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said bridge,* over whose doors the said shaft had lain, after they had dined, to make themselves strong, gathered more help, and with great labour raising the shaft from the hooks, (wherein it had rested two and thirty years), they sawed it in pieces, every man taking for his share so much as had lain over his door and stall, the length of his house; and they of the Alley divided amongst them so much as had laid over their alley gate. Thus was this idol-as he, poor man, termed it-mangled, and after burned."†

Little Drury also was, at one time, celebrated for its May-pole. It stood at the north end, and was erected by John Clarges, a smith and farrier in the Savoy, to commemorate his daughter's good fortune in having married General Monk, at a time when he was only a private gentleman, and thus after the restoration becoming Duchess of Albemarle.‡ These curious particulars respecting the family would, in all probability, have been forgotten, with many better things, but for a dispute among themselves, which brought every thing out in a court of justice, and left it upon the record. A correspondent in the Gentleman's Magazine, gives the following account of it. "I have in my possession minutes of a trial upon an action of trespass between William Sherwin, plaintiff, and Sir Walter Clarges, Bart., and others, defendants, at the King's Bench Bar, at Westminster, 15th November, 1700. The plaintiff, as heir and representative of Thomas Monk, Esq., elder brother of George, Duke of Albemarle, claimed the manor of Sutton, in co. York, and other lands in Newton, Eaton Bridge, and Shipton, as heir-at

* That is of Rochester Bridge, of which, he had before said, it was

a possession.

+ Stow's London, by Strype, vol. i. book ii. p. 65.

+ Gentleman's Magazine for January 1792, vol. lxii. p. 18.

law to the said duke, against the defendant, devisee under the will of Duke Christopher, his only child, who died in 1689; S.P." (i.e. sine prole, without offspring.) "Upon this trial some very curious particulars came out, respecting the family of Anne, wife of George, created Duke of Albemarle. It appeared that she was daughter of John Clarges, a farrier in the Savoy, and farrier to Colonel Monk. In 1632, she was married in the church of St. Laurence Pountney, to Thomas Ratford, son of Thomas Ratford, late a farrier, servant to Prince Charles, and resident in the Mews. She had a daughter, who was born in 1634, and died in 1638. Her husband and she lived at the Three Spanish Gipsies, in the New Exchange, and sold wash-balls, powder, gloves, and such things, and she taught girls plain work. About 1647, she being a sempstress to Colonel Monk, used to carry him linen. In 1648 her father and mother died. In 1649 she and her husband fell out and parted. But no certificate from any parish register appears reciting his burial. In 1652 she was married in the church of St. George, Southwark, to General George Monk, and in the following year was delivered of a son, Christopher, (afterwards the second and last Duke of Albemarle above mentioned), who was suckled by Honours Mills, who sold apples, herbs, oisters, &c. One of the plaintiff's witnesses swore that a little before the sickness,' (i.e., the plague), 'Thomas Ratford demanded and received of him the sum of twenty shillings, that his wife saw Ratford again after the sickness, and a second time after the duke and duchess were dead.' A woman swore that she saw him the day his wife, then called Duchess of Albemarle, was put into her coffin, which was after the death of the duke,' her second husband, who died 3rd January, 1669-70. And a third witness swore that he saw Ratford about July, 1660.

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opposition to this evidence it was alleged that 'all along during the lives of Duke George and Duke Christopher this matter was never questioned-' that the latter was universally received as only son of the former—and that 'this matter had been thrice before tried at the bar of the King's Bench, and the defendant had had three verdicts.' A witness swore that he owed Ratford five or six pounds, which he had never demanded. And a man, who had married a cousin of the Duke of Albemarle, had been told by his wife that Ratford died five or six years before the duke married.' Lord Chief Justice Holt told the jury, if you are certain that Duke Christopher was born while Thomas Ratford was living, you must find for the plaintiff. If you believe he was born after Ratford was dead, or that nothing appears what became of him after Duke George married his wife, you must find for the defendant.' A verdict was given for the defendant, who was only son to Sir Thomas Clarges, Knt., brother to the illustrious duchess in question, was created a baronet, October 30th, 1674, and was ancestor to the baronets of his name."*

Another celebrated May-pole was erected in the Strand, near Catharine Street, which was first raised in 1661, to celebrate the restoration of Charles II. The writer of an old pamphlet, published at the time, thus describes it: "Let me declare to you the manner in generall of that stately cedar erected in the Strand, 134 feet high, commonly called the May-pole, upon the cost of the parishners there adjacent, and the gracious consent of his Sacred Majesty, with the illustrious prince, the Duke of York.

"This tree was a most choice and remarkable piece; 'twas made below bridge, and brought in two parts up to Scotland Yard, near the king's palace, and from thence * Gentleman's Magazine for October, 1793, vol. Ixiii. p. 886.

it was conveyed, April the 14th, to the Strand, to be erected.

"It was brought with a streamer flourishing before it, drums beating all the way, and other sorts of music; it was supposed to be so long that landmen (as carpenters) could not possibly raise it; Prince James, the Duke of York, Lord High Admirall of England, commanded twelve seainen off aboord to come and officiate the business, whereupon they came and brought their cables, pullies, and other tacklins, with six great anchors; after this was brought three crowns, bore by three men bare-headed, and a streamer displaying all the way before them, drums beating, and other musick playing; numerous multitudes of people thronging the streets, with great shouts and acclainations all day long.

"The Maypole then being joyned together, and hoopt about with bands of iron, the crown and vane with the king's armes richly gilded was placed on the end of it. This being done, the trumpets did sound, and in four hours' space it was advanced upright, after which being established fast in the ground, six drums did beat, and the trumpets did sound again, great shouts and acclamations the people gave, that it did ring throughout all the whole Strand; after that came a Morice dance, finely deckt with purple scarfs in their half shirts, with a taber and pipe, the ancient musick, and danced round about the Maypole; after that, danced the rounds of their liberty. Upon the top of this famous standard is likewise set up a royal purple streamer; about the middle of it is placed four crowns more, with the king's arms likewise; there is also a garland set upon it, of various colours, of delicate rich favours, under which is to be placed three great lanthorns, to remain for three honours; that is, one for Prince James, Duke of York, Lord High Admirall of

England; the other for the vice-admirall; and the third for the rear-admiral; these are to give light in dark nights, and to continue so long as the pole stands, which will be a perpetual honour to seamen. It is placed, as near hand as they could guess, in the very same pit where the former stood, but far more glorious, bigger and higher than ever any one that stood before it; and the seamen themselves do confess that it could not be built higher, nor there is not such a one in Europe beside, which highly doth please his Majesty, and the illustrious Prince, Duke of York. Little children did much rejoice, and antient people did clap their hands, saying, golden dayes began to appear. I question not but 'twill ring like melodious musicke throughout every county in England when they read this story, being exactly pen'd."*

How or when the chimney-sweepers contrived to intrude their sooty persons into the company of the gay and graceful Flora upon her high festival is more than I am able to tell; but that they form the most conspicuous portion of a May-day festival must be familiar to every one. Perhaps I should rather speak of this in the past tense, for though the custom still maintains a lingering existence, it will probably be numbered in a few years amongst the things that have been. A time therefore may come when a slight record of it will be read with curiosity.

The festival lasts three days, when the chimney-sweepers' apprentices assemble in parties, the number of each varying from six to twenty or more according to circumstances, and generally accompanied by a drum. All however have certain common characteristics. First, there is

*The Cities Loyalty Diplayed, 4to. London, 1661, p. 4. It is a thin pamphlet, of five pages only, and though exceedingly scarce, is to be found in the British Museum, under the head London.

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