100 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[No. 37. 



heard it affirmed at least ; and, indeed, has not the 

 common councilman, whom the Times has happily 

 designated as the "defender of filth," totally and 

 publicly staked his reputation on tlie dogma in its 

 most extravagant shape, witliin the last few months? 

 It is clear that nearly four centuries ago, the 

 citizens of London thought diflferently ; even 

 though " the corupte savours and lothsom innoy- 

 aunc " were infinitely less loathsome than in the 

 present Smithfield and the City slaughter-houses. 



It would be interesting to know to what act of 

 parliament Arnold's citizens refer, and whether 

 it lias ever been repealed. It is curious to notice, 

 too, that the danger from infuriated beasts running 

 wild through the streets is not amongst the evils of 

 the system represented. They go further, how- 

 ever, and forbid even the killing within the city. 



Moreover, it would really seem that the swan 

 was not then a mere ornamental bird, either alive 

 or dead, but an ordinary article of citizen-dinners, 

 it being classed with " gies and dowks" in the 

 business of the poulterer. At the same time, no 

 mention being made of swine in any of these 

 ordonnances or petitions, would at first sight seem 

 to show that the flesh of the hog was in abhorrence 

 witli the Catholic citizen, as much perhaps as with 

 the Jews themselves ; at any rate, tluit it was not 

 a vendible article of food in those days. When 

 did it become so? This conclusitm would, how- 

 ever, be erroneous ; for amongst " the articles of 

 the good governaiice of the cite of London " shortly 

 following we have this : — 



" Also y' ony peisone kepe or norrysh hoggis, oxen> 

 kyen, or mallardis within the ward, in noyoying of 

 tlier nLyhbours.' — p. 91. 



The proper or appointed place for keeping hoggis 

 was Hoggistone, now Hoxton ; as Houndsditch* was 

 for the hounds. 



There is another among these petitions to the 

 Lord Mayor and corporation, worthy of notice, in 

 connection with sanatory law. 



" Also in avoydig y'= abhoniynable savours causid by 

 y= kepii? of y"* kenell in y" mote and y^ diches there, 

 and i especial! by sethig of y^ houndes mele w* roten 

 bones, and vnclenly keping of y" houdes, wherof nioche 



* Mr. Cunningham, speaking of Houndsditcli, 

 merely quotes the words of Stow. It would appear 

 that Stow's reason for the name is entirely conjectural ; 

 and indeed the same reason would justify tlie same 

 name being applied to all the "ditches" in London in 

 the year 1500, and indeed much later. This passage 

 of Arnold throws a new light upon the name, at least, 

 of that rivulet ; for stagnant its waters could not be, 

 from its inclination to the horiz .n. It, however, raises 

 another question respecting the mode of keeping and 

 feeding hounds in those days ; and likewise, as sug- 

 gested in the text, the further question, as to the pur- 

 pose for which these hounds were thus kept as a part 

 of the civic establishment. 



people is anoyed, soo y' when the wynde is in any 

 poyte of the northe, all the fowle stynke is blowen ouer 

 the citee. Plese it mi Lord Mair, Aldirmen, and 

 Comen Coucell, to ordeigne that the sayd kenell be 

 amoued and sett in so other couenient place where as 

 best shall seme them. And also that the said diches 

 mai be clensed from yere to yere, and so kepte y' 

 thereof folowe non annoyaunce." — p. 87. 



Of course " Houndsditch " is here meant ; but 

 for what purpose were the hounds kept? And, 

 indeed, what kind of hounds were they, that thus 

 formed a part of the City establishment ? ^V'ere 

 they bloodhounds for tracking criminals, or hounds 

 kept for the special behoof and pleasure of the 

 " Lord Mair, Aldermen, and Comen Cousel ? " The 

 Houndsditch of that time bore a strong resem- 

 blance to the Fleet ditch of times scarcely ex- 

 ceeding the memory of many living men. 



I come now to the passages relating to the 

 clergy. 



" Also, where as the curatis of the cyte have used 

 often tyme herehefore to selle their otfring (at mariag), 

 whereby the pisshes where such sales be made comenly 

 be lettid fro messe or matyns, and otherwhiles from 

 both, by so moch as the frondis of the pties maryed 

 vsen to goo abowte vij. or viij. dayes before, and de- 

 sir'g men to otl'r\ g at such tymes as more conuenyent 

 it were to be at diuyne seruice. Plese it my Lord 

 RIair, Aldirmc, and Come Couseile, to puide remedy, 

 so that the sayd custuine be fordone and leid aparte." 

 _p. 86. 



" Also, to thentent that the ordre of priesthood be had 

 in dew reuerence according to the dignite therof, and 

 that none occasions of incontinence growe bee the fa- 

 mylyarite of seculer people. Plese it my Lord Mayre, 

 Aldirmen, and Comon Counsyll, to enacte that no 

 maner persone beyng free of this citee take, receyue, 

 and kepe from hensforth ony priest in comons, or to 

 borde by the weke, moneth, or yere, or ony other 

 terme more or lesse, vpon peine thervpon to be ly- 

 mvtyd, prouided that thisacte extcde not to ony prieste 

 retayned wyth a citezcn in famyliar housolde." — p. 89. 

 " Also, plese it my Lord Mayre, Aldyrmen, and 

 Comon Cotmseylle, that a communication may be had 

 wyth the curatis of this citee for oblacions whiehe they 

 clayme to haue of citezens agaynst the tenour of the 

 bulle purchased att their owue instance, and that it 

 ma)- be determined and an ende taken, whervpon the 

 citezens shall rest." — p. 89. 



" Also, y*^ ther be ony priest in seruice within the 

 warde, whicli afore tyme hath been sette in the toune 

 in Cornhyll for his dishoneste, and hatli forsworne the 

 cyte, alle suclie shulde bee presentyd." — p. 92. 



Upon these I shall make no remark. They will 

 make different im]u"essioiis on difierent readers; 

 according to the extent of prejudice or liberality 

 existing in diflcrcnt minds. They show that even 

 during the most absolute period of ecclesiastical 

 domination, there was one spot in England where 

 attempts to legislate for the priesthood (though 

 perhaps feeble enough) were nuxde. The legis- 



