Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 23, 1912.djvu/472

 44^ Collectanea.

p. 365). The street was crowded with stalls. On Monday- morning hustings were raised at the High Cross, by the stocks, and here the Clerk of the Wap recorded the vote orally delivered by each man. Only " freeholders " could vote ; to become a " freeholder," the sum of a shilling or sixpence had to be paid. In 1776, there were 23 "freeholders"; in 182 1, there were 22 votes recorded. An ex-mayor was known as an "old lord," and had two votes. After the votes were counted, the Mayor was sworn in. A High Sheriff, Sword-Bearer, and Mopman were also elected. The Poll Book "for the Lord Mayor of Randwick" in 1813 records that "the three officers was Chus'd in, one by the Lord Mayor and other two by the freeholders of the City." Then followed a feast of " wiput " and beer. After the feast, a start was made for the pool, which had been cleared out in readiness. The Mopman went first, to clear the way with a wet mop ; then four boys carried whitened rods tied with knots of ribbon; next, the Mayor in his chair of state, dressed in a wig, helmet, and sash. His sceptre was a wooden bowl, from which he sprinkled water on the spectators. When they reached the pool, the chair of state was set down beside the water, and the song was sung to the tune of "All people that on earth do dwell." -^ When the song was ended, the four bearers hoisted the chair on to their shoulders, and walked into the pool, where they set the chair down. The Mopman then chased the people hither and thither with his wet mop. Miss Fennemore tells me that strangers were pursued with great ferocity. From a poem 22 written in 18 18, it would seem that both the Lord Mayor and the Mopman sprinkled the crowd.

" His Lordship brandishes his bowl, Now brimful of the oozy stream ; And rush'd down Randwick's peopled lane ; While he who had the mop pursued Another gaping multitude."

21 Cf. County Folk-Lore, vol. i., (Gloucestershire) pp. 34-37r where the song is given in full. This was called "the new song"; Randwick people know- that it replaced an older one, which is entirely forgotten.

^ The Lord Mayor of Randzvick, or All Fools Day, a comic satirical burlesque poem, by Scriblerus Secundus, Stroud, 1818. I have to thank Mr. Sidney