Canterbury Bells. _Campanula Medium._
Dedicated to _St. Paulinus_.
~June 23.~
_St. Etheldreda_, or _Audry_, A. D. 679. _St. Mary_ of Oignies, A. D.
1213.
[Illustration: ~Midsummer--The Bonfire.~]
This engraving represents a rejoicing formerly common to this season; it
is from a French print, inscribed “_Le Feu de St. Jean Mariette ex_.”
The _summer solstice_ has been celebrated throughout all ages by the
lighting up of fires, and hence on “St. John’s eve,” or the vigil of the
festival of St. John the Baptist, there have been popular ceremonials of
this kind from the earliest times of the Romish church to the present.
Before, however, particularizing any of these celebrations, it may be
worth while to notice the following practice, which is still maintained.
_Midsummer Eve, in Ireland._
At Stoole, near Downpatrick, in the north of Ireland, there is a
ceremony commencing at twelve o’clock at night on every
Midsummer-eve.--Its sacred mount is consecrated to St. Patrick: the
plain contains three wells, to which the most extraordinary virtues are
attributed. Here and there are heaps of stones, around some of which
appear great numbers of people running with as much speed as possible;
around others, crowds of worshippers kneel with bare legs and feet as an
indispensable part of the penance. The men, without coats, with
handkerchiefs on their heads instead of hats, having gone seven times
round each heap, kiss the ground, cross themselves, and proceed to the
hill; here they ascend on their bare knees, by a path so steep and
rugged that it would be difficult to walk up: many hold their hands
clasped at the back of their necks, and several carry large stones on
their heads. Having repeated this ceremony seven times, they go to what
is called St. Patrick’s chair, which are two great flat stones fixed
upright in the hill; here they cross and bless themselves as they step
in between these stones, and while repeating prayers, an old man, seated
for the purpose, turns them round on their feet three times, for which
he is paid; the devotee then goes to conclude his penance at a pile of
stones named the altar. While this busy scene of superstition is
continued by the multitude, the wells, and streams issuing from them,
are thronged by crowds of halt, maimed, and blind, pressing to wash away
their infirmities with water consecrated by their patron saint; and so
powerful is the impression of its efficacy on their minds, that many of
those who go to be healed, and who are not totally blind, or altogether
crippled, really believe for a time that they are by means of its
miraculous virtues perfectly restored. These effects of a heated
imagination are received as unquestionable miracles, and are propagated
with abundant exaggeration.[180]
The annual resort of the ignorant portion of our Roman Catholic
countrymen, was never so numerously attended as it has been during the
late anniversary of this festival, in 1825. The extent of the number of
strangers from very remote parts of the country was unprecedented. The
usual ablutions, penances, and _miraculous_ results, were performed, and
attested by the devotees, who experienced some disappointment in not
having the accustomed arch-officiater to consummate the observances by
thrice revolving the votary in the chair of St. Patrick. This
deprivation, it is said, marks the sense of a dignitary of the church
respecting this annual ceremony.[181]
_Ancient Custom of_
SETTING THE WATCH IN LONDON
_on St. John’s Eve._
The curfew-bell, commanded by William Conquerour to be nightly rung at
eight of the clock, as a warning, or command, that all people should
then put out their fires and lights, was continued throughout the realm
till the time of Henry the First, when Stow says, that it followed, “by
reason of warres within the realme, that many men gave themselves to
robbery and murders in the night.” Stow then recites from an ancient
chronicler, Roger Hoveden, that in the yeare 1175, during the time of a
council held at Nottingham, a brother of the earle Ferrers, was “in the
night privily slaine at London, and thrown out of his inne into the
durty street; when the king understood thereof he sware that he would be
revenged on the citizens. It was then a common practice in this city,
that a hundred or more in a company, young and old, would make nightly
invasions upon houses of the wealthy, to the intent to rob them; and if
they found any man stirring in the city within the night, that were not
of their crue, they would presently murder him: insomuch, that when
night was come, no man durst adventure to walk in the streets. When this
had continued long, it fortuned, that a crue of young and wealthy
citizens assembling together in the night, assaulted a stone house of a
certaine rich man, and breaking through the wall, the good man of that
house having prepared himself with other in a corner, when hee perceived
one of the theeves, named Andrew Bucquint, to lead the way, with a
burning brand in the one hand, and a pot of coles in the other, which
hee assaied to kindle with the brand, he flew upon him, and smote off
his right hand, and then with a loud voyce cryed ‘theeves.’ At the
hearing whereof, the theeves took their flight, all saving he that had
lost his hand, whom the good man (in the next morning) delivered to
Richard de Lucie, the king’s justice. This theefe, upon warrant of his
life, appeached his confederates, of whom many were taken, and many
were fled. Among the rest that were apprehended, a certaine citizen of
great countenance, credit, and wealth, named John Senex, who for as much
he could not acquit himselfe by the water-doome (as that law was then
tearmed) hee offered to the king five hundred pounds of silver for his
life. But forasmuch as he was condemned by judgement of the water, the
king would not take the offer, but commanded him to be hanged on the
gallowes, which was done, and then the city became more quiet for a long
time after.”
It appears that the city of London was subject to these disorders till
1253, when Henry III. commanded watches to be kept in the cities, and
borough towns, for the preservation of the peace; and this king further
ordained “that if any man chanced to be robbed, or by any means
damnified, by any theefe or robber, he to whom the charge of keeping
that county, city, or borough, chiefly appertained, where the robbery
was done, should competently restore the losse.”
This origin of the present nightly watch in London was preceded by other
popular customs, or they rather, it may be said, assisted in its
formation. “In the months of June and July, on the vigils of festivall
dayes, and on the same festivall dayes in the evenings, after the
sun-setting, there were usually made bone-fires in the streets, every
man bestowing wood or labour towards them. The wealthier sort also
before their doores, neere to the said bone-fires, would set out tables
on the vigils, furnished with sweete bread, and good drinke, and on the
festivall dayes with meats and drinkes plentifully, whereunto they would
invite their neighbours and passengers also to sit, and be merry with
them in great familiarity, praysing God for his benefits bestowed on
them. These were called _bone-fires_, as well of amity amongst
neighbours, that being before at controversie, were there by the labour
of others reconciled, and made of bitter enemies, loving friends; as
also for the vertue that a great fire hath, to purge the infection of
the ayre.
“On the vigil of St. John Baptist, and on Sts. Peter and Paul the
apostles, every man’s doore being shaddowed with greene birch, long
fennel, St. John’s wort, orpin, white lilies, and such like, garnished
upon with garlands of beautifull flowers, had also lamps of glasse,
with oyle burning in them all the night; some hung out branches of iron
curiously wrought, containing hundreds of lamps lighted at once, which
made a goodly shew, namely in new Fish-street, Thames-street, &c.
“Then had ye, besides the _standing_ watches, all in bright harnesse, in
every ward and street of this city and suburbs, a _marching_ watch, that
passed through the principall streets thereof, to wit, from the little
conduit by Paul’s gate, through West Cheape, by the Stocks,
through Cornehill, by Leadenhall to Aldgate, then backe down
Fen-church-street, by Grasse-church, about Grasse-church conduit, and up
Grasse-church-street into Cornhill, and through it into West Cheape
again, and so broke up.
“The whole way ordered for this marching watch, extended to three
thousand two hundred taylors’ yards of assize; for the furniture whereof
with lights, there were appointed seven hundred cressets, five hundred
of them being found by the companies, the other two hundred by the
chamber of London. Besides the which lights, every constable in London,
in number more than two hundred and forty, had his _cresset_: the charge
of every cresset was in light two shillings foure pence, and every
cresset had two men, one to beare or hold it, another to beare a bag
with light, and to serve it: so that the poore men pertaining to the
cressets, taking wages, (besides that every one had a strawen hat, with
a badge painted, and his breakfast in the morning,) amounted in number
to almost two thousand.
“The marching watch contained in number two thousand men, part of them
being old souldiers, of skill to bee captaines, lieutenants, serjeants,
corporals, &c. wifflers, drummers, and fifes, standard and
ensigne-bearers, sword-players, trumpeters on horsebacke, demilaunces on
great horses, gunners with hand-guns, or halfe hakes, archers in cotes
of white fustian, signed on the breste and backe with the armes of the
city, their bowes bent in their hands, with sheafes of arrowes by their
sides, pike-men in bright corslets, burganets, &c., holbards, the like
billmen in almaine rivets, and aperns of mayle in great number.
“There were also divers pageants, and morris dancers attendant on the
setting of this marching watch. The _constables_, were divided into two
parties; one halfe consisting of one hundred and twenty, were appointed
on St. John’s eve, the other halfe on St. Peter’s eve.” They were “in
bright harnesse, some over-gilt, and every one a jornet of scarlet
thereupon and a chaine of gold, his hench-man following him, his
minstrels before him, and his _cresset_ light passing by him.” In the
procession were “the _waytes_ of the city, the maiors officers, for his
guard before him, all in a livery of wosted, or say jackets, party
coloured; the maior himselfe well mounted on horseback, the sword-bearer
before him in faire armour, well mounted also, the maiors foot-men, and
the like torch-bearers about him; hench-men twaine, upon great stirring
horses following him. The sheriffes watches came one after the other in
like order, but not so large in number as the maiors: for whereas the
maior had, besides his giant, three pageants, each of the sheriffes had,
besides their giants, but two pageants; each their morris-dance, and one
hench-man, their officers in jackets of wosted, or say, party-coloured,
differing from the maiors, and each from other, but having harnessed men
a great many, &c. This _Midsummer watch_ was thus accustomed yeerely,
time out of minde, untill the yeere 1539, the thirty-first of Henry the
Eighth, in which yeere, on the eighth of May, a great muster was made by
the citizens at the Miles end, all in bright harnesse, with coats of
white silke or cloth, and chaines of gold, in three great battels, to
the number of fifteen thousand, which passed thorow London to
Westminster, and so through the sanctuary, and round about the parke of
St. James, and returned home thorow Oldborne.”
In that year, 1539, king Henry VIII. forbid this muster of armed men,
and prohibited the marching watch altogether, and it was disused “til
the yeere 1548.” When sir John Gresham, then lord mayor, revived the
marching watch, both on the eve of St. John the baptist, and of St.
Peter the apostle, and set it forth, in order as before had been
accustomed; “which watch was also beautified by the number of more than
three hundred demilances and light-horsemen, prepared by the citizens to
be sent into Scotland, for the rescue of the town of Haddington.” After
that time the marching watch again fell into disuse; yet, in the year
1585, “a booke was drawne by a grave citizen, (John Mountgomery,) and by
him dedicated to sir Tho. Pullison, then l. maior, and his brethren the
aldermen, containing the manner and order of a marching watch in the
citie, upon the evens accustomed; in commendation whereof, namely, in
times of peace to be used, he hath words to this effect: ‘The artificers
of sundry sorts were thereby well set aworke, none but rich men charged,
poor men helped, old souldiers, trumpeters, drummers, fifes, and
engine-bearers, with such like men meet for the prince’s service, kept
in use, wherein the safety and defence of every common-weale consisteth.
Armour and weapons being yeerely occupied in this wise, the citizens had
of their owne readily prepared for any neede, whereas, by intermission
hereof, armorers are out of worke, souldiers out of use, weapons
overgrowne with foulnesse, few or none good being provided,’” &c.
Notwithstanding these plausible grounds, the practice was discontinued.
There can be little doubt that so great an array of armed citizens, was
not only viewed with distrust by the government, but had become of so
great charge to the corporation, that it was found mutually convenient
to substitute a less expensive and less warlike body to watch and ward
the city’s safety. The splendour wherein it was annually set forth was,
however, a goodly sight, and attracted the curiosity of royalty itself,
for we find that on St. John’s eve, in 1510, king Henry VIII. came to
the King’s-head, in Cheap, in the livery of a yeoman of the guard, with
a halbert on his shoulder, and there, in that disguise, beheld the watch
till it had passed, and was so gratified with the show, that “on St.
Peter’s night next following, he and the queen came royally riding to
the sayd place, and there, with their nobles, beheld the watch of the
city, and returned in the morning.”[182] In 1519, Christern, king of
Denmark, and his queen, being then in England, were conducted to the
King’s-head, in Cheap, there to see the watch.
On taking leave of the old London watch, on St. John’s eve, a remark or
two may be made respecting their lights.
_The Cresset._
Concerning the _cressets_ or lights of the watch, this may be observed
by way of explanation.
The cresset light was formed of a wreathed rope smeared with pitch, and
placed in a cage of iron, like a trivet suspended on pivots, in a kind
of fork; or it was a light from combustibles, in a hollow pan. It was
rendered portable by being placed on a pole, and so carried from place
to place. Mr. Douce, in his “Illustrations of Shakspeare,” gives the
following four representations from old prints and drawings of
[Illustration: CRESSETS.
~Lamps in the Old Streets,~