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Crofton Croker on the
St. Patrick's Cross
To multiply quotations, however, is
trifling work, especially upon a point that admits of much less discussion
than the absolute existence of the Saint in memory of whom the orgies in
question continue to be zealously performed. But a few words may be
permitted on the subject of the crosses worn in honour of St. Patrick, and
respecting what Holt calls the " ornaments that are due to his memory."
Lawrence White, a "lover of the Muses and mathe- maticks," as he styles
himself on the title-page of a volume of poems, which he published nearly
a hundred years ago (1742) in Dublin, describing the progress of a love
affair, says,
" He gained the affections of the maid,
Who did with curious work emboss
For him a fine St. Patrick's cross."
It appears from this, that these crosses
were made of silk and embroidery; but, as in modern times, tapestry became
superseded by paper, so to be embroidered St. Patrick's cross was imitated
in coloured papers, of which the annexed is a faithful
CROSS 1
representation,
one fourth of the original size, with the colours heraldically tricked.
The popular demand for decorations of this saintly order being very
general in Ireland, and especially an object of ambition among juvenile
patriots, the state of whose finances did not warrant the outlay of one
penny; an inferior kind of decoration, or cross, was devised by rustic
ingenuity to gratify the humbler votaries of St. Patrick. This badge was
formed by arcs intersecting each other within a circle, by which something
like the figure of two shamrock leaves united at the stalks was produced;
but any resemblance that fancy might have traced in the outline, was
destroyed by the colourist, who, according to his own taste, introduced
red, yellow, and green, into the various sections: the red colouring
matter being
CROSS2
generally procured
from a puncture made in the artist's finger for the purpose; the yellow,
from the yolk of an egg; and the green, from the vegetable sap of a plant
commonly called pennywort. The instrument with which the outline was
traced, was no less primitive than the colours. This substitute for the
mathematician's compass was called a goulloge i.e. fork. It
was an angular branch of a tree or shrub, in one end of which was fixed a
pin, and on the other a pen.
The circular manufacture of national
decorations has, however, within the last five or six years, completely
disappeared before the work of that mighty engine, the press; by means of
which various representations of St. Patrick, and of fanciful crosses, are
now produced. Two examples of these wood-cuts, one fourth of the original
size, are here given, which the reader will please to imagine bedaubed
with pink, green, and yellow, and glittering with the tinsel of Dutch
metal. It should be observed,
CROSS4
CROSS 3
that the cross of St.
Patrick was worn pinned on the left arm, or attached to the cap or hat, a
practice now confined to children; while men, those "children of a larger
growth," substitute for the badge anciently used on the anniversary
of Ireland's Saint, a bunch of shamrock or trefoil, by the size of which
an estimate may be formed of the amount of the patriotic zeal of the
wearer. The shamrock, however, appears to have been formerly considered
only as an apology for any less splendid decoration.
" Nay, not as much has
Bryan oge,
To put in's head as one sbamroge."
Irish
Htidibras, 1689.
And, as " ornaments in
honour of St. Patrick," bunches of shamrock covered with tinsel regularly
make their appearance, as marketable articles, in Covent Garden, on the
16th and 17th of March.
In 1783, the Order of the
Knights of St. Patrick was instituted by King George III., " of which his
majesty, his heirs and successors, were ordained perpetual sovereigns, and
to which several of the most eminent characters under the united monarchy
of Great Britain and Ireland, have been elected knights' companions."
-The popular songs
of Ireland, collected and ed., with intr. and notes, by T.C. Croker,Thomas
Crofton Croker,1839,p.6
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Once
upon a time the celebration of the pattern day or saint's day of
the Saint of the people of the Island of Ireland united all who resided
upon the island, no matter what their belief, in solemn prayer and thanksgiving.
The focus of all was upon religion and upon the role of St. Patrick
in bringing Christianity and protection to both the people and their Celtic
Civilization. As a man from Dublin once told me "and yes, the
protection of the Irish - no easy task!". Take
a moment to return to that original spirit of the holiday and make a St.
Patrick 's Day Cross. Then, if you have not already done so. go
here to find out what else you have to do to celebrate the day properly.
To read more about the cross and its traditions
click
here for the account by Crofton Croker.
