By Endorphin
Copyright 2025 by Endorphin, all rights reserved
[1,716 words]
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This
story is intended for adults only. It contains depictions of forced
nudity,
spanking, and sexual activity of preteen and young teen children for
the
purpose of punishment. None of the behaviors in this story should be
attempted
in real life, as that would be harmful and/or illegal. If you are not
of legal age in your community to read or
view
such material, please leave now.
Beating the Bounds – A Spring Tradition
By Endorphin
Historical Preamble
Beating the Bounds (of a Parish) is an ancient UK tradition dating back
well into Medieval times. There was then no clear distinction between
Church and State, with each Parish having many responsibilities that,
these days, come within the remit of Borough and County Councils. Of
course, to pay for these it was necessary to impose a ‘tithe’ – a form
of taxation – on all of those living within the Parish boundaries, but
not outside them.
Since there were no maps to reliably
delineate where each Parish’s boundary lies, the custom arose of
annually walking around the boundary and striking it with sticks of
willow or birch to ‘mark it out’ in people’s minds. The principal
‘beaters’ were young boys – usually the parish church’s choristers – so
that the memory of the boundary would be carried for the longest time
as the boys gradually grew into men; producing their own boys to carry
on the tradition.
Originally the Ceremony would be held on
Ascension Thursday but, where it is still observed, it now generally
takes place on the following Saturday to allow the maximum number of
folk to be free to attend – since church Holy Days are no longer
automatically observed in the secular world.
Parish of St Sebastian
In the English Midland market town of Lakefield there is a
long‑standing seat of learning, whose University Church is dedicated to
St Sebastian and has maintained the delineation of its boundaries by
this quaint annual ceremony (even to today, when we have accurate maps).
As sometimes happens with ancient ceremonies, the ritual acquires its
own local sub‑rituals, which are not observed in other Parishes. St
Sebastian’s is one such Parish where a sub‑ritual related especially to
St Sebastian is maintained – as the choristers know to their cost
(although they are recompensed!)
After a 10am Morning Service
at the University Church, a procession sets out around the parish
limits. This is led by the Vicar’s Warden in his robe and with his
staff of office. He is followed by an adult server carrying the parish
processional cross, and its two accompanying acolytes. Then come the 20
young choristers (ranging in age from 8 to about 14 – when their voices
break and they have to leave the choir). The boys all carry stout twigs
of birch, which grows abundantly in the parish. The Church Wardens
follow, then the Verger and the Vicar complete the ‘clerical’ part of
the procession.
Behind them are the remaining boys of the
Choir School, whose voices have broken but are staying on to obtain
their GCSE and A‑Level exams. These boys wear their school uniforms,
whereas the actual choristers are, unusually, dressed only in a red cassock; no shirt, trousers or underwear are worn for this procession and the lads are also barefoot.
Lastly in procession are any parishioners, university students and many
other townsfolk who wish to join in. It is not obligatory for him, but
usually the Mayor of Lakefield leads this group (even if he lives
outside the Parish). As they walk, everyone sings hymns of praise.
The parish boundary is about 2¾ miles long, weaving between
agricultural fields, ancient twisting streets and modern housing
estates. There are 20 ‘boundary stones’ at intervals along this route –
maintained in place and visible, protected by being designated as
‘Ancient Monuments’. Each is about 2½ feet (approximately 76cm) tall,
resembling a flat‑topped tombstone, and engraved in Latin on the
‘inward’ face with the name of the Parish and the fact that it is a
boundary stone.
As far as is practicable, the choirboys use
their birch sticks to beat the ground over which they walk from one
boundary stone to the next (hence the term ‘Beating the Bounds’). At
each stone all pause as the boys hit it. The Vicar then blesses the
stone and a prayer for the welfare of the Parish and all who live in it
is recited. In most parishes this would be it, as most of this is
common to all ‘Beating the Bounds’ ceremonies; however an unusual
sub‑ceremony is now performed here in St Sebastian’s parish.
At the first stone, the Head Chorister now removes his cassock,
revealing that he is totally naked underneath it. He bends over the
stone and the Verger (on behalf of the Vicar – who, as a Cleric, thus
maintains his innocence of beating boys!) gives the boy’s exposed rump
one strike with a regular (smooth) cane that he carries.
The
procession moves on to the next stone with the boy still naked and
showing where the cane met his buttocks. At stone 2 it is the turn of
the Deputy Head Chorister to strip and get a single stroke of the cane.
He is followed by the Head Chorister bending over to take another
strike here.
As the procession continues from stone to stone,
each of the remaining 18 choristers, now treated in descending order of
age, gets his first stroke of the cane. Every boy who has already been
caned receives another stroke (as we saw for the Head Chorister at the
second stone). By the time the procession leaves the last stone to
return to the church, all of the choristers are naked. The oldest now
having a well‑tanned bum, while the youngest sports only one tell‑tale
red furrow.
‘How did this strange extra custom come about?’
you may ask. It all comes back the Parish Church’s dedication. St
Sebastian was an early Martyr. Initially he was shot through with
arrows, which failed to kill him. He was then beaten to death with
sticks. Of course the choirboys are not beaten that strongly, but all
(especially the oldest lads, who get caned many times) are reminded of
what their Patron Saint endured for his Christian Faith.
Once
back at the Choir School, and dressed again in their uniform, the boys
are treated to a feast in the school refectory. By tradition the meat
is lamb to remind them of Jesus their Saviour (the ‘Agnus Dei’). The
only thing slightly marring the occasion for them is a continuing light
ache in their posteriors as the lads sit on the traditional ‘monastic’
long wooden refectory benches.
This is the only time of the
year when the Vicar himself joins the boys for a meal; leading the
Grace before it: “Bless us O Lord and these Thy gifts, which we are
about to receive from Thy bounty, through Christ Our Lord. Amen.”
The Local Press
As might be expected, the local newspaper always sends a correspondent
and photographer to this event, but they are discrete; only showing the
whole group of Choristers before they reach the first stone. Only the
Head Chorister’s chastised backside is shown – and then only having one
stripe on it. The rest of the time they concentrate on photographing
the ‘lay’ part of the processional group.
‘Why so reserved?’
you might wonder, as the Press normally look for anything salacious to
report. The ‘Lakefield Gazette’ is very supportive of town and village
life and so, whilst reporting this traditional event, do so respectful
of the Tradition. It does help that the owner was once one of the
choirboys involved – and wouldn’t want it stopped at the behest of any
‘do‑gooder’ new to the Town. They have occasionally interviewed one of
the older Choristers (who therefore had received several strokes of the
cane).
A Boy’s Viewpoint
Last year, the interviewed boy (Howard, aged 13) had said:
“I was the oldest boy this year – after the Head Chorister and his
Deputy – so got my first taste of the ceremonial cane at the third
boundary stone, and had received 18 strokes by the end.”
“Yes,
it did hurt, quite a lot after all of the 18 strokes, but the Verger
only hits us hard enough to make a clear mark, not to really hurt us –
it’s nothing like being caned as a school punishment! The ‘sting’ has
mainly stopped by the time we reach the next stone. I believe in
Tradition and if the Divine Lord and the Saints could suffer for their
Faith, then so can us boys! No boy has ever been deterred from becoming
a Chorister by the fact of having to endure the light caning and
nakedness at this annual event.”
“By the Spring even the
youngest and newest Chorister has already been seen naked every week by
all the other boys in the Dorm showers and those in the changing room
after gym, sports or swimming. However, the very first year it can be a
bit embarrassing having half the town seeing your ‘private bits’ on
full display in this procession.”
“I find it wonderfully and
decadently exciting, as well as great fun, to let the Spring sunshine
get to every part of my body as we walk the fields and streets totally
naked – something that would normally be prohibited as very naughty and
sinful; requiring both temporal punishment (as we very nominally
receive) and having to go to Confession in the Church to purge the sin
– which we don’t.”
“I also like the way many of the older
girls and young women keep glancing at my penis, followed by a grin and
knowing nod as they realise that I’m circumcised – they seem to
particularly like that, as only William (the Head Chorister) and I get
such looks. We are the only two boys in the entire choir who are
circumcised. Our parents both had it done for us as tiny babies and we
are both very pleased to have had it done – even though it makes us
‘different’ from the rest of the Choir and most other British boys.”
“All of us also enjoy the better‑than‑normal meal afterwards, as well
as the fact that we get paid 50 pence, plus 10p for each stroke of the
cane that we individually received. I know it’s not much these days –
but very traditional and always a welcome addition to our pocket money!”
[Note that in older times, Tradition dictated that the boys should
receive the then‑handsome sum of 10 shillings, plus 2 shillings for
each stroke of the cane. This has survived decimalisation of the
currency and the boys still get paid at the same traditional rate!]
[The End]