PAGEANTS, MASKINGS, AND MUMMINGS. INTRODUCTION. THESE formed a very imposing if not important part of the festal celebrations of old Lancashire. The only one of them which retains anything of its ancient splendour and reputation is the Preston Guild, held every twenty years, during which that town is the scene of great rejoicings and festivities, with various pageants and processions during several days, together with dinners, balls, concerts, and various kinds of outdoor games and sports. The "ale-gysts" and the "guisings" are fast passing away, and the "rush-bearings" are only now to be seen at a few places in the county, though formerly almost every parish had its rush-cart and rush-bearing festival. ACA'S, OR ACRES, OR ST MATTHEW'S FAIR, MANCHESTER. ROBERT GRESLET, the fifth Baron of Manchester of that name, granted a portion of land to one Aca, a clerk, for the sum of three shillings yearly. In the Testa de Nevill it is stated that :-"The Robert Grelle, that now is," gave this oxgang belonging to his "demense of Mamecestre," and that the same Aca now holds this land. Some hold that Acres Fields derived their name from Aca, their early proprietor; but in the "Mamecestre" a suggestion is offered that their derivation may probably merely be from acer, plural acres, fields, lands, anything sown, acres. Aca was probably the chantry priest of an ancient chapel dedicated to St Matthew, which was afterwards known as "Grelle's Chantry," and the land is supposed to have included the "Four Acres" upon which the ancient fair was long held. The first charter for a fair in Manchester appears to have been granted by Henry III., when a minor, to Robert Greslet, in 1222, for the consideration of a palfrey for a licence until the king came of age. A more extensive charter was obtained in 1227, and the fair was held in accordance therewith on the eve feast of St Matthew the Apostle, and the days following, i.e., on the 20th, 21st, and 22d of September. Owing to the enterprise of the inhabitants of Manchester this fair attained considerable importance. Many merchants from distant parts attended this central mart, and the proceedings were originally commenced by a formal opening of the fair by the Baron of Manchester in person. During the three days no person was permitted to wear arms, and each adult inhabitant was bound to assist the "grith-sergeant," or principal peace-officer in putting down any riot or disorder which Gyst-Ales, Guisings, or Marlings. 85 might arise. The authority of the lord was not acceptable to some of the inhabitants, and consequently on the first day of the fair they used to assemble in large crowds, many being armed with whips, and others with large quantities of acorns which they had procured from the neighbouring woods. This was intended as a protest against the claims of the lord of the manor for the time being; and on the first horses, cows, sheep, or pigs, making their appearance on the ground, some of the men cracked their whips, others pelted the cattle with the acorns, and the rest shouted with a deafening noise, "First horse," "First cow," "First sheep," "First pig." At a later period this rough commencement degenerated into mere juvenile sport, and was finally discontinued long before the fair was removed to Knot Mill, GYST-ALES, GUISINGS, OR MARLINGS- THE gyst-ale, or guising feast, was an annual festival of the town of Ashton-under-Lyne. It appears from the rental of Sir John de Assheton, compiled A.D. 1422, that a sum of twenty shillings was paid to him as lord of the manor for the privilege of holding this feast by its then conductors. The persons named in the roll as having paid three shillings and fourpence each are :-" Margret, that was the wife of Hobbe the Kynges (of Misrule); Hobbe Adamson; Roger the Baxter ; Robert Somayster, Jenkyn of the Wode; and Thomas of Curtnal." The meaning of the term gyst-ale is involved in some obscurity, and the custom itself is not mentioned by either Brand or Ellis in their collections of popular antiquities. Most probably the payments mentioned above were for the gyst, or hire, for the privilege of selling ale and other refreshments during the festivals held on the payment of the rents of the manor. These guisings were frequently held in the spring, most probably about Lady Day, when manorial rents were usually paid; and as the fields were manured with marl about the same period, the term marlings has been supposed to indicate the rough play, or marlocking which was then practised. This, however, must be a mistake, since the term relates to merry pranks, or pleasure gambols only, and has no connection with marl as a manure. These gyst-ales, or guisings, once ranked amongst the principal festivals of Lancashire, and large sums of money were subscribed by all ranks of society in order that they might be celebrated with becoming splendour. The lord of the manor, the vicar of the parish, the farmer, and the operative, severally announced the sums they intended to give, and when the treasurer exclaimed "A largesse !" the crowd demanded "From whom?" and then due proclamation was made of the sum subscribed. The real amount, however, was seldom named, but it was announced that "Lord Johnson," or some other equally distinguished person had contributed "a portion of ten thousand pounds" towards the expenses of the feast. After the subscription lists were closed an immense garland was prepared, which contained abundance of every flower in season, interspersed with a profusion of evergreens and ribbons of every shade and pattern. The framework of this garland was made of wood, to which hooks were affixed, and on these were suspended a large collection of watches, jewels, and silver articles borrowed from the richer residents in the town. On the day of the gyst this garland was borne through the principal streets and thoroughfares, attended by crowds of townspeople Gyst-Ales, Guisings, or Marlings. dressed in their best attire. 87 These were formed into a ceremonies, locally termed procession by a master of the the King. Another principal attendant was the Fool, dressed in a grotesque cap, a hideous grinning mask, a long tail hanging behind, and a bell with which he commanded attention when announcements were to be made. In an early period of these guisings the fool was usually mounted on a hobby-horse, and indulged in grotesque pranks at he passed along. Hence we obtained the term "hob-riding," and more recently the proverbial expression of "riding one's hobby to death." In the manor roll from which we have previously quoted, "Jack the mercer" is inserted as having paid. the lord of the manor the annual sum of 6s. 8d. for the privilege of hob-riding; and the office appears to have become a lucrative one, when rivalry between towns and villages was excited. On such occasions the residents spared neither time nor expense to outshine their neighbours, and it will be seen in a subsequent article that a single village has been known to expend several thousand pounds on this unmeaning pageant. WAITS AT BURNLEY. FOR about three weeks before Christmas the inhabitants of Burnley and the neighbourhood are almost nightly roused from their slumbers by the "Christmas waits." Two men generally go together. They parade the streets and lanes, playing Christmas tunes on fiddles, or any other instruments they prefer. On stopping at any person's door they generally play some favourite air, and then wish the family a "Merry Christmas when it comes," and "hope that all are well within." These good wishes are followed up by the following ditty, chanted to a quaint old air by both performers : |