ECCLES GUISING.
The gyst-ale or guising was celebrated in Eccles and the neighbouring townships with much rustic splendour, at the termination of the marling season, when the villagers, with a king at their head, walked in procession with garlands, to which silver-plate was attached, which was
contributed by the principal gentry in the neighbourhood. The object of ambition was to excel in the splendour of their procession, which was conducted with the personages and the circumstances described in the account of gyst-ales. We have, however, a still more curious record of the guisings of Eccles and of the adjacent township of Barton-upon-Irwell in a quaint and exceedingly rare octavo pamphlet of nineteen pages, printed in 1778, and of which Mr William Ford, the Manchester book-seller and antiquary, never saw but one copy. Its title-page runs thus:—"The History of Eccles and Barton's
Contentious Guising War. i. An account of the heathens and ancient Christians observing the first of May having some resemblance to guising. 2. Some fictitious debates bordering within the matter of truth; with an account of these guisings, from the first rise to the present time, between Eccles and Barton, with several entertaining remarks. By F. H**r**g**n."
[? Harrington.]
Barton and Eccles they will not agree,
For envy and pride is the reason, you'll see.
France and Spain with England are the same,
And a great many more compose the ill-natured train.
You, neighbours, over each other do crow,
And now and then turn out to make a great show,
Like England and America do make a great noise:
Be wise, for it only diverts our girls and boys.
