Sept. 23. 1854.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



237 



LONDON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23. 1854. 



NORTH CUERY TEAST. 



A curious feast takes place annually in the 

 parish of North Curry, near Taunton, a manor 

 belonjjing to the Dean and Chapter of AVells. 

 The following account of the customs of the said 

 feast is copied from a marble tablet in the vestry 

 room of the church. Does a similar feast exist in 

 England ? What is its origin ? 



"customs of the north curky feast. 



" The Reeve provides the feast, and in order to enable 

 him to do so, the Lords of the Manor allow him tlie lord's 

 rent for the Feast Tenement, in respect of which he is 

 appointed to the office. Au annual allowance of two 

 pounds by the name of lease- fees. A payment of two 

 pounds under the name of cane-wood, and four pounds 

 and five shillings under the name of beef and pork. 



" The Reeve is allowed by the occupier of the lay- 

 rectory, now held bj' Mr. Chas. Holeombe Dare for lives, 

 under the Dean and Chapter of Wells, thirty-six 

 bushels of good marketable wheat ; and forty- eight shil- 

 lings in money to be rendered on demand one month 

 before Christmas annually, and likewise by the holders of 

 the undermentioned estates the quantities of wheat set 

 opposite to the names of their tenements respectively 

 within the like period." 



Here follow the names of twelve persons who 

 have severally and respectively to give two 

 bushels each of good marketable wheat for the 

 feast. 



" TTie Custom of preparing for and holding the feast is, 

 for the Reeve to provide three fat heifers, and put them 

 in the manor pound, adjoining North Curry Churchyard, 

 the Sunday before Christmas Day. If Christmas' Day 

 happens on any other day than a Monday or a Tuesday, 

 then the Sunday week before Christmas Day: for the 

 inspection of the persons entitled to the feast, who may 

 insist on having them changed if good ones are not pro- 

 vided. Then these are killed by a butcher, paid and 

 appointed by the Eeeve ; and the day before Christmas 

 Day delivered, with a good half pig, to" two tenants of the 

 Manor of North Curry, called Dealers, Avho continue for 

 many years, but are annually summoned to their duty by 

 the Reeve, and have their vacancies filled up by him. 



" Th£ Dealers are to attend the day before Christmas 

 Day ; except that day be a Sunday, and then the day 

 preceding, at the Reeve's, with a clerk, to cut, or deal, or 

 dole out the beef and pork to the persons entitled to re- 

 ceive it, and they have provided for them by the Reeve 

 Beefsteaks and onions for breakfast ; top-butt of beef and 

 three marrow-bones boiled, with the marrow taken out, 

 and spread on toasted bread, for dinner ; and, a feast each 

 of two loaves of bread, eight pennyworth of beef, and 

 twopence in money, and one pound of good beef suet, to 

 bo sent home to their houses for their trouble. 



" The Dealers serve out two ribs of beef, two ribs of 

 pork, two loaves of bread, and twopence in monev, and 

 one pound of beef suet, to each of the holders of the follow- 

 ing freehold manors : " 



Here follow the names of seven manors and the 

 present occupiers, who are entitled to the above. 



"Thejr, the Dealers, also serve out to each of the 

 occupiers of the two following tenements, viz. William 

 Hembrey's tenement, in the Manor of East Curry, now 

 belonging to Robt. Hooper Scott, and Murless tenement, 

 in the Manor of North Curry, now belonging to William 

 Payne, a feast and a half, viz. three loaves of bread, one 

 shilling's worth of beef, and threepence in money. 



" The Dealers also serve out to the occupiers of the fol- 

 lowing tenements, two loaves of bread, eight pennyworth 

 of beef, and twopence in money : " 



Here follow the names of one hundred and thirty- 

 eight persons, entitled to receive the above. 



" TheDealers also serve out aloaf and one-third of bread, 

 two-thirds of eight pennyworth of beef, and twopence 

 in money, to the occupiers of late Samuel Powell's 

 tenements, in the Manor of East Curry, called a Two- 

 thirdingale tenement, now belonging to Mary Dare. Also 

 one half of the last-mentioned allowance to the occupier 

 of late Thomas Powell's, in the Manor of East Currj-, 

 called a thirdingale, now also belonging to Mary Dare. 



" The Dealers likewise serve out one loaf of bread, four 

 pennyworth of beef, and one penny in money, to the 

 occupiers of the following tenements called Half-feaist 

 tenements : " 



Here follow the names of fourteen persons en- 

 titled to the half-feasts. 



" Each of which loaves of bread is to be made of good 

 white flour, to be well baked, and to weigh, after baking, 

 five pounds i and the beef is to be valued at the price for 

 which beef of the like quality is then currently selling. 



" To the Reeve of the West Hatch, within the said 

 manor, .the Dealers serve half a bullock, and the hind 

 quarter of the half pig, for the use of the tenants in that 

 manor, on his paying five shillings for it to the Reeve of 

 North Curry; but, before he is allowed to enter the 

 Reeve's house, he is to sing the following song : 



' King John, he was a noble knight, 

 I am come to demand my right. 

 Open the door, and let me in. 

 Else, I'll carry away my money again.' 



" The Dealers serve out these feasts to the persons enti- 

 tled to them, who are to send for them between sunrise 

 and sunset, the day before Christmas Day ; unless it hap- 

 pens to be on Sunday, and then the day preceding. And 

 the Dealers also serve out for the Reeve, a chine, round, 

 and rump of beef for mince-meat, and the belly part of 

 the fore quarter of the half p'g : for a feast to be provided 

 the day after Christmas Day, except it be a Sunday, and 

 then the day following, by the Reeve for the Lords of the 

 Manors of Knapp and Slough, who are called the 'Jacks 

 of Knapp and Slough;' and have this feast for them- 

 selves and their attendants aftermentioned, besides the 

 chief feasts of beef, &c., in common with the holders of 

 the other five freehold manors. They, or their deputies, 

 arrive at the Reeve's house on the feast day about one 

 o'clock ; the ' Jack of Knapp,' or his deputy, attended 

 by three men and a boy, and the ' Jack of Slough,' or 

 his deputy, by two men and a boy. 



" When the ' Jack of Knapp,' or his deputy, arrives, tho 

 key of the Reeve's cellar, in which there is to be provided 

 a half hogshead, at least, of good ale for tlie feast, is given 

 to one of his attendants. 



" The ' Jack,' or his deputy, proceeds to divide the 

 offal or inferior parts of the bullocks, and half pig, not 

 distributed by the Dealers to the holders of tenements, 

 into portions to be given away in the afternoon to the 

 second poor. 



" The ' Jack of Slough,' or his deputy, divides six dozen 



