enough this was the case, for whatever might be its qualities, it pleased the "leddies," who purchased in such abundance, that they besmeared their faces so as to destroy that rosy red, love's proper hue, which dwells upon the cheeks of our northern rustic beauties.

I must not forget to mention that the October fair is more numerously attended by those who go for pleasure. Unlike the southern holyday folks, they prefer autumn for this reason, that "hearst" is just ended, and they have then most money, which, with the "leddies," is generally expended in dress suitable to this and similar occasions. After baking a sufficient number of barley bannocks for the following day, and the milk set up, they throw off their "linsey-woolsey petticoats," and "hale made bed-goons" for a gown, a good specimen of their taste, in the two warmest colours, a red flower or stripe upon a yellow ground, and as much of a third colour round the waste, as would make them vie with Iris. In this butterfly state they hasten to the scene of mirth, and most of them dance till they have reason to suppose it is time to "gang hame, an git a' ready be' crowdie time." The style of dancing is the same as in Scotland, country dances, reels, jigs, and hornpipes; the last mentioned is much admired. No merry-making is allowed to pass over without some rural" admirable Crichton" having shown his agility in this step. The hornpipe is introduced between each country dance, while "Love blinks, wit sleeps, an' social mirth forgets their's care upon the earth." The following day is called by the inhabitants "gwonny Jokesane's" day; why so is not known; all they know is, that it is and has been so called since the recollection of the oldest alive; and that is sufficient to induce them to continue a custom, which is peculiar to it, as follows. When a sufficient number have assembled, they elect what they are pleased to call a mayor, who they mount upon a platform, which is borne along by four men, headed by the musician that attended the preceding evening, and followed by a number of bailiffs with white "wans," and all the men, wives, maids, and white-headed urchins in the village. Thus, all in arms, they proceed first to the minister's house, and strike up a dance in front. His worship, "the mayor," as a privileged person, sometimes evinces a little impatience, and if the minister has not made his appearance,

demands to speak to him. On his advancing," his worship" begins thus, "A yes! twa times a yes! an' three times a yes! If ony man, or ony man's man, lairds, loons, lubburdoons, dogs, skelpers, gabbrigate swingers, shall commit a parliament as a twarliament, we, in the township o' Avingham, shall hea his legs, an heed, tied ta tha cagwheel, till he say yence, twice, thrice, prosper the fair o' Avingham, an' gwonny Jokesane's day." This harangue, however ridiculous, is always followed with cheering, in which their good-tempered pastor freely joins, with his hat above his head, and stepping forward, shakes "his worship" by the hand, giving him a cordial welcome, trusting he will not leave the manse till he takes a "drap a yel, a' his ain brewin." This is of course acceded to. The ale being handed round in plenty, and being found to be good, "an' what is na guid that the minister hes," they engage themselves for some time, "while news much older than their ale goes round." The musicians meanwhile play such airs as "The Reel Rawe," "The Bonny Bit," "Laddie Wylam away," &c. The dance goes round, "the young contending as the old survey," until silence is called, when "his worship" gives as a toast, "Health, wealth, milk, and meal, the de al tak ye a' thot disent wish him (the minister) weal-hip! hip! huzza!" Raising "his worship" shoulder height again, they proceed round the village, repeating their gambols in front of ve ry respectable house where they meet with a similar reception.

After this, foot-racing commences, for hats, handkerchiefs, and (as Mathews calls them) she-shirts. The several races run and prizes distributed, they return to the last and gayest of their mirthful scenes, not without bestowing some little pains in selecting colours calculated to give the finishing touches to the picture.

"Wi' merry sangs, an' friendly cracks,
I wat they did na weary;
An' unco tales, an' funny jokes,
Their sports were cheap an' cheary.

Syne, wi' a social glass o' strunt, They parted aff careerin,

Fu' blythe that night."

So ends the fair of Avingham and it sports, which was to me, "in my youthful days," a source of great amusement, but whether it is in comparing the pre

of four pounds ten shillings, for which he produced a regular stamped receipt. The man had spent all the money and wanted to have his wife back again, but he refused to part with her. The magistrates told him he had no claim to her, and advised him to deliver her up to her husband, which he at last reluctantly did. The following is a true copy of the stamped receipt.

"RECEIVED of Edward Gale, the sum of four pounds ten shillings, for good and chattels; and also the black mare and Mrs. Naish, as parting man and wife. As agreed before witnesses this 8th December, 1822.

"WITNESS, the mark of Edward Pulling X Mary Gale, George Lansdowne, and Edward Gale.

"Settled the whole concern,

By me John Naish."

NINE MEN'S MORRIS.

To the Editor of the Every-Day Book. Ludgate-hill, 10th Nov. 1826. Dear Sir, I was much pleased on reading and being reminded of an ancient game in your book, called Ninepennymarl; a game I had scarcely heard of during the last twenty years, although perfectly familiar to me in my boyish days, and played exactly the same as described by your correspondent P.*

I

I have since visited my native county, Norfolk, and find the game is still played by the rustics, and called, as it always has been there," the game of Morris," or "Nine Men's Morris." The scheme is frequently chalked on the ground or barn floors, and the game played with different coloured stones or beans. think the name is more appropriate than Ninepenny-marl;" and moreover, we o. Norfolk have the authority of our immortal bard in his "Midsummer Night's Dream," where the queen of the fairies, speaking to Oberon, says, "The Nine Men's Morris is filled up with mud.”

66

There are some men who are not a little proud at being proficients at this game. I heard an anecdote at North Walsham of a man named Mayes, still living in that neighbourhood, who is so great a lover of the pastime, that a wager was laid by some wags, that they would prevent his going to church, by tempting him

At col. 983.

to play; and, in order to accomplish their purpose, they got into a house, building by the road side, where Mayes was sure to pass. Being a great psalm-singer, he had a large book under his arm; they called him in to settle some disputed point about the game, and he was very soon tempted to play, and continued to do so till church time was over, and got a good scolding from his wife for being toc late for dinner.

I have been led to make these remarks from the pleasure I have derived from your publication; and you may excuse me, perhaps, if I add, with a smile, that I have found some amusement in the game of Morris, by playing it with my chess men it requires more art to play it well, than you would imagine at first sight. I am, dear sir, Yours sincerely,

T. B

With almost the same pleasure tha room has been made for this letter, from a well-remembered kind neighbour, will his communication be read in Norfolk by his fellow-countrymen.

He graces it from charmed metre, but I (spoil'd of Shakspeare's line) take prose from Strutt.

The erudite historian of the "

Sports and Pastimes of the People of England."

says,

that "Merelles, or, as it was formerly called in England, Nine Men's Morris, and also Fivepenny Morris, is a game of some antiquity." He gives a figure of the "Merelle-table," as it appeared in the fourteenth century, the lines

of which are similar to those in the scheme of " Ninepenny Marl," engraved with the account of the game communicated by *.*. P., with only this difference, that at each corner, formed by the angles and intersections, are black spots.

The game is played in France with pawns or men, made on purpose, termed merelles: hence the pastime derived that denomination. The manner of playing is briefly thus: two persons, each having nine men, different in colour and form, for distinction sake, place them alternately one by one upon the spots; and the business of either party is to prevent his antagonist from placing three of his pieces so as to form a row of three, without the

interventione an opponent piece. If he

forms a rowie takes one of his antagonist's pieces from any part, except from

sent with the past, from a consciousness of having

"Dealt with life, as children with their play, Who first misuse, then cast their toys away," that we do not derive the same pleasure from what passes before us in maturer age; or whether, in boyhood, the impressions of such trifles as I have related are deeper rooted in the memory; yet, certain it is, whatever be our situation in life, we all come to the conclusion, that our early days were our happiest. I am, &c.

J-NJ-K-N.

BATH ANECDOTES.

A Member for the City, 1645. In December 1645, the following letter was sent by the mayor and first alderman of Bath, to sir John Harrington, announcing their design of electing him one of their representatives, entreating him to accept the trouble thereof. The bold eagerness with which a seat in parliament is solicited now, and the modest coyness that marked the conduct of those who were

called to that honour in the early part of the seventeenth century, strikingly contrast. The person chosen at that period to represent a county or city, was generally allowed a gratuity by his constituents in consideration of his trouble.

COPY.

To our muche honoured and worthie Friend, John Harrington, Esq. at his house at Kelstone, near Bathe.

Worthie Sir,

Out of the long experience we have had of your approved worth and sincerity, our citie of Bathe have determined and settled their resolutions to elect you for a burgess for the House of Commons in this present parliament, for our said citie, and do hope you will accept the trouble thereof; which if you do, our desire is, you will not fail to be with us at Bathe on Monday next, the eighth of this instant, by eight of the morning, at the furthest, for then we proceed to our election and of your determination we entreat you to certify us by a word or two in writing, and send it by the bearer

to

Your assured loving friends, JOHN BIGG, the maior, WILLIAM CHAPMAN.

Bathe, Dec. 6, 1645.

A Note of my Bathe businesse aboute the Parliament.

Saturday, Dec. 26th 1646 went to Bathe, and dined with the maior and citizens, conferred about my election to serve in parliament, as my father was helpless, and ill able to go any more; went to the George inn at night, met the bailiffs, and desired to be dismissed from serving, drank strong beer and metheglin, expended about iijs, went home late, but could not get excused, as they entertained a good opinion of my father.

Monday, Dec. 28th went to Bathe, met sir John Horner, we were chosen by the citizens to serve for the city. The maior and citizens conferred about parliament busines. The maior promised sir John Horner and myself a horse apiece, when we went to London to the parliament, which we accepted of, and we talked about the synod and ecclesiastical dismissions. I am to go again on Thursday, and meet the citizens about all such matters, and take advice therein.

Ashe preached. Dined at the George Thursday 31st, went to Bathe, Mr. inn with the maior and four citizens,

spent at dinner vjs in wine.

Laid out in victuals at the George inn

xjs 4d.

Laid out in drinking vijs ijd. Laid out in tobacco and drinking vessels, iiijs 4d.

Jan. 1st, My father gave me £4 to pay my expenses at Bathe.

Mr. Chapman the maior came to Kelston, and returned thanks for my being chosen to serve in parliament, to my father, in name of all the citizens. My father gave me good advice, touching my speaking in parliament as the city should direct me. Came home late at night from Bathe, much troubled hereat, concerning my proceeding truly, for men's good report and mine own safety.

Note. I gave the city messengers ijs for Laid bearing the maior's letters to me. out in all £3 vijs for victuals, drink and horse hire, together with divers gifts.

SUFFERING A RECOVERY.

In December, 1822, a poor man made application to the Bath forum magistrates, and stated that six months prior, he had bought the goods and chattels of a neighbour, together with his wife, for the sum