Merrie England In The Olden Time, Vol. 1 (of 2)

e heart-stirring lucubrations of Uncle Timothy? I am mistaken if you rose not

bols, May-day games, and merriments. Methought Uncle

and I,

t in the

dancing * days are over, we still retain

dancing doings at

d-end of King-St

e yea

room, Panton-Stre

, Charing-Cr

s Hall,

Assembly,

Wells,

oom, Paternos

m at the Two Green

icular desire of Jub

large room next do

West Smithfield,...

ng, in the Scotch m

a young couple,..

Lambeth,. 1755 and a

n the Strand, where

The bride "to be d

s, and green flowers

bag-pipes; a band

isely at two o'cl

s and si

oar's head and the wine and wassail were crowned with a dance to the tune of 'The

nc'd the Qu

y danc'd t

footed family with his fiddle: sha

arts. 'See the blind beggar dance, the cripple sing!' The Irishman has his lilt; the Scotchman his ree

ig

game-cocks and monkeys exhibiting their c

print of "Vestris

for so fashionable

remely moderate; "S

sson." The followin

ern

complishments sure

s

th you remains, b

tri

g we will go

plead and preach; th

a

e heels and hands

ai

dancin

ye men of arts, 'bo

ad

in the heels is b

dancin

e great Tories too,

nc

sides, and figure i

va

dancin

ancient lore, and

you ten to one his

ho

dancin

gods and kings in

t, we have been tol

in

dancin

e most sublime, 'gai

i

d quit a dance to

dancin

ealth, life, and li

va

tris fortunes make

nc

dancin

o sigh and grieve,

ea

and those unborn, m

at

dancin

et's merry be, and

what is, is right;

e

dancin

y danceth the parched pea on the fire-

I know you are an enthusiast

man loves not music.' Th

this muddy ve

ose it in, we c

ly fond of Scotch, Irish, and Welsh melodies, that he harmonised many of them, and had them hung up in frames in his room. We remember to have heard somewhere of an officer in a Highland regiment, who was sent with a handful of brave soldiers to

l their regiments, prohibiting any one from playing an air of that kind on pain of death. La maladie du pays,-that sickening after home! But Handel's music has received more lasting and general applause than that of any other composer. By Boyce and Battishall his m

op Ken

with blest

th to angels

native langua

ns of the so

ucceeding age

the Godhead i

n prose, that the G

and the voice of me

ho handled the har

ion of the Jewish c

human voice and t

s in her highest pr

the composer of her

pied the orchestra

privilege "to play b

emn sound." Luther s

nity, no art is co

s specimen of this

" breathing the mos

most majestic ador

s hate music-are p

d eschew the princi

ch costs us nothi

he "vocal nose"-"O

ound his urn,' who first struck his lyre to celebrate the wooden wall

h their silver

w sacred by hi

ay his spirit find rest where souls are blessed, and his bod

urs of music and

Evening Brush, that

e generation of 1790

school and actors

rs in heroics; bell

ticoat caricatures

rers, buffoons in b

ee Dibdins opened a

re he introduced ma

em to his own tunes.

ations to this ha

aid of poetry a

hield set the one

nt seamen; but it n

usiasm on shore, an

smen "who live at

he sailor as a mer

young bosoms have

e Dibdins! What ca

t my heart would br

ve

and "Here, a sheer

the manly heart l

to infuse the amor

l songs work wonder

sooner are the post

egin to hum a patrio

without intermissi

atiguing march; the

manner; and in a st

cheerful songs o

lag

rk at Heaven's

has made a pause; and I have your promise of a song. Now

IO'S

he breath o

n heath refr

he blossom

blue, the b

the lark o

o sit and h

ike the fea

grateful tho

spirit, sor

es and wis

world is n

hearts shoul

he lark his

gh soaring,

weet songste

not like th

reign of Queen Anne, when the Spectator and Sir Roger de Coverley embarked at the Temple-Stairs on their voyage to Vauxhall. We pass over the good knight's religious horror at

mmer reply was Doc

similar occasion. "

ce (!!!) of keep

of stol

g upon the trees, and the loose tribe of people that walked under their shades, I could not but look upon the place as a kind of Mahometan paradise. Sir Roger told me it put him in mind of a little coppic

treat his wife and family to Vauxhall; and 'Colin's * 'Description to his wife of Greenwood Hall, or

20,

soft in

at dear

dise is

they Ed

such new

and harml

like gian

eir monarc

when first

dours roun

world I

ose ano

sic, neve

rks swee

I'm still

lways soot

ings, swee

our gla

urs, life

is green-

there dub

n his dox

light's t

s a pair

amazed, I

s enchan

harper

is proud

my hat,

e up Bux

was I a

a man o

he tables

fall to w

Squire's f

nties di

oor starvel

heed coun

with lace

y dear t

, 'mid joys

oppers th

e crowds s

dy of

th' moon tw

ing through

twould plea

lights like

laid to the roots of its beautiful trees;

hree pictures in th

r of Mansfield,-Sa

-and the girl ste

y gen

tatue of

celebrated vocalists be drowned in the dismal ditty of some ballad-singing weaver, and the screeching responses of his itinerant family. What would the

the Princess of Wal

id Pav

should ever that musical magician encounter on the o

ofessor played on hi

ket Theatre,

lly fellow has he

ginello, that g

ieado, such musi

l the fiddl

at's a

rd or seen, O, h

e shops s

c nose an

could shine so A

Tobacco Paper of Sk

concert with a jovi

s is a good-humoure

ony out of t

rians affect to ri

the score of its pa

oss gluttony-as if

gourmands who had o

artyrs to good livi

nto the dining-parlo

e examples of gastr

h prove that the ep

taste and voracity

ne

Severus died of eat

went off in a surf

s attendant, what c

g so many dainties

e with Lucullus?" V

uttony, that at one

everal kinds of fis

. Maximilian devoure

t, which he washed

r Geta continued hi

ties were introduc

ished he had a neck

s might be long in g

e gave to certain a

, took to his own c

and a fat goose in

ndly contest, whic

e ox; Hercules won,

rinking bout, and ag

hat the goal of lif

n to die-if the Pyt

n of souls, and s

should dispossess

ore rational was t

uch a goodly catalo

as no judgem

iceable man," with velvet cap and jockey boots; the high-bred and high-fed aristocracy of the Poultry and Cheapside, and their Banquet, which might tempt Diogenes to blow himself up to such a pitch of obesity, that, instead of living in a tub, a tub might be said to live in him, are subjects too lofty for plebeian handling. C?sar was told to beware of the Ides of

icles, histories, a

soever,-let the i

s of his time and

nly in this certain

eceived into the pla

and magnificence as

n." This was said

" in 1613. The fol

t the office was no

George Peele; Ant

leton; John Squire;

r (the Water-Poet,

s, and a rare slang

f the latter noth

; John Tatham; Tho

nah Settle, the l

Lord Mayors and A

most splendid of

ndon's Triumph;

on of that Honourab

aior, after his re

, the morrow after

656. With the Speec

lane-end."-"In the

) "the loving membe

arms in Cripplegat

d in a military ord

they attended on h

to the Three Crane

colours embarqued

and another part

green colours, as e

to the other side

between each party,

ter; a third body,

'd to Bainard's Cas

the castle gave thu

at pass'd along the

ent the severall

s sounding, and vari

ile the flags and si

delectable to

severall gentlemen

ind them certaine

r'd with foynes, a

after them, follow

s itself, whereof

, the city officer

or with the Sword

him, being attended

scarlet gowns on hor

ttended, he rode fr

n

anies standing on b

end of the Old Jur

come right agains

meet him. On the

two Moors, attir'd i

re corners sate fou

th their haire dish

is seem'd to be th

n, for want of a z

like evill customs

undefended virtue

e fore part of the

a dejected counten

s native city; but

proach of the Lord

ety of his country

with the following s

he election of s

ist

poken, the first pa

far as Mercers' Ch

ght going before t

ple. Over against

o; upon this were p

, tygers, bears, le

t wildernesse; at

ipe in his hand;

tal whereof sate Or

his harp, while all

of his melody. Un

on pipes. The embl

Company out of whic

e spectators in min

calling, as clad

and Princes in the

y ladies covet winte

second significati

Orpheus tam'd the

his melody, so dot

vern the wild affect

, causing a general

mands. Which made

truth, to address

hese follo

nded, the Lord Maio

reet, the military

was in this house, t

, and so marching a

rchyard, they lodg'

o concluded this

herein the soldie

they saluted the Lo

al rounds of muske

with "signal test

eturning to Whiteh

oath of office bef

luted the Lord Pro

London had been acti

death of King Cha

do less than acknow

ank cartridges of

old chains, howeve

hey "jumped Jim C

ng Charles

s. It draws up the curtain of our popular merriments; and Whit-Mon-da

Whit-Tuesday was ce

sque imitation of

ld-laced hat, to b

re placed on a pla

through. Over their

ita

Tetrio

liest

be the

five minutes solus,

distortion. This pr

merchant, though h

ul play, for rins

was concluded by a

being let loose amo

ould seize him by t

ders, was to have hi

t: the animal, after

that they gave up t

rse of people atten

ssador, and severa

inct

al park of Queen Bess to divert their melancholy! We delight to contemplate the mirthful mourners in their endless variety of character and costume; to behold th

day of 1840, the Re

ning fields, presen

Chalk Farm there w

outs, ups-and-downs,

aces, penny chaise

ington murder, the Q

lbert, and the depa

Heath, and the su

tuds of Jerusalem

House and the White

-makers amusing them

. How sweetly has

e origin of "Sally

of Addison with t

rmest praise. "A sh

his sweetheart, trea

et-shows, the flyin

fields, from whenc

e, he gave her a

on of bacon, stuff

which scenes the

plicity of their cou

ssed this little

ed not a more glorious sight than the

ig

ooch as big as a crown piece, yellow straw-hat, striped stockings, and pumps; and his pretty bride, with her rosy cheeks and white favours. How light are their heels and hearts! And the blythesome couples that follow in their train-noviciates in the templ

O yes!

atetic pieman

oon, or when

d gentlem

no ghos

g, rec

kes and ginge

berry, raspber

uches brought

and

sorts a

er b

't make

X ale of Taylo

shouldn't go to a fair, published by the London

Lord Chancellor Cocke Lorel, President of the High Court of Mummery, and Consci

the blossoms of the grave, arrested our attention with the following mad

e but

u art o

es but o

that

me with

y thou

'st but

am onl

lind ballad-singer. And, having two strings to his bow, and one to his fiddle, he

R'S APOLOGY FOR

wn hill, 'tis

umbling, and fo

s uphill, ambit

ain'd-then the

hill till we re

ermitted one

quick we desce

g fast the swift

thy happy you

he hill, and the

s life has bring

mirth attend th

f London, of hi

us glad with, a

enw

coach a crack

t we crack our g

fame, ye grandi

ull swing-only l

wn graver and w

e ours, and th

ght spark of go

stimes and spo

asters, for no

y my ballads? t

ym

ated places of resort in former times, a

o.

me of Peckham Fair, a Grand Collection of Living Wild Beasts a

kles her young with her h

seeks his prey; the fore part of his head is covered with hair, the second part resembles the w

ht of any bird that flies. There is no bird but this

red from a Lioness, li

o be one of the greatest rarities ever seen in England, o

, and so decoy the Negroes out of their huts and plantations to devour them. They have a mane like a horse, and two joints in

tions of the human species, which (when at its

in the morning till 9 at night, till they are sold. Also, all manner of curiosi

freshing draught of Derbyshire ale. The landlord (who was quite a character) and he were old cronies; and, in the snug little parlour behind the bar, of which Dicky had the entrée, their hob-and-nobbings struck out sparks of humour that, had they exhaled before the lamps, would have set the theatre in a roar. Suett was a great frequenter of fairs. He stood treat to the conjurors, feasted t

nflict pain on any

ful end, are wanto

s, &c. may be hunte

robbers; but to hunt

sure of huntin

of honest Izaak

e "sentimental old

ns to the tyro in

fix the writhing w

torture a poor f

sit upon a fair ba

re stream ripplin

h, playing pang aga

is contemplative re

rough his own gulle

to hear his dirge

armonious concert w

ayed the like sin

n in the

he was the gudgeon, for the too cunning fishes, spying his comical figure, stole his bait, and he hooked nothing but tin pots and old shoes. Here he sat in his accustomed chair and corner, drea

e time a landlady

r that vulgar flui

himself by no means

servant to procure

"Betty, go and get

gin." Off bolted Be

make it half a q

ut Betty had never

voice was again hea

may as well ma

ed to "Old Wigs!" chanted by Jeffery Dunstan when he danced hop-scotch on a table spread out with tumblers and tobacco-pipes! Hushed is the voice of song. At this moment, as if to give our last asserti

y painted her, she'

n a modest brow

t gam

he light guitar, an

ol

-and-twenty pounds

ns

ere love is law,

uil

on in her ear-she

mil

bear the bell: wh

o

l, you've gain'd

stand

I've, honour bright

ea

e, he'd whack me

is b

, and shook his

r d

h, I 'll take my s

e h

air we wedded we

are

he honey-moon, has

at are so smart, th

ar

married her, and n

. I

of England woman 38 years of age alive, with two heads, one above the other; having no hands, fingers, nor toes; yet can she dress and undress, knit, sew, read, sing," Query-a duet wit

rist has been out-c

lkes was so abominab

half an hour to tal

of his own countena

the small-pox!" We

Cruikshank's whimsi

ks were the bow-ide

Dame Nature! How il

Searron, and the wa

er! how deformed an

ffrey Dunstan! What

maginary Siamese tw

f two Monstrous Ch

in Buekinghamshyre

he two Children hav

r, and imbracing on

en were both alyve

aptised, and named

lar wonder was exhi

onstrous girls bor

re to be seen "fro

night, up one pair

s, a Drugster's Sho

the Strand, near C

ur own time are fr

throws out a pleas

osity of the Englis

ng Caliban, exclai

w (as I once was), a

day fool there but

this monster make

relieve a lame begg

ee a dea

re this, the 13th day of March, 1741. "Vivat Rex.

ust 1787.-Of the fo

ancing-dogs, a le

heatrical booth o

the Italian fantoci

"inimitable musica

the King," played

ck, and thunder tr

worried cats." This

forty twelve-pen

place him in a loads

e least pain! He is

derful creatures the

t

sported his handso

which was displaye

in his pink satin

ry, fascinated the

as quite

e "Monstrous Craws"

arn "four wonderf

usand miles beyon

Mackabee c

chin eleven

ny M'ens and warts

old th

arge teeth five inc

, as if his father h

h a noble large fie

urn on the top

ul wild-born human

and a male, are of

an four feet high; e

at. Their country,

ind. It is supposed

ative place (a rem

g wrecked were pic

eriod they were e

h has astonishingly,

at of Europeans. Th

s strangers, and

themselves; singin

way, at the will

pan

mberwell * and

how very petty!) wa

3, in order to put d

s Domesday Book.

ll-conditioned, p

out a good wholesome

range-wife and a fos

ersy of three-pence

speak best to the

f your beards, and

grave, as to stuff

bed in an ass'

xhibited sixty years

tain by moonlight,

, with the humour

ng Polander from Sa

ngs; a humorous di

wife; sparring mat

c. all for

40, Messrs. Nelson

to Wandsworth Fair,

"Grand Victoria Boo

on. Its refectory

-of ham, beef, tong

heep's trot

ot ribs of lamb, moc

tab

t, their jackets ou

orta

. Bow, Edmonton, * Highgate, **

the keeper of a me

e den of a lioness,

espects to the hus

y Lion. After the

em, the man somewhat

and put his head i

shout that made it

in less than two mo

xhibition at a fair

arling, "I can't g

the same time if

inking the joke ha

wag its tail, and

a victim to

is is to give notic

nesday, Thursday, a

walk in the mid

will be turned loo

nd throws it over h

e entrance, and no

te

will be run by two

large sum. And, to

Mitre will give a

men, the winn

t, value ten shilli

s round the Green;

han four to start;

d man to have all th

spiced gingerbread, penny-trumpets, and halfpenny rattles are

r Ramble; or, The Wo

other Soldier dost

or J. Bland, near

s broa

g the holiday seaso

booths and scaffold

ear the Windmill T

s for its grinning-

arity, viz. that whi

buffooneries and le

inerant Methodist p

oote makes his rant

nsions of Moorfi

others, brother

hops and liste

n Anne aimed at th

nts. The showmen as

ril, 1717, but in

Messrs. Saunders

s, who sided with

tion of his warra

declared war aga

inexorable, and com

rection; from whenc

ere released by thre

was also a favouri

It was here that Mr

s congregation, and

the squibs and cr

era

ed in the New Riv

ct line as far as t

. The equestrians a

onkeys furiously

rec

tenham Court Road, (the minor Newmarket and Doncaster

t the Amphitheatric

ext (being Easter

all, in making his C

zes given to be pla

aged some of the be

make sides. For Cud

e shillings, or one

nea; Money for Box

n the diversion of

gged for by Norther

ard of St. Giles's

in High Street, by

ty. The doors will

to begin at two.

Best seats, Two Shi

lling; Upper Gal

ises, May 12, 174

x men sewed up in s

age backwards and fo

ng and dancing to t

dance. He also kep

elds, Augu

t Reynold's Great

during the time o

, Tragical, Farcica

Queer Duke, or a

ill be added a cel

Punch's Oratory, or

veral diverting pas

e between Punch and

Family Lecture, or

tune. No Wires-

neing by Monsieur St

d dust, for the green sward where, in their hey-day of life, they witched the fair with noble donkeyship!-Croydon (famous for roast-pork, and new walnuts ), Harle

aw (1754), during t

ll be the usual en

soft-flavor'd Spaw

eatest and best

inviting usage fro

rvant, Geor

Dutch Fair was held

iven by King Geo

ueen's birth-day, an

Wales. A number of

yrne and his compan

rds, in character

of horsemanship

e Circus; and boot

ng, and the sale

ncy articles. Munden

with their mirth an

general joy. The Roy

under the tastef

ss Eli

te rendezvous with those who could afford a tandem, tax-cart, or Tim-whi

century, was much patronised by the nobility and gentry. It had nev

rd of 2nd Victoria (

red unlawful to hol

Friday's a dry day!

of the Barkin

alk abroad le

-At May Fair Ducki

., Mr. Hooton's Dog

h in his head to h

ss to all that have

nea, against the bi

Ducking Pond on th

all she has hunted

d-Blood. To begi

s customers won't t

at the gate, and t

s Cash in their r

ickct, that such as

t o

ight Lin

ther mirthfu

ond to be opened

being the 11th Aug

Pounds, and a lamb

all gentlemen sports

renoon."-Postman,

24th May 1790.-Thi

it-Monday, and duri

rsions will take pl

n; a fine Ham to be

w Pumps to be jump

to be sung for; a Gu

grinning through

ons too tedio

in the even

opes of man! A pre

ss with a vengeanc

dle classes!) inter

water-sid

renowned for strong

mac

uly 14, 1726.-A str

of Skill on St. J

for a wager of Fiv

ds of bacon, a bush

butter, a quartern

of stro

of "buttering ba

ous illu

a Frenchman exhibited, during the time of May Fair, the

of aristocratical dwellings, where a strong purse is required to procure a standing. At Horn Fair, a party of humorists of both sexes, counted in all the variety of Bull-Feather fashion, after perambulating round Cuckold Point, startled the little quiet village of Charlton on St. Luke's day, shouting their em

Mrs. Alchorne, "who

died in Drury Lane

e also performed at

7

all the Merry (Wagt

w Summons to Horn F

a

d whos

oves, like cart-

eards among its

gulp it, wish i

his day. Mile-end Green, in ancient

t nothing that

nd to London's

as showes and s

ur, triumphes,

les, and peale

see that plai

askes, with mirt

l-feastes, beares

muster upon M

w, and feared n

d the racecourse in Tothill-Fields

s and Three Ladies

e 13th, at Windsor,

t cudgels by ten m

esex. The next day

ten men on a side

gemen are to eat t

ered, but d--d hot

er spoon of ten shil

gs. And as they hav

ives of Windsor, six

lenge any six old wo

er, go farther than

best in three heat

hat old women genera

ead's Journal, S

September 22, 1749.

ll be run for by A

gold, not exceeding

ill be entitled to

rd to thirteen pence

the neck of any as

ct to the fol

allowed to ride but

er to have a cabba

lumage of white fea

yard-wand, and t

ill be allowed upon

an ass but the rid

motion, under a pen

mes in t

owed to start above

or any that has won

y po

at has been six m

stairs, lest the sa

nigh a town ten mil

ns well known

pence entrance, thre

the old clerk of th

nd att

weight for inches,

y of sports, with "a

larly for the rid

here is rare sport