Lancashire Legends, Traditions, Pageants, Sports, &c./Part 5/Sayings, &c.
POPULAR RHYMES AND PROVERBS.
We take the following, which relate to the north-eastern and north-western borders of Lancashire, from a paper, by Mr A. C. Gibson, Esq., F.S.A., on "Popular Rhymes and Proverbs." As to the prosperous and beautiful village of Bowness, on Windermere—
"New church, old steeple,
Poor town, and proud people."
The Vale of Troutbeck opens upon Windermere about midway between Bowness and Ambleside, and is divided into three Hundreds, each of which maintains a bridge over the stream, a bull for breeding purposes, and a constable for the preservation of order,—severally known as "the Hundred Bridge," &c. Hence the men of Troutbeck are given to astonish strangers by boasting that their little chapelry possessed "three hundred bridges, three hundred bulls, and three hundred constables." It is probable that some revengeful victim of this quibble perpetrated the following:—
"There's three hundred brigs i' Troutbeck,
Three hundred bulls,
Three hundred constables,
And many hundred feuls!"
There is an old school rhyme—
"God made man, man made money;
God made bees, bees made honey;
God made the devil, the devil made sin;
God made a hole to put the devil in."
An old farmer in Furness, whose worldly goods had been subjected to the tender mercies of the law, is said to have added to this the following couplet:—
"But the devil hissel made lawyers and 'turnies,
And placed 'em at U'ston and Dawton in Furness;"
that is, at Ulverston and Dalton, pronounced as in the rhyme. In High Fumess it is said that "the towns are finished and the country unfinished." The first part of this paradoxical adage has arisen from the custom of distinguishing Hawkshead, the only town the district boasts, as "a finished town," because it has shown no increase, either in extent or population, probably for centuries. The second part refers chiefly to the western border of High Furness, where the chapelry of Seathwaite extends along the Lancashire side of the river Duddon, in the upper part of its course, and the scenery is remarkably wild; so that the arrangement, or rather the non-arrangement, of—
"Crags, knolls, and mounds confusedly hurled,
The fragments of an earlier world,"
has given to the minds of certain imaginative observers the impression that the fair work of creation has been left somewhat incomplete there. Wordsworth tells of a traveller who, having arrived at Seathwaite over-night, walked out before breakfast; and being asked, on his return to the little public-house, how far he had been, replied, "As far as it is finished!" The soil and climate of Seathwaite are not favourable to the production of the finer varieties of grain. The high grounds are all sheep pastures, and the "few small crofts of stone-encumbered ground," divided by dry-walls, and attached to each tenement, are devoted to the growth of summer grass and winter fodder for the hardy cattle, and of oats and potatoes for the equally hardy families. This limited range of agricultural produce is remarked upon in two jingling verses, wherein nearly all the farms in Seathwaite are mentioned—
"Newfield and Nettleslack,
Hollinhouse and Longhouse,
Turner Hall and Under-Crag,
Beckhouse, Thrang, and Tongue-house,
Browside, Troutwell, Hinging-house,
Dalehead, and Cockley Beck,
Yan may gedder o' t' wheat they grow,
And nivver fill a peck!"
In the fall of the year, a caller at any Seathwaite farmhouse will notice upon a hanging-shelf, or some such repository, a bundle of what looks rather like dirty straw, but which, on examination, turns out to be half peeled rushes saturated with fat; and are the principal, if not the sole provision made for the supply of light to the household in the evenings of winter. In the dales around Seathwaite a proverbial saying may be heard to the effect that "a Seathwaite candle 's a greased seeve;" seeve being Cumbrian for rush. Another domestic custom in Seathwaithe has given rise to another proverb. The week's meat (generally mutton) is all boiled on the Sunday for broth, and the cold meat is eaten on the other six days of the week. This dried mutton is not very nice when eaten hot, but when cold is excellent; while the broth is simply detestable, so much so, that people in the neighbouring dales, when they find their soup watery, their tea washy, their porridge thin, or their toddy weak, will say—"It's hot and wet, like Seathwaite broth; "implying, of course, that this is all that can be said in its praise. Another saying, "We've no back-doors in Seathwaite," indicates the primitive character of their domestic arrangements, as well as their intolerance of modern household conventionalities. It is quoted by their neighbours to illustrate these wants, and is used also when any person, of homely manners and habits, is expected to observe some unaccustomed requirement of a more advanced state of civilisation. It is said to have had its birth in a Seathwaite youth taking a basket of provision to the front door of a gentleman at Coniston; and on being desired by a servant to go to the back, replying, in a tone of remonstrance, "We've neah back-dooars i' Seeathet!" The road from Cumberland to Furness winds sharply round the foot of the mountain called Black Combe. The people of Broughton-in-Furness hold that nothing good ever came round that nook.
Mr W. Dobson, of Preston, says—"It is a very common expression to say of a person having two houses, even if temporarily, that he has 'Lathom and Knowsley. These were formerly the Lancashire seats of the Earls of Derby. Lathom, on the death of the ninth Earl in 1702, passed by descent to his daughter Lady Ashburnham, and ultimately by sale to the Booth family, the representative of which now owns it. Knowsley passed with the earldom to the heir-male, and is now the seat of the head of the Stanley family. Though separate possessions for above a hundred and fifty years, the expression 'Lathom and Knowsley' still survives. Another proverb relates to one of these houses—'There's been worse stirs than that at Lathom,' alluding, no doubt, to the havoc made there when the Parliamentary forces took it in 1645. This saying comes in when a flitting, a white-washing, or any other domestic 'stir' of an unpleasant nature, makes an apology needful on the score of untidiness and confusion."
Fuller, in his "Worthies," notices only two Lancashire proverbs. The first he gives—"Lancashire fair women," which is doubtless the origin of our more modern phrase of "Lancashire Witches." "I believe" (adds the quaint old worthy) "that the God of nature, having given fair complexions to the women of this county, Art may save her pains (not to say her sins) in endeavouring to better them. But let the females of this county know, that though in the Old Testament express notice be taken of the beauty of many women—Sarah, Rebecca, Rachel, Abigail, Tamar, Abishag, Esther,—yet in the New Testament no mention is made at all of the fairness of any woman; not because they wanted, but because grace is chief gospel beauty. Elizabeth's unblamableness, the Virgin Mary's pondering God's Word, the Canaanitish woman's faith, Mary Magdalen's charity, Lydia's attention to Paul's preaching,—these soul-piercing perfections are far better than skin-deep fairness." The other proverb cited by Fuller is—
"It is written upon a wall in Rome,
'Ribchester was as rich as any town in Christendome!'"
He adds: "We suppose some monumental wall in Rome, as a register whereon the names of principal places were inscribed, then subject to the Roman empire; and probably this Ribchester anciently was some eminent colony (as by pieces of coins and columns, there daily digged out, doth appear). However, at this day, it is not so much as a market-town; but whether decayed by age or destroyed by accident, is uncertain." Antiquarians were formerly much divided in opinion as to whether this was the site of the ancient Roman station Rerigonium, or that of Coccium. This question may now be considered to be set at rest by the discovery of the site of Coccium at Walton-le-dale, by Mr Hardwick, who has fully described it in his "History of Preston."
"As old as Pendle Hill."—"This," says Captain Grose, "is generally understood to mean coeval with the creation; although, if it be, as some have supposed, the effect of a volcano, its first existence may be of a later date."
"If Rivington Pike do wear a hood,
Be sure the day will ne'er be good."
A mist upon Rivington Hill is considered to be a sure sign of foul weather.
"Stop-ford law—no stake, no draw."—Stockport is the place meant, nearly one-half of which borough is in Lancashire. "This proverb," says Grose, "is commonly used to signify that only such as contribute are entitled to drink of the liquor."
"The constable of Openshaw sets beggars in stocks at Manchester."—Grose erroneously puts this among Cheshire proverbs, and adds: "Ray has not given the meaning of this proverb, nor can I guess at it." This, however, may mean that when the constable of Openshaw found Manchester sparks enjoying themselves too freely in his district, he could follow them home, and then have them placed in the stocks for drunkenness and disorderly conduct.
The Lancashire proverbial saying, "As drunk as blazes," is probably corrupted from "as drunk as Blaizers." The day of Bishop Blaize, February 3, the patron saint of the wool-combers, is celebrated every seventh year by a procession of the masters and workmen in the woollen manufacture. The procession is accompanied by music, maskers, morris-dancers, &c., and the festivities of the latter part of the day become, for the most part, drunken orgies. Hence, probably, the origin of the saying.
When a person is much addicted to talking unnecessarily, he is often said to be able to "Talk a horse's leg off;" and there is a variation of this saying which asserts that such a one will "Talk th' leg off a brass pan."
God bless hur! Aw could eyt hur to a thum-butter-cake, that aw cud.
Dun yo think yon chap's o his weft in? He's summat like Owd Calamity wur, when they tee'd him deawn i bed and then shavet his toppin.
He beeats Wrynot; an Wrynot beats the Dule, he does.
It is not the hen that cackles most that lays most eggs.
Jackasses never can sing well, because they pitch their notes too high.
A mouse that has only one hole is easily taken.
A woman's tongue wags like a lamb's tail.
A small house has a wide throat.
Attorneys' houses are built upon the heads of fools.
Those who are doing nothing are doing ill.
Brawling curs never want sore ears.
Truth and sweet oil always come to the top.
It is all in the day's work.
Robin Hood could bear any wind but a thaw wind.
The devil's children always have the devil's luck.
Like a pig's tail—going all day, and nothing done at night.
A wise head makes a still tongue.
Every dog considers himself a lion at home.
One half of the devil's meal runs to bran.
There's no getting white meal out of a coal-sack.
He has none of his chairs at home (i.e., he is wrong in his head).
Don't stretch thy arm further than thy sleeve will reach.
Every herring should hang by its own gills.
They are not all thieves that dogs bark at.
There's more flies caught with honey than alegar.
That man is safest who always serves a good conscience.
A man might as well eat the devil as the broth he's boiled in.
"As thick (friendly) as inkle weavers." Inkle, or beggar's inkle, is a kind of coarse tape, used by cooks to secure meat previously to being spitted; and by farriers to tie round horses' feet, &c. The introduction of this kind of tape was from the Low Countries during the persecutions of the sixteenth century. The traffic was carried on by a few foreign weavers, who kept the secret among themselves; and being of one trade, country, and religion, of course became staunch and familiar friends. Hence the expression.
The proverb, "It is the still (quiet) sow that eats up the draff," is prevalent in Scotland as well as in Lancashire. "As the sow fills the draff sours," also occurs in the North. The dialects of the North counties are very similar to the Lowland Scotch.
If he had as much brass (money) as he has in his face he would be a rich man.
Heart healing reacheth to the bottom of the sore.
The more common the good the better it is.
Envy may have its wish, but will miss its end.
Who more bold than blind Bayard?
One scabbed sheep may infect the whole.
Better late than never.
Enough you've got—then ask for noa more.
It is good to cut our coats according to our cloth.
The burnt child dreads the fire.
Great hopes are quickly dashed.
Hopes come oft in heaps.
Much would have more.
Excessive shows of sorrow spend themselves quickly.
A plain rule—the briefer the better.
Malice seldom underdoes its work.
Home is home, though never so homely.
What men do weakly, God overrules wisely.
'Tis an old proverb, that those that fare well and flit have St Patrick's curse.
They say, self-sore is no sore, but certainly 'tis the worst of sores.
It has become a proverb—Better workmen the worse husbands.
It is an old saying—The soft drop wears the hard stone by frequent falling.
Affliction seldom comes alone.
As a dog or storm drives sheep together, so do afflictions God's people.
Truth seeks not corners, but some causes need shifts.
As dogs set men a-fighting, so wicked people use to stir up strife.
Some may better steal a horse than others look o'er the hedge.
Crosses come with comforts.
Experience is the mother of wisdom.
Prudence saves handsomely what indiscretion spends vainly.
He bites as keen as an otter; he can dinge [indent] iron.
You'll sooner get blood out of a stone, than get him to give you anything.
He's a keen un; he'll flay two cats for one skin.
He'll never get on; his back's too stiff; there's a booan in it at willont bend.
They're as like as two peys [peas]; their wives wouldn't know toan fro' t' other.
He's a good un, is Jack; he never says dee [die].
There's noa good in him, I can see, by t' cast of his een.
As queer as Dick's hat-band, that went nine times round, and wouldn't tie.
He's as deeof as a dur nail; but offer him owt, and he'll hear you a mile off.
Like a cat; always leets on his feet.
It's noa yuse tynin t' yate [shutting the gate] when t' hoss is stown.
When poverty enters the door, love flies out at the window.
Many years ago, during a violent thunderstorm, Jem O' Bradeley's wife asked him to pray. The answer was, "Pray thysel;" and she began, "Thou shalt have no other gods but me." Bradeley, hearing this, declared that he would "be beawt then." This incident gave rise to the now common expression—"If that's all, I'll be Jem O' Bradeley on 't, I'll be beawt."