THE HORKEY.

A PROVINCIAL BALLAD.

ADVERTISEMENT.

In the descriptive ballad which follows, it will be evident that I have endeavoured to preserve the style of a gossip, and to transmit the memorial of a custom, the extent or antiquity of which I am not acquainted with, and pretend not to enquire.

In Suffolk husbandry the man who, (whether by merit or by sufferance I know not) goes foremost through the harvest with the scythe or the sickle, is honoured with the title of "Lord," and at the Horkey, or harvest-home feast, collects what he can, for himself and brethren, from the farmers and visitors, to make a "frolick" afterwards, called "the largess spending." By way of returning thanks, though perhaps formerly of much more, or of different signification, they immediately leave the seat of festivity, and with a very long and repeated shout of "a largess," the number of shouts being regulated by the sums given, seem to wish to make themselves heard by the people of the surrounding farms. And before they rejoin the company within, the pranks and the jollity I have endeavoured to describe, usually take place. These customs, I believe, are going fast out of use; which is one great reason for my trying to tell the rising race of mankind that such were the customs when I was a boy.

I have annexed a glossary of such words as may be found by general readers to require explanation. We will add a short extract from Sir Thomas Brown, of Norwich, M. D. who was born three years before Milton, and outlived him eight years. "It were not impossible to make an original reduction of many words of no general reception in England, but of common use in Norfolk, or peculiar to the East-Angle counties; as, Baund, Bunny, Thurk, Enemis, Matchly, Sammodithee, Mawther, Kedge, Seele, Straft, Clever, Dere, Nicked, Stingy, Noneare, Feft, Thepes, Gosgood, Kamp, Sibret, Fangast, Sap, Cothish, Thokish, Bide-owe, Paxwax. Of these, and some others, of no easy originals, when time will permit, the resolution shall be attempted; which to effect, the Danish language, new, and more ancient, may prove of good advantage: which nation remained here fifty years upon agreement, and have left many families in it, and the language of these parts had surely been more commixed and perplex, if the fleet of Hugo de Bones had not been cast away, wherein three-score thousand souldiers, out of Britany and Flanders, were to be wafted over, and were, by King John's appointment, to have a settled habitation in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk." Tract the viii. on Languages, particularly the Saxon. Folio. 1686, page 48.

THE HORKEY.

A PROVINCIAL BALLAD.

WHAT gossips prattled in the sun,
Who talk'd him fairly down,
Up, memory! tell; 'tis Suffolk fun,
And lingo of their own.

Ah! Judie Twitchet!* though thou'rt dead,
With thee the tale begins;

For still seems thrumming in my head

The rattling of thy pins!

Thou Queen of knitters; for a ball

Of worsted was thy pride;

With dangling stockings great and small
And world of clack beside!

"We did so laugh; the moon shone bright;
"More fun you never knew;
""Twas Farmer Cheerum's Horkey night,

"And I, and Grace, and Sue

"But bring a stool, sit round about,

"And boys, be quiet, pray; "And let me tell my story out;

""Twas sitch a merry day!

"The butcher whistled at the door,

"And brought a load of meat;

"Boys rubb'd their hands, and cried, 'there's

66

more,'

Dogs wagg'd their tails to see't.

Judie Twitchet was a real person, who lived many years with my mother's cousin Bannock, at Honington.

"On went the boilers till the hake*
"Had much ado to bear 'em;
"The magpie talk'd for talking sake,

"Birds sung;-but who could hear 'em?

"Creak went the jack; the cats were scar'd,
"We had not time to heed 'em
"The owd hins cackled in the yard,
"For we forgot to feed 'em!

"Yet 'twas not I, as I may say,
"Because as how, d'ye see;
'I only help'd there for the day;
They cou'dn't lay't to me.

66

"Now Mrs. Cheerum's best lace cap
"Was mounted on her head;
"Guests at the door began to rap,

"And now the cloth was spread.

"Then clatter went the earthen plates"Mind Judie,' was the cry;

"I could have cop't + teem at their pates; "Trenchers for me,' said I.

"That look so clean upon the ledge, "And never mind a fall;

Nor never turn a sharp knife's edge ;"But fashion rules us all.'

"Home came the jovial Horkey load, "Last of the whole year's crop;

"And Grace amongst the green boughs rode

Right plump upon the top.

"This way and that the waggon reel'd, "And never queen rode higher;

"Her cheeks were colour'd in the field, "And ours before the fire.

A sliding pot-hook.

+ Thrown.

"The laughing harvest-folks and John,
"Came in and look'd askew;
"'Twas my red face that set them on,
"And then they leer'd at Sue.

"And Farmer Cheerum went, good man,
"And broach'd the Horkey beer;
"And sitch a mort* of folk began

"To eat up our good cheer.

Says he, 'Thank God for what's before us; "That thus we meet agen,'

"The mingling voices, like a chorus,

"Joined cheerfully,' Amen.'

"Welcome and plenty, there they found 'em. "The ribs of beef grew light;

"And puddings-till the boys got round 'em, "And then they vanish'd quite!

"Now all the guests, with Farmer Crouder,

"

Began to prate of corn;

"And we found out they talk'd the louder,

"The oftner pass'd the Horn

"Out came the nuts; we set a cracking;

"The ale came round our way;

By gom, we women fell a clacking "As loud again as they.

John sung Old Benbow' loud and strong, "And I, The Constant Swain,'

Cheer up my Lads,' was Simon's song,
We'll conquer them again.'

Now twelve o'clock was drawing nigh,
"And all in merry cue;

"I knock'd the cask, O, ho!' said I, "We've almost conquer'd you.'

* Such a number.