Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 12.djvu/53

 9"- s. xii. JULY is, 1903.) NOTES AND QUERIES.

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point of starting on a long and, it might be, perilous journey ; and before the day began there would be the quiet stepping aside to enter the chantry. Sometimes, too, his goods would be brought inside the chapel for a blessing on them as well as on himself. Then would follow the prayer for a safe, prosperous journey and return ; then the rising from his knees to pay for the burning of the light before the representation of the saint whom he held in most reverence, which was to be kept alight until his return to his home and city. There are fewer, far fewer, Hezekiahs to-day than was the case in mediaeval days.

I remember being impressed on entering a foreign church some years ago to see the reverence with which many a poor woman would come quietly in at a side door, lift off her heavy pack of fruit and vegetables from her back, and drop on her knees for a short prayer. When presently she rose to go out there could be no doubt that she had left something behind her on that step which would not follow her out and worry her again.

Surely the light ever burning in the "high-side" window of these chantries the gleam across the dark waters of the river beneath was of peculiar significance, of very real suggestiveness to the homecoming traveller. Do we not all look for lights in one way or another? it may be in the eyes of some friend, or it may be from some idea that acts as our light across the water in the business of life. Some, indeed, keep the lamp of remembrance always burning in their hearts before the shrine of some departed friendship. To-day in the chantry on the bridge there are no " high - side " lights any longer ; no one comes to pay for them ; to most people, indeed, they would be meaningless signs, and their cost would seem like pure waste of money.

But there are occasional -services, though there are no longer chantry priests to serve them ; no longer lights ; no longer daily services chanted. The year of desecration, of spoliation, of robbery -can one truthfully call it " the year of grace " 1545 1 effectually stopped all that ; for that year gave to the king every chantry in the land, and this particular chantry was valued at no more than 14^. 15s. 3d.

Things never go by halves in these matters, and so, apparent!}', the authorities " that were " in charge of affairs were careless about the bridge also. We read on 3 April, 1638, the local magistrates were told of the

"great ruyne and decay of the stone bridge at Wakefield standing over the river Galder, and the

chappell adjoyneing unto the said bridge, which is a great staye and helpe to the same."

The repairs took 80., and it is ordered that " the said chappell be hereafter kept decentlye and that noe persons whatsoever be suffred to inhabite therein." Nevertheless, not much less than sixty years later the same "in- habiting" began again. The chantry was let for twenty-one years, in 1696, " to a man called Bever." Later on it was used as a cheesecake shop, as a corn factory, as a ware- house, as an old-clothes shop, &c. ; and finally, when at last it came into the minds of men to devote again to spiritual uses a building originally erected for such purposes, it was restored by Sir Gilbert Scott in 1842.

I. GlBERNE SlEVEKING.

PERSIAN LEGEND OF THE FIRST FLESH- EATER. There is a famous passage in Plutarch where, in reply to one who asked why Pythagoras abstained from flesh meat, he expresses his wonder as to what manner of man he was who first ate of the slaughtered bodies of animals as part of his daily food. Others have had the same feeling of curiosity, for the late learned Michele Amari has given a curious legend current amongst the Persians as to the man who first indulged in animal food* :

" The offspring of an Arab prince and of a maiden of the blood royal of Persia, Dahhak was enter- prising, valiant, and of so fierce a nature that, in the words of the Eastern writers, the simoon of his fury would have transformed mountains into liquid fire, and hailstones into live coals. Humanity is indebted to him for the invention of flagellation, torture, and the scaffold. He conquered the world, and afflicted it a thousand years. Satan, who was his familiar spirit, persuaded him to commit two excesses, which are spoken of as differing little in atrocity namely, to eat animal food, and to put his own father to death. The devil then obtained Dahhak's permission to kiss his shoulders ; and behold, a hissing serpent, or a cancer, appeared upon each, which could only be appeased by the brains of human beings, to obtain which two prisoners were daily put to death, until at length the supply was exhausted, the measure of his guilt was filled up, and he was forewarned in a dream of the impending revolution. The astrologers pre- dicted that it would be led by Prince Feridim, and DahHak caused diligent search to be made for him, but failed to secure his prey. At this juncture a deliverer rose from the lowest ranks of the people. Gawah, or Kawah, a blacksmith of Ispahan, seeing his two sons about to be sacrificed to the tyrant, closed his forge, stirred up the people, displayed

Amari's translation of the * Solwan' of Mohammed ibn Zafer, which will be found in the English edition (vol. i. p. 319). Dahhak (sometimes written Zohauk) is said to be the Arabic form of Deh-ak, or Ten Vices.
 * This account of Dahhak is given in a note to