Banning the Wakes in Exeter and Somersetshire

Exeter Morris Men dancing!

"When an order was made in 1627 and in 1631, at Exeter, and in Somersetshire, for the suppression of the Wakes [I think these where Wakes on the night before the parish church's saint day, associated with dancing, music and drink, and the feasting on the day itself], both the Ministers and the People desired their continuance, not only for preserving the memorial of the dedication of their several Churches, but for civilizing the parishioners, composing differences by the mediation and meeting of friends, increasing of love, and unity, by these feasts of charity, and for the relief and comfort of the poor."

Brand 1813

 






  

 

Map - Exeter

Proverb of new love

"They love like chick" - Somerset

Ray 1768

Love and hate - a sheepish proverb

Ewes near Chagford, Devon

"She stamps like an Ewe upon yeaning" - Somerset

Ray 1768

[As far as I can find out Yeaning means a tender longing or caring feeling.  Thus the proverb seems to refer to how a ewe can sometimes stamp her back leg when feeding a lamb - the contradictory signals of anger we give off to those we love and care about the most - maybe!]

'Purty Jane' - a ghostly folksong mentioning Chagford

Morris Dancer on a Chagford street - Picture by Lunar Hine, my wife!

'Twuz down by the river I fust met my purty Jane,
Upon a zummer's eveling when the zin wuz on the wane,
Her little veet they twinkled as her trip'd o'er meaders bright,
And my heart 'e whisper'd zoftly, "Bill, did'st ivver zee such zight ?"

Not nivver in my born days did I zee a maid zo fair,
Her made my heart go pity-pat and her riz on end my hair.
And I axed her vur to come back but her ciidden then, her zed,
And on her sped like lightning, across the level mead.

I yerd the birds a-zinging, as I corned up dru the lane,
And I thort they zed " Bill ! Bill ! thee shet have thy purty Jane,"
Ah ! 'twuz music sweeter var, than I ivver yerd avore,
It often gied me comfort digging peat pin tap the moor.

Wan Zummer Zinday morning when the bells wuz ringing sweet,
I meet my love a-coming up old Chagford's pleasant street,
I tiiked courage there and then, and I up and told my love, 

And her zed, " Dear Bill, I'll have thee," and her spoke jist like a dove.

But her nivver lived to do it vur her pined away and died,
Jist on the day, her zed her'd be my bonny little bride.
Now often when I'm walking down in yonder meaders bright,
I zee her right avore me, like an angel in the light.

And I yer her sweet voice zaying "Bill, Bill, be not afeared,
Thee shet zee in heavenly places thy loving little maid,
Oh ! 'tez that which gives me peace as I walks in in field and lane,
Vur if I live a true life, I shall zee my purty Jane.

Elias Tozer, Exeter.'

Hewett, 1900

Map - Chagford

Stones for each month

Garnet, for constancy - By Ra'ike (see also: de:Benutzer:Ra'ike) (Own work) [GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

"In love's calendar there is a special gem or stone for each month in the year : and what true lover should be without this necessary information?

January is represented by the garnet           constancy.
February                               amethyst       sincerity.
March                                   bloodstone    courage.
April                                     diamond        innocense.
May                                      emerald        success in love.
June                                      agate             long life.
July                                       chameleon     contented mind.
August                                  sardonyx        married happiness.
September                            chrysolite       clearness of intellect.
October                               opal               fortunate.
November                            topaz             fidelity.
December                            turquoise        prosperity."

Hewett 1900

[Not sure if Hewett is recording something peculiarly Devonian, or whether this was more widespread in her era...]

Devon charm to cure mental illness, promote success in love and ward against evil

St Johns Wort, used as a charm - by Glyn Baker [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

"ST. John's Wort, or Devil's Flight, gathered on St. John's Day or on a Friday, dried and placed in a closely-covered jar and hung in a window, will protect the house from thunderbolts, storms, fire, and evil spirits.

If the flowers and leaves are dried and ground into powder and then placed in a silken bag and hung round the neck, the person will be successful in love, and be cured of the vapours and all mental afflictions. To insure perfect immunity from these ills, it is necessary to operate in July, on the evening of the full moon."

Hewett 1900

Devon charm amulet / talisman for insuring luck and love in all things

Love charm and luck charm

"WHOEVER wears this charm, written on virgin parchment, and sewn up in a small round silken bag continuously over the heart, will obtain all the love he or she may desire, and will be successful in every undertaking."

Hewett 1900

Unlucky in Devon - 13

Knife - By Davi Segre (Own work) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html), CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/) or CC-BY-SA-2.5-2.0-1.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5-2.0-1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

It is unlucky -

"To give a friend a knife ; as it cuts all love away."

Hewett 1900

Devon Dreams G - K

"The following few examples shew " the stuff which dreams are made of."

Garden. 

To dream of being in a beautiful garden shews you will be rich and prosperous in love.
 

Glass. 

Broken glass foretells quarrels and family strife.
 

Gold; 

To dream of gold portends riches.
 

Hares. 

To dream of these implies great trouble in pecuniary matters and sickness.
 

Horses. 

Shews that your life will be long and happy. If kicked by a horse you will have a long and severe illness, and heavy misfortune.

Ivy.

A sign that your friendships are true.

Inn. 

To dream that you are staying at an inn is a most favourable one. It shews that you will inherit a large fortune, be successful in all your undertakings, and will enjoy much happiness.
 

Jackdaw. 

Beware of danger and evil disposed persons.

Journey. 

If you are about to take one in your dream, you will meet with reverse of fortune.
 

Knives 

are always omens of some evil about to happen.
 

Kiss.

To dream that some one is kissing you, is a sure sign that you are being deceived. To dream that you are kissing some one whom you love is a sign that your love is not reciprocated."

Hewett 1900

Throwing things during a Devon wedding

We were pelted with rice, confetti and gorse petals ("While gorse is in bloom, love is in fashion!"). - If you want to use my photos please attribute this blog.

"Among the customs bringing good luck to the pair, are pelting them with rice as they leave the church after the ceremony, and throwing old slippers at them, too, as they leave the house for the honeymoon."

Hewett 1900

Moon love-prophosy from Paignton

"Jenny [living in Haldon Hills] told me too, that one evening when visiting friends at Paignton, one of the party saw for the first time the new moon : she called all the young folk out on the balcony requesting each to bring a small hand-mirror, to turn their back to the moon, and holding up the mirrors to catch the reflection of the moon. As many reflections as were cast on the glass, so many years would pass before the marriage of the holder took place. One charming girl of the party told me : "I had three moons. Fancy that, my dear, and you know how very old I am now, and have three years of weary waiting yet.""

Hewett 1900

Map - Haldon Hills
Map - Paignton

Hewett's Haloween - Part 6 - Lead love-charm

A lead droplet - Some rights reserved by Menage a Moi http://www.flickr.com/photos/bearpark/3156914401/sizes/z/in/photostream/

"Then everybody insisted on Jack trying his luck, which he essayed to do by melting a few scraps of lead in the ladle and pouring it red hot into one of the basins of cold water. The letters formed, or the nearest approach to letters, at the bottom of the basin were supposed to be the initials of the future " She." The closest resemblance to letters which we could discover was an I, and an L. The question which now arose amid merry peals of laughter was to whom the initials I.L. could belong. Many names were mentioned and negatived as soon as suggested, Jack looking rather bashful, when from Jenny came the query " Does not I stand for Ida, and L for Lang ? Ida Lang is a very pretty name, and is owned by a very sweet girl." 

Jack gave Jenny a look which could easily be interpreted "I owe you one for that, Jenny" "

Oh ! oh ! Jack," replied Jenny, " we are hoping that Ida Lang will not be an unappropriated blessing. She shall have my white satin and all the orange blossoms." There was a good deal more of this sort of chaff, but no offence was taken by the good-natured Jack, and things swung along amicably."

Hewett 1900

Map - Haldon Hills  
Map - Bristol

[I have some friends of English and German-Jewish descent in Bristol who do a version of this on New Years Eve, reading the future year from the shape of the lead. 

The caption for the above photo (not mine!) reads - My Future In The Palm of My Hand I spent a lovely New Year's Eve with friends. Superlekker and keroleen73 introduced the rest of us to Bleigießen - the German New Year's Eve custom of telling fortunes by the shapes made by molten lead dropped into cold water. I can't recall what mine meant but I loved the shape.]

Hewett's Haloween - Part 5 - Water and paper love-charm

"Then one took a handful of torn paper and scattered it on the surface of a big basin of water, and after stirring vigorously, awaited developments. The number of pieces of paper which fell to the bottom indicated the number of years which would intervene before the operator's marriage. In this case twenty-one fell, and as Jenny was now twenty-eight, Jack thought there was small chance for her to have an establishment of her own at forty-nine, so she had better resign herself to her fate, and be content to become the unappropriated blessing of the family, for, said he, " How could you, Jenny, at that advanced age, dare to don white satin and orange blossoms? No, my dear, your future is sealed.""

Hewett 1900

Map - Haldon Hills 

Hewett's Haloween - Part 3 - Hazelnut love prophosy

Hazelnuts - See page for author [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

"Then Jack, otherwise the family clown, brought in dishes of apples and nuts, bags of hemp seed, torn paper, large basins of water, scraps of lead, a melting ladle, large combs, small hand mirrors, and a printed sheet of capital letters, all of which were to be used as love-charms.

Just as the clock began to strike eleven, a move was made towards the fireplace, where from the bars of the grate Jack had already swept every vestige of ashes. 

Simultaneously each girl laid a big hazel nut on the lowest bar of the grate, and sat silently watching the result. I noticed that perfect silence was religiously observed during each ceremony.

She, whose nut first blazed, would be the first to marry.

She, whose nut first cracked, would be jilted.

She, whose nut first jumped, would very soon start on a journey, but would never marry. 

She, whose nut smouldered, would have sickness, disappointment in love, and perhaps die young."

Hewett 1900

Map - Haldon Hills 

Dupath Well, Callington

"Dupath Well is a pellucid spring, once the resort of pilgrims and still held in esteem. It overflows a trough, and entering the open archway of a small chapel, spreads itself over the floor and passes out below a window at the opposite end. The little chapel, 12 feet long by 11 ½ wide, is a complete specimen of the baptisteries anciently so common in Cornwall. It has a most venerable appearance, and is built of granite, which is gray and worn by age. The roof is constructed of enormously long blocks of granite, hung with fern, and supported in the interior by an arch, dividing the nave and chancel. The doorway faces west; at the east end is a square-headed window of two lights, and two openings in the sides. The building is crowned by an ornamental bell-cote. The well is famed for the combat between Sir Colam and Gotlieb for the love of a lady; Gotlieb was killed, and Sir Colam died of his wounds."

Hope 1893

Map - Dupath Well

The Mermaids Vengence - part 14

"..."Come, sit beside me, Walter, and let us talk of love." He sat down without a word, and looked into the maiden's face with a vacant expression of fondness. Presently she placed her hand upon his heart; a shudder passed through his frame; but having passed, he felt no more pain, but a rare intensity of delight. The maiden wreathed her arm around his neck, drew Walter towards her, and then he remembered how often he had acted thus towards Selina. She bent over him and looked into his eyes. In his mind's mirror he saw himself looking thus into the eyes of his betrayed one.

"You loved her once?" said the maiden.

"I did indeed," answered Walter, with a sigh.

"As you loved her, so I love you," said the maiden, with a smile which shot like a poisoned dart through Walter's heart. She lifted the young man's head lovingly between her hands, and bending over him, pressed her lips upon and kissed his forehead, Walter curiously felt that although he was the kissed, yet that he was the kisser.

"Kisses," she said, "are as true at sea as they are false on land. You men kiss the earth-born maidens to betray them. The kiss of a sea-child is the seal of constancy. You are mine till death."

"Death!" almost shrieked Walter.

A full consciousness of his situation now broke upon Walter. He had heard the tales of the gossips respecting the mermaid origin of Selina; but he had laughed at them as an idle fancy. he now felt they were true. For hours Walter was compelled to sit by the side of his beautiful tormentor, every word of assumed love and rapture being a torture of the most exquisite kind to him. He could not escape from the arms which were wound around him. He saw the tide rising rapidly. ..." [cont.]

Hunt 1903

The Mermaids Vengence - part 13

"...He could not entirely dissuade himself but that he heard this repeated by many voices; but he put the thought aside, referring it, as well he might, to the numerous echoes from the cavernous openings in the cliffs.

He reached the eastern side of the dark mass of rocks, from the point of which the tide was slowly subsiding. The song had ceased, and a low moaning sound - the soughing of the wind--passed along the shore. Walter trembled with fear, and was on the point of returning, when a most flute-like murmur rose from the other side of the rocky barrier, which was presently moulded into words

"From your couch of glistering pearl,
Slowly, softly, come away;
Our sweet earth-child, lovely girl,
Died this day,--died this day."

Memory told Walter that truly was it the anniversary of Selina Pennaluna's death, and to him every gentle wave falling on the shore sang, or murmured --

"Died this day,--died this day."

The sand was left dry around the point of the rocks, and Walter impelled by a power which he could not control, walked onward. The moment he appeared on the western side of the rock, a wild laugh burst into the air, as if from the deep cavern before him, at the entrance of which sat the same beautiful being whom he had formerly met. There was now an expression of rare joy on her face, her eyes glistened with delight, and she extended her arms as if to welcome him.

"Was it ever your wont to move so slowly towards your loved one?"

Walter heard it was Selina's voice. He saw it was Selina's features; but he was conscious it was not Selina's form..." [cont.]

Hunt 1903

The Mermaids Vengence - part 11

"...Walter, led by the melancholy song, advanced slowly along the sands. He discovered that the sweet, soft sounds proceeded from the other side of a mass of rocks, which project far out over the sands, and that now, at low-water, there was no difficulty in walking around it. Without hesitation he did so, and he beheld, sitting at the mouth of a cavern, one of the most beautiful women he had ever beheld. She continued her song, looking upwards to the stars, not appearing to notice the intrusion of a stranger. Walter stopped, and gazed on the lovely image before him with admiration and wonder, mingled with something of terror. He dared not speak, but fixed, as if by magic, he stood gazing on. After a few minutes, the maiden, suddenly perceiving that a man was near her, uttered a piercing shriek, and made as if to fly into the cavern. Walter sprang forward and seized her by the arm, exclaiming, "Not yet, my pretty maiden, not yet." She stood still in the position of flight, with her arm behind her, grasped by Walter, and turning round her head, her dark eyes beamed with unnatural lustre upon him. Impressionable he had ever been, but never had he experienced anything so entrancing, and at the same time so painful, as that gaze. It was Selina's face looking lovingly upon him, but it seemed to possess some new power--a might of mind from which he felt it was impossible for him to escape. Walter slackened his hold, and slowly allowed the arm to fall from his hand. The maiden turned fully round upon him. "Go!" she said. He could not move. "Go, man!" she repeated. He was powerless.

"Go to the grave where the sinless one sleepeth!
Bring her cold corpse where her guarding one weepeth;
Look on her, love her again, ay! betray her,
And wreath with false smiles the pale face of her slayer!
Go, go! now, and feel the full force of my sorrow!
For the glut of my vengeance there cometh a morrow."..." [cont.]

Hunt 1903

Merrymaids and Merrymen part 2

"...The Irish legends make us acquainted with the amours of men with those sea-sirens. We learn that the Merrows, or Moruachs, came occasionally from the sea, and interested themselves in the affairs of man. Amongst the fragments which have been gathered, here a pebble and there a pebble, along the Western coast, will be found similar narratives.

The sirens of the Aegean Sea--probably the parents of the medieval mermaid--possess in a pre-eminent degree the beauty and the falsehood of all the race. Like all other things, even those mythical creations take colour from that they work in, like the dyer's hand. The Italian mermaid is the true creature of the romance of the sunny South; while the lady of our own southern seas, although she possesses much in common with her Mediterranean sister, has less poetry, but more human sympathy. - The following stories, read in connection with those given by Mr Keightley and by Mr Croker, will show this.

(See "The Fairy Family: a Series of Ballads and Metrical Tales Illustrating the Fairy Mythology of Europe," Longman, 1857; "The Fairy Mythology, Illustrative of the Romance and Superstitions of Various Countries," by Thomas Keightley; and "Irish Fairy Legends," by Crofton Croker.)..." [cont.]

Hunt 1903