Christmas-Eve in Devonshire.—In Devonshire is still observed on Christmas-Eve an ancient custom, which is supposed to ensure a good crop of apples. The farm-servants procure an ash-fagot, round which they carefully put as many binds as possible, because they are rewarded with cups of cider equivalent in number to the binds which encircle the fagot. The fagot is then placed on the fire, and as each bind bursts they claim a cup of cider; they have also a bowl of toast and cider which they take into the orchard, and, putting a piece of toast on the king or principal apple-tree, repeat the following lines:—
“Apple-tree, we wassail thee,
To bear and to blow apples enow,
Hats full, caps full,
Three bushel bags full,
Hurrah! hurrah! hurrah!”
It appears that exactly the same words are not always used on this occasion, a different version being given in the Gentleman’s Magazine for 1791.
Tantivy.—According to Harrod’s History of Stamford, the origin of this sporting cry is to be sought in the name of St. Tibba, who lived as an anchoritess at Ryhall, near Stamford, and died and was buried there. According to Camden, she was the patroness of hawking, fowling, and other sports, like the Roman Diana. She was a relative of Penda, King of Mercia, and lived a holy life at Godmanchester, in Hunts, before she went to Ryhall. Stukely says that her cell was at the north-west corner of the outside of Ryhall Church. She is thus commemorated by Drayton in his Polyolbion:—
“And to these St. Tibba let us call,
In solitude to Christ that pass’d her whole delight,
In Godmanchester made her an anchorite,
Among which of that house for saints that reckon’d be,
Yet never anymore gracèd the same than she.”
Curious Inventory.—The following, from the original in my hands, may interest some of your City readers: “An inventary of the goodes creditte and debtes of Thomas Potter, late of the parishe of St. Nicholas Acon, of the Citie of London, salter, deceased. Made and praysed the one and twentith daie of Aprill, by Richard Smithe, grocer, Thomas Withers, habberdasher, and William Casson, grocer, in the year of Our Lord one thowsand six hundred and nyne, as followeth: Imprimis, one fether bed and a boulster, iiili; item, two cloakes, xxviiis; item, one gowne, xvs; item, two paire of breeches, xiii iiid; item, two ould dubletts, vs; item, one suite of black rathe, xxs; item, two jerkins, viiis; item, two paire of stockinges and a paire of mittens, viiid; item, two wasecotes and a hatt, iii xd; item, eleven fallinge bandes and a paire of cuffes, iis iiii; item, five shirtes and fower handkerchers, viis iid; item, two handtowells and a cloth (?) capp, xs; item, a bible and a prayer-booke, iiis iid; item, a brasse candlesticke and one seale, xviiid; item, one chamberpott, xiid; item, a brushe, iid; item, a leatherne trunke, vis; item, a cashe chest, viiis; item, one half of two cannas amornifi (?), xiiiili iiid.” The last two words are very illegibly written. The document is imperfect.
E.
Reviews.
Greater London. (Vol. ii.) By Edward Walford, M.A. Cassell & Co. 1884.
The above-mentioned firm must be congratulated on the very able manner in which they have performed their part in the production of the volume before us; for obvious reasons, it is not for us to speak of the editor’s share in the work, further than to state that he has conscientiously tried to perform the task which he had undertaken. This volume, which completes the work of “Greater London,” comprises the whole of that portion of the metropolitan police area, outside the limits of the Board of Works, which is on the south side of the Thames, extending from Erith in the east to Kingston and Esher in the west, and embracing within its scope the important towns of Woolwich, Chislehurst, Bromley, Croydon, Epsom, Richmond, Kew, and Wimbledon, together with the several smaller parishes, villages and hamlets, that lie within its area. This area, almost every nook and corner of which—thanks to our railway system—may be visited on the Saturday afternoon holidays in summer, and most of them even in winter, contains, as we need hardly add, much that may interest the ordinary visitor, should he care for quiet and peaceful rural scenery, or the artist who may be in search of choice “bits.” Mansions and other buildings will be found possessing historical associations: such, for instance, as Chislehurst, with its memories of the antiquary Camden, and the Emperor Louis Napoleon; Hayes and Keston, the favourite haunts of Pitt and Wilberforce; Beddington, where we find the Carews and Sir Walter Raleigh; Croydon, where there is much to read about in the long roll of primates who have occupied the palace there till Addington became their home; Epsom, where we see “the quality” drinking the waters, and Lord Derby and his friends inaugurating those races whose name is not only national, but world-wide. In the chapters devoted to Richmond and its neighbourhood the reader is placed in contact with bygone English sovereigns and princes and princesses; here, too, he is surrounded by Kitty Clive, Gay, Thomson, and a host of children of the Muses. Indeed, from end to end of the volume the reader is brought face to face with great men and women who have added a light to the pages of English history. It only remains to add that the work possesses a copious index, and that it is profusely illustrated, engravings being given, not only of places as they exist in the present day, but also of historical buildings which have long since been swept away. Of these we may mention Nonsuch Palace, near Cheam, and the Old Palace at Richmond, which latter, through the kindness of Messrs. Cassell, we are enabled to reproduce.