Regency Culture and Society: Soul-ing Song and Soul Cakes

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Soul-ing, on All Souls’ Eve (Typically November 1st), was when children and adults would go door to door begging for soul cakes or other treats.  Some local customs would have an accompanying play, but most included performance of this song (or something similar):

kind You gentlemen of England pray you now draw near To these few lines and you soon shall hear Sweet melody of music all on this evening clear For we are come a souling for apples and strong beer Step down into your cellar and see what you can find If your barrels are not empty we hope you will prove We hope you will prove kind with your apples and strong beer We ll come no more a souling until another year Cold winter it is coming on dark dirty wet and cold To try your good nature this night we do make bold This night we do make bold with your apples and strong beer And we ll come no more a souling until another year All the houses that we ve been at we ve had both meat and drink So now we re dry with travelling we hope you ll on us think We hope you ll on us think with your apples and strong beer For we ll come no more a souling until another year God bless the master of this house and the mistress also And all the little children that round the table go Likewise your men and maidens your cattle and your store And all that lies within your gates we wish you ten times more We wish you ten times more with your apples and strong beer And we ll come no more a souling until another year

Journal of the British Archaeological Association (1801, vol. 5).  The journal points out the emphasis on beer.

These were old, medieval traditions, not new to the Regency, but still commonplace until the 1930s.  Soul cakes, or soulmass-cake, were a part of the festivities, in addition to beer and apples, and traditionally only made for Halloween, All Saints Day and All Souls Day to commemorate the dead.  Some places in England continue the tradition of making these sweet treats, including Sheffield and Cheshire (Soul cake – Wikipedia).

Soul cakes were round, small cakes (similar to oat cakes) that resembled a shortbread biscuit in appearance and texture.  Here is a video recipe:

We have a few past post about All Hallow’s Eve and the customs of Regency era people:

Regency Culture and Society: All Hallow’s Eve Part II – Regency Reader (regrom.com)

Regency Customs: All Hallows Eve and Nutcrack Night – Regency Reader (regrom.com)

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