wife entered, he related to her what had happened, and their own cat, which had accompanied her, exclaimed "Is Doldrum dead?" and immediately rushed up the chimney, and was heard of no more. Of course there were numberless conjectures upon such a remarkable event, but the general opinion appears to be that Doldrum had been King of Catland, and that Dildrum was the next heir.D. C.
[A similar legend, current in Northumberland, will be found in "N. & Q.," 1st S. vi. 70.]
St. Cattern's Day. — A paragraph in the Cambridge Chronicle for Dec. 8, 1860, mentions that the carpenters of Chatteris, in the Isle of Ely, had observed the feast of their patron saint, St. Catherine, by assembling together at a trade dinner, &c.Cuthbert Bede.
The Yule-baby.—This was a sweetmeat image which was given to children in commemoration of the Saviour's birth. The custom was observed in Northumberland in 1822. See Davison's History of Alnwick for that year, p. 262.
CHRISTMAS AT EXETER IN 1737.
Some curious notices of Christmas customs at Exeter, in 1737, are to be found in a scarce local work (written in 1737, but not published till 1770), of which the following is the title: —
"The Mobiad: or Battle of the Voice. An Heroi-Comic Poem, sportively satirical; being a briefly historical, natural and lively, free and humorous, description of an Exeter Election. In Six Cantos. Illustrated with such notes as for some readers may be supposed useful. By Democritus Juvenal, Moral Professor of Ridicule, and plaguy-pleasant Fellow of Stingtickle College: vulgarly Andrew Brice, Exon."
From this volume I extract some verses, with their explanatory notes: —
1. Throwing at Cocks at Christmas-time: —
"Less numerous, a white long Winter spies
From glowing Hands hard-kneaded Snowballs rise,
And Truncheons, hurl'd to solemnize the Birth
Divine, maul Cocks less swift with murd'rous mirth."
"Cocks. — To the Credit of Parents, Masters, Constables, and other Overseers, ought it to be over and over mention'd, 'till the detestable Nuisance ceases, that the very wicked Diversion (Horrible! that the Human Nature can ever be diverted with Inhumanity) of Throwing at Cocks, which otherwheres, I think, is thus most barbarously practised but on Shrove-Tuesdays, not only continues here the whole Christmas holy Days, but commences some Weeks before them. It's observable, too, that some of those who are the greatest Sticklers for what they call celebrating the solemn Festival, too much countenance this horrible Pollution of it. For Shame, ye Parents! For Shame, ye School-masters. And why should I not say, For Shame, ye Magistrates, &c. It's recorded of Diogenes, the Cynick, that seeing a Boy commit a Fault, he ran at his Master, and striking him, said, 'Wherefore are your Scholars not better taught?'"
This throwing at cocks at Christmas is an unusual instance of the observance of this barbarous custom, and is not mentioned in Hone's Works, and similar publications. That the custom was continued up to 1770, we may conclude from the above note not being corrected or altered by the author, as is the case with many of the notes in the books. Mr. Brice, I may here observe, was a printer in Exeter, manager of a newspaper, and author of a Topographic Dictionary.
2. Christmas Carols and Christmas-drink: —
"Let Bangs on Stalls, and jollier Wickedness,
Hoots, Drabbing, Fiddling, Swearing, Cavils, cease,
And Brabbles, on the morn when born the Prince of Peace."
"The Christmas-Day Morning is most scandalously abused here by the Particulars above-mentioned, and a hellish Variety of other Wickedness and Outrage. Mean while, some accompanied with Fiddles, others without them, rove about the City, and under Windows sing Carols of Christ, God, and the Holy-Ghost, and so make them in Deeds the Song of the Drunkard. And for such impudent Prophaneness they are rewarded, having not only Christmas Drink, but money to be more drunk with, given 'em, 1787. [But such scandalous Night-Mobbings, &c., &c., have of later years been much suppress'd and nearly quash'd, 1770]."
3. Christmas Mummers: —
"With less Decorum Christmas Mummer struts,
Than on He bears his goodly Grace of Guts,
Though that same Mummer England's Heroe plays,
And Dragon with his Whineard's Flourish slays."
"England's Heroe. — St. George for England. At Christmas are (or at least very lately were) Fellows wont to go about from House to House in Exeter a mumming: one of whom, in a (borrow'd) Holland Shirt, more gorgeously beribbon'd, over his Waistcoat, &c., flourishing a Faulchion, very valiantly entertains the admiring Spectators thus: —
"Oh! here comes I Saint George, a Man of Courage bold,
And with my Spear, I winn'd three Crowns of Gold.
I slew the Dragon, and brought him to the Slaughter;
And by that very means I married Sabra, the beauteous King of Egypt's Daughter.'
4. Christmas Bell-men of the Night: —
"Next Beadles (as in Packs of Cards be Knaves,
Two Couple just) with Brazen-headed Staves,
In tuck'd Blue Vests, and Bonnets Gold of Brim,
(What Turk's Head Sign stares, tho' nmstach'd, so grim ?)
...The Staves they bear...
Not those which in black Winter Nights with Knock
From Rest us startle — but to learn the Clock,
Or feel tremendous Rhyme, in mumbling wise
Croak'd horrible, our tingling Ears chastise,
When dismal Voice, and dismal Clink of Bell,
Inflict Good-Morrow, with Death, Judgement, Hell."
"Beadles. — Those whom we commonly call Stave-bearers, from the Staves with large brazen Heads which they carry in their Hands on Duty. In the Christmas Quarter they become Bell-men of the Night, and thump carefully and frightfully at our Doors, at every Turn repeating, in the most abominable manner that can possibly be conceiv'd a Bull-dog could by the Gift of Speech
