George Tate

The History of the Borough, Castle, and Barony of Alnwick George Tate

Publisher Marketing: This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1866 Excerpt: ... Another immediately behind stumbles over him. No marked courtesy i3 shewn to each other--one will drag his neighbour back and plunge over him; all flounder on impeding each other's progress, and besmeared with mud. The spectators enjoy the fun. "Had alang Airchbould," shouts one, "Weel dun, Geordie," cries another. "Ah, ah! Heimars, ye have catch'd it there, 'exclaims a third. All are expected to go, honourably, straight forward through the well; but some, afraid of a ducking, run along the side, and jump in as near to the opposite end of the well as they can. When I was standing waiting for the order to leap, I observed one of my companions shoving himself along the edge of the well. "Ah, Cuddy, that's not fair," I said. Cuddy shook his head and muttered. I had leaped in first, and was successfully wending my way, when my neighbour sprung from the side upon my back, and down we both went over head several times, yet both struggling desperately to advance onward. Ah! my beautiful cap tastefully trimmed by fairy hands was lost in the puddle. Many on a cold day sob and sigh when they first plunge into the well; but only one instance is known of a freeman refusing "to take the water." This poor fellow's fears were so great that he swore he would not leap in, and that the bailiff wanted to drown him. Persuasion, laughter, scorn had no effect, till one of his "brother freemen" seized him by the waist and threw him in, and thus compelled him to wade through. Occasionally the weather is cold and stormy, and then the poor freemen are to be pitied. Forty-eight years ago, nine or ten had prepared to take up their freelege; but bitter, biting, stormy weather came on a few days before the 25th of April, and cooled ...