Williams, gilliflowers, and carnations, mignonette, thyme, hyssop, camomile, and rosemary, make up the pious decora tion of this consecrated garden. Turnsoles, pionies, the African marigold, the anemone, and many others I could mention, though beautiful, are never planted on graves, because they are not sweetscented. It is to be observed, however, that this tender custom is sometimes con that where persons have been distinguished for their pride, vanity, or any other unpopular quality, the neighbours whom they may have offended plant these also by stealth upon their graves. In the Easter week most generally the graves are newly dressed, and manured with fresh earth, when such flowers or ever-greens as may be wanted or wished for are planted. In the Whitsuntide holidays, or rather the preceding week, the graves are again looked after, weeded, and otherwise dressed, or if necessary, planted again. It is a very common saying of such persons as employ themselves in thus planting and dressing the graves of their friends, that they are cultivating their own freeholds. This work the nearest relations of the deceased always do with their own hands, and never by servants or hired persons. Should a neighbour assist, he or she never takes, never expects, and indeed is never insulted by the offer of any reward, by those who are acquainted with the ancient customs. Flowers, &c., on Graves in South Wales. Mr. Brand borrowed some notes from Malkin's South Wales, which, though perhaps of no great authority, I scarcely like to disturb: "The bed on which the corpse lies is always strewed with flowers, and the same custom is observed after it is laid in the coffin. They bury much earlier than we do in England; seldom later than the third day, and very frequently on the second. The habit of fill-verted into an instrument of satire; so ing the bed, the coffin, and the room, with sweet-scented flowers, though originating probably in delicacy as well as affection, must of course have a strong tendency to expedite the progress of decay. It is an invariable practice, both by day and night, to watch a corpse; and so firm a hold has this supposed duty gained on their imaginations, that probably there is no instance upon record of a family so unfooling and abandoned as to leave a dead body in the room by itself, for a single minute, in the interval between the death and burial. Such a violation of decency would be remembered for generations. The hospitality of the country is not less remarkable on melancholy than on joyful occasions. The invitations to a funeral are very general and extensive, and the refreshments are not light and taken standing, but substantial and prolonged. Any deficiency in the supply of ale would be as severely censured on this occasion as at a festival. The grave of the deceased is constantly overspread with plucked flowers for a week or two after the funeral. The planting of graves with flowers is confined to the villages and the poorer people. It is perhaps a prettier custom. It is very common to dress the graves on Whitsunday and other festivals, when flowers are to be procured and the frequency of this observance is a good deal affected by the respect in which the deceased was held. My father-in-law's grave in Cowbridge Church has been strowed by his surviving servants every Sunday morning for these twenty years. It is usual for a family not to appear at church till what is called the month's end, when they go in a body, and then are considered as having returned to the common offices of life. It is a very antient and general practice in Glamorgan to plant flowers on the grave; so that many church yards have something like the splendour of a rich and various parterre. Besides this, it is usual to strew the graves with flowers and evergreens, within the church as well as out of it, thrice at least every year, on the same principle of delicate respect as the stones are whitened. No flowers or evergreens are permitted to be planted on graves but such as are sweetscented the pink and polyanthus, sweet : The vulgar practice and illiberal prejudice against old maids and old bachelors subsists among the Welsh in a very disgraceful degree, so that their graves have not unfrequently been planted by some satirical neighbours, not only with rue, but with thistles, nettles, henbane, and other noxious weeds. When a young unmarried person dies, his or her ways to the grave are also strewed with sweet flowers and ever-greens; and on such occasions it is the usual phrase, that those persons are going to their nuptial beds, not to their graves. There seems to be a remarkable coincidence between these people and the ancient Greeks, with respect to the avoiding of ill-omened words. None ever molest the flowers that grow on graves; for it is deemed a kind of sacrilege to do so. A relation or friend will occasionally take a pink, if it can be spared, or a sprig of thyme, from the grave of a beloved or respected person, to wear it in remembrance; but they never take much, lest they should deface the growth on the grave. This custom prevails principally in the most retired villages; and I have been assured, that in such villages where the right of grazing the church yard has been enforced, the practice has alienated the affections of very great numbers from the clergymen and their churches; so that many have become Dissenters for the singularly uncommon reason that they may bury their friends in Dissenting burying-grounds, plant their graves with flowers, and keep them clean and neat, without any danger of their being cropt. The white rose is always planted on a virgin's tomb. The red rose is appropriated to the grave of any person distinguished for goodness, and especially benevolence of character. The natives of the principality pride themselves much on these antient ornaments (the yews) of their church yards; and it is nearly as general a custom in Brecknockshire to decorate the graves of the deceased with slips either of bay or yew, stuck in the green turf, for an emblem of pious remembrance, as it is in Glamorganshire to pay a tribute of similar import, in the cultivation of sweet-scented flowers on the same spot. The graves of Glamorganshire, decorated with flowers and herbs, at once gratify the relations of the departed and please the observer." Flying Coaches.-The older name of the merry-go-round at fairs. They are mentioned in Poor Robin for 1733. See the passage quoted in Nares, Gloss., in v. Flying Machine. The name bestowed on the mail-coaches, which left London to convey passengers along all the great roads in the eighteenth century. It is found described in Coaching Days and Coaching Ways, 1903. Font. The font was usually covered, and the cover was made fast with a lock, in order to guard against malignant influences. There was more reason in the practice which formerly prevailed of securing the poor-boxes in the churches with locks and keys, and even iron plates, not propter sortilegia, but to guard the donations of the charitable against common-place depredators. "Archæologia, vol. x. p. 207-8, where "Gent. Mag." vol. xliv. p. 500 and vol. xlv. p. 13 are cited. The passage requiring this protection to fonts is curious" Fontes baptismales sub sera clausi teneantur propter sortilegia." Fool (Christmas).—In representations of the Fool, who took part in dramatic performances and in sports at festivals, he appears with all the badges of his office; the bauble in his hand, and a coxcomb hood, with asses' ears, on his head. The top of the hood rises into the form of a cock's neck and head, with a bell at the latter and "Minshew's Dictionary," 1617, under the word Coxcomb, observes, that "natural idiots and fools have accustomed and still do accustome themselves to weare in their capes cockes feathers, or a hat with the necke and head of a cock on the top, and a bell thereon." His hood is blue, guarded or edged with yellow at its scalloped bottom, his doublet is red, striped across, or rayed with a deeper red, and edged with yellow, his girdle yellow, his left-side hose yellow, with a red shoe, and his right-side hose blue, soled with red leather. In Gibson's "Memoranda," 1510-11, a charge of a halfpenny is made for a turnyd ladyll spent for the foole," in connection with the Court Revel of the 15th November in that year. It seems from the prologue to Henry the Eighth," that Shakespear's Fools should be dressed "in a long motley coat, guarded with yellow," which is illustrated by a passage in Rowlands: "My sleeves are like some Morris-dauncing fellow, My stockings, ideot-like, red, greene, and yeallow:-" Comp. Nares, Glossary, 1859, in v., for an excellent note on this subject. limits, and they were therefore corrected, or discharged. The latter misfortune happened to Archibald Armstrong, jester to King Charles the First." Rushworth says: "It so happened that, on the 11th of the said March (1637-8), that Archibald, the King's Fool, said to his Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, as he was going to the Council-table, Whea's feule now? doth not your Grace hear the news from Striveling about the Liturgy?' with other words of reflection: this was presently complained of to the Council, which produced the order for his expulsion from Court." There is in Olaus Magnus a delineation of a fool, or jester, with several bells upon his habit, with a bauble in his hand, and he has on his head a hood with asses' ears, a feather, and the resemblance of the comb of a cock. The Lord Mayor of London had his fool. Fool (Domestic).—The following passage occurs in Lodge's "Wit's Miserie," 1596, p. 73: He is like Captain Cloux, Foole of Lyons, that would needs die of the sullens, because his master would entertaine a new foole besides himself." Comp. Newcastle. A character of this kind was the unfortunate person, who might in the good old days be "begged" for a fool, if he was heir to an estate, and had no friends. These abuses were once frequent. See Thoms' Anecdotes and Traditions, 1839, p. 7, and Lyly's Midas (Works, 1858, ii., 74). Fool Plough. In the North of England there is a custom used at or about Shrovetide which, as will be seen, was anciently observed also in the beginning of Lent. The Fool Plough goes about, a pageant that consists of a number of sword dancers dragging a plough, with music, and one, sometimes two. in very strange attire: the Bessy, in the grotesque habit of an old woman, and the fool, almost covered with skins, a hairy cap on, and the tail of some animal hanging from his back. The office of one of these characters, in which he is very assiduous, is to go about rattling a box amongst the spectators of the dance, in which he receives their little donations. It is also called the fond plough, aliter the white plough, so denominated because the gallant young men that compose it appear to be dressed in their shirts without coat or waistcoat) upon which great numbers of ribbands folded into roses are loosely stitched on. It appears to be a very airy habit at this cold season, but they have on warm waistcoats under it. Hutchinson, speaking of the dress of the sword-dancers at Christmas, adds: Others, in the same kind of gay attire, draw about a plough, called the Stot Plough, and, when they receive. the gift, make the exclamation Largess! but if not requited at any house for their appearance, they draw the plough through the pavement, and raise the ground of the front in furrows. I have seen twenty men in the yoke of one plough." He concludes thus: "The stot-plough has been conceived by some to have no other derivation than a mere rural triumph, the plough having ceased from its labour." History of Northumberland, ii., 18. The Fool Plough upon the Continent appears to have been used after the solemn service of Ash Wednesday was over. Hospinian gives a very particular account of it from Naogeorgus, and explains the origin of its name. Fools (Feast of).—See Du Cange, v. Kalendæ, and Du Tilliott, "Memoires pour servir à l'Histoire de la Fête des Foux," 1751 (as well as the present work under April Fools' Day). Du Cange, v. Cervula, Carpentier Supplem. ad Du Cange, ibid. and under Abbas Latitiæ, and Delrio Disquisit. Magis.", L. iii. P. ii. Quæst. 4. Sect. 5, p. 477. See also Hospinian *** de Orig. Fest. Christ." fol. 32 b. where the practice is mentioned nearly in the same words. Foot-Ale.-Grose says. "There is a kind of beverage called Foot-Ale' required from one entering on a new occupation." A person in this position is even now, in many businesses, expected to pay his footing, as it is called, in kind. Auctioneers, when they hold their first sale, are sometimes expected to treat the company all round. Football or Camp. The sport named by Fitzstephen was almost certainly hand-ball. But football was one of the most popular games in the city in the middle ages, and regulations relating to it are found at intervals in the Corporation archives. It was prohibited in the fields near the City as early as 1314. But in 1409 a proclamation of Henry IV. forbad anyone to levy money on pretence of it being for the games of football or cockfighting. Riley's Memorials, 1868, p. 571. In the early part of the fifteenth century there was a gild of the Football Players, and they held their meetings at Brewers Hall. Mr. Stahlschmidt found it recorded in an old MS. book belonging to the Brewers' Company. It is alluded to in a deed of 30 Henry VI. The ballad of Sir Hugh, or, The Jew's Daughter, opens with a scene in which Sir Hugh is playing at the game on Hallowday, when school boys are let out to engage in their amusements: Yesterday was brave Hallowday, And, above all days in the year. The schoolbors all got leave to play, And little Sir Hugh was there. "He kicked the ball with his foot, As to its antiquity two passages in the Sussex Archaeological Collections, cited in Notes and Queries, may be acceptable here:-"In the proof of age of William Selwyne (baptized in 1403), a witness, John Hendyman, aged fifty-four, deposed that he knew the date, because after the baptism, he played football and broke his leg (Inq. post mort., 3 Henry VI., No. 51, cit. xv. S.A.C., 213). Again, as to the age of Robert Tank (baptized 1404), John Coumbes remembers it because he was playing football afterwards and broke his leg (Inq. p. m., 4 Hen. VI., No. 42, cit. xii. S.A.C., 43). Hence it is inferable that the game was not unusually played after christenings. Sir T. Elyot, in his Governor, 1531, decries the sport: "Some men wolde say that in the mediocritie, which I have soo moche praysed in shootynge, why shuld not bouling, claishe pynnes, and koytynge, be as moche commended? Veryly as for the two laste, they be to be vtterly abiected of all noble men, in lyke wyse foote balle, wherein is nothynge but beastely fury, and extreme violence, whereof procedeth hurte, and consequently rancour and malice do remayn with them that be wounded, wherefore it is to be put in perpetual sylence." King Lear having chastised Goneril's steward, the latter replies, "I'll not be struck, my Lord," Nor tripped neither, you base football player," replied the Earl of Kent, trip. ping up his heels. (I. iv.). Ray says that in his time it prevailed most in Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. To Sir Thomas Browne, who came among us from another kingdom of the Octarchy, it was new; and he puts the word camp (or as he spells it, kamp) into his small collection of Norfolk words." The following description is from Forby's "Vocabulary," 1830. The writer says, that in his time two kinds of camp were recognised: rough-play and civil-play. "In the latter there is no boxing. But the following is a general description of it as it was of old, and in some places still continues. Two goals are pitched at the distance of 120 yards from each other. In a line with each are ranged the combatants: for such they truly are. The number on each side is equal; not always the same, but very commonly twelve. They ought to be uniformly dressed in light flannel jackets, distinguished by colours. The ball is deposited exactly in the mid-way. The sign or word is given by an umpire. The two sides, as they are called, rush forward. The sturdiest and most active of each encounter those of the other. The contest for the ball begins, and never ends without black eyes and bloody noses, broken heads or shins, and some serious mischiefs. If the ball can be carried, kicked, or thrown to one of the goals, in spite of all the resistfor one towards the game; which has someance of the other party, it is reckoned times been known to last two or three hours. But the exertion and fatigue of this is excessive . . . The prizes are commonly hats, gloves, shoes, or small sums of money. in a quarter where it might scarcely be looked for: "This rough and, it must be confessed, somewhat dangerous sport, into this country by the Romans, may still originally in all probability introduced towns of South Wales. The balls consist on Shrove Tuesday be witnessed in certain of bulls' bladders protected by a thick covering of leather, and blown tight. Six or eight are made ready for the occasion. of day, at which time all the youths of the Every window in the town is shut by break neighbourhood assemble in the streets. The ball is then thrown up in front of the into two parts, strive with incredible town-hall; and the multitude, dividing ball to the other extremity of the town. eagerness and enthusiasm to kick the footIn the struggle several kicks and wounds place. The ball sometimes ascends thirty are given, and many fierce battles take or forty feet above the tops of the highest houses, and falls far beyond, or goes right diately followed by a crowd of young men. over into the gardens, whither it is immeThe sport is kept up all day, the hungry combatants recruiting their strength from time to time by copious horns of ale and which the women sell in baskets at the an abundant supply of the nice pancakes thousand of persons assemble from all the corner of every street. To view this sport country round, so that to the secluded population of those districts it is in some sort what the battle in the Platanistas was to the Spartans, or even what the Isthmian and Nemean games were to the whole of Greece." St. John's Manners and Customs of Ancient Greece, 1842, i., 157. The same thing is still kept up at Dorking, Epsom, and Kingston, in Surrey; but there has been a movement so far unsuccessful (1903) at Dorking for its discontinuance. "At the Surrey Quarter Sessions at Kingston yesterday the ancient custom of playing football in the principal streets of Dorking on Shrove Tuesday was referred to in the report of the Standing Joint Committee to the Justices. The committee stated that a petition signed by upwards of one hundred inhabitants of Dorking had been received, I shall transcribe hither what I find urging the committee to adopt necessary, Football in Scotland.-In Sinclair's "Statistical Account of Scotland," the minister of Kirkmichael, in Perthshire, speaking of the manners and customs of the inhabitants, says, "Foot-ball is a common amusement with the schoolboys, who also preserve the custom of cock-fighting on Shrove Tuesday." On Shrove-Tuesday at Inverness there is a standing match at football between married and unmarried women, in which the former are always victors. Every year on Shrove-Tuesday the bachelors and mar ried men drew themselves up at the Cross The allusions to the game in early writings are very numerous. Tusser says: "In meadow or pasture (to grow the more fine) Let campers be camping in any of thine; Which if ye do suffer when low is the spring, You gain to yourself a commodious thing." Chamberlain, in a letter to Carleton, March 5, 1600-1, says: "You may do well, if you have any idle time, to play the good fellow and come and see our matches at football, for that and bowling wilbe our best entertainment." Henry Spelman, in his Relation of Virginia, 1609, says: "They vse beside football play, woh women and young boyes doe much play at, the men neuer. They make ther gooles as ours, only they neuer fight nor |