FOOTNOTES
[1] ‘Nothing is the same.’
[2] Ask.
[3] Before retiring to rest the older and more superstitious look round to see if there is a shadowless head thrown on the wall; should any one cast such a shadow, it is held they will die ere next Christmas Eve comes round.
[4] In many of our dales on Christmas morn, no one will leave the house until some one brings luck in by crossing the threshold with a bit of green in their hand.
[5] Also called Pace-egg. The Danish word is Paaskeaeg.
[6] The small stack often seen in our churches at a harvest thanksgiving is a survival of the mell doll.
[7] The stang was ridden at Thoralby, Wensleydale, as recently as October, 1896.
[8] The pole was a stang or cow-staff.
[9] The original was most kindly lent to me by the Lady of the Manor, Mrs. Chaloner.
[ 10] A three-legged race. In this there was nothing unseemly, for a long way into this century the skirts worn came but little below the knee. Bear in mind, both in launching and beaching their husband’s or father’s boat, the women and girls of to-day often rush up to the waist in the sea to lend a helping hand.}
[11] Some explanation is needed to make this task understandable. A large basket (probably a wide creel) had a strong pole thrust through the wicker-work or handles improvised for the occasion; each end of the pole was then rested upon some suitable support, leaving the basket free to swing about a foot from the ground. On each support and near to the pole a shell or other light object was placed. The thing to be done would not be easy of accomplishment. Those contending for the prize had in turn to seat themselves astride of the pole with both feet inside the basket; thus seated, and firmly grasping the pole with one hand, they had to knock off the shell with a stick (which in the meantime they used to steady themselves with), then turn round, reseat themselves, knock off the other shell, and then get out without overbalancing. You try it, but have something soft to fall upon. It is marvellous how soon it is the next person’s turn.
[12] Thirty years ago it was common.
[13] The details of the plate-throwing vary slightly in different localities.
[14] In some parts it was customary for the winner, after having removed the garter, to enter the bridal chamber, turn down the bed clothes, and offer to the bride a hot pot as she entered to remove her bridal attire, and then salute her; did he omit the latter, he forfeited the garter.
[15] I gather from a diary, dated 1625, which has been kindly sent to me as I am correcting my proof sheets, that originally it was the bridegroom’s duty to tie on the bridal garters.
[16] Lusty.
[17] Sound of wind.
[18] The story was given me by an eye-witness.
[19] Only when returning were the guns discharged as a rule.
[20] Each in turn slipped the garter over his glass on to his wrist. The garters were nearly a yard long; as used above, the ends were tied together to form a loop.
[21] A native of Exelby.
[22] It would seem these two often worked their charms in company.
[23] I have no knowledge as to the meaning of these two words; their real pronunciation may have been lost, or perhaps they are simply cant words.
[24] My own opinion is that ‘R. H.’ was William Hird’s father, though he never admitted it.
[25] The garland consisted of two hoops intertwined, decorated with white paper flowers and ribbons, in the centre of which was a white glove, often home-made, of paper or fine linen, upon which was written or worked in some fine stitch the initials or name in full and age of the deceased. According to locality this garland was either carried in front of the coffin by one of the deceased’s dearest companions, or laid upon it. This custom might well have been retained.
[26] And many other places in Cleveland.
[27] The author is quite aware some other writers state that the fire is never allowed to die out whilst the corpse is in the room. He never knew or heard of such a custom, though possibly such may exist.
[28] In the North Riding, about three miles from Ripon.
[29] The Gospelles of Distaues, published by Wynkyn de Worde about 1530, contains the following:—‘If it happen that somebody stride over a little childe, know ye for certain that it shall never grow more, but if (unless) they stride backward over it again. Gloss: Certainly, said Sebylle, of such thing cometh dwarfs and little women.’
[30] Richard Kirby, who gave me the above and several other stories concerning witches, still lives in Carthorpe, near Bedale.
[31] Nanny must have been disguised in some way, at least one would think so, otherwise Mrs. Langstaff would have recognized her at once, both being natives of that part.
[32] Inconvenienced, literally ‘cost.’
[33] Never accomplished his life’s work, i.e. committed suicide.
[34] ‘T au’d un,’ or the old one = the devil.
[35] Possibly this meant the longer he waited there, the longer he would remain in the river.
[36] Boyes Wetherell lost his wife on the birth of their first child, a boy. Boyes tended his bairn with a mother’s love and care, and when the child was four years old, he tramped all the way to London with the lad on his back. Once they slept in a grave; but the journey is a story.
[37] A contemporary of the wise man of Stokesley, but having nothing like the same reputation.
[38] An aperient drink.
[39] A worral hole is a drain-pipe let in the wall immediately at the back of the fire; this is to afford sufficient draught to burn the sea coal which is daily gathered from the beach.
[40] A sucking-pig.
[41] A cant phrase of the time is used in the original.
[42] The devil.
[43] Hand in hand, both touch the floor together. This has already been referred to.
[44] Observe the lack of the possessive case.
[45] The ground covered would be about twenty miles—not bad.
[46] A woman was adjudged the same punishment at Bedale (for a different offence) in the year 1779, also at Thirsk and Northallerton.
[47] For other interesting matter concerning Nan Hardwicke, vide Henderson’s Folklore.
[48] Observe rice is now being ousted by confetti, which is much better—rice is so dangerous.
[49] This statement has nothing to do with his private life, only as that of a wise man. ‘De mortuis nil nisi bonum.’
[50] This would be the father of the Mr. Scorer I knew, who for many years lived at Basedale Abbey.
[51] I know that Mr. G. Markham Tweddle holds quite contrary views. His idea is that Wrightson was little better than a huge swindler.
[52] For other authentic stories of Wrightson, vide Henderson’s Folklore.
[53] A small four-legged stool.
[54] A hedgehog.
[55] I met a man in the train the other day who said he had often seen them sucking.
[56] Henry Wilson, of Broughton, was a wise man of some repute after Wrightson’s time.
[57] Something like Sadler and Clarke’s method.
[58] The usual time was midnight; this case, so far as I know, is unique.
[59] Accuse openly.
[60] To prepare a ‘hand of glory,’ the hand of a man who had been hanged had to be left for some days in a special kind of pickle; afterwards it was dried in the sun, and then parched in the smoke of certain herbs. A special kind of candle had to be made from certain fats; with this candle lighted and stuck in the dead man’s hand, a hypnotic sleep could be cast upon a whole household. Henderson’s Folklore.
[61] There was a marvellous hobman once lived near Ripon, but his deeds some one writing of the West Riding must chronicle.
[62] With slight variation the same story is known in other parts of the riding, also in Lancashire, and is as old as the hills throughout Scandinavia.
[63] A similar story is told of Sir Francis Drake.
[64] See [Glossary].
[65] ‘Ower,’ prep. over.
[66] ‘Ower,’ adv. too; ‘ower’ nearly always takes the place of ‘too.’ ‘Ower mich,’ ‘ower monny apples,’ ‘ower big a load,’ ‘ower larl,’ ‘ower au’d,’ &c.
[67] This peculiarity, even amongst many educated Yorkshire people, of repeating the verb is further illustrated in the concluding remarks at the end of the Glossary.
[68] Thirsty.
[69] Really the same simile, common where otters fish.
[70] Snails.
[71] The name by which the Grammar School boys were known.
[72] I have heard children innocently repeating, as they counted each other out:—
Prest an, pop an,
Cock on t’ spire,
Holy Alice,
Dah mell fire.
Did their parents or teachers but know what the youngsters were really saying, they would be no little shocked.
[73] Staggerum buck, or Staggerer Staggera bobtail, is the name of a boys’ game, very commonly played. ‘Philson,’ ‘Valson,’ and ‘Dickson’ are examples of the elision of the possessive case, i.e. Phil’s son, Val’s son, and Dick’s son.
[74] ‘Knave-a’ became general during the War of Independence—we were a bit out of favour then.
[75] Vide Grimm’s Household Tales.
[76] As the children tell the story, they pronounce crooked, ‘crook-ed.’
[77] The story in its original form was a prophetic hymn sung by the Jews at the Passover, the animals and elements representing their enemies and deliverers.
[78] Henderson’s Folklore.
[79] Knotted hair.
[80] Both pronunciations are equally common.
[81] Walk.
[82] Brow.
[83] Purse.
[84] ‘Trigg’d his wame,’ filled his stomach.
[85] ‘Lair,’ a barn.
[86] ‘Streahy,’ strawy.
[87] ‘Seeat,’ soot.
[88] ‘Clais,’ clothes.
[89] E is used in the original.
[90] Horse.
[91] Should be ‘wae’s t’ me,’ lit. ‘woe is to me.’
[92] Riding apparel.
[93] Well dressed.
[94] Designed.
[95] Mind.
[96] Determined.
[97] False.
[98] Scythe.
[99] ‘Window’ is commonly pronounced winder, winner, and windther.
[100] At is often used instead of who, which, and that.
[101] The th and dh sound, found in so many East Riding words, is not nearly so marked in the speech of the North Riding.
[102] ‘Ya ’evn’t’ and ‘tha ’evn’t’ are not so emphatic as ‘ya’ve nut’ or ‘tha’ve nut,’ &c.
[103] Throughout, save in this example, ‘He’ has been so printed, but without exception its utterance approaches nearer to that of ‘a’ or ‘eh,’ e.g. ‘‘Ez he ta’en ’t fra tha?’ would certainly appear as if the speaker had said ’‘Ez a (or eh) ta’en ’t fra tha?’ But to save the reader much needless confusion, he has been retained, though it is rarely heard save at the commencement of a sentence.
[104] ‘Divn’t’ is quite a common form of ‘do not.’
[105] ‘Uz,’ ‘us,’ is often used for ‘me.’
[106] Written gi’en.
[107] ‘On,’ prep. ‘of.’
[108] Rod = red.
[109] The old pronunciations of ‘trashing’ for ‘thrashing,’ ‘trepence’ for ‘threepence,’ ‘trive’ for ‘thrive,’ &c., are frequently heard in Cleveland.
[110] Along the borders touching the West Riding ‘Blathery’ is in common use. ‘Bladdry’ it should be.
[111] ‘Come’ is always pronounced ‘cum.’
[112] The same pronunciation is often used in the sense of ‘to lose.’ Ex.—‘Thoo’ll lowse thisel,’ or ‘Thoo’ll loss thisel;’ ‘It’s been a lowsin’ gaame fra t’ fo’st ti t’ last,’ i.e. ‘It has been a losing game,’ &c.
[113] In several instances this rule has been broken, but only to give a correct rendering of the pronunciation as spoken in a particular district to-day.
[114] The term ‘dialect’ is used throughout this work for want of a better word, and to avoid tautology. Our folk-speech is not a dialect, it is a language.
[115] The map issued with the North-Eastern 1d. Time-table answers well for the purpose.
[116] Our dialect word Fick, which is the Fik given, has three distinct meanings: (1) to struggle under some form of restraint; (2) to strive to obtain; (3) to succeed, to get.
Ex.—1. ‘T’ pig ficked that hard whahl Ah c’u’dn’t git it inti t’ cart,’ 2. ‘He made a poor fick on ’t,’ i.e. he made a feeble attempt. ‘He weean’t mak a fick for ’t,’ he won’t strive to do, obtain, or get. 3. ‘He ficked it at t’ finish,’ he got it in the end.
[117] ‘Roke’ is the common dialectic word for mist or fog. ‘Reek’ is the North Riding word for smoke. ‘Rog’ is the Danish.
[118] ‘The’ is always used before the name of the Deity, and often in conversation of a grave and sorrowful nature.