[434] The murderers.
[435] Breathless?
[436] My transcript breaks off here. Perhaps what follows was of less
value; or perhaps I broke off, as I own I have sometimes done, to
leave in my readers a relish, and an inclination to explore for
themselves the genuine fountains of these old dramatic delicacies.
* * * * *
“BURNING THE WITCH”
AT BRIDLINGTON, &c.
_For the Table Book._
A custom was very prevalent in this part of Yorkshire about fifty years
ago, and earlier, which has since been gradually discontinuing, until it
has become nearly extinct--called “burning the witch” in the
harvest-field. On the evening of the day in which the last corn was cut
belonging to a farmer, the reapers had a merrimaking, which consisted of
an extra allowance of drink, and burning of peas in the straw. The peas
when cut from the ground are left to dry in small heaps, named
_pea-reaps_. Eight or ten of these _reaps_ were collected into one, and
set fire to in the field, whilst the labourers ran and danced about, ate
the “brustled peas,” blacked each other’s faces with the burned straw,
and played other tricks; the lads generally aiming for the lasses, and
the lasses for the lads. Such of them as could add a little grease to
the grime seldom failed to do it. Even the good dame herself has
sometimes joined in the general sport, and consequently fallen in for
her share of the face-blacking. The evening’s entertainment consisted
also of the _cream-pot_, which was a supper of cream and cakes, provided
and eaten in the house prior to the commencement of the sport in the
field. Cream-pot cakes were made rather thick, and sweet with currants
and caraway-seeds. They were crossed on the top by small squares, owing
to the dough being slightly cut transversely immediately before baking.
The practice of “burning the witch” probably had its origin in those
days of superstition, when the belief in witchery so generally and,
indeed, almost universally prevailed, and was considered necessary under
an idea of its being available in preventing the overthrowing of the
wains, the laming of the horses, and the injuring of the servants, and
of securing general success in the removing, housing, or stacking of the
produce of the farm.