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kneeling on two sharp-pointed stones, before the prior and convent, swear, that, during that time, they had neither repented of their bargain, nor had any dissension, should have a gammon of bacon. The record mentions several persons who claimed and received it; the last I find mentioned is, A. D. 1764, when Mr. and Mrs. Liddal, of the Green Dragon, Harrowgate, took the flitch of bacon oath. The custom ceased either for want of bacon or claimants.

To Denshire, or to Devonshire land.-Devonshire.

To pare the turf from off the surface, and to lay it in heaps and burn it; the ashes have been found greatly to enrich barren land by means of the salt they contain. It was probably first practised in Devonshire; it is now general on barren spungy lands throughout England, previous to ploughing.

"The same again," quoth Mark, of Bell-grave-Leicestershire. Alluding to an ancient militia-officer in Queen Elizabeth's time, who, exercising his company before the lord lieutenant, was so abashed, that after giving the first word of command he could recollect no more, but repeatedly ordered them to do the same again!

The weaver's beef of Colchester.- Essex.

That is, sprats, caught thereabouts, and brought thither in incredible abundance; whereon the poor weavers are frequently

fed.-GROSE.

The devil will not come into Cornwall for fear of being put into a pie.-Cornwall.

The people of Cornwall make pies of almost every eatable, as squabpie, herby-pie, pilchard-pie, mugetty-pie, &c.

The mayor of Altringham lies in bed while his breeches are mending. Cheshire.

As the mayor of every other town must do if he has but one pair, as was said to be the case with this worshipful magistrate.

Tenterden steeple's the cause of Godwin sands.-Kent.

Used when an absurd reason is given for any thing in question; the origin of which is differently explained. One account says, an old man being asked the cause of the rising of this sand, said, that he remembered the building of Tenterden steeple, and that, before it was built, there was no talk of any flats or sands stopping up the haven; therefore Tenterden steeple was the cause of the

destruction of Sandwich harbour. In this he was right, had he been allowed to finish his explanation. Time out of mind money was collected in the county to bank out the sea, and deposited in the hands of the bishop of Rochester; but the sea having been quiet for many years, the bishop applied the money to the building of a steeple, and endowing the church at Tenterden. By this diversion of the funds, the sea afterwards broke in, overflowing Earl Goodwin's lands. So that, by a certain figure of speech, Tenterden steeple was the cause of Godwin

sands.

The visible church; or Harrow-on-the-Hill.-Middlesex. King Charles the Second, speaking on a topic then much agitated among divines of different persuasions, namely, which was the visible church, gave it in favour of Harrow-on-the-Hill; which, he said, he always saw, go where he would.

W.

Weeping Cross.

Archdeacon Nares says, he has found three places so called, and probably there are more: these crosses being places where penitents particularly offered their devotions. Of the three places now retaining the name, one is between Oxford and Banbury; the second, near Stafford, where the road turns off to Walsall; the third, near Shrewsbury. To return by Weeping Cross was proverbial for deeply lamenting an undertaking, and repenting of it; like many other allusions to local names.

"He that goes out with often losse,

At last comes home by Weeping Crosse."

Welch ambassador.

Howell's English Proverbs.

A jocular name for the cuckoo, probably from its migrating hither from Wales.

"Thy sound is like the cuckoo, the Welch ambassador." Trick to Catch, ACT IV.

Wellington round-head.-Somersetshire.

Proverbial formerly in Taunton, for a violent parliamentarian, and the town now gives the ducal title to a celebrated Tory general.

When the daughter is stolen, shut Pepper Gate.-Cheshire. Pepper Gate was formerly a postern on the east side of the city of

Chester. The mayor of the city having his daughter stolen away by a young man, through that gate, whilst she was playing at ball with the other maidens, his worship, out of revenge, caused it to be closed up.

Wiltshire Moon-raker.-Wiltshire.

Some Wiltshire clowns, as the story goes, seeing the moon in a pond, attempted to rake it out.

When do you fetch the five pounds ?—Dorsetshire.

A gibe at the Poolites. A rich merchant of Poole is said to have left five pounds, to be given every year, to set up any man, who had served his apprenticeship in that town, on condition, that he should produce a certificate of his honesty, properly authenticated. The bequest, it is said, has not yet been claimed, and it is a common water joke to ask the crew of a Poole ship, "Whether any one has yet received the five pounds?"

Y.

You were born at Hogs-Norton.-Oxfordshire.

"Properly," says Ray, "called Hoch Norton," but it is now Hook Norton: a village, whose inhabitants were so rustical in their behaviour, that clownish and boorish people were said to be born there.

You are all for the Hoistings, or Hustings.--London.

That is, you all want to be rulers. The Court of Hustings is a principal court in the city of London. It is so named from being hoisted or elevated above the common level.-GROSE.

FAMILIAR PHRASES, SIMILIES, PROVER

BIAL RHYMES, AND OLD SAWS.

He has given him the bag to hold.

Your belly chimes, it's time to go to dinner.

A blot in his escutcheon.

He's in clover.

In easy circumstances.

A Hampshire hog.

A jocular expression for a Hampshire man; Hampshire being famous for a fine breed of hogs, and the excellency of the bacon made there.

A curtain lecture.

Welch cousin.-Welch.

A relation far removed: the Welch are great genealogists, and it is a sorry pedigree among them, that does not reach at least to Noah.

Cream-pot love.

Such as young fellows pretend to dairy-maids, to get cream and other good things from them.

For want of company, welcome trumpery!

That's the cream of the jest.

A clinker.

An inhabitant of the Mint or Clink, formerly a place privileged from arrests; the receptacle of knaves and sharpers of all sorts.

To give one the go-by.

A good fellow lights his candle at both ends.

A horse kiss.

A rude kiss.

Neither lead nor drive.

An old ewe dressed lamb fashion.

Applied to old women, when they affect the áirs and dress of young

people.

He has given him leg bail.

It is a lightening before death.

Generally observed of sick persons, a little before they die.

A king Harry's face.

You'd do well in Lubber land, where they have half a crown

a-day for sleeping.

To look like an owl in an ivy-bush.

To find a mare's nest.

To catch a Tartar.

To come in pudding time.

To go like a bear to a stake.

To have the world in a string.

To make a mountain of a mole-hill.

Billingsgate language.

Such language as the fish wives and other rude people, who flock

to this celebrated mart, use when they fall out.

To nourish a viper in one's bosom.

To pay one in one's own coin.

You have eaten some Hull cheese.

Got drunk.

To rock the cradle in spectacles.

To run a wild-goose chase.

To seek a needle in a bottle of hay.

Jack roast beef.

A jocular name given by the French to the English, whom the former suppose cannot live without roast-beef, plum pudding, por. ter, and punch.

To leave no stone unturned.

They are hand and glove.

To take the wrong sow by the ear.

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