British Popular Customs, Present and Past / Illustrating the Social and Domestic Manners of the People. Arranged According to the Calendar of the Year.

April 23. ] ST. GEORGE'S DAY.

April 23.]

ST. GEORGE’S DAY.

St. George’s Day, though now passed over without notice, was formerly celebrated by feasts of cities and corporations, as we learn from Johan Bale, who, speaking of the neglect of public libraries, has the following curious apostrophe:

“O cyties of Englande, whose glory standeth more in bellye chere then in the serche of wysdome godlye. How cometh it that neyther you, nor your ydell masmongers, have regarded thys most worthy commodyte of your countrey? I mean the conservacyon of your antiquytees, and of the worthy labours of your lerned men. I thynke the renowne of suche a notable acte wolde have muche longar endured than of all your belly bankettes and table tryumphes, eyther yet of your newly purchased hawles to kepe St. Georges feast in.”—Preface to the Laboryeuse Journey and Serche of John Lyelande for Englande’s Antiquitees in Lives of Leland, Hearne, and Wood, vol. i., sign C.

Among courtiers and people of fashion blue coats were worn on this day. Captain Face, a character in the Ram Alley, alludes to the custom among the knights:—

“Do you bandy tropes? By Dis I will be knight,
Wear a blue coat on great St. George’s Day,
And with my fellows drive you all from Paul’s.”

Dodsley’s Old Plays, vol. v. p. 486.

In Epigram 33 of The Seconde Bowle, by Thomas Freeman, 4to, 1614, quoted also in Dodsley’s Old Plays, vol. xii. p. 398, its this distich:

“With’s eorum nomine keeping greater sway,
Than a Court blew coat on St. George’s Day.”

Dr. Forster, in his Perennial Calendar (1824, p. 185), mentioning an allusion to this dress in Reed’s Old Plays (vol. xii.), observes that it was probably because blue was the fashionable colour of Britain, over which St. George presides, and not in imitation of the clothing of the fields in blue, by the flowering of the blue-bells, as many have supposed.

The king’s spurs became the fee of the choristers at Windsor on installations and feasts on St. George’s Day. In the “Privy Purse Expenses of Henry VII.” is an entry under the year 1495:

“Oct. 1. At Windesor. To the children for the spoures.”

A similar disbursement occurs thrice in the Privy Purse Expenses of Henry VIII. in 1530.—Med. Ævi Kalend. vol. i. p. 214.

Strype, in his Ecclesiastical Memorials (1822, vol. iii. pt. ii. p. 3), says, “April 23rd [1557], being St. George’s Day, the King’s grace went a procession at Whitehall, through the hall, and round about the court hard by the gate, certain of the Knights of the Garter accompanying him, viz., the Lord Mountagu, the Lord Admiral St. Anthony St. Leger, the Lord Cobham, the Lord Dacre, Sir Thomas Cheyne, the Lord Paget, the Earl of Pembroke, the Earl of Arundel, the Lord Treasurer, and Secretary Petre, in a robe of crimson velvet, with the garter embroidered on his shoulder (as Chancellor of the Garter). One bare a rod of black, and a doctor the book of records. Then went all the heralds, and then the Lord Talbot bare the sword, and after him the sergeant-at-arms. And then came the king, the Queen’s grace looking out of a window beside the court on the garden side. And the bishop of Winchester did execute the mass, wearing his mitre. The same afternoon were chosen three Knights of the Garter, viz., the Lord Fitz-Water, the deputy of Ireland; Lord Grey of Wilton, deputy of Guynes; and Sir Robert Rochester, comptroller of the Queen’s house. After, the duke of Muscovia (as that ambassador was usually termed) came through the hall and the guard stood on a row, in their rich coats, with halberts; and so passed up to the Queen’s chamber, with divers aldermen and merchants. And after came down again to the chapel to evensong, to see the ceremonies. And immediately came the king, (the Lord Strange bearing the sword), and the Knights of the Garter, to evensong, which done, they went all up to the chamber of presence. After came the ambassador, and took his barge to London.[36]

[36] See also Machyn’s Diary, 1848, p. 195.

Berkshire.

The following is a curious account of the expenses for decorating a figure of St. George on this day, taken from Coates’s History of Reading, p. 221:

“Charge of Saynt George.

“First payd for iij caffes-skynes, and ij horse-skynnes, iij^s. vj^d.

“Payd for makeying the loft that Saynt George standeth upon, vj^d.

“Payd for ij plonks for the same loft, viij^d.

“Payd for iiij pesses of clowt lether, ij^s. ij^d.

“Payd for makeyng the yron that the hors resteth upon, vj^d.

“Payd for makeyng of Saynt George’s cote, viij^d.

“Payd to John Paynter for his labour, xlv^s.

“Payd for roses, bells, gyrdle, sword, and dager, iij^s. iiij^d.

“Payd for settyng on the bells and roses, iij^d.

“Payd for naylls necessarye thereto, x^d. ob.”

Cheshire.

In a pamphlet entitled Certayne Collections of Anchiante Times, concerninge the Anchante and Famous Cittie of Chester (already alluded to) and published in Lysons’ Magna Britannia, 1810, vol. ii. pt. ii. pp. 588-590, is the following account of races at one time annually held at Chester on St. George’s Day: In A.D. 1609, Mr. William Lester, mercer, being mayor of Chester, one Mr. Robert Amerye, ironmonger, sometime sherife of Chester (A.D. 1608), he, with the assent of the mayor and cittie, at his own coste chiefly, as I conceive, caused three silver cuppes of good value to be made, the whiche saide silver cuppes were, upon St. George’s Daye, for ever to be thus disposed. All gentlemen that would bringe their horses to the Rood-dee that daye, and there rune, that horse which with spede did over-rune the rest, should have the beste cuppe there presently delivered, and that horse which came seconde, nexte the firste, before the rest, had the seconde cuppe there also delivered, and for the third cuppe it was to be rune for at the ringe, by any gentleman that would rune for the same upon the said Rood-dee, and upon St. George’s Daye, being thus decreed, that every horse putt in soe much money as made the value of the cupps or bells, and had the money, which horses did winne the same, and the use of the cupps, till that day twelve month, being in bond to deliver in the cupps that daye, soe also for the cuppe for the ringe, which was yearly continued accordingly untill the yeare of our Lord 1623; John Brereton, inn-holder, being mayor of Chester, he altered the same after this manner and caused the three cupps to be sould, and caused more money to be gathered and added, soe that the intereste thereof woulde make one faire silver cuppe, of the value of £8, as I suppose, it may be more worth, and the race to be altered, viz., from beyonde the New-tower a great distance, and soe to rune five times from that place rownd about the Rood-dee, and he that overcame all the rest the last course, to have the cup freely for ever, then and there delivered, which is continued to this daye. But here I must not omitt the charge, and the solemnitie made, the first St. George’s daye; he had a poet, one Mr. Davies, who made speeches and poeticale verses, which were delivered at the high crosse before the mayor and aldermen, with shewes of his invention,[37] which booke was imprinted and presented to that famous Prince Henry, eldest sonne to the blessed King James, of famous memorie. Alsoe, he caused a man to go upon the spire of St. Peter’s steeple in Chester, and by the fane, at the same time he sounded a drum, and displayed a baner upon the top of the same spire. And this was the original of St. George’s race, with the change thereof.

[37] The following description of this show, written as it appears by Mr. Amorye himself, is copied from some Cheshire collections, among the Harleian MSS. No. 2150, f. 356. It appears that instead of three cups, as stated by Mr. Rogers, the prizes that year were two bells and one cup:

“The manner of the showe, that is, if God spare life and health, shall be seene by all the behoulders upon St. George’s Day next, being the 23rd April, 1610, and the same with more addytions to continue, being for the kyng’s crowne and dignitie, and the homage to the Kyng and Prynce, with that noble victor St. George, to be continued for ever.—God save the Kyng.

“Item.—Two men in greene liveries set with worke upon their other habit, with blacke heare, and blacke beards, very ougly to behoulde, and garlands upon their heads, with firworks to scatter abroad, to maintaine way for the rest of the showe.

“It. One on horseback, with the buckler and head-peece of St. George, and three men to guide him, with a drum before him, for the honor of Englande.

“It. One on horsebacke, called Fame, with a trumpet in his hand, and three men to guide him, and he to make an oration, with his habit in pompe.

“It. One called Mercury to descend from above in a cloude, his wings and all other matters, in pompe, and heavenly musicke with him; and after his oration spoken, to ryde on horsebacke, with his musicke before hym.

“It. One on horsebacke, with the Kynge’s arms upon a shield, in pompe.

“It. One called Chester, with an oration, and drums before him, his habit in pompe.

“It. One on horsebacke, conteening the Kynge’s crowne and dignity, with an oration in pompe.

“It. One on horsebacke with a bell, dedicated to the kynge, being double-gilt with the kynge’s armes upon it, carried upon a septer in pompe, and before him a noise of trumpets, in pompe.

“It. One on horsebacke, with an oration for the Prynce, in pompe.

“It. One on horsebacke, with a bell, dedicated to the Prynce, his armes upon it, in pompe, and to be carried on a septer, and before the bell, a noyse of trumpets.

“It. One on horsebacke, with a cup for St. George, carried upon a septer, in pompe.

“It. One on horsebacke, with an oration for St. George, in pompe.

“It. St. George himself on horseback, in complete armor, with his stag and buckler, in pompe, and before him a noyse of drums.

“It. One on horsebacke, called Peace, with an oration, in pompe.

“It. One on horsebacke, called Plentye, with an oration, in pompe.

“It. One on horsebacke, called Envy, with an oration, whom Love will comfort, in pompe.

“It. One on horseback, called Love, with an oration to maintaine all, in pompe.

“It. The Maior and his bretheren, at the pentes of this citye, with ther best apparell, and in scarlet; and all the orations to be made before him, and seene at the high crosse, as they passe to the Roodye, wher by Gent shall be runne for by thirr horses, for the two bells on a double staffe and the cup to be runne for at the rynge in some place by Gent and with a greater mater of the showe by armes, and shott, and with more than I can recyte, with a banket after in the Pentis to make welcome the Gent; and when all is done, then judge what you have seen, and so speak on your mynd, as you fynd the—

“Actor for the presente
“Robert Amorye.”

“Amor is love, and Amorye is his name,
That did begin this pomp and princelye game;
The charge is great to him that all begun,
Who now is satisfied to see all so well done.”

Notwithstanding Mr. Amorye had entertained the citizens so well in 1610, it was ordered in 1612 “that the sports and recreations used on St. George’s Day should in future be done by the direction of the Mayor and citizens, and not of any private person.”—Corporation Records.

Leicestershire.

At Leicester, the “Riding of the George” was one of the principal solemnities of the town. The inhabitants were bound to attend the Mayor, or to “ride against the king,” as it is expressed, or for “riding the George” or for any other thing to the pleasure of the Mayor and worship of the town.

St. George’s horse, harnessed, used to stand at the end of St. George’s Chapel, in St. Martin’s Church, Leicester.—Fosbroke, Dict. of Antiq.

IRELAND.

St. George’s Day was at one time celebrated at Dublin with high veneration. In the Chain-book of the city of Dublin are several entries to that purpose:

“Item 1. It was ordered in maintenance of the pageant of St. George, that the Mayor of the foregoing year should find the Emperor and Empress with their train and followers well apparelled and accoutered, that is to say, the Emperor attended with two doctors, and the Empress with two knights, and two maidens richly apparelled to bear up the train of her gown.

“Item 2. The Mayor for the time being was to find St. George a horse, and the wardens to pay 3s. 4d. for his wages that day. The bailiffs for the time being were to find four horses, with men mounted on them, well apparelled, to bear the pole-axe, the standard, and the several swords of the Emperor and St. George.

“Item 3. The elder master of the guild was to find a maiden well attired to lead the dragon, and the clerk of the market was to find a golden line for the dragon.

“Item 4. The elder warden was to find for St. George four trumpets; but St. George himself was to pay their wages.

“Item 5. The younger warden was obliged to find the King of Dele and the Queen of Dele, as also two knights, to lead the Queen of Dele, and two maidens to bear the train of her gown, all being entirely clad in black apparel. Moreover, he was to cause St. George’s Chapel to be well hung in black, and completely apparelled to every purpose, and was to provide it with cushions, rushes, and other necessaries for the festivity of that day.”—Harris, History of Dublin, 1766, p. 146.

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