466 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[2»d s. X. Dae. 15. '60. 



" Big Ben," was several times recast ; so that 

 from the date of Terrent's lines [1680] this poem 

 was written on the present Tom's grandsire. An- 

 thony Wood informs us, that " to the principal 

 gate of Christ Church was translated from the 

 Campanile of the church, after it had been several 

 times cast, anno_1683, and on the great festival of 

 the 29th of May, 1684, it first rang out, between 

 eight and nine at night, from which time to this a 

 servant tolls it every night at nine, as a signal to 

 all scholars to repair to their respective colleges 

 and halls, as he did while it was in the Cam- 

 panile." 



ON THE CASTIKG OF GREATK TOM OF CHRIST CHUKOH. 



" Be dumb ye infant chimes, thump not the mettall, 

 Which ne'er outrung the Tinker and his kettle ; 

 Cease all your petty 'larums, for to day 

 Is great Tom's resurrection from y« clay. 



And know when Tom shall ring his loudest knells, 

 The bigg'st of you'l be thought but dinner bells. 



" Old Tom's growne yong againe, y« fiery cave 

 Is now his cradle, which was 'erst his grave : 

 He grew up quickly from his mother earth, 

 For all (you see) is but an bower's birth. 



Looke on him well, my life I dare engage, 

 You ne'er saw prettier baby of his age. 



" Some take his measure by the rule, some by 

 The Jacob's staff take his profundity. 

 And some his altitude, some boldU' swear 

 Yong Tom's not like the old, yet Tom ne'er fear 



The criticall geometricians line. 



If thou, as loud as ere thou didst, ring'st nine. 



" Tom did not sooner peep from under ground, 

 But strait S* Marye's tenour lost his sound ; 

 Oh how his may -pole founders heart did swell, 

 W*'' full moon tj'des of joy, w" y* crack't bell, 

 Choaked with envy and his admiration, 

 EuDg like a quart pot to y" congregation. 



" Myles, what's the matter? all 's thus out of square. 

 I hope St. Mary Hall will not forbeare 

 Your coxcombe pate ; their clock hangs durabe in tower. 

 And knowes not y* four quarters make an bower, 

 Nowe [merry] joyes ring out ; y" churlish curre 

 Ne'er laughs aloud till greate bells catch y« murre. 



" This puny bell is proud, and hopes noe other. 

 But y* in time he shall be greate Tom's brother. 

 Thou 'rt wise : if this thou wishest, be it soe ; 

 Let one hen hatch you both ; for this much know, 

 He y' can cast greate Ch. Ch. Tom soe well. 

 Can easily cast St. Marie's biggest bell. 



" Rejoyce with Ch. Ch., and looke higher, Ousney, 

 Of giant bells the famous treasurie. 

 That vast, base, thund'ring clocke of Westminster, 

 Grand Tom of Lincolne, and huge Exeter, 



Are but Tom's elder brothers, and perchaunce 

 He may call cousins with the bell in Fraunce. 



" Ne'er grieve, old Ousney, at thy heavy fall ; 

 Thy ruines build thee up againe ; thej' '11 all 

 Flourish to see thy greate glorj', their sole fame, 

 When thou art not, will keep greate Ousney's name. 



This Tom was infant of thy mighty steeple, 



Yet is held controuler of a people. 



" Tom lately went his progresse, and look't o'er 

 What he ne'er saw in many years before ; 



Yet, when he saw the old foundation 



With little hope of reparation. 



He burst with griefe, and least he should not have 

 Due pompe, bee's his owne bellman to y« grave. 



" And that there ever might be some strange mention, 

 He carried to his grave a new invention, . 

 They drew his brown bread face with pretty grins, 

 And made him stalke upon two rowling pins. 



But Sander Hill sware twice or thrke by heaven, 

 He ne'er set such a loafe into the oven. 



" And Tom did Saunders vex, his Cyclops maker. 

 As much as he did Sander Hill, the baker ; 

 Wherfore, loud thumping Tom, be this thy pride, 

 When thou this motto shalt have on thy side, 

 Greate world, one Alexander conquered thee, 

 And two as mighty men scarce conquer'd me. 

 " Brave constant spiritt ! none could make thee turne, 

 Though hanged, drawne, quartered, till they did thee 



burne ; 

 Yet not for this, nor ten times more, be sorry, 

 Since thou art martyred for thy churches glory : 



And though we grieved to see thee thumped and 



banged, 

 Wee'll all be glad (great Tom) to see thee hanged. 

 " Jebom Terrent." 

 Ithueiel. 



THE MUMMERS. 



About this time every year the inhabitants of 

 Chiswick, Turnham Green, and neighbourhood are 

 entertained (?) with a queer sort of performance 

 by a set of boys Cj^lling themselves " the Mum- 

 mers." They dress in masks, and bedizeil them- 

 selves in coloured^ibbon and paper, then go from 

 shop to tavern reciting the following jumble : — 



Enter Girl, with a broom, 

 " A room ! a room ! pray guard us all. 

 Give us room to rise and fall. 

 We come to show you activity." 



Enter Boi/. 

 " In come I, Swiff Swash and Swagger, ' 

 With my gold-laced hat and dagger. 

 Once I courted a damsel. 

 She's often in ray mind, 

 But now, alas ! she's proved unkind." 



Enter second Boy. 

 " In come I, King George, with my spear. 

 Once I gained three golden crowns. 

 As true as I was drawn through the slaughter, 

 I also won the King of Egypt's daughter." 



Enter third Boy, 

 " I plainly see you are a king ; 

 My sword it points, Alonso, unto thee ; 

 A battle ! a battle ! between you and I, 

 Let's see which on the earth shall Ij'e." 



[They fight, and the king is slain. They 

 all shout, A doctor ! a doctor ! 



Enter a Doctor, 

 " Is there a doctor to be found 

 To cure this man bleeding on the ground? 

 Oh ! 3'es, there is a doctor to be found, 

 And I am he, can cure him safe and sound-." 



[They all shout, What can you cure? 



