Read Ebook: The strange story of the Dunmow flitch by Robertson Scott J W John William

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Ebook has 223 lines and 13767 words, and 5 pages

Twas thought a sumptuous treat On Birthdays, Festivals, or Days of State, A salt dry Flitch of Bacon to prepare. --Congreve.

INTRODUCTION

A Narrative of Nine Hundred Years

The Priory and the Rhymester

A Yeoman, a Husbandman and Thomas le Fuller

The Vanished Cloisters

A Tale of Tyranny and War

The Jury of Spinsters

--And Bachelors

The Bacon Refused

Enter The Novelist

The Winners of the Bacon

The Scene at the Modern Ceremony

Another Flitch Custom

The Bacon Over Sea

The Last Prior and the "Fair Matilda"

PROCESSION AT THE LAST LEGITIMATE PRESENTATION OF THE BACON.--This Hogarthian record of the Shakeshafts carried in procession with their Bacon is from a painting by David Ogbourne, a local artist who witnessed the ceremony. Local personages are represented in the crowd. The ladies in front of the laden basket are said to be members of the Strutt family. The man mopping his head is Pownall, "the fat butcher of Stebbing."

INTRODUCTION

If he is entitled to any credit at all, it can be merely in respect of the fact that , he has regarded it as a kind of minor act of local patriotism to try to gather together and set forth, in as simple and attractive a fashion as possible, such data as, with a little trouble, may be collected concerning a Custom all the surviving records of which are of interest and importance to those who live in Great or Little Dunmow or their vicinity.

The subject has, however, a wider appeal. It is so familiar that throughout the land there can be few persons who have never heard of the Dunmow Flitch. It is so old as to be enshrined, for as long as English Literature shall endure, in Chaucer and Langland.

It is proper to mention, perhaps, that most of the subjects illustrated have not before been photographed for publication.

For corrections or for any light on difficulties still confronting the historian of the Flitch, the Author will be greatly obliged.

In order to save labour to other students of the subject, he may perhaps mention that he has searched the following MSS. at the British Museum: "Registrum Cartarum Prioratus de Dunmawe," "Exscripta ? Chronico de Dunmow," "Collectanea ex Chronico de Dunmowe," "Excerpta ex Chronico de Parva Dunmowe," "Memorandum de Pernis, a Prioratu de Dunmowe," the household accounts of the last Prior of Dunmow, and "Transcripta ex Libro Rubeo in Scarrario," and has glanced through certain Court Rolls. One list of presentations of the Bacon is described in the catalogue at the British Museum as "perhaps a fragment of some larger work on the subject." Does it still exist?

A Narrative of Nine Hundred Years

Everybody knows that delightful Shakespearean scene in which Sir John Falstaff robs the travellers at Gadshill. But some readers of the play must have been puzzled a little by the sorry Knight's ejaculation--

"On, bacons, on!"

From the Conquest, however, it had been common to call the multitude hogs. To this practice, it has been declared, we owe the phrase "to save one's bacon." Is not bacon the back and sides of the hog--the part, therefore, on which a blow would generally fall? And is not "to save one's bacon," obviously, to escape a blow?

The bacon wae not fet for hem, I trow, That som men have in Essex at Donmow.

May not this conceivably be the Bacon of the popular saying?

The curious Dunmow Custom, by which a Flitch of Bacon has been given to married folk who have sworn that, for a year and a day, they have neither had differences nor wished themselves unwed, is certainly very old.

It may, indeed, have come over with the Conqueror. More than one book of antiquities avers that "at the abbey of Saint Melaine near Rennes"--the old capital of Brittany--there had been hanging, for more than six centuries, a side of Bacon "still quite fresh," which had been set apart for the first pair who "for a year and a day had lived without dispute and grumbling" and without repenting of their marriage.

To the Dunmow Custom we have a reference not only in old Chaucer, but in that great song of England, The Vision of William concerning Piers the Plowman, written under the shadow of the Black Death. Says the good Langland--

Many a couple since the Pestilence Have plighted them together; The fruit that they bring forth Is foul words In jealousy without happiness, And quarrelling in bed; They have no children but strife, And slapping between them, And though they go to Dunmow To follow after the Flitch They never after obtain it; And unless they both are perjured, They lose the bacon.

The last four lines appear as follows in the "C-text" of Professor Skeat's monumental two volume edition of the poem--

Thauh thei don hem to Donemowe . bote the deuel hem helpe To folwen for the flicche . feccheth thei hit neuere; Bote thei bothe be for-swore . that bacon thei tyne.

fynd no man that will enquere The parfyte wais unto Dunmow; For they repent them within a year, And many within a week and souner men trow.

Yet another century later one Howell says choicely--

Do not fetch your wife from Dunmow For so you may bring home two sides of a sow!

In fact, up and down our literature there are plenty of references to the Dunmow Flitch.

The Priory and the Rhymester

Robert Fitzwalter, who lived long beloved by King Henry, the son of King John , betook himself in his latter days to prayer and deeds of charity, and great and bountiful alms to the poor, kept great hospitality, and re-edified the decayed Priory of Dunmow, which Juga, a most devout and religious woman, had builded; in which Priory arose a custom, began and instituted either by him or some of his ancestors, which is verified by the common saying or proverb, "that he which repents him not of his marriage, either sleeping or waking, in a year and a day, may lawfully go to Dunmow and fetch a Gammon of Bacon." It is certain that such a custom there was, and that the Bacon was delivered with such solemnity and triumph as they of the Priory and Town could make--continuing till the dissolution of that house. The party or pilgrim took the Oath before the Prior of the Convent, and the Oath was administered with long process and much solemn singing and chanting.

"What seek you here, my children dear? Why kneel ye down thus lowly Upon the stones, beneath the porch Of this our Convent holy?" The Prior old the pair bespoke In faltering speech, and slowly.

Their modest garb would seem proclaim The pair of low degree, But though in cloth of frieze arrayed, A stately youth was he; While she, who knelt down by his side, Was beautiful to see.

"A Twelvemonth and a Day have fled Since first we were united; And from that hour," the young man said, "No change our hopes has blighted. Fond faith with fonder faith we've paid. And love with love requited.

"True to each other have we been; No dearer object seeing, Than each has in the other found; In everything agreeing. And every look, and word, and deed That breed dissension fleeing.

Just then, pass'd by the Convent cook-- And moved the young man's glee; On his broad back a mighty Flitch Of Bacon brown bore he. So heavy was the load, I wis, It scarce mote carried be.

"Take ye that Flitch," the Prior cried, "Take it, fond pair, and go; Fidelity, like yours, deserves The boon I now bestow. Go, feast your friends, and think upon The Convent of Dunmow."

"Good Prior," then the youth replied, "Thy gift to us is dear, Not for its worth, but that it shows Thou deem'st our love sincere, And in return broad lands I give-- Broad lands thy Convent near; Which shall to thee and thine produce A Thousand Marks a year!

"But this Condition I annex, Or else the Grant's forsaken; That whensoe'er a pair shall come, And take the Oath we've taken, They shall from thee and thine receive A goodly Flitch of Bacon.

"And thus from out a simple chance A usage good shall grow; And our example of true love Be held up evermo: While all who win the prize shall bless The Custom of Dunmow."

STOTHARD'S PICTURE, "THE PROCESSION OF THE FLITCH OF BACON."--It was published in 1833 and was dedicated to Samuel Rogers, the poet.

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