Of fruits peaches, apples, cherries; pears of Hastiveau and Chailfou, the latter a famous species, noticed in the Roman de la Rose, and doubtless is the fruit intended by Chaucer, although the corrupted expression Caleweis is in the text of his translation; lote berries, the fruit of the lotus rhamnus; sloes, still gathered by our country people, and stewed with sugar; hips of the wild rose, which I have often, when a school-boy, devoured with no little gusto; medlars; sorbapples, in France, considered not inferior, when properly ripe, to the medlar; nuts; chesnuts of Lombardy; figs from Malta; foreign raisins; and jorroises, which Cotgrave explains a horse plum, and the writer of the short notes appended to the poem, a long red fruit, very sour, and no more known in Paris. Du Cange has jarrossia, which however is only a sort of vetch. In confectionery, or rather what the French call pâtisseries; pasties, tarts, cakes, wafers, galettes, all hot; roinssoles; cakes called gastiaus rastis; hot flauns; wafers named renforcies; simnels, and cakes with the bean. Of these the galette was a sort of "wreathed cake," or crumpet; the roinssole, in modern French rissole, a small delicate patty of minced meat, and semicircular in form; it appears to have been a favourite dish, and Le Grand d'Aussy mentions several old statutes, ordaining the various kinds of meat to be used. The gastiaus rastis were perhaps the same as described by Cotgrave under rastou, as a round and high tart, made of butter, cheese, and eggs. The flaun, frequently met with in our writers of the 16th and 17th century, was a sort of delicate custard, or mixture of cream with bottom and sides of paste. The wafer, by far the greatest favourite of the French, and common over Europe, was probably of Grecian or Roman origin, and was early known in the middle ages by the name oblatæ, the term given to the holy cakes used in the Eucharist. Hence the French oublie, which in that language, as well as wafer in our own, denotes both the consecrated and the common cake. In form it was round and thin, and baked, as the eucharistal one, between two flat hot irons, shutting together by a pivot, and ornamented inside, so as to leave the impression on the cake. The sellers of oublies, or waferers, were early formed into a society, for the regulation of which statutes were repeatedly made. Their business was most extensive. In 1406 it was decreed that no one should exercise the trade who could not make 500 daily, besides as many smaller cakes. They perambulated the streets in the evening, and were frequently the victims of the pranks and brutality of the rakes of the day. Guillaume notices this, and says you may hear them cry out, "I am undone," " for God's sake," "I am murdered." help From their numbers, however, and other causes, they gradually became a nuisance. Designing persons, thieves, and villains, took up the occupation as a cloak for dishonest practices, robbery, intrigue, &c. They were accordingly abolished by law in 1725. The suspicious character of the venders of wafers, both male and female, is often alluded to by our early poets. Thus in Chaucer, harpes, baudes, wafereres," and by the Singers with author of Piers Plowman, a "wafrestre" is placed in company with a kittepors," and an "apewarde." 66 Beaumont and Fletcher notice their turn for intrigue, for which the universal fondness for the cake afforded them ample opportunity. 'Twas no set meeting Certainly, for there was no wafer-woman with her, These three days, on my knowledge. Woman Hater, ii. 1. . The oublies renforcies are supposed to have been the same as the gauffre, a delicacy baked in irons like the wafer, but partaking more of the consistency ther it is common in this country, but of a thick pancake. I know not whein America I believe it is, where it Dutch waefel, a wafer, flat cake, &c. goes by the name of waffle, from the small loaves of the finest flour; or else The simnels were either rolls or and sweetened. Of the first kind were cakes of the same flour, but seasoned those probably mentioned by Holinshed, as forming part of the livery to the King of Scots, when on a visit to chet wastels, twelve manchet simnels.' Richard I. in 1194. "Twelve manCange. Of the second was the cake, This is the Panis de Simenel of Du in Herrick's allusion to the custom of going "a mothering." I'le to thee a simnell bring, 1826.] Cries of Paris in the Thirteenth Century. The gustel à fève, or cake with the bean, was, as is well known, the indispensible accompaniment of Twelfth Night: he, in whose piece the bean, which had previously been inserted in the dough, was found, being chosen king over the festivities and mirth of the evening. With us it was frequently the custom to add a pea, which falling to a lady, gave her the rights of queen. Thus in Nichols's Progresses of Queen Elizabeth, one of the characters, in an entertainment given to her Majesty, is made to say, "Cut the cake: who hath the beane shall be King; and where the peaze is, she shall be Queene." According to Le Grand d'Aussy (Vie Privée des Français, vii. 277), the bean cake in France was not exclusively the attendant of twelfth night, but was also introduced at other times, for the purpose of increasing the gaiety of the party. Fresh rushes; rushes of the Iris; straw, grass. These were all for strewing over the floors of the houses and churches, and long continued to be the substitute for carpets or matting. In some parts of Lancashire they still keep up the custom, on certain days in the year, of scattering rushes in the Church. Surcoats, hats, copes; buyers of old hose and shoes, old pots, shovels, old iron in exchange for needles; renovators of mantles, furred cloaks, coats, and surcoats; menders of tubs, cups, benches, hutches (chests used as safes, or for keeping corn, &c. in); scourers of tin pots; criers at different stations of the proclamations of the King, Louis IX.; criers of the dead. Of these last singular personages, the poet observes, "Whenever a man or woman has died, you will hear them with a bell along the streets cry out, Pray for his soul." In a note on this passage, in la Vie privée des Français, v. 11. 411, M. de Roquefort gives the following illustration of the custom: "These criers had moreover a particular costume, a white Dalmatic, covered with death's heads, bones, and black coloured tear-drops. In some of our northern provinces they made use of a basin or small kettle, which they beat with a stick. The custom was still kept up in several cities, towns, and villages, before the events of 1789. As soon as a person died, a man in the official character of crier perambulated all night the streets, ringing a bell, 389 and stopping at the corners, where he cried out in a mournful tone, Awake, awake, good people who sleep, awake, and pray God for the departed.' At the funeral of Louis XII. who died the first of January, 1515, the criers ringing their bells exclaimed, The good King Louis XII. the Father of his people, is dead, pray God for him." A custom somewhat similar once existed in Scotland, and is mentioned in the "Popular Antiquities," vol. II. 128, from Sir John Sinclair's Statistical Survey. For firing a sort of turf made of the old bark peelings, &c. of the tannery; fire logs; charcoal, a penny the sack. For light, candles with cotton wicks; prepared rushes for lamps. Amongst the remaining miscellaneous articles, are pigeons, birch-brooms, mats, wooden hoops, hot baths, Noels or Christmas Carols, various wines. The cry of the "Bath" was probably merely a person who held forth the merits of some particular establishment, as it is difficult to imagine a machine large enough for the purpose would have been suffered in the streets. The Noels, M. Barbazan supposes to have been books, containing a collection of carols; but it appears to me more probable, that men or women are only meant, who gained their living by singing them. The Noel was not confined to the season of Christmas, but the burden, Noel, Noel, as an exclamation of joy, was used in songs on any great subject of rejoicing. If to these various "Cries," we add those of the different orders of begging friars, who endeavoured to outvie each other in their vociferations for bread, we may form some idea of the discordant sounds, and busy appearance, of the thoroughfares of Paris in the 13th century; a noise and throng which the poet says lasted from day-break to midnight, and which served to draw the attention of the passenger to such a multiplicity of objects, that were one only to purchase a portion of each man's merchandise, a large fortune would soon be dissipated. H. Mr. URBAN, Nov. 2. Na daily paper of last month, un it is stated, that "the Rev. Mr. Close had been presented by the patrons of that living, Mr. Wilberforce, the Rev. Mr. Suneon of Cambridge, and Lady Olivia Sparrow, to the old or St. Mary's Church." I have often heard it asserted that a Society has existed for some years, for the avowed purpose of purchasing livings in the Church of England, and bestowing the same upon persons of the persuasion of the fanatical Countess of Huntingdon.-The existence of a Society of this nature I always doubted. That enthusiastic individuals of property may have united in the determination of presenting whatever livings might be in their disposal to none but persons of that persuasion, is very possible, but I can never think a Society established to purchase advowsons can exist for a moment, as the evident illegality of such an association would destroy its object. Perhaps some of your Correspondents can inform me if a society in any way answering the description of that to which I allude, was ever contemplated, and whether it actually exists at present. If such is the fact, and it exercises the right of presentation to any livings, surely the Bishop of the diocese would refuse to institute any Clerk presented by it. If he was not justified in this refusal, on the ground of the presentee being a schismatic, he would have a good answer for his refusal, from the fact of the Society acting as a corporate body without possessing a charter of incorporation; or even if it were incorporated, a Licence of Mortmain would be absolutely necessary: the Universities, with the Colleges of Eton, Winchester, and Westminster, being the only foundations which enjoy an exemption from the restrictions of the Statutes of Mortmain (vide 9 Geo. II. c. 36; 45 Geo. III. c. 101). The ingenuity of the religious houses, in the times of their existence, to evade the salutary statutes which the Parliament enacted to prevent the pernicious practices of the Monks and Priests of those days, who, by the enormous power they exercised over the minds of their devotees, found no difficulty in conveying to the Church the worldly fortunes of those whose souls they pretended to hold in their power, are ably detailed in Blackstone's Commentaries, book ii. chap. 18; and in our present days similar restrictions are as absolutely necessary to guard against the machinations of a fanatical sect, the members of which are as blindly devoted to their spiritual guides, as the inhabitants of this land were in the darkest days of popery. These statutes however happily exist, and as the only exemptions are those detailed, I now recur to the existence of the Society which I mentioned in the early part of this Letter, the illegality of which I think must appear evident to any one, unless some evasion (which I confess I do not at present see) allows a club of evangelical preachers and old women equal powers to those which the statutes allow only to the two Universities, and those Royal foundations which have been enumerated.-The attention of your Correspondents to a subject so intimately connected with the interests of the Established Church is earnestly requested. As I am now upon the subject of the Established Church, I cannot pass unnoticed a communication in page 302, signed CLERICUS, recommending the union of the Church with the sect of Wesleyan Methodists. I give your Correspondent full credit for the feelings which dictated his Letter; I will not impute to a Clergyman of the Establishment the existence of a wish to injure or degrade the Church; but this I feel but right to say, that CLERICUS appears at least to have been misled by the amiable character of the individual he alludes to, and at least to have gone the length of drawing a general inference from a particular case. Does Clericus suppose that similar feelings are entertained towards the Established Church by all the Wesleyans, as those which were expressed by the minister to whom he alludes? If he does, I can with certainty add, that he has grossly deceived himself. That most respectable individuals, men of piety and learning, and men (as far as their own feelings extend) who are well disposed towards the Establishment, may exist among the Dissenters of all denominations, I readily and willingly admit; but it would be preposterous to draw from these isolated instances the conclusion, that all the Dissenters are similarly affected, when our every day's experience shows the contrary. It is quite evident Clericus has had but little experience among the people who compose the sect he advocates; they are, or at least an immense majority of 1826.] them are, Wesleyan Methodists.-Cowey Stakes. like the generality of Dissenters, composed of tradesmen and persons in the lower walks of life, individuals who have received but a very narrow education, and who pride themselves on the influence which a Presbyterian form of Church Government gives them: but let once Episcopal authority be admitted, and how ever friendly it may be received by the clerical part of the community, the laity will, in proportion as the respectability and independence of the Clergy are increased, dwindle away, and the sect of Wesleyan Methodists, to which Clericus attaches so much importance, would fall off in importance, until this "numerous body" would become as insignificant as the Moravians,-a sect which it is to be remembered professes to be an Episcopal Church. The Wesleyans of the present day know full as well as their founder, the ambitious and factious John Wesley, (who aimed at the rank of a Mahomet, though he rose no higher in the ranks offame than Joanna Southcote,) that Bishops cannot be self-created. They are perhaps willing enough to receive the benefit of the episcopal order from the hands of the Established Church; but what guarantee can be given, that so soon as these sectarians have obtained their request, they will not return immediately to their hostility to the Church of England, and establish themselves into an independent community; and inasmuch as they possess in common with the National Church an hierarchy and a priesthood, what security have we that they would not next aim at tithes and benefices. Whatever line of conduct Christian charity may dictate to the Churchman to pursue towards Dissenters, though he may pray for his enemies, and repay their hatred with love, he will ever with fervency join in the excellent prayer in our Liturgy, From all false doctrine, heresy, and schism, Good Lord deliver us. Far be it from me, or any Member of the Church, to class all Dissenters in one indiscriminate heap. As I said before, there are estimable characters among them; but regarding them as a body, whilst we give them every toleration as citizens, let us unite to keep them out of the Church. When I read these schemes of over indulgent individuals for extending the bosom of 391 the Church to all sects, I cannot help saying, 'Poor Church,' how would thy friends misuse ye; how would they innovate upon your strong walls, and destroy the symmetry of your beautiful ornaments-pull down the steeple, for it is useless; trample on the altar as a relic of Popery; break the painted glass windows as vain imagery; cast out the "box of whistles," and in its place set up the vile squeaking and grunting of the fiddles and vile instruments of the Wesleyan conventicle; tear off the vestments of her ministers as remnants of the "Scarlet Lady's" garment; and dress up her Bishops and her servants in the rusty black of the Wesleyan Itinerant; the change perhaps may be acceptable to Dr. Southey and all admirers of the Wesleyaus. They may rejoice at the destruction of the " Popish rites" retained by the Church of England, but the change will be but the herald of the downfall of that excellent establishment. I forbear trespassing further at present on your pages, than to subscribe myself a friend to the Church of England, and an Enemy to all Innovation. E. 1. C. READ with surprise in your last published Magazine, advice that "the City of London should set up some mark to perpetuate the remembrance of the place" in which Cowey Stakes once stood. I need not assure you of my great desire to put on record whatever exists respecting our national antiquities; still I trust that you will believe me to be actuated by the best motives, when I say that I hope the City will do no such foolish thing to perpetuate their own dulity. Let those who give such counsel turn to the Second Volume of the Archæologia, and they will find that Cowey Stakes, instead of having been placed parallel to the banks of the river, so as to intercept the passage of an army, were in reality put across it, to prevent the passage of fish; or in other words, that they are the remains of an old weir. cre As the whole subject has been ably investigated by the Hon. Daines Barrington, in his "Remarks on Cæsar's supposed passage of the Thames," S the village of St. Nicholas, in the never seen, we lately determined to make that place the region of promised delights; we accordingly passed down the pier, engaged a chaise, and commenced our expedition. The ride was a very pleasant one, and we alighted at the Bell, apparently the only publichouse in the town. We immediately sought means to get admission to the Church, and a comely country woman, to whom we addressed ourselves, sent her little girl for the keys, while we strolled about, admiring the truly picturesque scenery around us; a narrow road, bounded on one side by a beautiful row of elms, with a strong effect of light and shade on the back ground, illuminated the passing objects, and made the landscape a picture worthy of the pencil of a Hobbima. The Church is a fine one;' * it consists of a lofty and wide nave, with a chancel and two aisles, separated from the nave by massy pillars and Saxon arches; on each side of the chancel was a continuation of the aisle, and which, I suspect, originally formed two chapels. At present the Southern is devoted to the purposes of a parochial school; and the Northern contains the vaults of the Brydges and the Hennickers; the cloth covering the altar was presented by the Gillows, with their crest worked in the sides, and I. H. S. in the centre. Their family mansion is the house. parsonage On looking over the monumental records, I observed that the Arbiter of Life seldom extended his numeration beyond fifty or sixty years, and from the conversation we had with the handsome and kind-hearted woman whom we again accosted, I learned that, notwithstanding the charms of rural felicity, "Death was in the pot;" that the vicinity of Nicholas to Sarre Engraved in vol. LXXIX. p. 17. THE LATE BP. MILNER AND THE LATE June, a Letter from the late Catholic which Letter is as follows: "I must satisfy myself with assuring you that I have, in my opinion, sufficient grounds for every assertion which I have made in my End of Controversy,' concerning the sentiments of certain Divines of the Church of England, and others, and that I am convinced it is no calumny, but rather a commendation, to say that they entered, or sought to enter, at the close of life into the one sheepfold of the one shepherd. If you look around you, Sir, you will find many instances of this occurring in your neighbourhood, and if you will enquire, you will hear of other persons in a superior rank, besides the late Sir John Hippisley, who have professed the strictest adherence to the Established religion during life, yet have sent for a Catholic Priest to attend them in their last illness." We have authority from the family of the late Sir John Coxe Hippisley, to declare and publish, that as far as they relate to that excellent and honourable man, the insinuations and assertions of the late Catholic Bishop Milner are in every circumstance most foul and infamous falsehoods. EDIT. H. P. (p. 290) is informed that an "Encyclopedia of ancient English Manners and Customs," (including, of course, Strutt's Works) has been long contemplated by Mr. Fosbroke; and that very ample collections have been already made, which, upon the cessation of certain immediate engagements, will be brought to a conclusion. Mr. F. will thank H. P. for the communication of his name and address, to the Editor of the Gentleman's Magazine. |