Hence it appears that women and girls were fond of attending these diversions. In common with football, cockthrashing is mentioned, in 1409, as a sport then in vogue, on which certain persons used to levy money under pretence of applying it to the purposes of the players. In Smith's Life of the Fourth Lord Berkeley, who died in 1417, speaking of his recreations and delights, he tells the reader, "Hee also would to the threshing of the cocke, pucke with hens blindfolde and the like." Vol. ii. fol. 459. At Pinner, near Harrow, the cruel custom of throwing at cocks was formerly made a matter of public celebrity, as appears by an ancient account of receipts and expenditures. The money collected at this sport was applied in aid of the poor rates. "1682. Received for cocks at Shrovetide, 12s. Od. 1628. Received for cocks in towne, 19s. 10d. Out of towne, 6d." This custom appears to have continued as late as the year 1680. Lysons' Environs, vol. ii. p. 588. Quarles, in his Preface to Argalus and Parthenia, 1629, allusively to the fate of that work, observes: "I have suffered him to live, that he might stand like a Jack-a-Lent, or a Shroving Cake for every one to spend a cudgel at." Grose tells us that, "To whip the cock is a piece of sport practised at wakes, horse-races, and fairs, in Leicestershire: a cock being tied or fastened into a hat or basket, half-a-dozen carters, blindfolded, and armed with their cart-whips, are placed round it, who, after being turned thrice about, begin to whip the cock, which if any one strikes so as to make it cry out, it becomes his property; the joke is that, instead of whipping the cock, they flog each other heartily." Hogarth has satirized this barbarity in the first of the prints called "The Four Stages of Cruelty." Trusler's description is as follows: We have several groupes of boys at their different barbarous diversions; one is throwing at a cock, the universal Shrove-tide amusement, beating the harmless feathered animal to jelly." There is a passage the Newcastle Courant" for March, 15th, 1783. "Leeds, March 11th, 1783: Tuesday se'nnight, being Shrove tide, as a person was amusing himself along with several others, with the barbarous custom of throwing at a cock, at Howden Clough, near Birstal, the stick pitched upon the head of Jonathan Speight, a youth about thirteen years of age, and killed him on the spot. The man was committed to York Castle on Friday." In "Witt's Recreations," 1640, it is thus referred to:

in

How he strutts, how he throwes,
How he swaggers, how he crowes,
As if the day newly brake.

How his mistris cackles,

Thus to find him in shackles,
And ty'd to a pack-threed garter;
Oh the bears and the bulls
Are but corpulent gulls

To the valiant Shrove-tide martyr." The custom of throwing at cocks at Shrove Tuesday was still retained in Mr. Brand's time (1794) at Heston in Middlesex, in a field near the church. Constables (says B.) have been often directed to attend on the occasion, in order to put a stop to so barbarous a custom, but hitherto they have attended in vain. I gathered the following particulars from a person who regretted that in his younger years he had often been a partaker of the sport. The time before Shrove Tuesday, and throws a owner of the cock trains his bird for some stick at him himself, in order to prepare him for the fatal day, by accustoming him to watch the threatened danger, and, by springing aside, avoid the fatal blow.' He holds the poor victim on the spot marked out by a cord fixed to his leg, at the distance of nine or ten yards, so as to be out spot is marked, at the distance of twentyof the way of the stick himself. Another two yards, for the person who throws to stand upon. He has three shys, or throws, for twopence, and wins the cock if he can knock him down and run up and catch him before the bird recovers his legs. The inhuman pastime does not end with the hat, and won a second time by the person cock's life, for when killed it is put into a Broomsticks are who can strike it out. generally used to shy with. The cock, if well trained, eludes the blows of his cruel persecutors for a long time, and thereby clears to his master a considerable sum of money. But I fear lest, by describing the mode of throwing at cocks, I should deserve the censure of Boerhaave on another occasion: To teach the arts of cruelty is equivalent to committing them." This custom was retained in many schools in Scotland within the 18th century. The schoolmasters were said to preside at the battle, and claimed the run-away cocks, called fugees, as their perquisites. Akerman ("Wiltshire Glossary," 1842, in voce) notices this pastime under its local designation of " Cock-Sqwoilin."

In "New

market: or an Esay on the Turf," 1771, vol. ii. p. 174, we read: " In the Northern part of England it is no unusual diversion to tie a rope across a street and let it swing about the distance of ten yards from the ground. To the middle of this a living

the air, a set of young people ride one after another, full speed, under the rope, and rising in their stirrups, catch at the

animal's head, which is close clipped and well soaped in order to elude the grasp. Now he who is able to keepe his seat in the saddle and his hold of the bird's head, so as to carry it off in his hand, bears away the palm, and becomes the noble hero of the day." A print of this barbarous custom may be seen in the "Trionfi, &c. della Venetia"; see also Menestrier, "Traité des Tournois," p. 346. The Shrove-Tuesday's massacre of this useful and spirited creature is now virtually at an end, as are also those monstrous barbarities, the battle royal and Welsh main. Compare Pancakes and Shrove-Tuesday.

Cock Watt, mentioned by Decker in "Jests to make you Merrie," 1607, as "the walking Spirit of Newgate."

Cockle-Bread.-See Hot Cockles. Cockle and Mussel Feast.At the commencement of November, in accordance with a custom of very ancient origin, members of the Clitheroe Corporation assemble at the annual "cockle and mussel feast" for the purpose of choosing a Mayor for the ensuing year. Although this singular title is still retained, cockles and mussels form only an insignificant portion of the entertainment. Coffee-Farthings.

tide.

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See Shrove

Coffin. We have the very coffin of the present age described in Durandus. "Corpus lotum et sindone obvolutum, ac Luculo conditum, Veteres in coenaculis, seu Tricliniis exponebant," Rationale, p. 225. Loculus is a box or chest. Thus in old registers I find coffins called kists, i.q. chests. Gough's Sep. Mon., ii., Introd. In the Squyr of Low Degrè, the King's daughter encloses the hero, her lover, as she supposes, in a maser tré, i.e., a hollow trunk, with three locks. See Embalming, infrâ. "Uncovered coffins of wainscot,' observes Mr. Atkinson, in the "Cleveland Glossary," 1868, were common some years ago, with the initials and figures of the name and age studded on the lid in brass-headed nails; but coffins covered with black are now commonly seen. The coffin is almost never borne on the shoulders, but either suspended by means of towels passed under it, or on short staves provide for the purpose by the undertakers, and which were customarily, in past days, cast into the grave before beginning to fill it up. The author saw one of these bearing staves dug out when redigging an old grave in August, 1863. Men are usually borne by men, women by women, and children by boys and girls according to sex. Women who have died in childbirth have white sheets thrown over

their coffins." Compare Funeral Cus

toms.

Colchester Trump.-See Ruff.

Coldharbour.— A name found in many parts of England, and under the local appellation elsewhere, and most reasonably explained to signify the shelters once existing in different parts of a country, where a disused residence, Roman or otherwise, had been fitted up for the accommodation of travellers content with temporary protection from the weather; and these places usually consisted of apartments with bare walls. The German equivalent is Kalten-harberg. Wright's Domestic Manners and Sentiments, 1862, p. 76.

Collop or Shrove Monday.— In the North of England, and elsewhere, the Monday preceding Shrove Tuesday or Pancake Tuesday, is called Collop Monday; eggs and collops composed an usual dish at dinner on this day, as pancakes do on the following, from which customs they have plainly derived their names. Gentleman's Magazine, 1790, p. 719. It should seem that on Collop Monday they took their leave of flesh in the papal times, which was anciently prepared to last during the winter by salting, drying, and being hung up. Slices of this kind of meat are to this day termed collops in the North, whereas they are called steaks when cut off from fresh or unsalted flesh; a kind of food which I am inclined to think our ances tors seldom tasted in the depth of winter. A collop is a slice of meat or cutlet from an animal, metaphorically a child, in which sense Shakespear and Lyly use it. The etymology is doubtful, unless it is from the old Latin colponer, to cut.

Colt-Pixy.-In Hampshire they give the name of colt-pixy to a supposed spirit or fairy, which, in the shape of a horse, wickers, i.e., neighs, and misleads horses into bogs, &c.

an

inheritance, in common with so many Columbaria. - Pigeon-houses, others, from the ancient Hellenic farmyard, formerly maintained on a very large scale both in England and abroad. There was one at Hawthornden, the seat of Drummond the poet. These monastic and seigniorial adjuncts became very obnoxious by reason of the devastations of the pigeons among the crops and orchards, and their prolific increase. Occasionally the buildings were of an ornamental character; see Otto Jahn, Die Wandgemälde des Columbariums in der Villa Pamfili, München, 1857, with engravings.

Columbine.-Steevens, commenting on the mention of columbine in "Hamlet," says: "From Cutwode's 'Caltha Poetarum,' 1599, it should seem as if this flower was the emblem of cuckoldom:

'The blue cornuted columbine,
Like to the crooked horns of Acheloy.'"

living thing unto him. There are likewise certain daies and houres that they observe in this purpose. These things being all ready and prepared, circles are made, triangular, quadrangular, round, double, or single, according to the form of the apparition they crave. But to speak of the diverse formes of the circles, of the innumerable characters and crosses that are within and without, and out-through the same; of the diverse forms of apparitions that the craftie spirit illudes them with, and of all such particulars in that action, I remit it over to many that have busied their heads in describing of the same, as being but curious and altogether unprofitable. And this farre only I touch, that, when the conjured spirit appeares, which will not be while after many circumstances long prayers, and much mutterings, and murmurings of the conjurers, like a papiste prieste dispatching a hunting mass-how soon, I say, he appears, if they have missed one jote of all their rites: or if any of their feete once slyd over the circle, through terror of this fearful apparition, he paies himself at that time, in his owne hand, of that due debt which they ought him and otherwise would have delaled longer to have paied him: I meane, he carries them with him, body and soul. If this be not now a just cause to make them weary of these formes of conjuration, I leave it to you to judge upon; considering the longsomeness of the labour, the precise keeping of daies and houres' (as I have said), the terribleness of the apparition and the present peril that they stand in, in missing the least circumstance or freite that they ought to observe: and, on the other part, the devill is glad to moove them to a plaine and square dealing with them as I said before." This," Grose observes, "is a pretty accurate description of this mode of conjuration, styled the circular method; but, with all due respect to his Majesty's learning, square and triangular circles are figures not to be found in Euclid or any of the common writers on geometry. But perhaps King James learnt his mathematics from the same system as Doctor Sacheverell, who, in one of his speeches or sermons, made use of the following simile: They concur like parallel lines, meeting in center.'"'

one common

Conjuror.-Scot tells us that with regard to conjurors, "The circles by which they defend themselves are commonly nine foot in breadth, but the Eastern magicians must give seven." Discovery, ed. 1665, 72. Melton, speaking of conjurors, says, "They always observe the time of the moone before they set their figure, and when they set their figure and spread

their circle, first exorcise the wine and water, which they sprinkle on their circle, then mumble in an unknown language. Doe they not crosse and exorcise their surplus, their silver wand, gowne, cap, and every instrument they use about their blacke and damnable art? Nay, they crosse the place whereon they stand, because they think the Devil hath no power to come to it, when they have blest it." Astrologaster, 1620, p. 16. The following passage occurs in Dekker's Strange Horse Race," 1613, sign. D 3, "He darting an eye upon them, able to counfound a thousand conjurors in their own circles (though with a wet finger they could fetch up a little devill).' "" Allusions to this character are not uncommon in our old plays. In " Albumazar," a comedy,

1615:

"He tels of lost plate, horses, and straye cattell

Directly, as he had stolne them all himselfe."

Again, in "Ram Alley," 1611:

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Fortune-teller, a petty rogue That never saw five shillings in a heape, Will take upon him to divine Men's fate, Yet never knows himselfe shall dy a beggar,

Or be hanged up for pilfering tablecloaths,

Shirts, and smocks, hanged out to dry on hedges."

In Osborne's " Advice to his Son," 1656, p. 100, speaking of the soldiery, that author says, they, like the spirits of conjurors, do oftentimes teare their masters and raisers in pieces, for want of other imployment.' Butler says of his conjuror that he could

"Chase evil spirits away by dint Of cickle, horse-shoes, hollow flint." Haunted House," has introduced a rather Addison, in his "Drummer, or the apposite scene:

"Gardn. Prithee, John, what sort of acreature is a conjuror?

Butl. Why he's made much as other men are, if it was not for his long grey beard. His beard is at least half a yard long: he'sdressed in a strange dark cloke, as black as a cole. He has a long white wand in his hand.

Coachm. I fancy 'tis made out of witchelm.

Gard. I warrant you if the ghost appears. he'll whisk ye that wand before his eyes, and strike you the drum-stick out of his hand.

Butl. No; the wand, look ye, is to make a circle; and if he once gets the ghost in a circle, then he has him. A circle, you must know, is a conjuror's trap.

Coach. But what will he do with him, when he has him there?

Butl. Why then he'll overpower him with his learning.

Gard. If he can once compass him and get him in Lob's pound, he'll make nothing of him, but speak a few hard words to him, and perhaps bind him over to his good behaviour for a thousand years. Coachm. Ay, ay he'll send him packing to his grave again with a flea in his ear, I warrant him.

Butl. But if the conjuror be but well paid, he'll take pains upon the ghost and fay him, look ye, in the Red Sea and then he's laid for ever.

Butl. As for that, Peter, you may be sure that the steward has made his bargain with the cunning man before-hand, that he shall stand to all costs and damages."

Conquering. This is a game in which schoolboys fit snail-shells together, point to point, and whichever succeeds in breaking the other, is said to be the conqueror. One shell is occasionally the hero, in this way, of a hundred battles, the strength of the shells being very unequal. Consummation. In the time of Montaigne, at least, it grew to be a belief in France that when any ill-will or jealousy existed against the husband, the latter might counteract the malignant influence by repeating a certain charm three times, tying at each turn a ribbon, with a medal attached to it, round his middle, the said medal or plate being inscribed with cabalistic characters. The plate was to be placed exactly upon the reins, and the third and last time was to be securely fastened, that it could not slip off, care being also taken to spread a gown on the bed, so as to cover both the man and the woman. We do not hear of any English analogue; yet it is a class of usage which might easily pass into desuetude and oblivion. The same writer has in his graphic and candid fashion adduced many other illustrations of nuptial practices in his country during the sixteenth century; but they fall outside our immediate range. Essays, by Hazlitt, 1902, i., 99. Compare Amulets, suprâ.

in

Pliny. "Aruspices religiosum Coralli gestamen amoliendis periculis arbitrantur: et Surculi Lnfantiæ alligati tutelam habere creduntur." It was thought too to preserve and fasten the teeth men. In Bartholomeus "de Proprietatibus Rerum,' we read : "Wytches tell, that this stone (coral) withstondeth lyghtenynge.--It putteth of lyghtnyng, whirlwynde, tempeste and stormes fro shyppes and houses that it is in. The red coral helpeth ayenst the fendes gyle and scorne, and ayenst divers wonderous doyng and multiplieth fruite and spedeth begynnyng and ending of causes and of nedes." Coles, in his "Adam in Eden," speaking of coral, says: "It helpeth children to breed their teeth, their gums being rubbed therewith; and to that purpose they have it fastened at the ends of their mantles." And Plat, in his "Jewel-House of Art and Nature," 1594, says, "Coral is good to be hanged about children's necks, as well to rub their gums, as to preserve them from the falling sickness: it hath also some special sympathy with nature, for the best coral being worn about the neck, will turn pale and wan, if the party that wears it be sick, and comes to its health." former colour again, as they recover Scot, in his Discovery of Witchcraft," 1584, says: "The coral pre

serveth such as bear it from fascination or bewitching, and in this respect they are hanged about children's necks. But from whence that superstition is derived, or who invented the lye I know not: but I see how ready the people are to give credit thereunto by the multitude of corrals that were employed." Steevens informs us that there appears to have been an old superstition that coral would change its colour and look pale when the wearer of it was sick. Reed's Shakespear, vii., 308. So in the play of "The Three Ladies of London," 1584:

"You must say jet will take up a straw, amber will make one fat, Coral will look pale when you be sick,

and chrystal will stanch blood." In Erondel's "French Garden," 1605, edit. 1621, signat. H 2, in a dialogue relative to the dress of a child, we have another proof of the long continuance of this custom: "You need not give him his corall with the small golden chayne, for I beleeve it is better to let him sleepe untill the afternoone."

Corby Pole Fair.-See Fairs.

Cork. Throwing the Dart by the Mayor of Cork, an annual usage. See Illustrated London News, June 2, 1855. Cornichon-va-devant. A kind of game played in France in the sixteenth century, of which the precise nature is uncertain, and therefore whether there is or