Jack-a-Lent

Ash Wednesday

No longer kept

On Ash Wednesday, the Shrovetide cocks being done with, a thin scarecrow of a puppet called a Jack-a-Lent was set up and pelted with sticks. Ben Jonson speaks of a Jack o’ Lent standing six weeks for boys to hurl three throws a penny at, and the name came to mean any small and worthless person; Beaumont and Fletcher have a character offer to be made a Jack o’ Lent if he breaks his word. Boys also went round clacking at doors for eggs or scraps of bacon for a feast, and where they were refused they stopped up the keyhole with dirt and went off chanting a rhyme against the house.

a thin scare-crow-like figure or puppet was set up, and shied at with sticks, in imitation of one of the sports of the preceding day.

From Chambers's Book of Days, vol. 1, p. 240; Hone's Table Book, vol. 1, p. 135. Read the original

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Folklore from the old calendars

The King’s Cock Crower No longer kept LondonThrough Lent an officer of the royal household called the King's Cock Crower used to crow the hours each night within the palace instead of calling them like a watchman, in memory of the cock that called St Peter to repentance.
Staying Away from the Commination Lore and belief EnglandOn Ash Wednesday the Church of England reads the Commination, the curses against impenitent sinners, with the people answering Amen to each.
Wind on Ash Wednesday Lore and belief NorfolkIt was a proverb in Norfolk that wherever the wind lay on Ash Wednesday, there it would stay for the whole of Lent.
Ashes that outlived the Reformation Still kept EnglandGiving ashes on Ash Wednesday was said to be almost the only Catholic custom to survive the Reformation under Henry VIII.
Pancakes and grey peas at Leeds Lore and belief YorkshireAt Leeds it was said that anyone who ate pancakes on Shrove Tuesday and grey peas on Ash Wednesday would have money in their pocket all the year.
Jack o’ Lent at Polperro No longer kept CornwallAt the start of Lent, Polperro people carried a straw figure in old clothes round the village and then burnt it, shot at it or otherwise disposed of it.
Herring first, saltfish last No longer kept EnglandThe thrifty farmer ate his herring early in Lent and kept the saltfish for last, because saltfish still ate well once Lent was over.
Clacking at doors on Ash Wednesday No longer kept EnglandOn Ash Wednesday boys went about clacking at doors, begging eggs or scraps of bacon to make a feast among themselves.
Rods for Lent at St Mary-at-Hill No longer kept LondonBefore the Reformation the London parish of St Mary-at-Hill bought rods for the penitential discipline of Lent.
Black clothes for Lent No longer kept WalesSome old people in Wales used to wear black clothes all through Lent as a sign of the season.

Jack-a-Lent

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