Simula.—A Manchet, a White Loaf. Among the Customs of the Abbey of Glastonbury: "In diebus solemnibus, cum Fratres fuerunt in cappis, Medonem habuerunt in Justis, et Simulas super mensam, et vinum ad caritatem, et tria generalia." Chartular. Abbat. Glaston. MS. fol. 10.
For the use of Saffron, now used for colouring the Crust of the Simnel, see Shakespear's Winter's Tale; where the Clown (Act iv.) says, "Then I must have Saffron to colour the Warden Pyes."
Origin of Thirteen Pence Halfpenny,
AS
HANGMAN'S WAGES;
In a Letter to Edward King, Esq. President of the Society of Antiquaries.
The vulgar notion, though it will not appear to be a vulgar error, is, that Thirteen Pence Halfpenny is the fee of the Executioner in the common line of business at Tyburn[380], and therefore is called Hangman's Wages. The sum is singular, and certainly there is a reason for its having obtained so odious an appellation, though it may not be very obvious.
We find that anciently this Office was, in some parts of the Kingdom, annexed to other Posts; for the Porter of the City of Canterbury was the Executioner for the County of Kent, temporibus Hen. II. and Hen. III. for which he had an allowance from the Sheriff, who was re-imbursed from the Exchequer, of Twenty Shillings per annum[381].
Though this is an Office in great and general disesteem, yet the Sheriffs are much obliged to those who will undertake it, as otherwise the unpleasant and painful duty must fall upon themselves. They are the persons to whom the Law looks for its completion, as they give a Receipt to the Gaoler for the Bodies of condemned Criminals whom they are to punish, or cause to be punished, according to their respective Sentences. The business is of such an invidious nature, that, in the Country, Sheriffs have sometimes had much difficulty to procure an Executioner, as, in the eyes of the lower people, it carries with it a Stigma, apart from any shock that it must give to Humanity and Compassion. I remember a very few years ago, if the News-papers said true, the Sheriff of one of the Inland Counties was very near being obliged to perform the unwelcome Office himself.
So that in fact the Hangman is the Sheriff's immediate Deputy in criminal matters, though there is always, at present, an Under-Sheriff for civil purposes. But, before I bring you to the point in question, it will not be amiss to lead you gradually to it, by inquiring into the nature and dignity of the Office in some particulars, and into the Rank of the Officer, for we have all heard of Squire Ketch. These will be found to be supportable matters, as well as the Fee of Office, which is our ground-work.