456 
to fall with eonsiderable violence: in- 
deed, I am told that serious accidents 
have been known to occur through it. 
The precedence of the sex as to the day 
is, I understand, in some places, where 
no doubt the original custom is more 
strictly adhered to, regulated by the su- 
periority of a king or queen, who are 
chosen to ride for it; the winning sex com- 
mencing hostilities on the Monday, the 
other retaliacing on the Tuesday ; but in 
most places, little to the honour of their 
gallantry, the men take the lead now. 
Bir, aslama West-countryman, and little 
versed m any customs but those‘of my 
own immediate neighbourhood, I should 
thank any ofthe numerous reacers of your 
valuable Magazine if they would inform 
mie through its medium, of the origin and 
intention of this curious one; as lam by 
no means satisfied with the information 
given me by a gentleman, to whom, on 
account of his age and situation, I ap- 
plied, that it was in commemoration of 
our Lord’s resurrection. Were such the 
case, much as I venerate ancient usages, 
I could wish to see this abolished, as, 
in addition to its appearing like a bur- 
lesque, and fitiey to convey an idea of 
poor Sancho Panza’s tossing in the blan- 
ket, the horrid oaths and imprecations at- 
tending the proceeding, give a stranger a 
very indifierent opinion of the veneration 
entertained here for an event the most 
interesting to humannature. As it seems 
to originate in Wales, whither our most 
ancient customs retired, perhaps there js 
some little remains in it of a ceremony 
attached to the early religion of this 
island; as it was the practice of our first 
Christian missionaries to suffer the con- 
verts to retain as much of the former ce- 
emonies and usages which they were at- 
‘tached to, as was consistent with the spi- 
ritand purity ofour benevolent religion. In 
that case it may be classed with the May- 
games of our island, or the hill-fires of the 
Irish ; and some very learned person may 
trace its introduction to the Pheenicians: 
indeed, Mr. Editor, it is impossible to 
say how far my question may lead; but at 
all events, it is pretty well for youin the 
metropolis that it 1s not inthe possession 
‘of your cdnaitle, or even in that of your 
poissardés at Billingsgate; for, though it 
would not affect your beaux or fashion- 
ables, who scarcely know what a fore- 
noon is, the tonsequence might not be 
pleasant to sbine of the rest. Fede ws 
Liverpool, ‘Your's, &e. 
April 1807. ~  * [wevrsrtor. 
The Antiquary.—No. XIII, 
[June 1, 
For the Monthly Magazine 
THE ANTIQUARY:. 
No. XIII. 
ON THE INTRODUCTION OF CHIMNIES. 
MONG the introductions which 
have more immediately distinguish- 
ed the comparative convenience of mo- 
dern life above the comforts of our early 
ancestors, we may, perhaps, be allowe 
to place the use of climnies. — , 
It has been a question often canvassed, 
whether the ancients were acquainted 
with them; but the testimonies which 
have been cited are rather evidences that 
the houses of Greece and Rome. were 
constructed without them. Vitruvius 1s 
silent on the subject. And what we learn 
from the discoveries at Herculaneum and 
Pompeii, as well as from the traces of 
Roman stations both in this and other 
countries, more than indicates that the 
different apartments were warmed en- 
tirely by subterraneous flues. ; 
The oldest certain account of chim- 
neys that occurred to Beckmann, while 
writing the History of Inventions, was in 
1347, when a great many chimmies at 
Venice (molti camini) are said to have 
heen thrown down by an earthquake. 
He adds, that the first chimney-sweepers 
in Cer nany came from Savoy, Piedmont, 
and tie neighbouring territories; which 
for along time were the only countries 
where the cleaning of chimnies was car- 
ried on.as a trade. 
But althouzh chimnies were not com- 
mon, their use may be proved in this 
country at a period still more distant. 
Chemin, which implies a road or way, 
may, perhaps, induce one to believe that 
the introduction of them was from France; 
or the name might have been taken from 
the Latin. 
Mr. Whitaker, in the History of Cra- 
ven (p. 334), recites a Computus of Bol- 
ton-abbey, in Yorkshire; in which, so 
long ago as 1510, the sum of nine shil- 
lings was paid fer the making of a chim- 
ney. | 
“ Pro camino rect. de Gayrgrave fuci- 
endo, et dato eidem, 1xs.”~ : 
‘There is also a line in Chaucer's Troi- 
lus and Cresseide,* which it may not be 
irrelevant.to quote: a 
<é In this gode plite, let no hevy thought 
- Ben hangyn in the hertis of you twey; 
And bare the candle to the chymeney.” “ 
ae ee 
Piers Plowman, whose Visions are sup- 
posed to have been written about 1362, 
appears 
