Part 11 (1/2)
The following curious law was enacted during the reign of Richard I., for the government of those going by sea to the Holy Land: ”He who kills a man on s.h.i.+pboard, shall be bound to the dead body and thrown into the sea; if the man is killed on sh.o.r.e, the slayer shall be bound to the dead body and buried with it. He who shall draw his knife to strike another, or who shall have drawn blood from him, to lose his hand; if he shall have only struck with the palm of the hand, without drawing blood, he shall be thrice ducked in the sea.”
_Curious Historical Coincidence._
The following curious historical coincidence has been remarked in the life of Thomas a-Becket, who was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury by Henry II.:-
The dignity was conferred upon him on a Tuesday; Tuesday brought him face to face with the peers of Northampton; he was banished from England on a Tuesday; he had a celestial visit on a Tuesday, foretelling his ”martyrdom;” he came home from exile on a Tuesday; he was slain at the altar on a Tuesday, and was canonized as a saint on a Tuesday.
_Born within the Sound of Bow Bells._
One of the most celebrated peals of bells in London is that of St.
Mary-le-bow, Cheapside, which forms the basis of a proverbial expression meant to mark emphatically a London nativity. Brand speaks of a substantial endowment by a citizen for the ringing of Bow-bells every morning to wake up the London apprentices.
_Refreshments for the Pulpit._
In the books of Darlington parish church, the following items appear, which show that, in the olden time, provision was made for comforting the inner man:-
”Six quarts of sack to the minister who preached when he had no minister to a.s.sist, 9_s._; for a quart of sack bestowed on Jillett, when he preached, 2_s._ 6_d._; for pint of brandy when George Bell preached here, 1_s._ 4_d._; for a stranger who preached, a dozen of ale. When the Dean of Durham preached here, spent in a treat in the house, 3_s._ 6_d._”
_Birthdays._
It is not generally known that the custom of keeping birthdays is many thousand years old. It is recorded in the fortieth chapter of Genesis, twentieth verse: ”And it came to pa.s.s the third day, which was Pharaoh's birthday, that he made a feast unto all his servants.”
_Toppling Flower Pots._
An Act of Parliament was pa.s.sed to ”put down” the flower pots, ”which were accustomed to topple on the _walkers'_ heads, from the windows of houses wherein flower-fanciers dwelt.”
_Electioneering in 1640._
In Sir Henry Slingsby's diary is the following entry respecting the election at Knaresborough, in 1640: ”There is an evil custom at such elections, to bestow wine on all the town, which cost me sixteen pounds at least.”
_Monks Ordered to Shave._
In the year 1200 the Council of Lateran ordered the monks to shave off their beards, ”lest in the ceremony of receiving the sacrament, the beard might touch the bread and wine, or crumbs and drops fall and stick upon it.”
_Odd Bill for Repairs._
One meets with curious things in the old church registers of England.
The subjoined, in the Record Office of Winchester Cathedral, dated 1182, is certainly unique. It is a bill for work done:-
_s._ _d._ To soldering and repairing St. Joseph, 0 8 To cleaning and ornamenting the Holy Ghost, 0 6 To repairing the Virgin Mary and cleaning the child, 4 8 To s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g a nose on the Devil, and putting in the hair on his head, and placing a new joint in his tail, 5 6
_Antiquity of Riddles._