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the church. The scene was striking and brilliant. The Greek chapel was splendidly illuminated. Five rows of lamps were suspended in the dome; and almost every individual of the immense multitude held a lighted candle in his hand." The ceremonies on Easter Sunday were very grand.

NATURALISTS' CALENDAR.

Mean Temperature... 42 85.

March 26.

EASTER SUNDAY.

There is little trace in England of the imposing effect of this festival in papal

terms.

It is affirmed, that at Queen's-college, Oxford, the first dish brought to the table on Easter-day, is a red herring, riding away on horseback, that is to say, a herring placed by the cook, something after the likeness of a man on horseback, set on a corn sallad.* This is the only vestige of the pageants which formerly were publicly exhibited by way of popu lar rejoicing for the departure of the forty days Lent fast, and the return to solid eating with the Easter festival.

The custom of eating a gammon of bacon at Easter, still maintained in some parts of England, is founded on the abhorrence our forefathers thought proper to express, in that way, towards the Jews at the season of commemorating the resurrection.†

Lifting at Easter, and pace or paste eggs, with other usages derived from catholic customs, are described and traced in vol. i. p. 421.

Since these "Caps well fit; by Titus in Sandgate and Titus every where," a curious little duodecimo, printed at Newcastle in 1785, has come into the editor's hands, from whence is extracted the following

Paste Egg Tale.

Once-yes once, upon a Paste-Egg-Day,
Some lords and radies met to play;
For then such pastimes bore the bell,
Like old Olympicks-full as well;

Antiquarian Repertory.

f Drake's Shakespeare and his Times.

And now, our gentry on the green,
Throng'd forth, to see, and to be seen,
And all the courtesy of fashion.
Moment this, for assignation,

A poor old woman, passing by,
Gaz'd at the ring with curious eye
Sometimes frowning, sometimes smiling.
In thought approving-or reviling.
Not yet quite froze, by want or age,
Her fancy could at times engage;
Her age might reckon eighty-five,
But curiosity alive,

She fix'd her barnacles to nose
The better to observe the shows.

Discover'd soon-some wags stept forth,
And ask'd her, what such sights were worth,
What did she think of genteel modes,
Where half believ'd themselves half-Gods?
And t'other half, so wondrous wise,
Believe that bliss-in trifling lies?
They begg'd that she would frank declare
What she thought such people were?

The grey-hair'd matron rubb'd her eyes,
Then turn'd her glasses to the skies;
As if to catch some thought in cue,
To give them truth and laughter too.
Next, humbly beg'd for some Paste Eggs,
With leave to sit,-to rest her legs.
Then down she squats, and round they throng,
Impatient for some jokelike song;

Of eggs they brought her number nine,
All nicely mark'd, and colour'd fine,
One, was blacker than the sloe,
Another, white as driven snow.
Red, crimson, purple, azure, blue,
Green, pink, and yellow, rose to view.
She closely peel'd them, one by one,
Broke this, and that, till all were done.
Then shrugg'd her shoulders,-wav'd her head,
But not one syllable she said.
Amaz'd, at silence so profound;
The quality press closer round;
And gently urg'd her, more and more,
To answer what they ask'd before?
And how did one so ripe in years,
Estimate a life like theirs?
What semblance, worthy observation,
Suited the heirs of dissipation?
Whilst she, kept pressing up and down
As seeking how their wish to crown.
What had she apropos to say
Of persons so superbly gay?

In throth-quo' she, I'm short and plain,
Long speaking only gives me pain;
And faith I have ye, gentlefolks,
As clear in view, as whites or yokes,
So like those eggs-I can but smile,
In every cast of light and style.

Your transient colours, fleet as theirs,
Your Aimsiness, in spite of airs;
In substance, scarce more rare or new,
Some parboil'd-some par-rotten too:
Of little worth, in wisdom's eye,
And thrown, at last, like egg-shells by.

They heard they frown'd-but fled the

green,

As if a thunderbolt had been.

Lostwithiel Custom.

A very singular custom formerly prevailed at Lostwithiel, in Cornwall, on Easter Sunday. The freeholders of the town and manor having assembled together, either in person or by their deputies, one among them, each in his turn, gaily attired and gallantly mounted, with a sceptre in his hand, a crown on his head, and a sword borne before him, and respectfully attended by all the rest on horseback, rode through the principal street in solemn state to the church. At the churchyard stile, the curate, or other minister, approached to meet him in reverential pomp, and then conducted him to church to hear divine service. On leaving the church, he repaired, with the same pomp and retinue, to a house previously prepared for his reception. Here a feast, suited to the dignity he had assumed, awaited him and his suite; and, being placed at the head of the table, he was served, kneeling, with all the rites and ceremonies that a real prince might expect. This ceremony ended with the dinner; the prince being voluntarily disrobed, and descending from his momentary exaltation, to mix with common mortals. On the origin of this custom, but one opinion can be reasonably enter tained, though it may be difficult to trace the precise period of its commencement. It seems to have originated in the actual appearance of the prince, who resided at Restormel castle in former ages; but on the removal of royalty, this mimic grandeur stepped forth as its shadowy representative, and continued for many generations as a memorial to posterity of the princely magnificence with which Lostwithiel had formerly been honoured.*

* Hitchins's Cornwall

THE BIDDENDEN MAIDS.

To the Editor of the Every-Day Book. Tenterden, February, 1826.

Sir, I beg to enclose you a specimen of a Biddenden cake, and a printed account, which you may perhaps think worth insertion in the Every-Day Book.

The small town of Biddenden is about four miles from Tenterden, on the right of the road. It is at present populous, though the clothing manufacture, which first occasioned the increase of the population of this part of the county, in the reign of Edward III. when the Flemings first introduced it, has for many years failed here: several good houses, still remaining, discover the prosperity of the handsome regular building, and its tower former inhabitants. The church is a

a structure of a considerable height and strength; a portion of the old part is still remaining. In this there is a free grammar school, endowed with a good house and garden, and a salary of 201. per annum. Two maiden sisters left some land adjoining the glebe to the parish, of the rent of 201. a year, which is held by the churchwardens, and distributed in bread to the poor on Easter-day. A representation of the donors is impressed on the leaves, and on the cakes, which were formerly thrown from the roof of the church.

In the high chancel against the north wall is a monument, with a bust in white John Norris, who died in 1749; admiral marble, executed by Scheemaker, of sir of the British fleets, and vice-admiral of England. J. J. A. F. I am, &c.

The "Biddenden cake," transmitted

through this obliging correspondent, appears to have been made some years ago, and carefully preserved; the "printed account" accompanying it, is "adorned" by a wood cut figure of the founders of the endowment, improved by the encakes. But, altogether setting aside that graver from the impressions on the wood cut, the annexed engraving is an exact representation of the baker's impress on the cake sent to the editor, and is of the exact size of the cake. A verbatim copy of the "printed account" on a half sheet of demy, circulated at this time, is subjoined to the present engraving.

[merged small][graphic][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][subsumed][merged small][merged small]

A NEW AND ENLARGED ACCOUNT OF THE

BIDDENDEN MAIDS IN KENT,

BORN JOINED AT THE HIPS AND SHOULDERS:

With a well authenticated Account of a similar Phenomenon of Two Brothers.

OPEASTER SUNDAENDEN, in the County of Kent, there are by the Churchwardens,

N EASTER SUNDAY in every year after Divine Service in the afternoon at the

given to Strangers about 1000 Rolls, with an impression on them similar to the Plate. The origin of this Custom is thus related.

In the year 1100 at Biddenden, in Kent, were born ELIZABETH and MARY CHULKHURST, Joined together by the Hips and Shoulders, and who lived in that state, Thirty Four Years!! at the expiration of which time, one of them was taken ill and after a short period died; the surviving one was advised to be separated from the corpse which she absolutely refused by saying these words, " as we came together, we will also go together," and about six hours after her sister's decease, she was taken ill and

died also. A Stone near the Rector's Pew marked with a diagonal line is shewn as the place of their interment.

The moon on the east oriel shone, Through slender shafts of shapely stone, The silver light, so pale and faint, Shewed the twin sisters and many a saint, Whose images on the glass were dyed; Mysterious maidens side by side. The moon beam kissed the holy pane, And threw on the pavement a mystic stain.

It is further stated, that by their will, they bequeathed to the Churchwardens of the Parish of Biddenden, and their successors, Churchwardens for ever, certain pieces or parcels of Land in the Parish, containing about 20 Acres, which is hired at 40 Guineas per annum, and that in commemoration of this wonderful Phenomenon of Nature, the Rolls and about 300 Quartern Loaves and Cheese in proportion, should be given to the Poor Inhabitants of the Parish.

This account is entirely traditionary, the Learned Antiquarian HASTED, in his account of the Charities of the Parish, states the Land " was the gift of two Maidens, of the name of Preston: and that the print of the women on the cakes has only been used within these 80 years, and was made to represent two poor widows, as the general objects of a charitable benefaction." It is probable that the investigation of the learned Antiquary, brought to light some record of the name of the Ladies, for in the year 1656, the Rev. W. Horner, then Rector of the Parish, claimed the Land, as having been given to augment his glebe, but was non-suited in the court of Exchequer. In the pleadings preserved in the Church, the names of the Ladies are not stated, not being known. There are also two other Places where such Phenomena are said to have occurred.

If these statements weaken the credibility of the tradition, the following account of a Lusus Naturæ, compiled from the London Medical Repository, for 1821, page 138, will unquestionably confirm the opinion of many as to the probability of the Phenomenon of the Biddenden Maids,—Mr. Livingstone, the Surgeon of the British Factory at Canton, relates that there was shewn at Macao, A-ke, a boy about sixteen years of age, to whom was attached another Male Child, united at the pit of the stomach by the neck, as if his head was plunged into Ake's breast. At the time of their birth they were nearly of an equal size, but the parasite has not much increased since that period. The skin of A-ke joins regularly and smoothly, the neck of the parasite, so that he can turn his brother on either of his sides upon himself, but the natural position is breast to breast; on the whole the parasite is well formed being about two feet in length.—A-ke thinks that at one period their feelings were reciprocal, but for some time he has not perceived it except in one particular act, when his brother never fails to do the same, he however feels the slightest touch applied to his brother.

A-ke has generally a sickly appearance, but excepting the parasite, is well formed; about 4 feet 10 inches high; is easily fatigued in walking or ascending a flight of steps being obliged to support his brother with his hands. When fatigued he breathes with difficulty, and is only relieved by laying down.

CHAMBERS AND EXALL, Printers, (King's Arms Printing Office) TENTERDEN.

The preceding "account" is an enlargement of a preceding one of the same size, on a larger type, with this imprint, "BIDDENDEN: Printed and Sold by R. WESTON-1808. [Price Two-pence.]" R. Weston's paper does not contain the story of "A-ke," which is well calculated to make the legend of the "Biddenden Maids," pass current with the vulgar.

Our Tenterden correspondent adds, in a subsequent letter, that, on Easter Sunday,

Biddenden is completely thronged. The public houses are crowded with people attracted from the adjacent towns and villages by the usage, and the wonderful account of its origin, and the day is spent in rude festivity.

To elucidate this annual custom as fully as possible, all that Mr. Hasted says of the matter is here extracted :

"Twenty acres of land, called the

Bread and Cheese Land, lying in five pieces, were given by persons unknown, the yearly rents to be distributed among the poor of this parish. This is yearly done on Easter Sunday in the afternoon, in six hundred cakes, each of which have the figures of two woman impressed on them, and are given to all such as attend the church; and two hundred and seventy loaves, weighing three pounds and a half a piece, to which latter is added one pound and an half of cheese, are given, to the parishoners only, at the same time. "There is a vulgar tradition in these parts, that the figures on the cakes represent the donors of this gift, being two women, twins, who were joined together in their bodies, and lived together so, till they were between twenty and thirty years of age. But this seems without foundation.

The truth seems to be, that it was the gift of two maidens of the name of Preston, and that the print of the women on the cakes has taken place only within these fifty years, and was made to represent two poor widows as the general objects of a charitable benefaction. William Horner, rector of this parish in 1656 brought a suit in the exchequer for the recovery of these lands, as having been given for an augmentation of his glebe land, but he

was nonsuited. The lands are bounded on the east by the glebe, on the south by the highway, and one piece on the north of the highway; they are altogether of the yearly value of about 317, 108."*

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To the Editor of the Every-Day Book.

Durham, March 3, 1826. tion you desire to convey concerning popuSir,-To contribute towards the informalar customs, &c. I will describe one, much practised in Durham, which I think you have not noticed in the former volume of your interesting work.

On Easter Sunday it is a common assemble in the afternoon, and as soon as custom here, for a number of boys to the clock strikes four, scour the streets in parties, and accost every female they may if you please," at the same time, stooping happen to meet, with "pay for your shoes do not immediately get a penny or twoto take them off; which, if they do, and pence, they will actually carry off by main force. I have known the boys have, at least, a dozen odd shoes; but generally, something is given, which in the evening they either spend in public houses, or divide. On Easter Monday, the women claim the same privilege towards the male sex. They begin much earlier in the day, and attack every man and boy they can lay hold of to make happen to wear boots, and will not them pay for their shoes; if the men any thing, the girls generally endea

pay

vour to seize their hats and run off. If usually thrown or handed about to the a man catches the girl with the hat, it is great amusement of the spectators, till the person is baffled out of a sixpence to redeem the right of wearing it again: but this, like all other old customs, has greatly fallen off lately, and is now chiefly practised by a few children.

I am,

&c. J. B.

A contributor to the "Gentleman's

Magazine" in August, 1790, says that, at Rippon, in Yorkshire, ❝ on Easter Sunday, as soon as the service of the church is over, the boys run about the streets, and lay hold of every woman or girl they can, and take their buckles from their shoes. This farce is continued till the next day at noon, when the females begin, and return the compliment upon the men, which does not end till Tuesday evening; nay, I was told that, some years ago, no traveller could pass through the town without being stopped and having his spurs taken away, unless redeemed by a little money, which is the only way to have your buckles returned."

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