The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-07-15
Sons of heroes stain at Flodden,
Mel I D r1de ana fr.4a.a nt1r Com m n

league ana covenant.
Down in SCARED and earth-rent old
Cornwall, little, indeed, has been any
manner of change for hundreds OF years.
1t is within the memory of those now
living when old folk were constantly la
mentlng in their ancient language, "Cor-
noack eve all ne cea yer yen pOble
younk"-"Cornish is all forgot with the
young people," But there has been no
one to lament in truth the departure of
OLD customs in the rugged land OF tires,
FOL and Pen" See what a host of these
dear ola drolls and these but few, out
OF hundreds, even a Yankee can lind and
rememb Der: The "Takin' Sunday" when
ali the lads and laSses meet to select
pairdners" for Nazaru cherry Fair,
that most beloved aud ancient fair at
Praze; the ''growder'' selling and grow
der, or scrubbing day; the watching"
over night for The May DAYS coming:
the blessing of apple trees on st. James
Day and at Christmas time; "rook' day
on the great estates, when all the peasant
folk can shoot rocks to their hearts con-
tent and luxuriate in potpie made of the
young rocks for a fortnight thereafter;
'cob-nuttlng," that terocious contest be-
tween Cornish lads, and quite as wonder
fuI kite-tlying by grave old miners; that
lmmemorlal custom of mothers of be-
slowing gifts TO the first person met,
when returning from christening; the
taking the New Year, into houses in
varlably by men first, on account of the
i'll luck always following a woman's acct
dental first entrance, a custom almost as
universal in Scotland, Ireland and some
portions of the north of England; the
saturnalia of flowers at Helston called
Furry (Flora) Day, as ancient as the
duchy itself; and the ''huers" Of CARING
gladden. and Porthminster Hills, St,
Ives, and their horn blowing and BUSH
waving as the shoals of pitchers are
sighted.
Then there are the BeLtain fires, as in
Ireland and the Scottish Highlands, older
than Christianity itself; the "touch-pipe'
or Slesta OF the Cornish miner" above
grass" and below; the "vagrom fairs" or
Wild, barbaric conveying by children of
all VagaDOnd travelling shows: the "wip-
ing OF the shoe" Coy the pilcher-packing
hSh-wlveS of st. Ives, or daublng the
strangers shoes with oil, for which a
half-crown for luck of the fair maids
that feed and clothe the poor the piIch-
ers) must be paid, or hustling or duck
ing will follow; the very ancient harvest
home custom of crying the neck" which
consists OF elevating small Sheaf of the
best heads OF grain three times and crying
The Neck" as a token that the field is
done, and signal for tarmside generos-
lty and jollity; and those quaint old Gus
toms at Cornish funerals of "carryini the
box" (the coffin), "layin' oot' the corpse.
'watchin'," which is nearly equivalent
in all essentials to the Irish wake, the
display of the ''bierers'' (bearersl and
their unique cotfin-tackie, the slow,
weird, psalm chanung professionals to
the churchyard, the wailing of all fe-
males at the church, the compensation of
the 'passon" in coin in the presence OF
the multitude; the final "cheerin' " OF the
a the hnInpc NJ ha totf
the gallons OF "shnaegrum" at the public
house, over which the lamented "Coden
Jack" is paid the highest eulogy known
to Cornish genius, "'E knoiOed tin"
In England generally the great num-
Der of old customs surviving, and almost
prevailing, is far more remarkable to
those who will see, than can the absence
OF their like be either striking or lament
able save to those of completely opaque
vision. In modern London, modern as
Paris, or New York in most of Its cosmo-
pOlltan characteristics, there are no end of
ancient customs still in vogue, especially
among the ancient guilds and among the
extremes OF society, from the coster-
mongers' annual outlandish parade to
the Lord Mayors banquet There is a
no greater nest Of these odd old ceremo-
malls and things than may at any time be
observed in and about Parliament and
the House OF Lords, while, for every
half-dozen court ceremoniais in vogue
during the time of Elizabeth that have
been discarded, any person of intelligence
can point out score equally antique, Gu
rious, and some might insist ridiculous,
which have been dauntleSSly retained,
AS l have previously shown in these
English villages and village life
are in most particulars as charming and
as they were any time at or
beyond century ago. The customs re-
main with these practically the same,
and the change IN essentials is largely in
the Imagination of those who remove to
the cities, and who are themselves SUBJ
ject to such radical change that their for
mer provincial environment seems mean
and deformed from the new and Won
drouS view. But coming directly to the
most important and effective illustration
that can be made, take life in and about
the great English, or for that matter Scot
fish and Irish noblemen's estates. As
British institutions and sociology 90
these provide the highest possible exam
pie. With few eXceptions-Such as the
Of home brewing of ale.
and the provision of a servants hall in
place of the common table-the entire re-
gime of these splendid places remains the
same as in the time when the old robber
barons' fortified stone barrels, with
bitches around them, were Transformed
VI.
In nearly every detail of relations be-
tween lord and tenant, between tenant
and hind, in the management of the home
demeSne, in the force of retainers and
their duties-trom steward or agent, down
past head forester and under foresters.
head gamekeeper, helpers and "beaters,"
head gardener and under gardeners.
lodge-keepers and all house servants
there remains, strong and fixed and SEEM
ingly Interchangeable, every olden custom,
observance, duty, gratuity, and pleasant
or unpleasant association OF master and
man that have, for nearly a quarter of a
thousand years, provided the most inter-
estIng pages of English literature and Sc
cured the almost mistaken admiration,
If not always affection, of those who have
despite all political turmoil, held the
British nation together, all of which is
not in defense of a system, but the state
meut of historic fact and practical illus
tration OF a most interesting sociological
spectacle.
Generalizing, there are innumerabIe
in England peculiar to its peo-
pie which are almost as unconscious as
tadeless. The greatest host of these are of
a hall religious and half social nature
solely the outgrowth of the influence of
the Church of England, which are so
much part of national and individual
life, even among dissenters, that their ex-
lstence Is almost unacceptable among
the people themselves. The single in
stance that the ancient caudle and christ
ening teasts and ceremonies are greatly
revived, and often more extravagant than
in former times, is sufficiently illustra-
tive. l have heard the town crier an
nouncing the arrival OF the coach at old