In the “Just for Fun” category, if you know someone who blows his nose loudly, perhaps he is just checking his manuscript:
Their singing of Psalms in their native language and the presence of a French Minister attracted other Huguenots who were on their way to worship in St. Martins in the Fields, and they too joined the Leicester Fields congregation at the “small chapel” as they referred to it. A number of French pastors were in turn called to pastor the chapel and an interesting thing happened during the pastorate of Pierre Barbould (1711-1737) who was also a refugee. His grand-daughter describes the common practice of noseblowing! during the sermon, how that the minister after making a vigorous effort in doing this is followed by each of the congregation doing the same, either because of their brotherly sympathy or because climatic conditions were particularly unfavourable – not surprising when the church was in a field. The granddaughter described the practise as “a glorious concert”. She implies that the minister takes advantage of such situations to refresh his memory from the manuscript before him.
