WHERE THE ROSE GAME FROM

Evening Star, Issue 21316, 21 January 1933, Page 18

WHERE THE ROSE GAME FROM

The first roses came from the Occident during the Crusades, by the mailed fists of those bold, chivalrous spirits who cut a swarth in the East to search for and protect the Holy Grail. Thibault, Comte do Brie, brought from Damascus a rose and planted it in Provence, France. In this place the second son of Henry 111., of England, found it, brought it home to England, and took it for his device, afterwards becoming the first Earl of Lancaster. Thereafter rival claimants to the English throne adopted the rose as their emblem. There were wars—Red Rose at Lancaster against the White Rose of York—and they continued until Henry VIII., of the Red Rose, took Elizabeth, of the White Rose, as consort. Then to indicate that the Wars of the Roses were over the adherence of those of the White of York to the Red of Lancaster was to be attested by the payment to the throne of one white rose annually. During the next century came the variety known as the “ York and Lancaster,” and coloured red and white. Everywhere in England tbs rose receives affectionate and proud nurture. Above the humblest cottage threshold it clambers. It serves in the King’s garden and in the Queen’s palace. When the Bishop of Ely leased Ely House to Queen Elizabeth’s Lord Chancellor, the stipulations, wore that “ a red rose be paid fur it on midsummer’s day.” William Penn, turned out of doors because lie would not bo compelled to doff his hat to a King, carried the sentiment to America. In the colony he founded he granted land for a tavern at Bethlehem to be known as the Rose; the yearly requital simply one red rose, llose tavern itself and the roses have disappeared from sight under the belching chimneys ot steel works, but until the State of Pennsylvania bought up all the proprietary rights of Penn’s heirs no other rent was accepted. Then the compensation was changed to bard coin. The custom remains, and if you entered the Pennsylvania town of Manheim on the second Sunday in June you would witness one of the prettiest of sights—the ceremony of the payment by the Zion Lutheran Church, of one red rose for the land Baron Steigel gave to the congregation two centuries ago. Ho had come to the colony seeking greater fame, fortune, and liberty. He married the daughter of Huber, the ironmaster bought his foundry; set up also the first great glass factory. Sundays ho taught a Bible class in his mansions, then gave to the people land for a church. He gave it with these words in the deed: ‘‘Yielding and paying therefore unto the said Henry William Steigel. and his heirs or assigns, at the said town of Menheini, in the month of June forever after, the rent of one red rose if the same shall he lawfully demanded.” There is nowadays a liturgical service attended by all the countryside. The Governor of Pennsylvania comes with his gold lace and staff, and makes an address; there are sermons, a distribution of roses to the sick; then with solemn pageantry, out of the millions grown in the village, one red rose is paid to Baron Steigel’s descendant.