The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-03-01
WHIP-DOG DAY.
A Curious Old English Custom and
Its Origin.
From the Field.

From the Field
The custom of whipping dogs out of
church on ST. Luke's day is of very an
cient origin; indeed, some have tried to
make out that it dates from the time of
the Romans, contention with which
Drake does not agree. In the History
of York." volume l, page 306 the tradi-
tional account of the origin is given to the
effect that at time long prior to the re-
formation priest, while celebrating mass
on some festival in some church in York,
dropped the pyx after conservation, and
the wafer was promptly snatched UP and
devoured by a dog which had been lying
concealed under the altar. The profana-
ton of this high mystery occasioned the
death of the dog. A persecution began,
and had since continued on st. Luke's
day Unfortunate the date is not given
on which the priest dropped the pyx, but
it must have been in the very remote
past, as In the middle of the sixteenth
century whipping dogs out of church was
a recognized function and the dog-whip-
per a recognized official. In the church
wardens' accounts for the parish of Work
ninepence was paid to old Verde for whip
ping dogs" while in 1916, for whipping
dogges out of We church for one whole
gear" I'D was paid, while at Reading and
Louth still earlier entries are to be found
In the parish of Trysull, Staffordshire,
John Ridge gave by his will, dated so late
as April II, 1725, shillings a quarter to
pay poor man to go about the parish
church of Trysull during the sermon to
ice lie - -
of church. In the neighboring county OF
Salop, however, John Rudge had been
anticipated, as at Cloverley Richard Dovey
OF Farmcote granted in August 1853, GER
tain premises to John Sanders on certain
conditions. one being that he would pay
yearly the sum of shillings to a poor
man of that parish who would undertake
to awaken sleepers and TO whip out dogs
from the church of Cloverley during divine
service. Here and there lands have been
devised for the endowment of the dog
whippers Office, one instance being near
Chislet in Kent.
If not at the present time, IL was, at all
events the practice until comparatively re-
Gently for the tenants of a certain place
called Dog-Whipper's Marsh to pay SIS
year to a person for keeping order in
church, while from time immemorial there
had been an acre of land in the parish of
IttSfCnufcn, HefeiOfuBn1res winch nad
been appropriated TO the use of person
for keeping dogs out of church, thee per-
son being appointed by the minister and
church wardens. The Rev. ]. Eastwood.
in his History OF Ecclesheld, Yorkshire,
says that the dog-whipper was also known
as the dog-noper. while In the church of
Yougrave, I'm Derbyshlre, the dog-whip-
per's pew was IN existence until the church
was restored between 1868 and 1870, under
the supervision OF Norman Shaw. II is
well known that the custom of taking dogs
20 church Is a very old one; some of the
Dutch artists, in representing the interior
of church, Invariably introduced a dog.
while In Landseer's picture, THE Free
Church." dogs are In evidence. In Peter
borough Cathedral there Is, or was, life
size likeness OF Scarlet, who was sexton,
and In his waistbelt Is thrust his dog
whip, while in church near Blackwell a
dogwhip is preserved The thong is about
three feet long, the short stock is Of ash.
around the handle Of which Is band OF
twisted leather.