big bear-skin muff." Other Bostonians, we are told,
maintained the fashion until a much later period. Judge Dana employed it
even after Revolutionary times. In 1783, in the will of Rene Hett, of New
York, several muffs are mentioned, and were considered of sufficient
account to form bequests.
The puritans of New England had little regard for warmth in their places
of worship, and it is not surprising that men wore muffs. People were
obliged to attend the services of the church unless they were sick, yet
little attempt was made to render the places comfortable.
The first stove introduced into a meeting-house in Massachusetts was at
Boston in 1773. In 1793 two stoves were placed in the Friends'
meeting-house, Salem, and in 1809 one was erected in the North Church,
Salem. Persons are still living in the United States who can remember the
knocking of feet on a cold day towards the close of a long sermon. The
preachers would ask for a little patience and promise to close their
discourses.
Concerning Corporation Customs.
The history of old English Municipal Corporations contains some quaint and
interesting information respecting the laws, customs, and every-day life
of our forefathers. The institution of corporate towns dates back to a
remote period, and in this country we had our corporations before the
Norman Conquest. The Norman kings frequently granted charters for the
incorporation of towns, and an example is the grant of a charter to London
by Henry I. in the year 1101.
For more than a century and a half no person was permitted to hold office
in a municipal corporation unless he had previously taken sacrament
according to the rites of the Established Church. The act regulating this
matter was known as the Test Act, which remained in force from the days of
Charles II. to those of George IV. It was repealed on the 9th May, 1828.
In the latter reign, in 1835, was passed the Municipal Reform Act, which
greatly changed the constitution of many corporate towns and boroughs. It
is not, however, so much the laws as local customs to which we wish to
direct attention.
The mace as a weapon may be traced back to a remote period, and was a
staff about five feet in length with a metal head usually spiked. Maces
were used by the heavy cavalry in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries,
but went out of use in England in the reign of Elizabeth. It is not clear
when the ornamental maces came to be regarded as an ensign of authority.
Their first use may be traced back to the twelfth century. At that period
and later spikeless maces were carried by the guards attending princes, as
a convenient weapon to protect them against the sudden attacks of the
assassin. Happily their need passed away, and as a symbol of rank only
they have remained. In civic processions the mace is usually borne before
the mayor, and when the sovereign visits a corporate town it is customary
for the mayor to bear the mace before the monarch. We learn from history
that when Princess Margaret was on her way to Scotland in 1503 to be
united in marriage to James IV., as she passed through the city of York
the Lord Mayor shouldered the mace and carried it before her. The mace
was formerly borne before the mayoress of Southampton when she went out in
state. A singular custom connected with the mace obtained at Leicester. It
was customary for the newly-elected mayor to proceed to the castle, and in
accordance with a charter granted by James I., take an oath before the
steward of the Duchy of Lancaster, "to perform faithfully and well all and
every ancient custom, and so forth according to the best of his
knowledge." On arrival at a certain place within the precincts of the
stronghold the mayor had the great mace lowered from an upright position
as a token of acknowledgment to the ancient feudal earls within their
castle. In 1766 Mr. Fisher, a Jacobite, was elected mayor, and like others
of his class was ever ready when opportunity offered to show his aversion
to the reigning dynasty. He purposely omitted the ceremony of lowering the
mace. When the servant of the mayor refused to "slope the mace," the
Constable of the castle or his deputy refused to admit the mayor. The
ceremony was discontinued after this occurrence, and the mayor went in
private to take the oath.
[Illustration: THE LORD MAYOR OF YORK ESCORTING PRINCESS MARGARET.]
The following ordinances were in force at Kingston-upon-Hull about 1450,
and point their own moral.
"No Mayor should debase his honourable office by selling (during his
Mayoralty) ale or wine in his house."
"Whenever the Mayor appeared in public he should have a sword carried
before him, and his officers should constantly attend him; also he should
cause everything to be done for the honour of the town, and should not
hold his office for two years together."
"No Aldermen should keep ale-houses or taverns, nor absent themselves from
the town's business, nor discover what is said in their councils, under
heavy penalties."
An entry in the annals of Hull in 1549 states that three of the former
sheriffs of the town, named respectively Johnson, Jebson, and Thorp, were
fined L6 13s. 4d. each "for being deficient in the elegance of their
entertainments, for neglecting to wear scarlet gowns, and for not
providing the same for their wives during their shrievalties." Ten years
later a Mr. Gregory was chosen sheriff, and he refused to accept the
office. The matter was referred to the Queen in Council, and he was
ordered to be fined L100, to be disfranchised and turned out of the town.
We are told that the order was executed.
We gather from the ancient records of Canterbury that, in 1544, it was
decided "that during winter every dark-night the aldermen, common council,
and inn-holders are to find one candle, with light, at their doors, and
the other inhabitants are to do in like fashion upon request, and if any
lantern be stolen, the offender shall be set in the pillory at the mayor's
discretion; the candles are to be lighted at six, and continued until
burnt out."
In 1549 the sheriff of Canterbury paid a fine of three shillings and
fourpence for wearing his beard.
Another quaint item in the Canterbury records under the year 1556 is an
order directing the mayor every year before Christmas to provide for the
mayoress, his wife, to wear one scarlet gown, and a bonnet of velvet. If
the mayor failed to procure the foregoing he was liable to a fine of L10.
[Illustration: BURYING THE MACE AT NOTTINGHAM.]
At Nottingham the new mayor took office on the 29th September each year.
The outgoing mayor and other members of the corporation marched in
procession to St. Mary's Church. At the conclusion of divine service all
retired to the vestry, and the retiring mayor occupied the chair at the
head of a table covered with a black cloth, in the middle of which lay the
mace covered with rosemary and sprigs of bay. This was called burying the
mace, and no doubt was meant to denote the official decease of the late
holder. The new mayor was then formally elected, and the outgoing mayor
took up the mace, kissed it, and delivered it to his successor with a
suitable speech. After the election of other town officials the company
proceeded to the chancel of the church, where the mayor took the oath of
office, which was administered by the senior coroner. After the mayor had
been proclaimed in public places by the town clerk, a banquet was held at
the municipal buildings; the fare consisted of bread and cheese, fruit in
season, and pipes of tobacco! The proclaiming of the new mayor did not
end on the day of election: on the following market-day he was proclaimed
in face of the whole market, and the ceremony took place at one of the
town crosses.
[Illustration: THE MAYOR OF WYCOMBE GOING TO THE GUILDHALL.]
We learn from the Report of the Royal Commission issued in 1837 that the
election of the Mayor of Wycombe was enacted with not a little ceremony.
The great bell of the church was tolled for an hour, then a merry peal was
rang. The retiring mayor and aldermen proceeded to church, and after
service walked in procession to the Guildhall, preceded by a woman
strewing flowers and a drummer beating a drum. The mayor was next elected,
and he and his fellow-members of the corporation marched round the
market-house, and wound up the day by being weighed, and their weights
were duly recorded by the sergeant-at-mace, who was rewarded with a small
sum of money for his trouble.
In the _Gentlemen's Magazine_ for 1782 we find particulars of past mayoral
customs at Abingdon, Berkshire. "Riding through Abingdon," says a
correspondent, "I found the people in the street at the entrance of the
town very busy in adorning the outside of their houses with boughs of
trees and garlands of flowers, and the paths were strewed with rushes. One
house was distinguished by a greater number of garlands than the rest. On
inquiring the reason, it seemed that it was usual to have this ceremony
performed in the street in which the new mayor lived, on the first Sunday
that he went to church after his election."
At Newcastle-on-Tyne still lingers a curious custom which dates back to
the period when strife was rife between England and Scotland. It has long
been the practice to present the judges attending the Assizes on their
arrival with two pairs of gloves, a pair to each of their marshals and to
the other members of their retinue, also to the clerks of Assize and their
officers. The judges are entertained in a hospitable manner during their
stay in the city. At the conclusion of the business of the Assizes the
mayor and other members of the Corporation in full regalia wait upon the
judges, and the mayor thus addresses them:--
"My Lords, we have to congratulate you upon having completed your labours
in this ancient town, and have also to inform you that you travel hence to
Carlisle, through a border county much and often infested by the Scots; we
therefore present each of your lordships with a piece of money to buy
therewith a dagger to defend yourselves."
The mayor then gives the senior judge a piece of gold of the reign of
James I., termed a _Jacobus_, and to the junior judge a coin of the reign
of Charles I., called a _Carolus_. After the judge in commission has
returned thanks the ceremony is ended. Some time ago a witty judge
returned thanks as follows: "I thank the mayor and corporation much for
this gift. I doubt, however, whether the Scots have been so troublesome
on the borders lately; I doubt, too, whether daggers in any numbers are to
be purchased in this ancient town for the protection of my suite and of
myself; and I doubt if these coins are altogether a legal tender at the
present time."
The local authorities are anxious to keep up the ancient custom enjoined
upon them by an old charter, but they often experience great difficulty in
obtaining the old-time pieces of money. Sometimes as much as L15 has been
paid for one of the scarce coins. "Upon the resignation or the death of a
judge who has travelled the northern circuit, we are told the corporation
at once offer to purchase from his representative the 'dagger-money'
received on his visits to Newcastle, in order to use it on future
occasions."
It was customary, in the olden time, for the mayor and other members of
the Banbury Corporation to repair to Oxford during the assizes and visit
the judge at his lodgings, and the mayor, with all the graces of speech at
his command, ask "my lord" to accept a present of the celebrated Banbury
cakes, wine, some long clay pipes, and a pound of tobacco. The judge
accepted these with gratitude, or, at all events, in gracious terms
expressed his thanks for their kindness.
The Corporation of Ludlow used to offer hospitality to the judges. The
representatives of the town met the train in which the judges travelled
from Shrewsbury to Hereford, and offered to them cake and wine, the former
on an ancient silver salver, and the latter in a loving-cup wreathed with
flowers. Mr. Justice Hill was the cause of the custom coming to a
conclusion in 1858. He was travelling the circuit, and he communicated
with the mayor saying, "owing to the delay occasioned, Her Majesty's
judges would not stop at Ludlow to receive the wonted hospitality." We are
told the mayor and corporation were offended, and did not offer to renew
the ancient courtesy.
The making of a "sutor of Selkirk" is attended with some ceremony. "It was
formerly the practice of the burgh corporation of Selkirk," says Dr.
Charles Rogers, the social historian of Scotland, "to provide a collation
or _dejeuner_ on the invitation of a burgess. The rite of initiation
consisted in the newly-accepted brother passing through the mouth a bunch
of bristles which had previously been mouthed by all the members of the
board. This practice was termed 'licking the birse:' it took its origin
at a period when shoemaking was the staple trade of the place, the birse
being the emblem of the craft. When Sir Walter Scott was made a burgess or
'sutor of Selkirk,' he took precaution before mouthing the beslabbered
brush to wash it in his wine, but the act of rebellion was punished by his
being compelled to drink the polluted liquor." In 1819, Prince Leopold was
created "a sutor of Selkirk," but the ceremony was modified to meet his
more refined tastes, and the old style has not been resumed. Mr. Andrew
Lang, a distinguished native of the town, has had the honour conferred
upon him of being made a sutor.
The Mayor of Altrincham, Cheshire, in bygone times was, if we are to put
any faith in proverbial lore, a person of humble position, and on this
account the "honour" was ridiculed. An old rhyme says--
"The Mayor of Altrincham, and the Mayor of Over,
The one is a thatcher, and the other a dauber."
Sir Walter Scott, in "The Heart of Mid-Lothian," introduces the mayor into
his pages in no flattering manner. Mr. Alfred Ingham, in his "History of
Altrincham and Bowdon" (1879), has collected for his book some curious
information bearing on this theme. He relates a tradition respecting one
of the mayors gifted with the grace of repartee, which is well worth
reproducing:--"The Mayor of Over--for he and the Mayor of Altrincham are
often coupled--journeyed once upon a time to Manchester. He was somewhat
proud, though he went on foot, and on arriving at Altrincham, felt he
would be all the better for a shave. The knight of the steel and the strop
performed the operation most satisfactorily; and as his worship rose to
depart, he said rather grand-eloquently, 'You may tell your customers that
you have had the honour of shaving the Mayor of Over.' 'And you,' retorted
the ready-witted fellow, 'may tell yours that you have had the honour of
being shaved by the Mayor of Altrincham.' The rest can be better imagined
than described."
We learn from Mr. J. Potter Briscoe that a strange tradition still lingers
in Nottingham, to the effect that when King John last visited the town, he
called at the house of the mayor, and the residence of the priest of St.
Mary's. Finding neither ale in the cellar of one, nor bread in the
cupboard of the other, His Majesty ordered every publican in the town to
contribute sixpennyworth of ale to the mayor annually, and that every
baker should give a half-penny loaf weekly to the priest. The custom was
continued down to the time of Blackner, the Nottingham historian, who
published his history in 1815.
The mayor of Rye, in bygone times, had almost unlimited authority, and if
anyone spoke evil of him, he was immediately taken and grievously punished
by his body, but if he struck the mayor, he ran the risk of having cut off
the hand that dealt the blow.
As late as 1600, at Hartlepool, it was enacted, that anyone calling a
member of the council a liar be fined eleven shillings and sixpence, if,
however, the term false was used, the fine was only six shillings and
eightpence.
Bribes for the Palate.
In the days of old it was no uncommon practice for public bodies and
private persons to attempt to bribe judges and others with presents.
Frequently the gifts consisted of drink or food. In some instances money
was expected and given. It is not, however, to bribery in general we want
to direct attention, but to some of its more curious phases, and
especially those which appealed to the recipients' love of good cheer.
Some of the judges even in a corrupt age would not be tempted. One of the
most upright of our judges was Sir Matthew Hale. It had long been
customary for the Dean and Chapter of Salisbury to present to the judges
of the Western Circuit six sugar loaves. The gift was sent to Hale, and he
directed his servant to pay for the sugar before he tried a case in which
the donors were interested. On another occasion while he was on circuit, a
gentleman gave him a buck, hoping by this act to gain his favour in a
case that was to be tried before him. When the trial was about to
commence, Hale remembered the name of the gentleman and inquired if he was
the person from whom the venison had been received. On being informed that
such was the fact, he would not allow the trial to proceed until he had
made payment for the buck. The gentleman strongly protested against
receiving the money, saying that he had only presented the same to the
Chief Baron as he had done to other judges who had gone the circuit.
Further instances might be mentioned of presents being offered and refused
by Hale, but the foregoing are sufficient to show the character of the
man.
Newcastle-on-Tyne municipal records contain many references to presents of
sugar loaves. There are for example gifts to noblemen who called at the
town on their way to Scotland. In January 1593, we find particulars of
23s. 7d. for sugar and wine "sent in a present to my L. Ambassador as he
came travling through this towne to Scotland called my L. Souch."
The charges are as follow:--
"Paide for 2 gallons of secke 2 gallons and a quarte of
clared wine 11s. 3d.
A sugar loaf weis 8 lb. and a quarter at 18d. per pound 12s. 4d."
A little later the Earl of Essex was bound for Scotland and received a
present at the hands of the local authorities. The town accounts state:
"Sept. 1594.--Paide for four sugar loaves weide 27-3/4 lbs. 41s. 8d.
5 gallons and a pottle of claret, 11s.
4 gallons secke 10s. 8d.
--------
Soma 63s. 4d."
In the following month the Earl of Essex, in company of my Lord Wharton,
returned from North Britain and received sugar and wine costing the town
L4 14s. 10d. The details of the amount are as under:--
"Oct. 1594.--Paide for 3 sugar loves weide 30-1/4 lb. 18d.
per lb. L2 5s. 10d.
For clarid wine and secke L2 9s. 0d."
The Bishop of Durham was not overlooked. In February, 1596, we find an
entry as follows:--
"Paide for 4 pottles secke and 2 quarte, for 3 pottles of
white wine, and 4 pottles and a quarte of clared wine for
a present to the bishop of Dorum 17s. 6d.
Paide for 11 lb. of suger which went with the wine 18d.
per pounde 16s. 6d."
"Mr. Maiore and his brethren" enjoyed sugar and sundry pottles of wine.
It is satisfactory to find that the ladies were not neglected at
Newcastle-on-Tyne. Here is an entry referring to the entertainment of the
Mayoress and other ladies:--
"April, 1595.--Paide for secke, suger, clared wine, and
caikes, to Mrs. Maris, and other gentlewomen, in Mr.
Baxter, his chamber 6s. 8d."
In the same month is an entry far different in character. It is a charge
of 4d. for leading a scolding woman through the town wearing the brank.
Payments for inflicting punishment on men and women frequently occur.
The accounts of the borough of St. Ives, Cornwall, contain an item as
follows:--
"1640.--Payde Nicholas Prigge for two loaves of sugar,
which were presented to Mr. Recorder L1 10s. 0d."
The records of the city of Winchester include particulars of many presents
of sugar loaves and other gifts. On March 24th, 1592, it was decided at a
meeting of the municipal authorities to present the Lord Marquis of
Winchester with a sugar loaf weighing five pounds, and a gallon of sack,
on his coming to the Lent Assizes. The accounts of the city at this period
contain entries of payments for sugar loaves given to the Recorder for
a New Year's present, and for pottles of wine bestowed on distinguished
visitors.
[Illustration: WOMAN WEARING A BRANK, OR SCOLD'S BRIDLE.]
[Illustration: THE BRANK, OR SCOLD'S BRIDLE.]
At a meeting held in 1603 of the local authorities of Nottingham, it was
agreed that the town should present to the Recorder, Sir Henry
Pierrepoint, as follows:--"A sugar loaf, 9s.; lemons, 1s. 8d.; white wine,
one gallon, 2s. 8d.; claret, one gallon, 2s. 8d.; muskadyne, one pottle,
2s. 8d.; sack, one pottle, 2s.; total, 20s. 8d."
A year later the burgesses of Nottingham wished to show the great esteem
they entertained for the Earl of Shrewsbury, and it was decided to give to
him "a veal of mutton, a lamb, a dozen chickens, two dozen rabbits, two
dozen of pigeons, and four capons." This is a truly formidable list, and
seems more suitable for stocking a shop than a gentleman's larder.
The porpoise in past times was prized as a delicacy, and placed on royal
tables. Down to the days of Queen Elizabeth it was used by the nobles as
an article of food. In the reign of that queen, a penny in twelve was the
market due at Newcastle-on-Tyne, when the fish were cut up and exposed for
sale. The heads, fins, and numbles were taken in addition. The seal was
subject to the same regulations. The porpoise was deemed suitable for a
present. In 1491 it is recorded that a large porpoise was sent from
Yarmouth as a gift to the Earl of Oxford.
The annals of Exeter furnish particulars of several gifts of fish. In 1600
it was decided by the local authorities to present to the Recorder of the
city, Mr. Sergeant Hale, annually during his life, eight salmon of the
river Exe. The Mayor for the time being had a like quantity allowed. It
was resolved on the 10th January, 1610, to present, at the cost of the
citizens, to the Speaker of the Parliament, in token of good will, a
hogshead of Malaga wine, or a hogshead of claret, whichever might be
deemed most acceptable, and one baked salmon pie.