672 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1810. 



and carry it about, compelling 

 every young woman they meet to 

 get into it, and suffer herself to 

 be lifted as high as they can reach 

 into the air, or be kissed, or pay 

 a forfeit. On Easter Tuesday the 

 young women deck out their 

 chair, and lift the men, or make 

 them pay a fine. This custom, 

 which also prevails in some of the 

 neighbouring counties, or some- 

 thing very like it, seems to have 

 been admitted among the highest 

 ranks in the thirteenth century ; 

 for it appears from a wardrobe 

 account preserved among the re- 

 cords in the Tower, that king 

 Edward the First in the eigh- 

 teenth year of his reign, paid a 

 large sum of money, more than 

 equivalent to four hundred pounds 

 at this time, to the queen's seven 

 ladies of the bed-chamber and 

 maids of honour, on a similar oc- 

 casion.* 



Rush-bearing, or carrying rush- 

 es to the churches, and there 

 strewing them, was a custom 

 which formerly prevailed gene- 

 rally in Cheshire; but has been 

 much disused for many years, since 

 close pews have been erected in 

 most churches. It took place on 

 the day of the wake, and was at- 

 tended with a procession of young 

 men and women, dressed in rib- 

 bands, and carrying garlands, &c. 

 which were hung up in the 



church : we saw these garlands 

 remaining in several churches. 



The most prevalent custom of 

 this county is the shouting of the 

 marlers, when any money has been 

 given to them. When a marle- 

 pit is to be dug, the set of la- 

 bourers, or marlers, as they are 

 called, who undertake it, choose 

 one of their number to be lord of 

 the pit. When at work, they 

 never ask for money ; but if any 

 is given them, they are summoned 

 together by their lord, and after 

 announcing with great solemnity 

 the donation, and the name of the 

 donor, f they join their arms, 

 forming a ring, and make four 

 bows towards the centre of it, 

 siiouting every time; the fourth 

 time they give a lengthened and 

 much louder shout, letting the 

 sound die away gradually : this 

 ceremony is repeated several times, 

 in proportion to the sum given; 

 they shout four times for sil- 

 ver, though only sixpence ; six- 

 times for a shilling ; for half a 

 crown the shouts are continued as 

 long as their breath will hold out. 

 My lord keeps the money till the 

 next Saturday evening, when it is 

 spent at the next ale house, and 

 the shouts are there renewed, as 

 the healths of the givers are re- 

 peated in succession. When the 

 marlers have finished their work, 

 they dress up a pole with flowers 



• The following is the entry in that account : " XV die Maii, vii Dominabus et 

 Domicellis Rec^ne, quia serperunt Dominum Regem in lecto suo in Crastino Pashe, 

 etipsum fecerunt fini re versus eas pro pace regis quam fecit de done suo permanus 

 Hugonis de Cerru Scutiferi Domine de Weston.' — xiij. li. Lib.Controtulat' de Anno 

 XVIII. Ed. I. fol45. b. 



+ One stepping aside, cries oyez three times ; another says with great solemnity, 

 ' Mr. A. B., dwelling at the township of C, has been here to-day, and lias given to 

 my lord and all his "men, part of a thousand pounds : I hope another will come by 

 and by, and give us as much more, and vce will return him thanks therefore, and 

 shout largo ;' the last wonl is evidently a corruption oi largess. 



