RUSH-BEARING
The strewing of the floors with rushes is an old custom, and has died hard. The farmhouses in Cheshire were strewn on the first of May with green rushes, over which lavender and rosemary were scattered. Rushes are no longer used, but a pattern is frequently worked on the flagged floor by the juice of dock leaves.[61]
Formerly all churches were strewn with rushes, and these were generally renewed on great festivals:
| “1551 | Rysshes at Wytsontyd | vid | ||
| ” | ”” Mydsomer | viijd | ||
| ” | ”against All Hallowtyde | xd | ||
| 1584 | To Edward Griffith for boughs, rishes, and other things what time the Earl of Leicester came hither | xviijs | ijd” | [62] |
| “1630 | Paid to Robert Raborne for getting out the old rushes of the church | viijd” | [63] |
The custom of carrying rushes to church gradually developed into a festival, and the rushes were then decorated and carried in procession. In some parishes, where the time of year was suitable, this was done on the “Wake” day of the village. Flowers and garlands were added, which “were hung up in the church; we saw these garlands remaining in several places.”[64] Finally, the graves were strewn with them. This custom is still observed at Farndon with much ceremony on July 16th or the first Sunday afterwards.
[61] Utkinton Hall, 1908.
[62] Chester Cathedral Treasurer’s Accounts.
[63] Frodsham Accounts.
[64] Lyson’s Cheshire.
Many rush-bearings, or “rush-buryings,” as they are sometimes called, became riotous festivities, and the Chester Courant for August 6, 1810, says:
“Christleton Rush-Bearing.—We were sorry to learn that the festivities of this annual fête should have been disgraced by that almost universally reprobated amusement, a Bull-bait. After this savage practice has fallen into disrepute and disgrace amongst the most uncultivated parts of the island, it is mortifying for us to record a transaction so disgraceful in the immediate vicinity of the polished city of Chester.”
In Cheshire also rushes are used as a charm for warts. The charmer has a long straight rush, ties three knots in it, makes it into a circle, draws it over the wart downwards nine times, at the same time muttering a spell which he refuses to disclose on the ground that if he did so the charm would not work. In three months the wart will disappear.
The old rush-lights of Cheshire were sold at twenty for sixpence. “They were as thick as the present ‘twelve’ candles (twelve to the pound), but half as long again, and gave a steady but dim light. There were some curious bits of folk-lore connected with them. For instance, if a rush-light in ‘sweating’ curled over, it denoted death; if a bright star appeared in the flame, it portended a letter.”[65]
[65] Burton, Rush-Bearing.