Page:Notes and Queries - Series 2 - Volume 10.djvu/568

 wife entered, he related to her what had happened, and their own cat, which had accompanied her, exclaimed "Is Doldrum dead?" and immediately rushed up the chimney, and was heard of no more. Of course there were numberless conjectures upon such a remarkable event, but the general opinion appears to be that Doldrum had been King of Catland, and that Dildrum was the next heir.

. &mdash; A paragraph in the Cambridge Chronicle for Dec. 8, 1860, mentions that the carpenters of Chatteris, in the Isle of Ely, had observed the feast of their patron saint, St. Catherine, by assembling together at a trade dinner, &c.

.&mdash;This was a sweetmeat image which was given to children in commemoration of the Saviour's birth. The custom was observed in Northumberland in 1822. See Davison's History of Alnwick for that year, p. 262.

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CHRISTMAS AT EXETER IN 1737.

Some curious notices of Christmas customs at Exeter, in 1737, are to be found in a scarce local work (written in 1737, but not published till 1770), of which the following is the title: &mdash;

From this volume I extract some verses, with their explanatory notes: &mdash;

1. Throwing at Cocks at Christmas-time: &mdash;

P. 35.

This throwing at cocks at Christmas is an unusual instance of the observance of this barbarous custom, and is not mentioned in Hone's Works, and similar publications. That the custom was continued up to 1770, we may conclude from the above note not being corrected or altered by the author, as is the case with many of the notes in the books. Mr. Brice, I may here observe, was a printer in Exeter, manager of a newspaper, and author of a Topographic Dictionary.

2. Christmas Carols and Christmas-drink: &mdash;

3. Christmas Mummers: &mdash;

P. 90.

(Play Musick)."

4. Christmas Bell-men of the Night: &mdash;

Pp. 91. 93.