Now! Then! A proverbial Michaelmas rhyme and parade at Scarborough parodies rent collectors

Excerpt

“Scarburg [Scarborough] Warning” is a proverb in many places of the north, signifying any sudden warning given upon any account. Some think it arose from the sudden coming of an enemy against the castle there, and having discharged a broadside, then commands them to surrender. Others think that the proverb had its original from other things, but all varies. However, this is the true origin thereof.

The town is a corporation town, and though it is very poor now to what it was formerly, yet it has a [?] who is commonly some poor man, they having no rich ones amongst them. About two days before Michaelmas Day the said being arrayed in his gown of state, he mounts upon horseback, and has his attendants with him, and the macebearer carrying the mace before him, with two fiddlers and a base viol. Thus marching in state (as big as the Lord Mayor of London), all along the shore side, they make many halts, and the crier cries thus with a strange sort of a singing voice, high and low,

Whay! whay I whay!
Pay your gavelage [rent, or other periodical payment], ha!
Between this and Michaelmas day,
Or you’ll be fined, I say!

Then the fiddlers begins to dance, and caper, and plays, fit to make one burst with laughter that sees and hears them. Then they go on again, and cries as before, with the greatest majesty and gravity imaginable, none of this comical crew being seen as much as to smile all the time, when as spectators are almost bursting with laughing.

This is the true origin of the proverb, for this custom of gavelage is a certain tribute that every house pays to the […] when he is pleased to call for it, and he gives not above one day warning, and may call for it when he pleases.

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

Abbreviations

Comment

The author, writing on 1 April 1697, suggests that the custom is current, so I hope no one will object to its assignation to 27 September 1696.

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Original

“Scarburg [Scarborough] Warning” is a proverb in many places of the north, signifying any sudden warning given upon any account. Some think it arose from the sudden coming of an enemy against the castle there, and having discharged a broadside, then commands them to surrender. Others think that the proverb had its original from other things, but all varies. However, this is the true origin thereof.

The town is a corporation town, and though it is very poor now to what it was formerly, yet it has a [?] who is commonly some poor man, they having no rich ones amongst them. About two days before Michaelmas Day the said being arrayed in his gown of state, he mounts upon horseback, and has his attendants with him, and the macebearer carrying the mace before him, with two fiddlers and a base viol. Thus marching in state (as big as the Lord Mayor of London), all along the shore side, they make many halts, and the crier cries thus with a strange sort of a singing voice, high and low,

Whay! whay I whay!
Pay your gavelage [rent, or other periodical payment], ha!
Between this and Michaelmas day,
Or you’ll be fined, I say!

Then the fiddlers begins to dance, and caper, and plays, fit to make one burst with laughter that sees and hears them. Then they go on again, and cries as before, with the greatest majesty and gravity imaginable, none of this comical crew being seen as much as to smile all the time, when as spectators are almost bursting with laughing.

This is the true origin of the proverb, for this custom of gavelage is a certain tribute that every house pays to the […] when he is pleased to call for it, and he gives not above one day warning, and may call for it when he pleases.

326 words.