the life of charlotte bronte-1-第5部分

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rigin　of　the　custom　had　been　the　necessity　of　furnishing　some　refreshment　for　those　who　came　from　a　distance；　to　pay　the　last　mark　of　respect　to　a　friend。　　In　the　life　of　Oliver　Heywood　there　are　two　quotations；　which　show　what　sort　of　food　was　provided　for　〃arvills〃　in　quiet　Nonconformist　connections　in　the　seventeenth　century；　the　first　（from　Thoresby）　tells　of　〃cold　possets；　stewed　prunes；　cake；　and　cheese；〃　as　being　the　arvill　after　Oliver　Heywood's　funeral。　　The　second　gives；　as　rather　shabby；　according　to　the　notion　of　the　times　（1673）；　〃nothing　but　a　bit　of　cake；　draught　of　wine；　piece　of　rosemary；　and　pair　of　gloves。〃

But　the　arvills　at　Haworth　were　often　far　more　jovial　doings。　Among　the　poor；　the　mourners　were　only　expected　to　provide　a　kind　of　spiced　roll　for　each　person；　and　the　expense　of　the　liquors　rum；　or　ale；　or　a　mixture　of　both　called　〃dog's　nose〃was　generally　defrayed　by　each　guest　placing　some　money　on　a　plate；　set　in　the　middle　of　the　table。　　Richer　people　would　order　a　dinner　for　their　friends。　　At　the　funeral　of　Mr。　Charnock　（the　next　successor　but　one　to　Mr。　Grimshaw　in　the　incumbency）；　above　eighty　people　were　bid　to　the　arvill；　and　the　price　of　the　feast　was　4s。　6d。　per　head；　all　of　which　was　defrayed　by　the　friends　of　the　deceased。　　As　few　〃shirked　their　liquor；〃　there　were　very　frequently　〃up…and…down　fights〃　before　the　close　of　the　day；　sometimes　with　the　horrid　additions　of　〃pawsing〃　and　〃gouging；〃　and　biting。

Although　I　have　dwelt　on　the　exceptional　traits　in　the　characteristics　of　these　stalwart　West…Ridingers；　such　as　they　were　in　the　first　quarter　of　this　century；　if　not　a　few　years　later；　I　have　little　doubt　that　in　the　every…day　life　of　the　people　so　independent；　wilful；　and　full　of　grim　humour；　there　would　be　much　found　even　at　present　that　would　shock　those　accustomed　only　to　the　local　manners　of　the　south；　and；　in　return；　I　suspect　the　shrewd；　sagacious；　energetic　Yorkshireman　would　hold　such　〃foreigners〃　in　no　small　contempt。

I　have　said；　it　is　most　probable　that　where　Haworth　Church　now　stands；　there　was　once　an　ancient　〃field…kirk；〃　or　oratory。　　It　occupied　the　third　or　lowest　class　of　ecclesiastical　structures；　according　to　the　Saxon　law；　and　had　no　right　of　sepulture；　or　administration　of　sacraments。　　It　was　so　called　because　it　was　built　without　enclosure；　and　open　to　the　adjoining　fields　or　moors。　　The　founder；　according　to　the　laws　of　Edgar；　was　bound；　without　subtracting　from　his　tithes；　to　maintain　the　ministering　priest　out　of　the　remaining　nine　parts　of　his　income。　　After　the　Reformation；　the　right　of　choosing　their　clergyman；　at　any　of　those　chapels　of　ease　which　had　formerly　been　field…kirks；　was　vested　in　the　freeholders　and　trustees；　subject　to　the　approval　of　the　vicar　of　the　parish。　　But　owing　to　some　negligence；　this　right　has　been　lost　to　the　freeholders　and　trustees　at　Haworth；　ever　since　the　days　of　Archbishop　Sharp；　and　the　power　of　choosing　a　minister　has　lapsed　into　the　hands　of　the　Vicar　of　Bradford。　　So　runs　the　account；　according　to　one　authority。

Mr。　Bronte　says；〃This　living　has　for　its　patrons　the　Vicar　of　Bradford　and　certain　trustees。　　My　predecessor　took　the　living　with　the　consent　of　the　Vicar　of　Bradford；　but　in　opposition　to　the　trustees；　in　consequence　of　which　he　was　so　opposed　that；　after　only　three　weeks'　possession；　he　was　compelled　to　resign。〃　A　Yorkshire　gentleman；　who　has　kindly　sent　me　some　additional　information　on　this　subject　since　the　second　edition　of　my　work　was　published；　write；　thus：…


〃The　sole　right　of　presentation　to　the　incumbency　of　Haworth　is　vested　in　the　Vicar　of　Bradford。　　He　only　can　present。　　The　funds；　however；　from　which　the　clergyman's　stipend　mainly　proceeds；　are　vested　in　the　hands　of　trustees；　who　have　the　power　to　withhold　them；　if　a　nominee　is　sent　of　whom　they　disapprove。　　On　the　decease　of　Mr。　Charnock；　the　Vicar　first　tendered　the　preferment　to　Mr。　Bronte；　and　he　went　over　to　his　expected　cure。　　He　was　told　that　towards　himself　they　had　no　personal　objection；　but　as　a　nominee　of　the　Vicar　he　would　not　be　received。　　He　therefore　retired；　with　the　declaration　that　if　he　could　not　come　with　the　approval　of　the　parish；　his　ministry　could　not　be　useful。　　Upon　this　the　attempt　was　made　to　introduce　Mr。　Redhead。

〃When　Mr。　Redhead　was　repelled；　a　fresh　difficulty　arose。　　Some　one　must　first　move　towards　a　settlement；　but　a　spirit　being　evoked　which　could　not　be　allayed；　action　became　perplexing。　　The　matter　had　to　be　referred　to　some　independent　arbitrator；　and　my　father　was　the　gentleman　to　whom　each　party　turned　its　eye。　　A　meeting　was　convened；　and　the　business　settled　by　the　Vicar's　conceding　the　choice　to　the　trustees；　and　the　acceptance　of　the　Vicar's　presentation。　　That　choice　forthwith　fell　on　Mr。　Bronte；　whose　promptness　and　prudence　had　won　their　hearts。〃


In　conversing　on　the　character　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　West　Riding　with　Dr。　Scoresby；　who　had　been　for　some　time　Vicar　of　Bradford；　he　alluded　to　certain　riotous　transactions　which　had　taken　place　at　Haworth　on　the　presentation　of　the　living　to　Mr。　Redhead；　and　said　that　there　had　been　so　much　in　the　particulars　indicative　of　the　character　of　the　people；　that　he　advised　me　to　inquire　into　them。　　I　have　accordingly　done　so；　and；　from　the　lips　of　some　of　the　survivors　among　the　actors　and　spectators；　I　have　learnt　the　means　taken　to　eject　the　nominee　of　the　Vicar。

The　previous　incumbent　had　been　the　Mr。　Charnock　whom　I　have　mentioned　as　next　but　one　in　succession　to　Mr。　Grimshaw。　　He　had　a　long　illness　which　rendered　him　unable　to　discharge　his　duties　without　assistance；　and　Mr。　Redhead　gave　him　occasional　help；　to　the　great　satisfaction　of　the　parishioners；　and　was　highly　respected　by　them　during　Mr。　Charnock's　lifetime。　　But　the　case　was　entirely　altered　when；　at　Mr。　Charnock's　death　in　1819；　they　conceived　that　the　trustees　had　been　unjustly　deprived　of　their　rights　by　the　Vicar　of　Bradford；　who　appointed　Mr。　Redhead　as　perpetual　curate。

The　first　Sunday　he　officiated；　Haworth　Church　was　filled　even　to　the　aisles；　most　of　the　people　wearing　the　wooden　clogs　of　the　district。　　But　while　Mr。　Redhead　was　reading　the　second　lesson；　the　whole　congregation；　as　by　one　impulse；　began　to　leave　the　church；　making　all　the　noise　they　could　with　clattering　and　clumping　of　clogs；　till；　at　length；　Mr。　Redhead　and　the　clerk　were　the　only　two　left　to　continue　the　service。　　This　was　bad　enough；　but　the　next　Sunday　the　proceedings　were　far　worse。　　Then；　as　before；　the　church　was　well　filled；　but　the　aisles　were　left　clear；　not　a　creature；　not　an　obstacle　was　in　the　way。　　The　reason　for　this　was　made　evident　about　the　same　time　in　the　reading　of　the　service　as　the　disturbances　had　begun　the　previous　week。　　A　man　rode　into　the　church　upon　an　ass；　with　his　face　turned　towards　the　tail；　and　as　many　old　hats　piled　on　his　head　as　he　could　possibly　carry。　　He　began　urging　his　beast　round　the　aisles；　and　the　screams；　and　cries；　and　laughter　of　the　congregation　entirely　drowned　all　sound　of　Mr。　Redhead's　voice；　and；　I　believe；　he　was　obliged　to　desist。

Hitherto　they　had　not　proceeded　to　anything　like　personal　violence；　but　on　the　third　Sunday　they　must　have　been　greatly　irritated　at　seeing　Mr。　Redhead；　determined　to　brave　their　will；　ride　up　the　village　street；　accompanied　by　several　gentlemen　from　Bradford。　　They　put　up　their　horses　at　the　Black　Bullthe　little　inn　close　upon　the　churchyard；　for　the　convenience　of　arvills　as　well　as　for　other　purposesand　went　into　church。　　On　this　the　people　followed；　with　a　chimney…sweeper；　whom　they　had　employed　to　clean　the　chimneys　of　some　out…buildings　belonging　to　the　church　that　very　morning；　and　afterward　plied　with　drink　till　he　was　in　a　state　of　solemn　intoxication。　　They　placed　him　right　before　the　reading…desk；　where　his　blackened　face　nodded　a　drunken；　stupid　assent　to　all　that　Mr。　Redhead　said。　　At　last；　either　prompted　by　some　mischief…maker；　or　from　some　tipsy　impulse；　he　clambered　up　the　pulpit　stairs；　and　attempted　to　embrace　Mr。　Redhead。　　Then　the　profane　fun　grew　fast　and　furious。　　Some　of　the　more　riotous；　pushed　the　soot…covered　chimney…sweeper　against　Mr。　Redhead；　as　he　tried　to　escape。　　They　threw　both　him　and　his　tormentor　down　on　the　ground　in　the　churchyard　where　the　soot…bag　had　been　emptied；　and；　though；　at　last；　Mr。　Redhead　escaped　into　the　Black　Bull；　the　doors　of　which　were　immediately　barred；　the　people　raged　without；　threatening　to　stone　him　and　his　friends。　　One　of　my　informants　is　an　old　man；　who　was　the　landlord　of　the　inn　at　the　time；　and　he　stands　to　it　that　such　was　the　temper　of　the　irritated　mob；　that　Mr。　Redhead　was　in　real　danger　of　his　life。　　This　man；　however；　planned　an　escape　for　his　unpopular　inmates。　　The　Black　Bull　is　near　the　top　of　the　long；　steep　Haworth　street；　and　at　the　bottom；　close　by　the　bridge；　on　the　road　to　Keighley；　is　a　turnpike。　Giving　directions　to　his　hunted　guests　to　steal　out　at　the　back　door　（through　which；　probably；　many　a　ne'er…do…weel　has　escaped　from　good　Mr。　Grimshaw's　horsewhip）；　the　landlord　and　some　of　the　stable…boys　rode　the　horses　belonging　to　the　party　from　Bradford　backwards　and　forwards　before　his　front　door；　among　the　fiercely…　expectant　crowd。　　Through　some　opening　between　the　houses；　those　on　the　horses　saw　Mr。　Redhead　and　his　friends　creeping　along　behind　the　street；　and　then；　striking　spurs；　they　dashed　quickly　down　to　the　turnpike；　the　obnoxious　clergyman　and　his　friends　mounted　in　haste；　and　had　sped　some　distance　before　the　people　found　out　that　their　prey　had　escaped；　and　came　running　to　the　closed　turnpike　gate。

This　was　Mr。　Redhead's　last　appearance　at　Haworth　for　many　years。　Long　afterwards；　he　came　to　preach；　and　in　his　sermon　to　a　large　and　attentive　congregation　he　good…humouredly　reminded　them　of　the　circumstances　which　I　have　described。　　They　gave　him　a　hearty　welcome；　for　they　owed　him　no　grudge；　although　before　they　had　been　ready　enough　to　stone　him；　in　order　to　maintain　what　they　considered　to　be　their　rights。

The　foregoing　account；　which　I　heard　from　two　of　the　survivors；　in　the　presence　of　a　friend　who　can　vouch　for　the　accuracy　of　my　repetition；　has　to　a　certain　degree　been　confirmed　by　a　letter　from　the　Yorkshire　gentleman