1827 - Gregson, J S - Museum Chethamiense
From International Robin Hood Bibliography
Chetham Library.
By {{subst:#realname:Henryfunk}}, {{subst:CURRENTYEAR}}-{{subst:CURRENTMONTH}}-{{subst:CURRENTDAY2}}. Revised by Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2019-03-01.
Allusion
In the middle part of the last [i.e. 19th] century a visit to Manchester was not considered complete if it did not include a stroll through the college [i.e. the former Christ's College]. In those days there was on exhibition an assortment of curiosities which were explsined parrot fashion by the boys who conducted open-eyed and open-mouthed visitors round the building. This was done in a style peculiar to the college boy, and although we cannot reproduce the voice, or adequately describe its characteristic features, we give below the list of articles then on view.
Choice Oratorical Catalogue of the Rare and Valuable [p. 35:] Curiosities in the College Library, Manchester, printed by J. Pratt, Bridge Street. 1827.
(Enter boy and boobies).
Boy–That's th' skeleton of a man–that's a globe –that's a telescope–that's a snake–over the snake's back's two watch-bills–those aer four ancient swords –that with a white haft once belonged to General Wolfe–that's the whip that the snake was kilt with –that topmost's a crocodile–that bottomost's an alligator–that boot once belonged to QUeen Elizabeth –that's an Indian pouch–that's an ancient stiletto–that's part of Humphrey Chetham's armour –that with the white face is a monkey–side of the monkey's a green lizard–side of the lizard's a turtle –those bows an arrows belonged to th' Indians–that's a porpus's head–those are various kinds of adders, worms, snakes, fishes, and venomous creatures –those are a pair of eagle's claws–that arrow belonged to one of the legions that fought under the Duke of Richmond at Bosworth Field, in the year 1485, when King Richard the 3rd, King of ENgland, was slain –those arrows once belonged to Robin Hood–that's a sea hen–that's a sea weed–that's a unicorn fish –that's part of an Indian's skull–that's th' top part of it–that's part of Oliver Cromwell's stone tankard –those balls are took out of a cow–that's part of a loadstone–those two pieces of wood was almanacks before printing was found out–that's a hairy man –under the hairy man's a speaking trumpet–side o' th' speaking trumpet's Oliver Cromwell's sword–that's a leathern bag–side of th' leather bag's two cokey [p. 37:] nut shells–side o' th' porpus's skull's a pumpkin –side o' th' pumpkin's an American Cat–over th' pumpkin's a turtle–side o' th' turtle's a sea weed–that top one's a crocodile–under the crocodile's an alligator–under the alligator's a woman's clog that was split by a thunderbolt, an' hoo wasn't hurt–side o' th' crocodile's a sea hen–side o' th' sea hen's a Laplander's snow shoe–that in the box is the skeleton of a nightingale–that table has as many pieces as th' days in a year–this clock only strikes once a year–that's cock that crows when it smells roast beef–and that's th' way out." [1]
Choice Oratorical Catalogue of the Rare and Valuable [p. 35:] Curiosities in the College Library, Manchester, printed by J. Pratt, Bridge Street. 1827.
(Enter boy and boobies).
Boy–That's th' skeleton of a man–that's a globe –that's a telescope–that's a snake–over the snake's back's two watch-bills–those aer four ancient swords –that with a white haft once belonged to General Wolfe–that's the whip that the snake was kilt with –that topmost's a crocodile–that bottomost's an alligator–that boot once belonged to QUeen Elizabeth –that's an Indian pouch–that's an ancient stiletto–that's part of Humphrey Chetham's armour –that with the white face is a monkey–side of the monkey's a green lizard–side of the lizard's a turtle –those bows an arrows belonged to th' Indians–that's a porpus's head–those are various kinds of adders, worms, snakes, fishes, and venomous creatures –those are a pair of eagle's claws–that arrow belonged to one of the legions that fought under the Duke of Richmond at Bosworth Field, in the year 1485, when King Richard the 3rd, King of ENgland, was slain –those arrows once belonged to Robin Hood–that's a sea hen–that's a sea weed–that's a unicorn fish –that's part of an Indian's skull–that's th' top part of it–that's part of Oliver Cromwell's stone tankard –those balls are took out of a cow–that's part of a loadstone–those two pieces of wood was almanacks before printing was found out–that's a hairy man –under the hairy man's a speaking trumpet–side o' th' speaking trumpet's Oliver Cromwell's sword–that's a leathern bag–side of th' leather bag's two cokey [p. 37:] nut shells–side o' th' porpus's skull's a pumpkin –side o' th' pumpkin's an American Cat–over th' pumpkin's a turtle–side o' th' turtle's a sea weed–that top one's a crocodile–under the crocodile's an alligator–under the alligator's a woman's clog that was split by a thunderbolt, an' hoo wasn't hurt–side o' th' crocodile's a sea hen–side o' th' sea hen's a Laplander's snow shoe–that in the box is the skeleton of a nightingale–that table has as many pieces as th' days in a year–this clock only strikes once a year–that's cock that crows when it smells roast beef–and that's th' way out." [1]
Source notes
IRHB comments
Lists
- Not included in Dobson, R. B., ed.; Taylor, J., ed. Rymes of Robyn Hood: an Introduction to the English Outlaw (London, 1976), pp. 315-19.
- Outside scope of Sussex, Lucy, compil. 'References to Robin Hood up to 1600', in: Knight, Stephen. Robin Hood: A Complete Study of the English Outlaw (Oxford, UK; Cambridge, Massachusetts: Blackwell, 1994), pp. 262-88.
Sources
Background
Notes