Tenleaved Sunflower. _Helianthus decapetalus._
Dedicated to _St. Anstrudis_.
[353] Audley. Brady.
[354] Fletcher in the “Faithful Shepherdess.”--The Satyr offers to
Clorin,
--grapes whose lusty blood
Is the learned Poet’s good,
Sweeter yet did never crown
The head of Bacchus; nuts more brown
Than the _squirrels’ teeth_ that crack them.----
[355] Page 1360.
~October 18.~
_St. Luke the Evangelist_, A. D. 63. _St. Julian Sabus_, 4th Cent.
_St. Justin._ _St. Monon_, 7th Cent.
~St. Luke.~
The name of this evangelist is in the church of England calendar and
almanacs on this day, which was appointed his festival by the Romish
church in the twelfth century. As a more convenient occasion will occur
for a suitable notice of his history and character, it is deferred till
then. It is presumed that he died about the year 70, in the
eighty-fourth year of his age, having written his gospel about seven or
eight years before.
CHARLTON FAIR.
_Commonly called_
HORN FAIR.
At the pleasant village of Charlton, on the north side of Blackheath,
about eight miles from London, a fair is held annually on St. Luke’s
day. It is called “Horn Fair,” from the custom of carrying horns at it
formerly, and the frequenters still wearing them. A foreigner travelling
in England in the year 1598, mentions horns to have been conspicuously
displayed in its neighbourhood at that early period. “Upon taking the
air down the river (from London), on the left hand lies Ratcliffe, a
considerable suburb. On the opposite shore is fixed a long pole with
rams-horns upon it, the intention of which was vulgarly said to be a
reflection upon wilful and contented cuckolds.”[356] An old newspaper
states, that it was formerly a custom for a procession to go from some
of the inns in Bishopsgate-street, in which were, a king, a queen, a
miller, a counsellor, &c., and a great number of others, with horns in
their hats, to Charlton, where they went round the church three times.
This was accompanied by so many indecencies on Blackheath, such as the
whipping of females with furze, &c., that it gave rise to the proverb of
“all is fair at Horn Fair.”[357] A curious biographical memoir relates
the custom of going to Horn Fair in womens’ clothes. “I remember being
there upon Horn-Fair day, I was dressed in my land-ladie’s best gown and
other women’s attire, and to Horn Fair we went, and as we were coming
back by water, all the cloathes were spoiled by dirty water, &c., that
was flung on us in an inundation, for which I was obliged to present her
with two guineas to make atonement for the damages sustained.”[358] Mr.
Brand, who cites these notices, and observes that Grose mentions this
fair, adds, that “It consists of a riotous mob, who, after a printed
summons dispersed through the adjacent towns, meet at Cuckold’s Point,
near Deptford, and march from thence in procession through that town and
Greenwich to Charlton, with horns of different kinds upon their heads;
and at the fair there are sold rams’ horns, and every sort of toy made
of horn: even the gingerbread figures have horns.” The same recorder of
customs mentions an absurd tradition assigning the origin of this fair
to a grant from king John, which, he very properly remarks, is “too
ridiculous to merit the smallest attention.”
“A sermon,” says Mr. Brand, “is preached at Charlton church on the
fair-day.” This sermon is now discontinued on the festival-day: the
practice was created by a bequest of twenty shillings a year to the
minister of the parish for preaching it.
The horn-bearing at this fair may be conjectured to have originated from
the symbol, accompanying the figure of St. Luke: when he is represented
by sculpture or painting, he is usually in the act of writing, with an
ox or cow by his side, whose horns are conspicuous. These seem to have
been seized by the former inhabitants of Charlton on the day of the
saint’s festival, as a lively mode of sounding forth their rude pleasure
for the holiday. Though most of the painted glass in the windows of the
church was destroyed during the troubles in the time of Charles I., yet
many fragments remain of St. Luke’s ox with wings on his back, and
goodly horns upon his head: indeed, with the exception of two or three
armorial bearings, and a few cherubs’ heads, these figures of St. Luke’s
horned symbol, which escaped destruction, and are carefully placed in
the upper part of the windows, are the only painted glass remaining;
save also, however, that in the east window, there are the head and
shoulders of the saint himself, and the same parts of the figure of
Aaron.
The procession of horns, customary at Charlton fair, has ceased; but
horns still continue to be sold from the lowest to “the best booth in
the fair.” They are chiefly those of sheep, goats, and smaller animals,
and are usually gilt and decorated for their less innocent successors to
these ornaments. The fair is still a kind of carnival or masquerade. On
St. Luke’s-day, 1825, though the weather was unfavourable to the
customary humours, most of the visitors wore masks; several were
disguised in women’s clothes, and some assumed whimsical characters. The
spacious and celebrated Crown and Anchor booth was the principal scene
of their amusements. The fair is now held in a private field: formerly
it was on the green opposite the church, and facing the mansion of sir
Thomas Wilson. The late lady Wilson was a great admirer and patroness of
the fair; the old lady was accustomed to come down with her attendants
every morning during the fair, “and in long order go,” from the steps of
her ancient hall, to without the gates of her court-yard, when the bands
of the different shows hailed her appearance, as a signal to strike up
their melody of discords: Richardson, always pitched his great booth in
front of the house. Latterly, however, the fair has diminished;
Richardson was not there in 1825, nor were there any shows of
consequence. “Horns! horns!” were the customary and chief cry, and the
most conspicuous source of frolic: they were in the hat and bonnet of
almost every person in the rout. A few years ago, it was usual for
neighbouring gentry to proceed thither in their carriages during the
morning to see the sports. The fair lasts three days.
* * * * *
One of the pleasantest walks from Greenwich is over Blackheath, along by
the park-wall to Charlton; and from thence after passing through that
village, across Woolwich common and Plumstead common, along green lanes,
over the foot paths of the fields, to the very retired and rural
village of East Wickham, which lies about half a mile on the north side
of Welling, through which is the great London road to Dover. There are
various pleasant views for the lover of cultivated nature, with
occasional fine bursts of the broad flowing Thames. Students in botany
and geology will not find it a stroll, barren of objects in their
favourite sciences.
* * * * *