one which we should not have thought would have been hit upon, even by a knight in the middle of the fourteenth century. The "Custom Roll and Renta!" of the manor, drawn up by Sir John de Assheton, seventy-six years after the battle of Neville Cross (in 1422), is destitute of any mention of the custom. From this silence it appears reasonable to infer that the custom had not then commenced, yet "Rauf of Assheton" (afterwards Knight of Middleton, and whom Dr. Hibbert supposes was the original of the personified Black Knight) was living at this period; but probably those appalling acts of his tyranny-if he was the execrated one, and the memory of whom still remains, after the lapse of near four centuries-had not then been perpetrated. Referring to this custom, Douce, in his MS. Notes, thus speaks of it:"It is said to have arisen from there having formerly been a black knight residing in these parts, holding the people in vassalage, and treating them with great severity." The following, however, is the more popular, and, we have no doubt, the most authentic, account of the origin of this ancient custom. In his Illustrations † Dr. Hibbert remarks, with respect to the "Riding of the Black Knight," that, "in the rent-roll of Sir John de Assheton, mention is made of a grant to 'Rauf of Assheton and Robin of Assheton,' and merits much attention. It is stated that they have the carr, guld-rode,§ and stane rynges,'ll "History of Ashton." sour Butterworth. + "Illustrations of the Customs of a Manor in the North of England." By Dr. Hibbert, of Edinburgh. "The sour carr' was a large extent of low, wet land in the vicinity of Ashton, and which was overrun with corn marigolds in the days of Sir John of Ashton."-History of Ashton. "This is the ancient Scottish custom of guld-riding as it is still retained at Carr-gill, in Perthshire, at the present time, and was a perambulation by the lords of manors, or their representatives, to examine the lands of the tenantry in search of the weed guld,' or gool' (corn-marigolds), and to punish, by fine, the farmers who suffered their for the term of their lives,- Rauf, of the gift of John of Assheton, knight, the elder; and Robin, of the gift of John of Assheton, knight, the younger.'" From this it appears that Rauf, or Raphe, of Ashton (Sir John's son by a second marriage), and Robin his brother, were on a certain day in spring, invested with a power of riding over the lands of the carr, named the Carr-guld-rode, levying fines for all gulds that were found among the corn; and, until the penalties were paid, of punishing transgressors, by putting them into the stocks, or stone rings, as also by incarceration. Aiken further remarks-" It appears that Raphe of Assheton became, by his alliance with a rich heiress, the lord of a neighbouring manor named Middleton, and soon after received the honour of knighthood; being at the same time (1483) entrusted with the office of viceconstable of the kingdom, and, it is added, of lieutenant of the Tower. Invested with such great authorities, he committed violent excesses in this part of the kingdom. In retaining also, for life, the privilege granted him in Ashton, of guld-riding, he, on a certain day in spring (supposed to be Easter Monday) made his appearance in this manor, clad in black armour (whence his name of the Black Boy), mounted on a charger, and attended by a numerous train of his own followers, in order to levy the penalties arising from any neglect of clearing the land from gulds. The interference of so powerful a knight, belonging to another lordship, could not but be regarded by the tenants of Assheton as the tyrannical intrusion of a stranger; and as Sir Raphe, sanctioned by the political growth, their existence being considered very destructive to the cultivation of the genuine corn. The words 'guld-rode' might indicate a tenement overrun with guld, and he'd by Rauf and Robin; yet' rode' is generally to be taken to mean ride.'"— Ibid. "Stane rynges, or Stone rings, were instruments of punishment similar to the stocks, the use of which was vested in the bands of 'Rauf and Robin. "-—Ibid. power given him, exercised his privilege with the utmost severity, the name of the Black Knight in the district, even at the present day, is regarded with no other sentiments than those of horror. Indeed, tradition has perpetuated the prayer that, in his day, was fervently ejaculated for a deliverance from his tyranny,→→→→ 'Sweet Jesu, for thy mercy's sake, And for thy bitter passion, "Upon the death of the guld-rider of Assheton,* Sir John's heir and successort abolished the usage for ever, and charged upon the estate a small sum of money, for the purpose of perpetuating, in an annual ceremony, the dreaded yearly visits of the Black Boy. The custom is still kept up at the present day: an effigy is made of a man in armour; and since Sir Raphe was the son of a second marriage (which, for this reason, had been esteemed by the heir of Sir John as an unfortunate match'), the back of the image is deridingly emblazoned with some emblem of the occupation of the last couple that are linked together in the course of the year." (Thus, if it happened to be a tailor, his goose, shears, thimble, &c.-if a mason, his mallet, trowel, square and chisel, &c.-and so with other trades, Bell's "Gazetteer" "Sir states that Raphe of Assheton was shot as he was riding down the principal street of the town, on one of his Easter Monday visitations, and the inhabitants to have taken no trouble to discover the assassin." How far this may be correct we have no means to determine, as the manner and exact time of his death is not, to our knowledge, anywhere recorded. + Butterworth, in his "History of Ashton," says that it was "Sir Thomas's heir and successor who abolished the custom of guldriding," and "not Sir John's, as is usually supposed." This Sir Thomas was the son and successor of Sir John; the latter died in 1428: the date of Sir Thomas's death is not found in the genealogies, Sir John, his eldest son and successor, died in 1508, and he is supposed by the historian of Ashton to have abolished the custom in question; and his son and successor, Sir Thomas, was the last male representative of the family of the Asshetons of Ashton-under-Lyne. VOL. III. were portrayed on the back of the effigy, together with the initials of the names of those unfortunate persons, unless they compounded all such questionable honour by means of a "pecuniary consideration"). "The Black Boy is then placed on horseback, and after being led in procession round the town, is dismounted, hung up at the market cross, and made to supply the place of a shooting butt, when, all firearms being in requisition for the occasion, he is put to an ignominions death by being shot away in the presence of a large concourse of the neighbouring people, who always attend to be spectators of the exhibition." On comparing these researches into history with the popular oral tradition, it will be observed that while there is a resemblance which may indicate oneness of origin, there still remain some minor differences; which, however, may only be the natural tendency to exaggeration of oral tradition, coming down, as it does, through so many generations. But after all the profound and elaborate reasoning of Drs. Hibbert and Aiken on the subject, there is yet room for additional research. The result of their investigations we have given above; and though supported with great apparent probability, it is difficult avoiding the conclusion that a more atrocious act than extirpating corn-marigolds must have led to a practice so deeply marked with expressions of abhorrence to him whose infamy has thus been perpetuated for centuries. Mr. Baines very properly observes, Supposing this account to be correct, it is manifest that the offence of Sir Raphe, in obliging the farmers to keep their grounds clear from weeds, was not of so heinous a nature as to require to be expiated by centuries of execrations; and the solemnity might now be permitted to cease, without any detriment to the moral feeling of the place." † Aiken's "Manchester and its Neighbourhood." + Baines's "Lancashire," 12mo, edn., vol. i., p. 494. L It is allowed by all that the origin of the custom is involved in obscurity and uncertainty, though this last accourt doubtless appears by far the most probable. With Mr. Baines we agree, and may further remark that, in our opinion, it seems very strange that a man's character should be so publicly stigmatized, and his memory preserved from merited oblivion, to be the more detested throughout so many ages, if the only crime of which he was guilty, was too strictly looking after "carr-gulds." Even allowing that he rigorously exacted enormous fines, and inflicted various severe punishments, still, it was with the avowed intention of extirpating a noxious weed; and his memory being preserved, and held up to public execration for near four centuries, seems a punishment unduly disproportioned to the magnitude of the offence. Few, indeed, are the tyrants on a large scale, in the world's history, who have received a similar proportioned merited retribution, in a memory kept alive but to be execrated, as is the fate of this old knight of Ashton; so that we cannot but conclude, from our consideration of the best and most probable account of the origin of this singular custom, that it may fairly, and with certainty, be traced to an ancient feeling of the inhabitants against the excesses of tyranny, and that it was instituted by them to mark with detestation the wanton acts of a cruel tyrant, which happened to be perpetrated when the arbitrary sway of the feudal system was gradually disappearing before the growing power, greater freedom of speech, and comparative independence of the great middle class. Aiken, as above quoted, says that the custom of riding the Black Knight was still observed at the time when he wrote (1795); and the helmet, which was then remaining, was still in existence, the writer of this article remembers, until aoout some fourteen or sixteen years ago, when it mysteriously disappeared, and the Black Boy several times made his appearance in the rather un-knight-like costume of a sorry hat of the present tile-like shape, and with stumps of arms stretching out at right angles, into the ends of which were stuck bunches of heather broom. From the riotous character of the proceedings attending the celebration of this annual custom in those years, the more respectable portion of the inhabitants had long looked upon it as a practice that would be more honoured in the breach thereof, than in its observance. Indeed, on these occasions, it was rather dangerous for a well-dressed person to approach too near the scene of the Black Knight's execution; for it was almost certain he would be smeared with sludge, or some filth, if not otherwise abused; and, in consequence of such practices, it was without regret anticipated by many, that now the helmet, the last relic of the original suit of armour handed down through so many ages, had gone the way of all things, that the custom itself also would soon die out, and be forgotten. But this was not its destiny: its end was not yet." It has seen a revival, and bids fair to outlive the present generation. The causes of this change have been various. A better and more efficient local government has provided a check to any tendency to tumultuous disorder, while the growing intelligence of an increasing community frowns all such proceedings down. The railways, also, have opened up to the pleasure-seeker and holiday spender, by cheap and easy access thereto, many beautiful spots of more or less interest, arising from either situation, or associations connected therewith; and as other places bave their attractions for visitors. why should not Ashton also have one, in its ancient custom of riding the Black Knight? These, and similar considerations, induced the resolution that the Black Knight should be re-furnished by subscription, and the annual celebration of his visit more properly conducted; and as the consequence of such decision, the custom has not died out. So far from that, it shows still more vigorous signs of life. For some years past, the appearance of the Black Knight has been heralded by placard, his equipments described, manner and route of procession detailed, and the use of firearms strictly forbidden; and the result has been, that while the custom has still been observed, the obnoxious, riotous conduct of the mob has been restrained, though we have an idea that, after having paraded the town, and been divested of his outer habiliments,-helmet, armour, cloak, &c., in some quiet corner, away from the surveillance of the "Bobbies" (Anglicè, police), the straw-stuffed carcase of the Black Lad is remorselessly consigned to the tender mercies of the devouring element, amid such complimentary epithets, and other demonstrations of respect, as we rather think would not be esteemed very flattering by the individual whose memory the people thus " delight to honour." On the occasion of celebrating this custom during the past year, there were no less than three Black Lads exhibited to the thousands of strangers who crowded the streets of the town last Easter Monday (25th of April). We cannot say much for the artistic taste displayed in the make-up of these several effigies; but each was represented as a warrior, or tyrant bearing a sword, axe, or some other emblem of a tyrannical age. The proprietors of each also appeared to reap a good harvest, by begging, as the effigy passed along, a custom recently introduced, and which, doubtless, has its natural effect, in a business point of view. The one owned by the "Chalsteawn Lads" (from a noted district of the borough Charlestown) appeared to receive the largest amount of pecuniary patronage from the public. The third was the real, or original Black Knight, and which had been announced by placard (the others were merely speculations rivals in his peculiar line of business, to compete for a share of the attractive profits), and was preceded by a band of music. Unlike the others, who were on horseback, this was seated in a car (again, rather unknight-like), was clad in a coat of mail, with helmet and feather, sword and battle-axe, and with a black velvet cloak over his shoulders. The day was fine, and passed over very quietly, notwithstanding the great influx of strangers, who all appeared to enjoy their holiday, with the sights witnessed, and made us half-wish that all tyrants were, in a similar manner, carried round in effigy near the scene of their cruelties and oppressions of their fellow-men. Falling into a philosophic mood, we found ourselves framing the question, as to what influence such an exhibition would have upon a population just emerging from a state of serfdom, and beginning to exercise their own duties of free citizenship. This problem, however, we could not satisfactorily solve, and will not, therefore, trouble our readers any further with our feeble efforts in that direction; but we trust that each will be able to arrive at a satisfactory solution thereof in his own mind. We may, however, remark, that perhaps the strong feelings of indignation against all tyranny, the feeling of independence existing among the population of this district, if not the originating cause of, has doubtless been fostered by, this annual custom; and if so, all who agree therewith will also join us in the hope that in the future, such anniversary, as it is celebrated, will never be marred with any disgraceful, disorderly conduct, but exert as its chief, if not sole influence, a beneficial effect on the popular and youthful mind, by animating them with a hatred of injustice and tyranny of all kinds, whether domestic, social, ecclesiastical, or political, and couraging a love of truth, justice, and liberty. C en him who is just commencing to do battle with the world and life's stern realities, they are eminently advantageous. He has, perhaps, left his school or college with honours, and his friends regard him with admiration, as possessing more than ordinary abilities. This is not, perhaps, distasteful to the lad himself, and no wonder if he becomes full of self-conceit and vanity. But if, at this period, he should enter a literary institution, expecting still to maintain this (to him) proud pre-eminence, he will be grievously disappointed, for he will find that he is but one unit of the vast armies who are daily combating with the world for pre-eminence, and he will discover, that to retain anything like distinction he must not be content with those (now) trivial honours he has gained, but he must read, study, and labour. This may be at first discouraging to him, but it will have a bracing and invigorating effect upon him which we cannot value too highly. It is this which has in many instances given young men the first impulse to embark on that then almost unknown and shoreless sea of literature. At the present day, the principal object sought by literary institutions is the culture of the mental powers, by stimulating the efforts of the student himself by the aid of tutors, or by the mutual counsels and examples of the members themselves. True, these institutions do not in every case realize this object, for we must acknowledge with pain that there are in them two distinct and totally different classes of members. If we enter the room set apart for those who desire quiet study and reflection, we see there earnest-souled high-minded students, who, though they may have only just left the desk or counter, are energetically and successfully overcoming the difficulties in their way to the bright goal of knowledge. But, if we turn aside into the news room, we shall probably find some who spend their whole time, from their business hours to the closing of the institution, alternately between sleep and newspaper! These members, it is true, may derive some benefit from their connection with the society, but it will be far less than what it might or ought to be. A "debating" or "discussion and essay class, in conjunction with an elocution" or " reading " class, we view as amongst the most useful agencies connected with these institutions. We can scarcely over-estimate the good which can be effected by a judiciously conducted class of this description. Apart from the personal improvement of the members, what is the grand object of all discussion and controversy? The elimination of truth. And is not this the greatest of all objects, both in philosophy and religion? And as it is after this that every man is striving, we cannot, in this day of new and strange theories, place too high a value upon any agency, be it ever so humble, that aids in the solution of this grand problem. Speaking of the institutions and societies of London, we must, for the sake of brevity, classify them; and we have-1st, The literary institution, including also mutual improvement societies, literary clubs, and debating |