Lancashire Folk-lore Part 28

[190] Hampson's _Medii aevi Kalend._ i. 289.

[191] See Rev. W. Thornber's _History of Blackpool_.

[192] Baines's _History of Lancashire_.

DYING, DEATH-BED, AND FUNERAL CUSTOMS.

DYING HARDLY.

Persons are said to "die hardly," as the phrase is, meaning to be unable to expire, when there are pigeons' feathers in the bed. Some will not allow dying persons to lie on a feather-bed, because they hold that it very much increases their pain and suffering, and actually r.e.t.a.r.ds their departure. On the other hand, there is a superst.i.tious feeling that it is a great misfortune, nay, even a _judgment_, not to die in a bed.

BURYING IN WOOLLEN.

By a statute of 30 Car. II., stat. I, cap. 3 (1678), ent.i.tled "An act for the lessening the importation of linen from beyond the seas, and the encouragement of the woollen and paper manufactures of the kingdom," it is enacted that the curate of every parish shall keep a register, to be provided at the charge of the parish, wherein to enter all burials and affidavits of persons being buried in woollen; the affidavit to be taken by any justice of the peace, mayor, or such like chief officer, in the parish where the body was interred; and if there be no officer, then by any curate within the city where the corpse was buried (except him in whose parish the corpse was buried), who must administer the oath and set his hand gratis. No affidavit to be necessary for a person dying of the plague. It imposes a fine of 5 for every infringement; one half to go to the informer, and the other half to the poor of the parish. This act was repealed by the 54 Geo. III. cap. 108 (1814). In the parish of Prestwich, the first entry in the book provided for such purposes was in August, 1678; and there is no entry later than 1681, which appears also to be the limit of the act's observance in the adjacent parish of Radcliffe; where the entries immediately follow the record of the burial itself in the registers, and not in a separate book as at Prestwich.

Under the year 1679, is the following entry in the parish register of Radcliffe:--

"An orphan of Ralph Mather's, of Radcliffe, was buried the 9th day of April, and certified to be wound up in woollen only, under the hand of Mr. William Hulme."

In the churchwardens' accounts of Prestwich, for the year 1681, is the following item of receipt:--

"Received a fine of James Crompton, for burying his son, and not bringing in an affidavit, according to the act for burying in woollen, 2 10_s._"[193]

FUNERAL DOLE AND ARVAL CAKE.

In Lancashire, the funeral was formerly celebrated with great profusion in meats and drinks, to which was added in those of the richer sort, what was called a penny dole, or promiscuous distribution of that sum, anciently delivered in silver to the poor. The effect of this custom, says Lucas (as quoted by Dr. Whitaker[194]) was such, that he had seen many "who would rather go seven or eight miles to a penny dole, than earn sixpence in the same time by laudable industry." This custom of distributing a small money alms or dole at funerals still existed in parts of Lancashire within the last fifty years. One s.e.xagenarian informant told the writer that, when a lad, he went to the funeral of a Mr. D., in the hamlet of Swinton, parish of Eccles, and there was what he called "a _dow_, gi'en to every lad and every wench [boy or girl] as went, far and near,--a penny a-piece; and them as carrit a choilt [carried a child] had tuppence." Usually at country funerals, after the interment, the relations first, and next their attendants, threw into the grave sprigs of bay, rosemary, or other odoriferous evergreens, which had been previously distributed amongst them. In some cases, a messenger went round the neighbourhood, "bidding" parties to the funeral, and at each house where he gave the invitation, he left a sprig of rosemary, &c. After the rites at the grave, the company adjourned to a neighbouring public-house, where they were severally presented with a cake and ale, which was called an _arval_. This word seems to have greatly puzzled Dr. Whitaker. It is the Sueo-Gothic _arfol_, which is a compound of _arf_, inheritance, and _ol_, ale,--expressive of a feast given by the heir, at the funeral, on succeeding to the estate. The feast and its name were imparted to us by the Danes, whose _arfwol_ is described by Olaus Wormius as a solemn banquet, celebrated by kings and n.o.bles, in honour of deceased relations, whom they are succeeding.

DALTON-IN-FURNESS.

The most singular mode of conducting funerals prevails at this place. A full meal of bread and cheese and ale is provided at the funeral house; and, after the corpse is interred the parish clerk proclaims, at the grave-side, that the company must repair to some appointed public-house.

Arrived there, they sit down by fours together, and each four is served with two quarts of ale.[195] One half of this is paid for by the conductor of the funeral, and the other half by the company. While they are drinking the ale, the waiter goes round with cakes, serving out one to each guest, which he is expected to carry home.[196]

OLD FUNERAL CUSTOMS AT WARTON.

A singular practice, which was growing obsolete in the time of Lucas (says Dr. Whitaker) once prevailed in the parish of Warton; which was, that most householders were furnished with a kind of family pall, or finely wrought coverlet, to be laid over the bier when the corpse was carried to church. Amongst other funeral customs at Warton, were the great feasting and drinking; the funeral dole, distributed to the poor; the casting of odoriferous herbs into the grave; and the cake and _arval_-ale, already described, pp. 270, 271, _supra_.[197]

FUNERAL CUSTOMS IN THE FYLDE.

When the last offices of respect to a departed friend or neighbour were to be rendered, a whole district, called "their side" of the country, was "bidden" or invited to a.s.sist in carrying the remains to their narrow home. At a stated hour the crowd a.s.sembled, not to mourn with widowed wife or weeping children, but to consume ale and tobacco, and to talk over their farms or trade till all was in readiness to depart for the completion of the obsequies. A particular order was observed. From the door of his former home, and into, and out of, the church, the corpse was carried on the shoulders of four of his relatives--his nearest kinsman, the chief mourner, walking in front with the clergyman.

At the close of the ceremony, after the sprigs of box or rosemary had been deposited on the coffin, each person also adding a sprinkling of dust, the rough voice of the parish clerk was heard grating harshly in that solemn moment, inviting the "bidden" to show further their respect to the deceased by partaking of a dinner provided at the village inn.

How the day terminated may be supposed, and indeed was a matter of sad notoriety. Indeed, it was not very unusual to see those who were to convey the dead to the sepulchre, tottering from intoxication under their sad burden. The best features of these old-time funerals were that doles in money were distributed to the aged and the very young; the poor were fed, and sometimes warm cloaks or other useful articles of attire were given, to be worn in memory of the departed.[198] Fifty-five years ago, says Mr. Thornber, writing in 1837, the more respectable portion of the inhabitants of Poulton were buried by candle-light--a custom long observed by some of the oldest families in the town. It was regarded as a sacred duty to expose a lighted candle in the window of every house as the corpse pa.s.sed through the streets towards the church for interment; and he was poor indeed who did not pay this tribute of respect to the dead. So late as 1813 this church was strewed with rushes.

MODE OF BURIAL OF A WIDOW WHO HAD TAKEN RELIGIOUS VOWS.

A daughter of William Balderstone, of Balderstone, in her widowhood, makes a will of which the following is the commencement:--"Seventh day of January, 1497. I, Dame Jane Pilkington, widow, make and ordain this my last will and testament: First, I bequeath my bodye to be buried in y^e Nunnes Quire of Monketon, in my habit, holding my hand upon my breast, with my ring upon my finger, having taken in my resolves the mantel and the ring," &c.[199]

FUNERAL CUSTOMS IN EAST LANCASHIRE.

In _Nicholas a.s.sheton's Journal_, he mentions that the corpse of a Mrs.

Starkie was carried to church by four relatives; there was a sermon, and afterwards dinner, forty messes being provided for. On this, Dr.

Whitaker remarks:--"An ancient usage. The nearest relations always took up the corpse at the door; and once more, if the distance was considerable, at the church gates. By forty messes, I suppose are to be understood so many dishes of meat." The editor (the Rev. Canon Raines) adds:--"This custom, which appears to be quite patriarchal, is still prevalent in some of the country parishes in South Lancashire. The custom of preaching funeral sermons on the day of the burial is now exploded, although so recently as 1776 the vicar of one of the largest parishes in Lancashire (Rev. John White, B.A., of Blackburn), objected to the building of a church in his parish unless he had 'some compensation made for the funeral sermons to be preached in it.'[200] I should rather understand the forty messes to be dinners provided for forty persons, although funerals in Lancashire at this period were conducted on a scale of prodigality scarcely to be conceived." [_The House and Farm Accounts of the Shuttleworths_ give examples of three burial customs--that of a dole to the poor; at one place 40_s._ 7_d._, at another 57_s._ 4_d._, at a third 47_s._ 8_d._ (?) a penny to each person; that of payment to the clergyman for a funeral sermon, in one case 5_s._; and that of providing dinners for the mourners, chiefly for those from a distance, in one case twenty-four messes of meat cost 58_s._ 8_d._; in another instance seventy dined at 6_d._ the mess or meal, seventy-six and sixty-five at 5_d._; in all 211 persons attending one funeral.--EDS.]

BIDDING TO FUNERALS.

Previously to the formation of cemeteries, and the employment of omnibus-hea.r.s.es, it was customary to invite large numbers to attend funerals. Guests were invited by _dozens_; and as each entered the house where the deceased lay, he was met at the door by a female attendant habited in black, and wearing a white ap.r.o.n, who offered him spiced liquor from a silver tankard. In the house each person was presented with a bun and a slice of currant bread. When the time for closing up the coffin arrived, each took his last look at the corpse and presented a shilling, or more, to the nearest relative of the deceased; who always sat at the head of the coffin for this purpose. In the neighbourhoods of Little Hulton, Peel Yate, Walkden Moor, &c., it was till of late years the custom for two persons to be nominated as "bidders" of guests to a funeral. These went to the various houses of the persons to be invited, and presented to each a sprig of rosemary; which the guest wore or carried in the hand at the funeral. This inviting or "bidding" was usually called "lating" or "lathing;" from the A.-S. verb _Lathian_, to invite, bid, or send for.

SITUATION AND DIRECTION OF GRAVES.

As churches are built to stand about East and West, the greatest s.p.a.ces in the churchyard are the North and South sides of the church.

Throughout Lancashire and the North of England there is a universal superst.i.tion that the south side of the church is the holiest or most consecrated ground, and it may be observed that that side of the graveyard is generally crowded with grave-stones, or green hillocks of turf, while the north side has but few. This is an old superst.i.tion, which held that the north side of the church was really unhallowed ground, fit only to be the last resting place of still-born infants and suicides. Then almost all graves are ranged east and west; and in a rare tract of the Marprelate series, called "_Martin's Month's Mind_" (1589) it is stated that "he would not be laid east and west (for he ever went against the hair), but north and south: I think because 'Ab aquilone omne malum' (from the north comes all evil), and the south wind ever brings corruption with it." The celebrated antiquary Thomas Hearne, left orders for his grave to be made straight by a compa.s.s, due east and west. Sir Thomas Browne[201] observes that "the Persians were buried lying north and south; the Megarians and Phnicians placed their heads to the east; the Athenians, some think, towards the west, which Christians still retain; and Bede will have it to be the posture of our Saviour." One "Article of Inquiry" in a visitation of the Bishop of Ely in 1662, was--"When graves are digged, are they made six feet deep (at the least), and east and west?"

FOOTNOTES:

[193] Rev. John Booker, Prestwich, in _Notes and Queries_, v. 543.

[194] _Richmondshire_, ii. 298.

[195] In many instances, in social feasts, four persons were regarded as a "mess."

[196] The Rev. Mr. Hodgson's _Description of Westmorland_.

[197] Baines's _History of Lancashire_.

[198] Rev. W. Thornber's _History of Blackpool_.

[199] Dr. Whitaker's _Whalley_, addenda.

[200] _Lancashire MSS.--Letters._

[201] In his _Urn Burial_.

CUSTOMS OF MANORS.