Brand's Popular Antiquities of Great Britain Volume 1; Faiths and Folklore a Dictionary of National Beliefs, Superstitions and Popular Customs, Past and Current, with Their Classical and Foreign Analogues, Described and Illustrated (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1905 Excerpt: ...deputy, shall lye in the churchsteeple; and at eight o'clock every night shall ring the curfewe by the space of a quarter of an hour, with such bell as of old time hath been accustomed." I find, however, in " The Merry Devil of Edmonton," 1608, the sexton says: "Well, "tis nine a'clocke, 'tis time to ring curfew." Shakespear, in "King Lear," act iii. sc. 4, writes: Edgar: "This is the foul fiend Flibbertigibbet: He begins at curfew, and walks to the first cock." The following is an extract from the Churchwardens' and Chamberlain's Accounts of Kingston-upon Thames: "1651. For ringing the curfew bell for one year, 1 10s. OcL" Bridges, speaking of Byfield Church, tells us: "A bell is rung here at four in the morning, and at eight in the evening, for whicli the clerk hath 20s. yearly, paid him by the Rector." Northamptonshire, i., 110. Hutchins, speaking of Mappouder Church, mentions land given "to find a man to ring the morning and Curfeu Bell throughout the year." Also, under Ibberton.is mentioned one acre given for ringing the eight o'clock bell, and 4 for ringing the morning bell. Dorsetshire, ii., 267. Macaulay says: "The custom of ringing Curfew, which is still kept up at Claybrook, has probably obtained without intermission since the days of the Norman Conqueror." Hist, of Claybrook, 1791, p. 128. In 1848 the curfew was still rung at Hastings from Michaelmas till Lady-day, and the same was the case at Wrexham in North Wales, and elsewhere, till even a later date. Harrington, Observations on the Statutes, p. 153, tells us that "Curfew is written Curphour in a Scotish poem written before 1568. It is observed in the annotations on these poems, that by ...