Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-03-23
CONCERNING DOLES
Interesting Review Of an Old
English Custom.
Its Origin-ObIect Of Distributing DOles a
Funerals-SOme Odd Requests Made
by Charitably Disposed PeO-
rle of Wealth.


rle of Wealth.
Feasting at funerals may be traced
back to remote times in the history Of
various nations. Amongst the jews at
an early period we find a commendable
custom prevailing. 1t was the practice
when one OF their race died for the
friends and neighbors to prepare the
feast for the burial. so that those in the
house Of mourning might be spared ad-
ditional trouble in their days OF sorrow.
Under the Greeks and Romans, the FEAST
ing in course of time took the form OF
sumptuous banquets. A redeeming fea-
ture of the usage was the practice OF
giving portion Of the provisions to the
poor-a charitable custom, which in
duced the early fathers OF the church
to continue funeral feasts. ''Doles
were used at funerals" we gather from
ST. Chrysostom. ITO procure the rest OF
the soul of the deceased, that he might
find his Judge propitious." " The Chris
tians were not content merely to give
food; other aims were also distributed.
ST. Chrysostom observes in one of his
homilies: would you honor the deadp
Give aims Under the early Chris
Aians "this festival" according to Mrs
Stone, in Gods Aero, "was of quite
a religious character, generally at the
tomb OF the deceased. There was divine
service; the holy sacrament was ad-
ministered, and collection of aims
made for the poor There was feast,
shared. both by the clergy and people,
but more especially bestowed on the
widow and orphan. The softening In
fiuence of grief was ever directed by
the church into heart-opening channels
OF charity and goodwill. In time the
amount and quantity of such dole'
came to be specially described and ap-
pointed in the will of the dying per
son." The distribution of doles in Eng
land at funerals has come down to com
paratively recent times. Even to the
present day, in not few instances
bread is given at the graves of the per
sons who bequeathed 1t, and in thi
manner a custom is maintained whicl
was instituted before the Christian era.
Torchbearers usually attended funer
ais in the days ofold; they were poor mel
and women, who carried lights befor
the dead, emblematic of the glorife'
existence the departed were to enio,
beyond the grave. These people oftel
received articles of dress in addition t,
food and money. Some interesting de
tails have been recorded in which torch
bearers played an important part w
find 1t stated that Eleanor, Duchess @
Gloucester, in 1899 appointed that fl
teen poor men should bear torches a
her funeral, each having a gown an,
hood lined with white, brooches Of blu
cloth, shoes, and shirt and twent
pounds amongst them"
At soma places. doles were sent t
the homes of the Inhabitants; and bear
ing on this subject there is an import
ant note in the History of Leicester
shire by Nichols. In the account {
Strathern, in Framland Hundred, 1t
stated: ''In 1890 there were four huE
dred and thirty-two inhabitants, th
number taken by the last person VIII
carried about bread, which was give
for dole at a klneral; q custom formerl
common throughout this part of Ene
land, though now fallen much into dii
use. The practice was sometimes
bequeath it by will; but, whether 8
specified or not, the ceremony was SO
dom omitted. On such occasion,
small loaf was sent to every perso
without any distinction OF age or ci
cumstances. and not to receive 1t was
, mark of particular disrespect.
OF the many doles to be distribute
on the tOmbs of donors, few may
named. On the 9th OF October, 170'
died at Hull, William Robinson a gel
! tleman who had formerly filed the Q
fee OF sheriff OF the town, a positiC
only held by the leading inhabitants
: left sufficient money to purchase do
en- loaves of bread, costing a shillir
each, to be given to twelve poor widow
at his grave every Christmas Da
John Smith, OF Acklam, Yorkshir
! died in 1881, and left two pounds p'
annum to the poor of the parish. to
paid on his tombstone. Over the r
mains Of another Yorkshire man,
the churchyard of Kildale, is ton
bearing the inscription as follow
s.Here lyeth the body of JOSEPH DUN
/ who dyed ye 10th day OF March, III
aged so years. He left We poor of K
! dale, xxs. of Commondale, xxs.;
Dandy. xxs.; /; Of Westerdale, xxs. to
paid upon his gravestone by equal pc
: tions on ye LIST May and ye nth Mover
Der for ever"
Two quaint customs are still enact
annually In London on G0od-Frida
tTha 1,fasr NJ gk parfho1nmavi, n