In the descriptive ballad which follows, it will be evident that I have
endeavoured to preserve the style of a gossip, and to transmit the
memorial of a custom, the extent or antiquity of which I am not acquainted
with, and pretend not to enquire.
In Suffolk husbandry the man who, (whether by merit or by sufferance I
know not) goes foremost through the harvest with the scythe or the sickle,
is honoured with the title of "_Lord_," and at the Horkey, or harvest-home
feast, collects what he can, for himself and brethren, from the farmers
and visitors, to make a "frolick" afterwards, called "the largess
spending." By way of returning thanks, though perhaps formerly of much
more, or of different signification, they immediately leave the seat of
festivity, and with a very long and repeated shout of "a largess," the
number of shouts being regulated by the sums given, seem to wish to make
themselves heard by the people of the surrounding farms. And before they
rejoin the company within, the pranks and the jollity I have endeavoured
to describe, usually take place. These customs, I believe, are going fast
out of use; which is one great reason for my trying to tell the rising
race of mankind that such were the customs when I was a boy.
I have annexed a glossary of such words as may be found by general readers
to require explanation. And will add a short extract from Sir Thomas
Brown, of Norwich, M. D. who was born three years before Milton, and
outlived him eight years.
"It were not impossible to make an original reduction of many words of no
general reception in _England_, but of common use in _Norfolk_, or
peculiar to the _East-Angle_ counties; as, Bawnd, Bunny, Thurck, Enemis,
Matchly, Sainmodithee, Mawther, Kedge, Seele, Straft, Clever, Dere,
Nicked, Stingy, Noneare, Fett, Thepes, Gosgood, Kamp, Sibrit, Fangast,
Sap, Cothish, Thokish, Bide-owe, Paxwax. Of these, and some others, of no
easy originals, when time will permit, the resolution shall be attempted;
which to effect, the Danish language, new, and more ancient, may prove of
good advantage: which nation remained here fifty years upon agreement, and
have left many families in it, and the language of these parts had surely
been more commixed and perplex, if the fleet of _Hugo de Bones_ had not
been cast away, wherein three-score thousand souldiers, out of Britany and
Flanders, were to be wafted over, and were, by King _John's_ appointment,
to have a settled habitation in the counties of _Norfolk_ and _Suffolk_."
Tract the viii. on Languages, particularly the Saxon. Folio, 1686, page
48.