Chapter Six-and-Eightpence to Skimmington of S by Brewer's Phrase & Fable

Skiddaw Whenever Skiddaw hath a cap, Scruffell wots full well of that. When my neighbour's house is on fire mine is threatened; When you are in misfortune I also am a sufferer; When you mourn I have cause also to lament. Skiddaw and Scruffell are two neighbouring hills- one in Cumberland and the other in Annandale in Scotland. When Skiddaw is capped with clouds, it will be sure to rain ere long at Scruffell. (Fuller: Worthies.)

Skied Pictures are said to be skied when they are hung so high as not to be easily seen.

“Bad pictures are hung on the line by dozens and many excellent ones are rejected or skied.”- Truth, p. 431 (September 17, 1885).

Skillygolee Slip-slop, wish-wash, twaddle, talk about gruel. “Skilly” is prison-gruel or, more strictly speaking, the water in which meat has been boiled thickened with oatmeal. Broth served on board the hulks to convicts is called skilly.

“It is the policy of Cursitor Street and skillygolee.”- The Daily Telegraph.

Skimble-Skamble Rambling, worthless. “Skamble” is merely a variety of scramble, hence “scambling days,” those days in Lent when no regular meals are provided, but each person “scrambles” or shifts for himself. “Skimble” is added to give force. (See Reduplicated Words .)

“And such a deal of skimble-skamble stuff
As put me from my faith.”
Shakespeare: 1 Henry IV., iii. 1.

“With such scamble-scemble, spitter-spatter,
As puts me cleane beside the money-matter.”
Taylor's Workes, ii. 39(1630).

Skimmington To ride the skimmington, or Riding the stang. To be hen-pecked. Grose tells us that the man rode behind the woman, with his face to the horse's tail. The man held a distaff, and the woman beat him about the jowls with a ladle. As the procession passed a house where the woman was paramount, each gave the threshold a sweep. The “stang” was a pole supported by two stout lads, across which the rider was made to stride. Mr. Douce derives “skimmington” from the skimming -ladle with which the rider was buffeted.
   The custom was not peculiar to Scotland and England; it prevailed in Scandinavia; and Hoefnagel, in his Views in Seville (1591), shows that it existed in Spain also. The procession is described at length in Hudibras, pt. ii. ch. ii.

“ `Hark ye, Dame Ursley Suddlechop,' said Jenkin, starting up, his eyes flashing with anger: `remember, I am none of your husband, and if I were you would do well not to forget whose threshold was swept when they last rode the skimmington upon such another scolding jade as yourself.' ”- Scott: Fortunes of Nigel.