Here rests his head upon the lap of earth,
A minstrel old in Nottingham well known,
In Caledonia was his humble birth,
But England makes his aged bones her own.
Long were his verses, and his life was long,
Wide, as a recompense, his fame was spread;
He sold for halfpence (all he had) a song,
He earn’d by them (’twas all he wish’d) his bread.
No farther I his merits can disclose,
His widow dwells where David late abode;
Go, buy his life, wrote by himself, which shows
His service to his country, and his God.
~G.~
_Nottingham,_
_June 14, 1827._
[307] _Old General._ See _Every-Day Book_, vol. ii. col. 1570, for a
memoir of this worthy.
[308] _Old Friday._ The nickname of the ex-deputy sexton of St. Mary’s
parish, who was more than suspected of participating in
resurrectioning. In Feb. 1827, a discovery was made of some bodies
about to be removed to London; an examination ensued, when it was
found that, for many months, the dissecting rooms of the metropolis
were supplied wholesale from the various grounds of the parish; and
for many days nothing was heard of but the opening of graves, which
were discovered to be empty.
[309] Machines for making lace.
[310] Part of a stocking-frame, which makes a great noise in working.
[311] _Goose fair._ A great holiday fair at Nottingham, so called
probably from its occurrence immediately after Michaelmas day, (viz.
on October 2, 3, 4,) and the great quantity of geese slaughtered and
eaten. One of David’s best songs is on this subject, but it is
entirely local. Popular tradition, however, has assigned a far
different origin to its name: a farmer who for some reason or other
(whether grief for the loss of his wife, or her infidelity, or from
mere curiosity, or dread of the fair sex, or some other reason equally
unreasonable, according to various accounts) had brought up his three
sons in total seclusion, during which they never saw woman. On their
arriving at man’s estate, he brought them to the October fair,
promising to buy each of them whatever he thought best. They gazed
about them, asking the names of whatever they saw, when beholding some
women walking, dressed in white, they demanded what they were; the
farmer, somewhat alarmed at the eagerness of the question, replied,
“Pho, those silly things are geese.” When, without waiting an instant,
all three exclaimed, “Oh father, buy me a _goose_.”
* * * * *