Manners and customs; Rites and ceremonies -- Great Britain
There is a curious jug or pitcher belonging to the ringers of Hadleigh. It
is a "vas ansatum" having two ears, is circular in shape, swelling out in
the middle, and being more contracted at the ends. It is brown earthenware
glazed. It holds sixteen quarts, and bears this inscription, very rudely
indented, apparently with a chisel when the clay was soft, the first word
M E, or perhaps M. E. I., is in italics, the rest in Roman capitals:--
Me, Thomas Windle, Isaac Bunn, John Mann, Adam Sage, George Bond,
Thomas Goldsborough, Robert Smith, Henry West. (No doubt the names of
the eight ringers.)
Below the names,--
If you love me doe not lend me,
Euse me often and keep me clenly,
Fill me full or not at all,
If it be strong, and not with small.
Below all, in the front, is the word Hadly, underneath one handle is the
date, 17 F. G. 15, and under the other, 17 R. O. 15, the letters probably
the initials of the potters. The jug is in the possession of Mr. Pettitt,
of the Eight Bells Inn, who holds it for the ringers, of whom he is the
leader. It is still occasionally used on the occasion of any profitable
wedding, and filled every Christmas by mine host, when the ringers
assemble for a frolic, with strong beer, which goes by the name of old
King William, and strangers going in are expected to pay sixpence to
assist in keeping it full, according to its own request.
The ringers' pot--a brown glazed jug with handle, holding about two
gallons--having the following inscription in rude letters--
Here you may see what
I request of Hanst (honest) Gentlemen
My Baly (belly) filed of the Bast I com
But now and then, 1716,
was formerly carried from house to house by the bell-ringers of Ixworth,
in Suffolk, to receive whatever beer the liberal parishioners might be
disposed to bestow. It has been disused about thirty years. It was
probably made at the celebrated pottery in the neighbouring parish of
Wattisfield.
A similar kind of jug, both in shape and size, to that of Hadleigh,
belongs to the ringers of Clare. On one side is a crown in faint relief,
under that a bell in large proportion, and on it impressed in italics:--
Campane
Sonant canore.
Beneath the clapper is this,--
Clare Ringers,
1729.
Near the base there is an aperture for a tap to draw off the beer, there
being no spout or lip.
At Hinderclay, in Suffolk, is a ringers' pitcher, still preserved in the
church tower, of form and size similar to the Hadleigh jug: it is thus
inscribed:--
By Samuel Moss this pitcher was given to the noble society of ringers,
at Hinderclay, viz., Tho. Sturgeon, Ed. Lock, John Haws, Ric. Ruddock,
and Relf Chapman, to which society he once belonged, and left in the
year 1702.
From London I was sent
As plainly doth appear,
It was to this intent--
To be filled with strong beer.
Pray remember the pitcher when empty.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account