Club Life of London, Vol. 1 (of 2): With Anecdotes of the Clubs, Coffee-Houses and Taverns of the Metropolis During the 17th, 18th, and 19th Centuries — John Shaqi
Club Life of London, Vol. 1 (of 2): With Anecdotes of the Clubs, Coffee-Houses and Taverns of the Metropolis During the 17th, 18th, and 19th CenturiesTimbs, John
History
Club Life of London, Vol. 1 (of 2): With Anecdotes of the Clubs, Coffee-Houses and Taverns of the Metropolis During the 17th, 18th, and 19th Centuries
Timbs, John
Clubs -- England -- London; Literary landmarks -- England -- London; London (England) -- Social life and customs
"Strange times! when noble peers, secure from riot,
Can't keep Noll's annual festival in quiet,
Through sashes broke, dirt, stones, and brands thrown at 'em,
Which, if not scand- was _brand-alum magnatum_.
Forced to run down to vaults for safer quarters,
And in coal-holes their ribbons hide and garters.
They thought their feast in dismal fray thus ending,
Themselves to shades of death and hell descending;
This might have been, had stout Clare Market mobsters,
With cleavers arm'd, outmarch'd St. James's lobsters;
Numskulls they'd split, to furnish other revels,
And make a Calves'-head Feast for worms and devils."
The manner in which Noll's (Oliver Cromwell's) "annual festival" is
here alluded to, seems to show that the bonfire, with the calf's-head
and other accompaniments, had been exhibited in previous years. In
confirmation of this fact, there exists a print entitled _The True
Effigies of the Members of the Calves'-Head Club, held on the 30th of
January, 1734, in Suffolk Street, in the County of Middlesex_; being
the year before the riotous occurrence above related. This print shows
a bonfire in the centre of the foreground, with the mob; in the
background, a house with three windows, the central window exhibiting
two men, one of whom is about to throw the calf's-head into the
bonfire below. The window on the right shows three persons drinking
healths; that on the left, two other persons, one of whom wears a
mask, and has an axe in his hand.
There are two other prints, one engraved by the father of Vandergucht,
from a drawing by Hogarth.
After the tablecloth was removed (says the author), an anniversary
anthem was sung, and a calf's-skull filled with wine or other liquor,
and out of which the company drank to the pious memory of those worthy
patriots who had killed the tyrant; and lastly, a collection was made
for the writer of the anthem, to which every man contributed according
to his zeal or his means. The concluding lines of the anthem for the
year 1697 are as follow:--
"Advance the emblem of the action,
Fill the calf's skull full of wine;
Drinking ne'er was counted faction,
Men and gods adore the vine.
To the heroes gone before us,
Let's renew the flowing bowl;
While the lustre of their glories
Shines like stars from pole to pole."
The laureate of the Club and of this doggrel was Benjamin Bridgwater,
who, alluding to the observance of the 30th of January by zealous
Royalists, wrote:--
"They and we, this day observing,
Differ only in one thing;
They are canting, whining, starving;
We, rejoicing, drink, and sing."
Among Swift's poems will be remembered "Roland's Invitation to Dismal
to dine with the Calf's-Head Club":--
"While an alluding hymn some artist sings,
We toast 'Confusion to the race of kings.'"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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