The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

Extract of a Letter from Exeter, May 7.

On the Thanksgiving Day here, scarcely three of our Churches, out of fourteen, had their Bells ringing, and over most of the Church Doors hung Apples dressed up in Crape, with this inscription, "Excuse the first Fruits of Peace." At a public House, a figure was prepared, the lower part of which represented a Jack Boot, the upper Part was dressed in a plaid bonnet, &c. with a tar. This figure was exposed to view the whole Day. It was intended, as usual, that the Mayor ordered some Apple-trees, which were fixed up at the Conduit, in Mourning (with the inscription above-mentioned) to be pulled down, which gave such a general disgust to the Aldermen, that they retired and left the Mayor to walk by himself to the Church. His Worship's house, however, was illuminated in the evening, but no one's else.

About six o'clock began another procession in manner following. 1st, A man riding on an ass, and on his back this inscription, From Excise and the Devil, good Lord deliver us. A string of apples, in mourning, was hung round the ass's neck, which was supported by thirty or forty men, each having a white wand, with an apple on the top of it, also in mourning. Next came a cart, with a gallows fixed in it, and the plaid figure hanging by the neck. After that followed a cyder hogshead, with a pall over it, carried by six men in black cloaks; on the pall was a number of escutcheons, with Inscriptions to the same effect as those above mentioned. The whole was accompanied by some thousands of people, who proceeded hallooing and shouting thro' the principle streets of the city, and at night a bonfire was prepared, into which they cast the figure and burnt it to ashes.