Mazes and Labyrinths: A General Account of Their History and DevelopmentMatthews, W. H.
History
Mazes and Labyrinths: A General Account of Their History and Development
Matthews, W. H.
Labyrinths; Maze gardens
The English Dialect Dictionary (Wright) gives the local variants
_Gelyan-bower_, _Gillimber_ and _Jilling-bo'or_ as occurring in
Lincolnshire, and _Jul-laber_ as another form of the "Julaber's
Barrow" or "Juliberry's Grave" which we have already noticed in Kent.
Is the "bower" here the same as "barrow," which is derived from the
Anglo-Saxon _beorg_, meaning, like the German _berg_, a hill? Or is
it only the same word that we have met with in "Rosamond's Bower"?
The former suggestion receives some support from the fact that turf
mazes are often, though not always, constructed on the top of a hill
or mound, but to the writer there is something more attractive in
conceiving these works to be associated with the idea of a retreat,
particularly if we consider, as we have some reason for doing, that the
Julian referred to is the benign and hospitable Saint Julian of the
mediaeval legends.
From Brand's "Popular Antiquities" it appears that there were three
or four saints of this name, but the most well-known of these was
the knight whose deeds are celebrated in the "Gesta Romanorum"
and elsewhere, the reputed patron and protector of pilgrims and
travellers. The chapel of Domus Dei at Southampton, now used as the
French Protestant church, is dedicated to this St. Julian. The legend
goes, that on returning home one day Julian discovered a man and woman
asleep in his bed, jumped to the hasty conclusion that his wife had
been untrue to him and slew the pair where they lay, only to find that
they were his parents who had travelled from afar to visit him. In
repentance and atonement he then founded a hospice for travellers and
afterwards became known as _Hospitator_, or "the gude herbejour," in
which capacity his renown is testified by many a reference in our early
literature, _e.g._, in the works of Chaucer:
"Now up the heed; for al is wel;
Seynt Julyan, lo, bon hostel!
See here the Hous of Fame, lo!"
(_The Hous of Fame_.)
"An housholder, and that a grete, was he
Seint Julian he was in his contré."
(_Canterbury Tales_.)
It seems to the writer just as likely that the name Julian's-bower
commemorates this popular hero as that it has any connection, as some
have maintained, with the invading Caesar or, as suggested by others
(see Chapter XI), with his tribune, Quintus Laberius Durus. One can
quite easily conjure up in imagination a game or ceremony in which the
fatigues of the pilgrim treading the long course of the labyrinth's
folds is rewarded by some form of refreshment on at length reaching the
secluded retreat of the hospitable saint.
"Surely they find St. Julians inn, which wayfaring men diligently
seek."
(_The Ancren Riwle_--Thirteenth century.)
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.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account