Mythology

14 Battering with massive weapons a cock tied to a stake, is an annual diversion, says an essayist in The Gentleman s Magazine (1737), that for time immemorial has prevailed in this island. A cock has the misfortune to be called in Latin by the same word which signifies a Frenchman. In our wars with France, in former ages, our ingenious forefathers, says he, invented this emblematical way of expressing their derision of, and resentment towards that nation; and poor Monsieur at the stake was pelted by men and boys in a very rough and hostile manner. He instances the same thought at Blenheim House, where, over the portals, is finely carved in stone the figure of a monstrous lion tearing to pieces a harmless cock, which may be justly called a pun in architecture. Considering the many ill consequences, the essayist goes on to observe, that attend this sport, I wonder it has so long subsisted among us. How many warm disputes and bloody quarrels has it occasioned among the surrounding mob! Numbers of arms, legs, and skulls have been broken by the missive weapons designed as destruction to the sufferer in the string. It is dangerous in some places to pass the streets on Shrove Tuesday; tis risking life and limbs to appear abroad that day. It was first introduced by way of contempt to the French, and to exasperate the minds of the people against that nation. Tis a low, mean expression of our rage, even in time of war. One part of this extract is singularly corroborated by a passage in the Newcastle Courant for March 15th, 1783. Leeds, March 11th, 1783: Tuesday se nnight, being Shrove-tide, as a person was amusing himself, along with several others, with the barbarous custom of throwing a cock, at Howdon Clough, near Birstall, the stick pitched upon the head of Jonathan Speight, a youth about thirteen years of age, and killed him on the spot. The man was committed to York Castle on Friday. The following from an old London newspaper shews that the sport of cock-throwing was then declining. The London Daily Advertiser, Wednesday, March 7th, 1759, says: Yesterday being Shrove Tuesday, the orders of the justices in the City and Liberty of Westminster were so well observed that few cocks were seen to be thrown at, so that it is hoped this barbarous custom will be left off. Now throwing was thus the spirit of the day in the old period; if they had not had enough fun from throwing at cocks, they pelted prostitutes and hounded them round the town. We can only conclude that throwing the pancake was a sort of kitchen expression of the sport of the season. (6) GOOD FRIDAY: Hot Cross Buns. Every Good Friday morning the baker does a brisk business in hot cross buns, probably with little interest in the origin of the custom, his eye being rather upon the number sold and the accruing profits. There are three points to be considered: they are the three words themselves buns, cross, and hot. The last mentioned seems to be a mark of modern taste and haste, for in past centuries they were cross buns pure and simple. To eat them piping hot out of the oven is an innovation of comparatively recent date. The sign of the Cross is easily accounted for, seeing it was part and parcel of the ritual of Roman Catholic worship. In a curious and rare book, entitled The Canterburian s Self-Conviction (1640), in the Scottish dialect, no place or printer s name to assist identification, is this passage: They avow that signing with the signe of the Cross at rysing or lying downe, at going out or coming in, at lighting of candles, closing of windowes, or any such action, is not only a pious and profitable

Note: If you are looking for good and high quality web space to host and run your application check Lunarwebhost Clan Web Hosting services