When cedar trees were grown so | He pierc'd his brains, and broke "The instant it is finished the mayor breaks the peace by throwing water in the face of his attendants. Upon this much confusion ensues; his worship's person is, however, considered as sacred, and he is generally the only man who escapes being thoroughly souced. The rest of that day, and often of the week, is devoted to riot and drunkenness. The county magistrates have endeavoured, but in vain, to put a stop to this practice. The song was given me by the clerk of the parish, who said it had never been written before. It wants, you observe, some explanation." J. L. Mention of this old custom has been made in vol. i., p. 146, and to what is there stated the reader is referred. The following short cutting from the Gloucestershire Chronicle, April 14, 1888, will not be deemed out of place:-" "RUNNICK MOP."-In accordance with an ancient custom the "mayor" of Randwick has been elected, the honour falling upon Mr. Arthur Barrett, and on Monday he was "installed" by being carried in a large chair to the pool near the church-the procession being headed by the Westrip fife and drum band-and then "ducked," upon which the band struck up the national anthem. The church bells rang out merry peals, and the procession marched around the village. Subsequently the Rising Sun was arrived at, and song and dance ushered in the reign of the "New Mayor of Randwick." To the foregoing may be added a more lengthy extract from the Gloucester Journal of the same date:-The mock ceremony of electing a mayor in connexion with the ancient festival known in the vernacular as "Runnick Swop," was duly observed in the village of Randwick, Stroud, on Tuesday night, amid more than the usual interest and excitement, and with less of disorder than in other years. The distinction of being placed in the mayoral chair at Randwick is not one to be coveted; for besides that it carries with it but little of dignity, at any rate in the mode of installation, it is expensive. The mayor elect does not give a dinner, but his self-constituted supporters look to him to provide the wherewithal to pay for the liquid refreshment, without which the election would probably be accounted a tame affair. The office is not, therefore, much sought after; but if the villagers decide on their mayor and he hide himself, they seek after him, and thrust the honour upon him. No searching was necessary on Tuesday, however, for the mayor elect (a labourer of the place), probably concluding that any attempt to evade those who would do him honour would be futile, was to hand. Apparently there is no authentic information as to the origin of the election, or rather of the mode of installation; but the villagers have an explanation, which, for considerations of good taste, must not be repeated here. To come to the ceremony, about eight o'clock the Randwick Church bells were set ringing, and a procession, which included the major portion of the inhabitants of the place, men, women, and children, headed by a fife and drum band from an adjoining village, set out from the Rising Sun inn, which seems to be the headquarters. The mayor elect was held aloft by six men in an old chair which has done duty many times before. In lieu of the usual paraphernalia of office the mayor wore "military" uniform. Arrived at a pool near the church the chair was lowered into a shallow part of the pool, the occupant's feet touching the water, while he and any of the spectators who were near were liberally douched with water. A declaration of election was pronounced, and the band played the national anthem. A procession round the village to the headquarters followed, the band playing "See the conquering hero comes." The village was quiet by halfpast eleven. EDITOR. 1592.—SMITH'S "ECCLESIASTICAL EDIFICES IN THE BOROUGH OF STROUD."-I have a copy of a rather uncommon book, entitled Twenty Lithographic Views of Ecclesiastical Edifices in the Borough of Stroud, by Alfred Smith, Artist, "with Short Notices appended to each Drawing," Stroud: J. P. Brisley, 1838. It was published by subscription, with a dedication to the Right Rev. James Henry [Monk, D.D.], Lord Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol, and was a "small attempt to enlist the Arts in the service of Religion, by contributing the profits to the fund for erecting a new church at Stroud." The following is a list of the churches:-1. Holy Trinity, Amberley; 2. St. Mary's (? Holy Cross), Avening; 3. All Saints', Bisley; 4. Christ Church, Chalford; 5. St. Martin's, Horsley; 6. St. George's, King Stanley; 7. St. Swithin's, Leonard Stanley; 8. Holy Trinity, Minchinhampton; 9. St. George's, Nailsworth; 10. St. Bartholomew's, Oakridge; 11. St. Mary's, Painswick; 12. Pitchcombe; 13. St. John's, Randwick; 14. St. Mary Magdalen's, Rodborough; 15. St. Matthew's, Cainscross, Stonehouse; 16. St. John the Baptist's, Sheepscombe; 17. Holy Trinity, Slad; 18. St. Cyril's, Stonehouse; 19. St. Lawrence's, Stroud; and 20. St. Mary's, Woodchester. BIBLIOGRAPHER. 1593.-SOME GENEALOGICAL NOTES.-The following extracts relating to Gloucestershire from a "Calendar of Privy Seals, Signed Bills, &c. (Chancery Series)," for the first eleven years of the reign of Charles I., which is appended to the 43rd and 48th Annual Reports of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records, may possibly help to fill up some lacunæ in Gloucestershire pedigrees. A few miscellaneous items are included in the list. 1 Charles I., 1625-6. 109. Ven, Wm., brother of John, deceased, 7 May, 17 Jas. 111. Catchmay, Sir Richd. 112. Villiers, Sir Edwd. J. L. Livery of lands in Wotton. May 20. Grant of 2,438 trees in May 23. of Dean. Grant of Maylescott Wood, May 23. coal mines, &c. 329. Cary, Robt., Lord; Sir Grant of manor of Rodley, Dec. 16. |