_The Horse's Head--Rush-bearings._--The account of the Welch custom of
the "Grey Mare" in a late Number reminded me of something very similar
in Cheshire. In the parish of Lynn it is customary, for a week or ten
days before the 5th {259} of November, for the skeleton of a horse's
head, dressed up with ribbons, &c., having glass eyes inserted in the
sockets, and mounted on a short pole by way of handle, to be carried
by a man underneath, covered with a horse-cloth. There is generally
a chain attached to the nose, which is held by a second man, and
they are attended by several others. In houses to which they can gain
access, they go through some kind of performance, the man with the
chain telling the horse to rear, open its mouth, &c. Their object, of
course, is to obtain money. The horse will sometimes seize persons,
and hold them fast till they pay for being set free; but he is
generally very peaceable,--for in case of resistance being offered,
his companions frequently take flight, and leave the poor horse to
fight it out. I could never learn the origin of this strange custom.
I remember, when very young, having a perfect horror of meeting this
animal in the dark.
Another custom, which I suppose prevails in some other places, is the
"Rush-bearing." At the annual Wakes a large quantity of rushes are
collected together, and loaded on a cart, almost to the height of a
load of hay. They are bound on the cart, and cut evenly at each end.
On the Saturday evening a number of men sit on the top of the rushes,
holding garlands of artificial flowers, tinsel, &c. The cart is
drawn round the parish by three or four spirited horses, decked out
with ribbons,--the collars being surrounded with small bells. It is
attended by morris-dancers, dressed in strange style,--men in women's
clothes, &c. One big man in woman's clothes, with his face blacked,
has a belt round his waist, to which is attached a large bell, and
carries a ladle, in which he collects money from the spectators.
The company stop and dance at the principal public-houses in their
route, and then proceed to the parish church(!), where the rushes are
deposited, and the garlands hung up very conspicuously, to remain
till the next year. I believe a custom somewhat similar exists in
the adjoining parish of Warburton, but not carried out in such grand
style.
It would be very interesting if your correspondents in different parts
of the country would send accounts of these relics of the barbarous
ages.