The Scouring of the White Horse

ng about his ways. It was a splendid morning, not a cloud to be seen. I found the fogger strapping away at the horses. Everybody had been up and about since daylight, to get th

I was thinking of if I could help it. However, when he brought out the old brown horse t

id the fogger, stopping his hissing and rubbing for a

t by a high goer, so I asked him

unt o’ vivteen stun. Be you to ride un

ast I think

loose tooth, Sir?”

said I

shake un out for ’ee, Sir, if you l

r-wheel, for I didn’t like to leave Miss Lucy all alone with the Parson for so long; but then I found out that one of the carter-boys was to go behind to look after the horses, and I didn’t choose to be put up sid

hould have had to pretend I was going to ride, or they might have found out that I didn’t quite like the notion. I was very glad when I saw him fairly off after breakfast,

emembered how kind he had been the night before. And I felt, too, that if he really was making up to her there was very little chance for me, so I had better make up my min

d could follow it all the way up to the Castle. After a bit I fell in with groups of people, all going the same way; and so, following on with them, after about an hour’s walk, I came to the foot of the hills; and found a pretty lit

k, and took the pieces of wood out of the holes. Then there was some talk between the young men and[150] their sweethearts, and first one and then another stooped down and blew into the hole at the top, and the stone made a dull moaning sound, unlike any thing I had ever heard. The landlord told m

not a very good one; so I soon began to pass the gigs and carts, most of which had to stop every hundred yards or so, to let the horses and donkeys get their wind. Half-way up, in the worst part of the hill, I found an old huckstering woman and a boy in great trouble. They had a little cart laden with poles and boards for a

awt[29] up? Do’ee lend a help, the

and we had another fight with him. My blood got up at his obstinacy; I don’t believe there ever was another such a donkey in the world; so the more he backed and sidled, the more I and the old woman and the boy fought. A

so, when a fine dog-cart on high wheels came up. I heard the gentlemen in it talking and laughing as they came

an call out; “now do’ee stop some o’ the chaps, and tell ’em to help. I

y voice, which I thought I had heard before; and, looking

nuts and brandy-balls. So I loaned neighbour Tharne’s cart as he fetches coals from the canal wi’, and his ass—and

his dog-cart and giving the reins to the one who was beside him. “Ah, good morning,”

op him making for the ditch;” and away went Master Neddy scrambling up hill, for he found that the cart was coming over his back if he didn’t m

aight now. Do’ee hev summat to suck now, or some nuts, and this kind gentleman too

id he, “haven’t you made me ill often enou

call ’em names

1

ore all the small boys are poisoned. I can give you a

having me there; and I felt very pleased, as we bowled along the Ridgeway, passing all the people who had been laughing at

and hospital staff, in his wars against the Danes, when they were strong young traps); but from one and all there rose up a hum of broad Berkshire, and merry laughter, as we shot by them. Sometimes a yeoman in his gig, or on his stout hackney, would try to keep up with

wo other farmers, carrying a lot of little

n, Sir,” said I, “

liged to you for helping poor old Betty—she’s a good struggling old widow body in our village; I’ve k

his hat, “I think so—there’s a smar

r George to me, “I won’t forget the song for

horse?”[156] said Joe, looking

id I, “I prefer it

hamed of the old horse’s long rough coat—I

the sort,” said I, glad enough t

long with one of our y

lift,” said I; and th

fall on your legs,” said h

but I didn’t get on much with them, they’re not so f

flags right along for half a mile, and the finish is to be up there by the side of the Castle,

1

ld like to go and see what

ll look after you when we’ve d

works, and scrambled over the outer bank, and down into the deep ditch, and up the inner bank, and stood there on the top, lo

the slack rope, and turning head over heels at the end of each swing. And every show had its own music, if it were only a drum and pan pipes, and all the musicians were playing, as loud as they could play, different tunes. Then, on the east side, were the great booths of the publicans, all decked out now with flowers and cheap flags, with their skittle-grounds behind; and lots of gypsies, and other tramps, with their “three sticks a penny,” and other games. The west side was only occupied, as I said before, by the great white tent of the County Police, where the Committee wer

1

rier, I found out afterwards) with his hand full of papers, and the other carrying a gong, which he began to beat loud enough

sts. Oh yes! oh yes! the umpires’ lists are open in the tent, and names may be entered from now till half-past twelve. Oh yes!

d see some of the men and boys, who had been standing round, sidling off towards the great tent to ente

and, after a word or two with them, would enter his name on one or more of the lists, and then come out, sometimes grinning, but generally looking as if he were half ashamed of himself. I remarked more and more through the day what a shy, shamefaced fellow the

eraged about eleven stone in weight, and five feet eight inches in height; but they looked a very tough race; and I could quite believe, while looking at them, what Joe told me one[161] day—“Though there’s plenty of quicker m

to the rear he would probably have lived. He fought till the last Russian vanished along the distant road, and over the bridge heaped with slain, like a gallant Berkshire lad—and then went to hospital and died of his wounds within a week. The second lies before Sebastopol in the advanced trenches of the right attack. The third, the young artilleryman, went through the whole war, and after escaping bayonet and shot and s

h as he; and should be glad for my part to pay something towards it, if the Chancellor of the Exchequer, or somebody, would find out a way to set this right. Or perhaps if this should ever meet the eye of th

enter, and were larking and pushing one another about; and I saw several good trials of[

ng carter with his hat full of ribbons, of a tight-made, neatly-dressed

epherd

arter, “thee shouldst go i

d militia-trousers. He had been turning the matter over in his own mind for some time, and now, after looking the

ile[30] wi’ th

ornful, but was ready to try a file; but he stipulated that Mose must borrow some shoes instead of h

1

out towards the shepherd, who, not deigning to take one hand out of his pocket, caught Mose’s elbow with the other. After one or two awkward attempts, and narrowly escaping some well-meant trips, Mose bored in; and before the shepherd could seize the militiaman’s collar with

w the militiaman in th

n Moses Tilling—youn

began. The luncheon I managed easily enough, for I went over to the great booth in which I had dined the day before, and sat down at the long table, where Peter welcomed me, and soon gave me as muc

to a fine open carriage, and hearing a shout of merry laughter, looked up. There were a party at lunch; two ladies and some quite young girls inside, some boys on the box, and several

y lady,” said the old woman; “let the Nor

1

the little girls glanced at the lady

can read it all in your eyes. There’s a dark gentleman, and a light gentleman, who’ll both be coming before long; there’ll be sore hearts over it, but the richest will win b

all at once, and as if I was where I had no right to be. But she didn’t look the least annoyed, and I was passing on, when I saw that Mr. Warton was amongst the gentlemen on the other side of the carriage. “Ah,” thought I, “

er rode after

here are they? I haven’t

said he; “feeding,

since they were children together, but somehow that didn’t seem to me to mend the matter much. And then again, when Joe got up, and said it was time to move, for the sports would be just beginning, nothing would serve her but to walk off to Wayland Smith’s cave. I wonder whether she did it a little bit to provoke me;

see the cart-horse race, and then back again into the Castle for the jingling match, and then out on the other side to the manger for the cheese races, and so on backwards and forwards; seeing the beginning of one sport,

eir tent in a body, each man carrying the lists of the entries for the sports over which he was to preside. But instead of going different[169] ways, each to his own business, the

rutal at these sports. We have settled, however, to give the old-fashioned games a fair trial; and it will rest with yourselves whether we shall ever be able to offer prizes for them again. For, depend upon it, if there is any savage work to-day, if you lose your tempers, and strike or kick one another unfairly, you will never see

ing a very large crowd round the sta

and two old gamesters at wrastlin’, wanted to put to.” But I suppose the chairman’s speech had rather

amesters?” I asked

irst prize at any revel,” answ

n the stage, and blew an old French hunting-horn, till the young ones began to laugh; and then told the men

ing up, pitched on to it his stumpy black hat, and then climbed up after it himself, spoke a word to the umpires, and began handling the s

him before, “the only remaining representative of the old challenger at tourneys ready t

ould say more than the

rate,” said he; “somehow thus;” and he

ZUMMERZETSHIRE

a Zummerze

to hev a

1

y a bout? I

n or moth

I

amster owl

droo all the

lusty Bar

yead hev o

I

a bout o vr

hould to a

wur only mea

r mazzards br

common blow of a stick. But now that the ice was broken, his challenge was soon answered; and George Gregory, of Stratton, one of the best mowers in the Vale, appeared to uphold the honour of Berks and Wilts. He

re going to wrestle to the umpires, for approval; and stood at the ropes, ready to begin as soon as the first bout at backsword was over. The

all the points of each other’s play in a dozen rapid exchanges; the skill and power which every turn of the wrist showed; and the absolute indifference with which they treated any chance blow which fell on arm or shoulder, made it really a grand sight; and with all my prejudices I

hundred voices shouting to the umpires every moment to stop this or that practice. Besides, the kicking, which is allowed at elbow and collar wrestling, makes it look brutal very of

od!” The men stopped; Gregory put up his hand to his hair, found that the blood was really coming, and then dropped his stick a

1

just coming off, and so following the crowd,

y up and down, trying to get the people to keep back behind the flags. The line was, on the whole, pretty well kept; but as the crowd got thicker every minute, every now and then a woman with two or three children would wander out to esc

or six were all ready; the great horses in their[176] thill harness, which jingled and rattled with every movement; and the carters perched up in the middle of the wood and leather and brass, in their white smock-frocks, with the brims of their break-of-days turned up in f

he next

his spurs and changing his whip for a common long carter’s whip. Then Dairymaid is passed, and then one other horse; eight in all. Two of the Committee gallop down in front to clear the course for the[177] last time; the word “Off” is given; and away go the great steeds in furious plunging gallop, making the whole hill shake beneath them, and looking (as I heard one of the Oxford scholars remark) like a charge of German kn

er at his pursuers. But the race is not always to the swift, at least not to those who are swiftest at starting. Half-way up the course, Dairymaid ceases to gain; then she shows signs of distress,[178] and scarcely answers to Joe’s persuasions. “King of the Isle” is creeping up to her—the carter shakes his bridle, and begins to ply his long cart-whip—they are

p has only done him harm, whereas the carter’s knowledge of what his steed’s real powers are

ore the ruck; and old Joe creeps away,

carter was explaining[179] something about the race. But I couldn’t stay to listen, for I heard that the races for the “prime coated Berkshire fives” (as they called the cheeses), were just coming off;

d never break their limbs down that break-neck place. The gypsies dodged about, and kept out of their reach, and the farmer remonstrated, but the wild women still persevered. Then, losing all patience, he would turn and poise the wheel,[180] ready to push it over the brow, when a shout from the bystanders warns him to pause, and, a little way down the hill, just in the line of the race, appear two or three giggling lasses, hauled along by their sweethearts, and bent on getting a very good view. Luckily at this moment the Chairman ap

ay down the manger. Here the sheep-walks, which run temptingly along the sides of the manger, but if they would look forward will take the runners very little nearer the bottom where the wheel lies, mislead many; and amongst the rest, the fleetest of the gypsies, who makes off at full speed along one of them. Two or three men go still boldly down the steep descent, falling and picking themselves up again; and Jonathan Legg, of Childrey, is the first of these. He has now gained the flat ground at th

1

a heavy-looking fellow, standing some five feet up the pole, with one foot in a noose of cord depending from a large gimlet, and the other leg hooked round the pole. He held in his right hand another large gimlet, which he was preparing to screw into the pole to support a second noose, and gazed stolidly down at a Committee-man, who wa

old gray-headed man, who was leaning on his st

1

d he, “I dwon’t kna

it fair cli

y, climin’ maypowls a deal higher nor that, dree at a time. But now-a-

y maypoles ab

rs wur the Longcott one, and Parson Watts of Uffington had he sawed up nigh f

a maypole! Why

s round about. Zo, one cluttery[34] night in November, thirty of our Ashbury chaps thay started down to Longcott, and du

1

! Why, how big

uver the tops o’ the housen. But zoon arter a wur put up, the Uffington chaps cum up, and tuk and carried ’un down ther’. Ther’ was a smartish row or two about ’un at Uffington arter that, but they watched ’un ni

again close under the stage. Now, and throughout the day, I found no flagging there; whenever I passed there was the crowd of men standing round, and the old and young gamesters hard at

would probably not even have to wrestle at all; for his own men were throwing all the gamesters of the other parishes, and of course would give up to him when it came to the

broken head in public. But, for the chief prize, matters are going hard with Berks and Wilts. The Somersetshire old gamesters have won two heads

1

he only Berkshire man in; for there has been some difference between Berks and Wilts, and Harry’s two mates haven’t entered at all.

bsolutely imperturbable temper. He plays in a blue shirt, thin from age and wear, through which you may see the play of his splendid arms a

y is clearly the finer player, and his adversary feels this at once; and th

he body. He is trying to maim and cow, and not to win by fair brave play. The crowd soon begin to get savage too; upper-cutting is not thought fair in Berks and Wilts; a storm begins

blue shirt is cut through and through, he makes no more of the welts of the heavy stick than if it were a cat’s tail. Between the bouts his face is cheery

vage and wicked-looking as any of the men round them; setting such a bad example, too, as I thought,—whereas it didn’t matter for a fellow like me, who was nobody,—so I shouted, and threw my coppers to old Seeley, and felt as wild as any of them, I do believe. Three bouts, four bouts pass; Harry’s stick gets in oftener and oftener. Has the fellow no blood in him? There it

his yead second bout, mun,

g chaps, as there does to we as drinks beer. Besides, thay drinks vinegar allus for a week afore playin’, which dri

ghts of the whole day. The jingling match seemed a very popular sport, especially with the women. There they were, of all ranks—for I’m certain I saw some young ladies in riding habits, and others in beautiful muslins, whom I, and Jem Fisher, and little Neddy have often seen riding with very great people in the Park, when we have managed to get down to Rotten Row on summer evenings—seated on the grass or standing round the ring, in all s

had the bell tied to his waistband behind, so that he could catch hold of it with his hands, and stop it when he was in danger. Then half the men could see, I’m sure, by the way they carried their heads up in the air, especially one gypsy, who, I think, won the prize at last. The[191] men who couldn’t see were worth watching, for they kept catching and tumbling over one another. One time they made a rush to the rope, just where some of the young ladies were sitting, and, as nearly as co

ich were run over the last half of the same course, on which ten good stiff sets of hurdles, at short distances apart, had been set up. I found a debate going on bet

1

gentry,” said one,—“Whoy, look ’ee here, zur’s one, and yander’s another, wi’ a

umweres, Zur,” said another, looking about for these young

elp that?” sa

o be of any account to ’em,” persisted the first s

ll we do then?” int

ut the ten he was most afraid of. This Giles proceeded to do with a broad grin on his face, and generally seemed to make a good selection. But presently he arri

e, “you’re never goi

’bide along wi’ we chaps. Dwont’ee

a Hampshire man from Kingsclere, the second man, not two feet behind, being a young Wiltshire farmer, who,

them with a crash, and the most wonderful summersaults were executed. The second hurdle finished poor Giles, who charged it manfully, and found himself the next moment on his broad back, gazing

k in, zure enough. He wur a town chap, arter all, as wouldn’t ha’

some gamester who was not forthcoming to play out his tie—“John Giles, if you beant on the stage in five minutes, to put to with James Higgins, you shall lose your head”—through all the cheers and shouts, which rose louder and louder now that every blow or trip might decide the prizes. And while I was sitting, the donkey races were run outs

leaving only a select crowd of old and young gamesters, most of whom had been playing themselves, and whom nothing could drag five yards from the posts unti

he move? You must see the pig-race; come alo

he word “off.” It was thought that this rush down between the double banks, covered thickly with the crowd, would be the finest sight of the race. But the rush never came. Piggy was to have five minutes law, and the Committee-man who went down to turn him out put his snout towards Ashdown Park, and gave him a push in hopes that he would take straight away over the downs, and so get a good start. Of course, he turned right round and came trotting and grunting up towards the Castle, to see what all the bustle could be about. Then the crowd began to shout at him,

vigorous and dismal squeals, till the Committee-men rode in, laying about with their whips; and Farmer Whitfield, springing off, seized Piggy, and in another minute was cantering away with him towards Wayland Smith’s cave. Here he was turned out again for a fair race, and w

walked back to the Castle, that

1

; they may play or not as they like. But Piggy has no choice, and to let him run the r

think it was, certa

rate just as well as a Christian. Any one who knows the language can tell you just what he is saying. Well,” he went on, “

fterwards, with the other

OF THE H

others, mot

ves yer l

s among t

a tale o

gs in year

rkshire ch

n at Kings

olicked v

peg as e’e

litter o

chaps wi’

I to ma

ve a ‘bit

up to U

ts[35] the

zet I on

usand chap

d hollere

, I till I

hollered al

ure as peg

ketched I

—’tis truth

asped I roun

they fel

ought as I

ire (I thenk

tfield rid

o’ all thu

hurt the var

pegs in yea

rends as s

men, vrom H

er hears

ort you be

ear this h

made no r

2

wind, and ti

unt ’em, b

break each

own the m

clim the

tubble year

e never z

greasy ear

ys drough Whit

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