Many rush-bearings, or “rush-buryings,” as they are sometimes called, became riotous festivities, and the _Chester Courant_ for August 6, 1810, says: “Christleton Rush-Bearing.--We were sorry to learn that the festivities of this annual _fête_ should have been disgraced by that almost universally reprobated amusement, a Bull-bait. After this savage practice has fallen into disrepute and disgrace amongst the most uncultivated parts of the island, it is mortifying for us to record a transaction so disgraceful in the immediate vicinity of the polished city of Chester.” In Cheshire also rushes are used as a charm for warts. The charmer has a long straight rush, ties three knots in it, makes it into a circle, draws it over the wart downwards nine times, at the same time muttering a spell which he refuses to disclose on the ground that if he did so the charm would not work. In three months the wart will disappear. The old rush-lights of Cheshire were sold at twenty for sixpence. “They were as thick as the present ‘twelve’ candles (twelve to the pound), but half as long again, and gave a steady but dim light. There were some curious bits of folk-lore connected with them. For instance, if a rush-light in ‘sweating’ curled over, it denoted death; if a bright star appeared in the flame, it portended a letter.”[65] [65] Burton, _Rush-Bearing_. PACE-EGGING This is still practised in the Wirral peninsula, and the rime sung by the children was as follows:-- “Please, Mr. Whiteleg, Please give us an Easter egg; If you do not give us one, Your hen shall lay an addled one, Your cock shall lay a stone.” Sometimes with the addition from “Souling” of: “One for Peter, two for Paul, And three for the One who made us all.” “In Birkenhead, for some years after the Park was laid out, there were several grassy mounds inside the railings ... which went by the name of ‘The Bouks’ (Banks).... Every Easter Monday the children would bring baskets of coloured eggs. Then a game was played. First, wickets were fixed at intervals at the foot of the ‘Bouks,’ the children took their eggs to the top of the hills and rolled them down, aiming to pass them unbroken through the wickets.”[66] [66] Gamlin’s _Memories of Birkenhead_. By degrees “Pace-Egging” became grafted on to the old mumming play which is found in nearly every county of England, and the following was sung at Thurstaston some thirty years ago. Two verses are omitted:-- I. Here come four or five hearty lads all of one mind; We have come a’paste-egging if you will prove kind; If you will prove kind, and never will fail, We’ll treat our young lasses to the best of X ale. Fol di-diddle dol-di-day. II.