The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-07-27
MEDIEVAL LONDON.
ssme Of fhe oaesr Diversions and Pa
geanss Of Thoee Times.

Bome OF the oneer Diversions and Pa
geants Of Those Timsa
II medieval London was city OF hard
work, 1t was also city Of play In plenty.
London citizens, old and young. have al
ways delighted beyond measurein games,
shows. sports and amusements Of every
kind. There were many holidays and
sunday was not day Of gloom.
The calendar Of sport begins with the
first day Of the year, and ends with the
last day.
The year began with New Years gifts:
these eifes the husband gives his wife ana
father exc the child.
And master on his men bestovs the like with
And good beginning Of the year they wish and
According TO the ancient guise Of besthep peo-
pie vAine.
These eight days no man dom require his
dsutcs o. any mD;
Their tables 20 JheY fur1iso f1fth Vith ell he
the meet fneY con.
There vac ska;ink and Gliding upen he
dee 10 MoorefAI6s. enAfa the shallow
ponds troEe saatiy; or they played Of
"quarterstaR Of hockiDo. a. sins1e stick.
at football and - enckleD. n the evsn.
ing they played a. catds and "tAblee sod
dice.
Sow men ard aAetdD o. 0SrYy mare
AtstcoI.hall snd o. eAxihy break.
On shrove 1ubsda2 they had cock light
ing. sport continued With unabated
popularity until within tho memory Of
man-nar, It Il Pumored that be who
knows where TO look for it may still enjoy
that humanizlng spectacle. Every FRI
day In Lent the young men went forth TO
Smithfeld and held mock fights, but the
custom was In time discontinued; at
Easter they had boat tournaments. At
this holy season also they had boar tights,
and the batting Of bulls and bears. They
had stage plays - the parish clerk in
Chaucer played Herod ON Q scaffold
high" In 1891 the parish clerks had
play at SINNERS Well, Smitbfield, which
lasted for three days. In 1903 they repre-
scented the creation Of the world, and IL
LASTED eight days.
Then there were the pageants, shows
and rulings in tue city. Whenever an ex-
cuse could be found. the mayor, sheriffs
and aldermen held solemn riding In all
their bravery. Not even in Client or Ant
werp we're there such splendid rulings
and so many Of them. Search all chroni-
cles," says an old writer, all histories
and records, in what language or letter
soever. let the inquisitive man waste the
deere treasures Of his time and eyesight,
he shall conclude his life only in the GER
ttainty that there is no subject received
into the place Of his government with the
Alike style and magniticence as is the Lord
Mayor Of the City Of London" We shall
see later on what kind OF show would be
iheld inNthe time OF Queen Elizabeth.
As for pageants, they were SO splendid
that he was unhappy, indeed, who could
mot remember one. But there were few
$50 unfortunate. Whenever the king paid
"A visit 10 the city, on his accession, on his
marriage, on the birth Of o prince, the
city held pageant. Wien you read the
account OF the pageant when Henry v.
and tie city returned thanks for the vic
tory Of Agincourt, remember to cover in
imagination the houses with scarlet cloth,
to dress the people with such bravery OF
attire and such colors as you can imagine,
TO let music play at every corner to let
the horses be appareled as bravey as
their riders to let the bells be pealing aud
clashing. to ill up the narrative with the
things which the historian neglects and
then own that III the matter OF pageants
we are poor, indeed, compared with our
forefatLers 500 years ago.
OF ecclesiastical functions and process
sions ! say little. The people belonging tc
the church as well as the churches them
selves, were in every street ard in every
function. At funerals there followed the
Brotherhood Of Sixty. the singing clerks
and the old priests OF the Papey singing
psalms for the dead, and see, here Is d
company Of 40 They are not Londoners,
! they are Dutchmen; and they have come
across the sea-such are they amenities
OF medieval piety-to Aagellate them
selves for the sins Of this city. Win the
English follow their example2 For there
are sins to be expiated even at Amster-
dam. They are stripped TO the waist
every man Ii armed with whip, and is
belaborinR the man In front 1t is q NOV
ing spectacle. London can not choose but
repent The tears should be running
down the cheeks OF topper, tosspot and
rorere." Alas We hear ofno tears. The
Dutchmen have to go home again, and
may, II they please, tiagellate them
selves for their own good. leaving London
tmpenitent-Walter Besant in Harper's
Magazine.