of those under their control, provided they were not more than fourteen years old.* putting in execution of the foresaid Ordinance, and therefore doe require all persons that have any of the Bookes therein mentioned to bring them in by that time, that they may be burned accordingly. LONDON: JOHN LANGHAM. Printed for Thomas Underhill in Great Wood-street, May 9th, 1643." This rare broadside is to be found in the British Museum with the press-mark 669. f.7 12 I hardly know whether it is necessary to add that a borsholder mentioned in the first of these enactments is a tything-man-" Tenne tythings," says Spenser, "make an hundred; and five make a lathe or wapentake; of which tenne each one was bound for another; and the eldest or best of them, whom they called the tythingman or borsolder, that is the eldest pledge, became surety for all the rest.” "No person, or persons whatsoever shall publickly cry, shew forth, or expose to sale, any wares, merchandizes, fruit, herbs, goods or chattels whatsoever upon the Lord's Day. No person, or persons whatsoever shall, without reasonable cause for the same, travel, carry burthens, or do any worldly labours, or work whatsoever upon that day, or any part thereof. 零 "No person, or persons, shall hereafter upon the Lord's day use, exercise, keep, maintain, or be present at any Wrestlings, Shooting, Bowling, Ringing of Bells for Pleasure or Pastime, Masque, Wake, otherwise called Feasts, Church-ale, Dancing, Games, Sport or Pastime whatsoever. "Nothing in this ordinance shall extend to the prohibiting of the dressing of meat in private families, or the dressing and sale of victuals in a moderate way in innes or victualling houses for the use of such as can not otherwise be provided for." April 6, 1644.-Scobell's Collection, cap. xxxvii. p. 69. These saints moreover were pleased to allow milk to be cried before nine and after four from the 10th of September to the 10th of March; and before eight and after five from the 10th of March to the 10th of September. In addition to the sports and pastimes already described, there prevails in the North of England a custom of making fools on the 1st of May similar to that more generally practised on the 1st of April. So at least says a writer in the Gentleman's Magazine,* who tells us, that "U. P. K. spells May-goslings is an expression used by boys at play, as an insult to the losing party. U. P. K. is up-pick, up with your pin or peg, the mark of the goal. An additional punishment was thus; the winner made a hole in the ground with his heel, into which a peg about three inches long was driven, its top being below the surface; the loser with his hands tied behind him was to pull it up with his teeth, the boys buffetting him with their hats, and calling out, Up-peck, you May-gosling; or, U. P. K. gosling in May. A May gosling on the 1st of May is made with as much eagerness in the North of England, as an April noddy (noodle) or fool, on the 1st of April." About eighty years ago the great May-fair was held near Piccadilly on a spot which still retains the name of May-fair. Carter, the antiquarian, writing of it in 1816, says it then still existed in much the same state it had done fifty years before, and as his account is full of curious interest I shall give it at some length.-" Mayfair exists in much the same state as at the above period; for instance, Shepherd's Market,* and houses surround*For April, 1791, vol. lxi. p. 327. SHEPHERD'S MARKET was thus called not from sheep being bought and sold there, but from the name of the builder, SHEPHEARD, who in 1738 obtained a grant from the government for establishing on that spot a market for live cattle, (see Gentleman's Magazine for March, 1738, vol. viii. p. 164. It must, however, have fallen into neglect in the course of time, for in the same work for January 1750, p. 40, we are told "the market was opened at May-fair for all sorts of cattle as at Smithfield." ing it on the north and east sides, with White-horsestreet, Shepherd's-court, Sun-court, Market-court: westwards, an open space extending to Tyburn (now Parklane) now built upon in Chapel-street, Shepherd's-street, Market-street, Hertford-street, &c.; southwards, the noted Ducking-pond, house and gardens, since built upon, in a large Riding-school, Carrington-street, &c. The Market-house consisted of two stories; first story, a long and cross aisle for butcher's shops, externally, other shops connected with culinary purposes; second story, used as a theatre at fair time for dramatic performances, Below the butchers gave place to toymen and gingerbread bakers. At present, the upper story is unflored the lower ditto nearly deserted by the butchers, and their shops occupied by needy pedling dealers in small wares; in truth, a most deplorable contrast to what was once such a point of allurement. In the areas encompassing the market-building were booths for jugglers, prizefighters, both at cudgels and back-sword, boxing-matches, and wild beasts. The sports not under cover were mountebanks, fire-eaters, ass-racing, sausage-tables, dice ditto, up-and-downs, merry-go-rounds, bull-baiting, grinning for a hat, running for a shift, hasty-pudding eaters, eel-divers, and an infinite variety of other similar pastimes. Among the extraordinary and wonderful delights. of the happy spot, take the following few items, which still hold place within my mind, though I can not affirm they all occurred at one precise season. The account may be relied on as I was born and passed my youthful days in the vicinity, in Piccadilly (Carter's statuary) two doors from the south end of White-horse-street, since rebuilt and occupied at present by Lady Pulteney. "Ducking-pond, with a large commodious house, good disposure of walks, arbours, alcoves; and in an area be fore the house an extensive bason of water, otherwise Ducking-pond, for the recreation of lovers of that polite and humane sport. Persons who came with their dogs paid a trifling fee for admission, being considered the chief patrons and supporters of the pond; others, who visited the place as mere spectators, paid a double fee. A duck was put into the pond by the master of the hunt, the several dogs were then let loose to seize the bird. For a long time they made the attempt in vain; for, when they came near the devoted victim, she dived under water, and eluded their remorseless fangs. Here consisted the extreme felicity of the interesting scene. At length some dog more expert than the rest, caught the feathered prize and bore it away amidst the loudest acclamations to his most fortunate and envied master. This diversion was held in such high repute about the reign of Charles II. that he and many of his prime nobility did not disdain to be present, and partake with their dogs of the elegant entertainment. In Mrs. Behn's play of 'Sir Patient Fancy,' (written at the above period) a Sir Credulous Easy talks about a cobler, his dog-tutor, and his expectation of soon becoming the Duke of Ducking Pond.' "Mountebanks' Stage.-One was erected opposite the Three Jolly Butchers' public-house, on the east side of the market area, now the King's Arms. Here Woodward, the inimitable comedian and harlequin, made his first appearance as Merry Andrew; from these humble boards he soon afterwards found his way to Covent Garden Theatre. "Beheading of Puppets.-In a coal-shed attached to a grocer's shop one of these mock executions was exposed to the attending crowd. A shutter was fixed horizontally, on the edge of which, after many previous ceremonies, a puppet laid its head, and another puppet then instantly chopped it off with an axe. In a circular stair-case window at the north end of Sun-court, a similar performance took place by another set of puppets. The condemned puppet bowed its head to the sill, which as above was soon decapitated. In these representations the late punishment of the Scotch chieftain, Lord Lovat, was alluded to, in order to gratify the feelings of southern loyalty at the expense of that farther north. Strong Women.—In a fore one-pair room, on the west side of Sun-court, a Frenchman submitted to the curious the astonishing strength of his wife. A blacksmith's anvil being procured from White-horse-street, with three of the men, they brought it up and placed it on the floor. The woman was short, but most beautifully and delicately formed, and of a most lovely countenance. She first let down her hair, a light auburn, of a length descending to her knees, which she twisted round the projecting part of the anvil, and then with seeming ease lifted the ponderous weight some inches from the floor. After this a bed was laid in the middle of the room, when reclining on her back, and uncovering her bosom, the husband ordered the smiths to place thereon the anvil, and forge upon it a horse-shoe. This they obeyed, by taking from the fire a red-hot piece of iron, and with their forging hammers completing the shoe with the same might and indifference as when in the shop at their constant labour. The prostrate fair one appeared to endure this with the utmost composure, talking and singing during the whole process; then with an effort, which to the bye-standers seemed like some supernatural trial, cast the anvil from off her body, jumping up at the same moment with extreme gaiety, without the least discomposure of her dress or person. "That no trick or collusion could possibly be practised |