month, hath been quodammodo hunted, as you would say, pursued by two, a brace, a couple, a cast of young men, to whom the craftie coward Cupid had inquam delivered his dire-dolorous dart."

Here the "May-Ladie" interrupted his speech, at which master Rombus in a great chafe, cried out “O Tempori, O Moribus ! in profession a childe, in dignitie a woman, in years a ladie, in cæteris a maid, should thus turpifie the reputation of my doctrine, with the superscription of a fool, O Tempori, O Moribus!"

Then the May-Lady said again, “Leave off good latine fool, and let mee satisfie the long desire I have had to feed mine eies with the onely sight this age hath granted to the world."

The poor schoolmaster went his way back, and the May-Lady kneeling down, thus concluded a speech to her Majesty "Indeed so it is, that I am a fair wench, or els I am deceived, and therefore by the consent of all our neighbuors have been chosen for the absolute ladie of this merrie month. With me have been (alas I am ashamed to tell it) fwo young men, the one a forrester named Therion, the other Espilus, a shepherd, very long even in love forsooth. I like them both, and love neither; Espilus is the richer, but Therion the livelier. Therion doth mee many pleasures, as stealing me venison out of these forrests, and many other such like prettie and prettier services, but withal hee grows to such rages, that sometimes hee strikes mee, sometimes hee rails at mee. This shepherd Espilus of a milde disposition, as his fortune hath not been to mee great service, so hath hee never don mee any wrong, but feeding his sheep, sitting under som sweet bush, somtimes they say hee records my name in doleful verses. Now the question I am to ask you, fair ladie, is, whether the many deserts and many faults of Therion, or the very small deserts and no faults of Espilus, bee to be preferred. But before you give your judgment (most excellent ladie) you shall hear what each of them can say for themselves in their rural songs."

Here Therion in six verses challenged Espilus to sing with him. And " Espilus, as if hee had been inspired with the muses, began forthwith to sing, whereto his fellow Shepherds set in with their recorders, which they bare in their bags like pipes; and so of Therion's side did the forresters, with the cornets they wore about their encks like hunting horus in baudrikes."

At the close of this contest between Therion and Espilus, they jointly supplicated the queen's determination. "But as they waited for the judgment her Majestie should give of their deserts, the shepherds and forresters grew to a great contention, whether of their fellows had sung better, and so whether the estate of shepherds or forresters were the more worshipful. The speakers were Dorcas an old shepherd, and Rirus a young forrester, between whom the schoolmaster Rombus came in as a moderator."

To the shepherd Dorcas, who achieved his best, the forester Rixus answered, "The shepherd's life had som goodness in it, becaus it borrowed of the countrie quietness something like ours, but that is not all; for ours, besides that quiet part, doth both strengthen the bodie, and raise up the minde with this gallant sort of activitie. O sweet contentation! to see the long life of the hurtless trees, to see how in streight growing up, though never so high, they hinder not their fellows; they only enviously trouble which are crookedly bent. What life is to bee compared to ours, where the very growing things are ensamples of goodness? wee have no hopes but we may quickly go about them, and going about them we soon obtain them."

The May-Lady submitted to the decision of the queen in a short speech, and "it pleased her majesty to judge that Espilus did the better deserve her."

Upon this judgment, "the shepherds and forresters made a full concert of their cornets and recorders, and then did Espilus sing."

Finally, at the end of the singing and the music, the May-Lady took her departure with this speech to her majesty : "Ladie, yourself, for other titles do rather diminish than add unto you, I and my little companie must now leav you. I should do you wrong to beseech you to take our follies well, since your bountie is such as to pardon greater faults. Therefore I will wish you good night, praying to God, according to the title I possess, that as hitherto it hath excellently don, so henceforward the flourishing of May may long remain in you, and with you."

And so ended this May-game at Wan

stead.

THE MAIDENS' PORTION.
[To Mr. Hone.]

Sir-The following particulars of a

singular bequest, under the above title, I have for some years past heard of, but a few weeks ago I visited the place purposely to get some information respecting it, which I obtained very readily from the clerk of the Parish, on telling him that it was for you.

It appears that John Herman, a native of Sutton Coldfield, and a prelate in the reign of Henry VIII., was promoted by that monarch to the see of Exeter, in the eleventh year of his reign; and in consequence of this part of the kingdom being but thinly inhabited at that time, owing to its having been the resort of William the Conqueror and several kings after him, for indulging in their favorite diversion of hunting, this bishop of Exeter was extremely desirous to increase its population, as will appear from his having established the "Maidens' Portion," as recorded upon his tomb, in Sutton Coldfield church-"So great was his affection for this his native place that he spared neither cost nor pains to improve it and make it flourish. He procured it to be incorporate by the name of a warden and society of the king's town of Sutton Coldfield, granting to them and to their successors for ever the chase, park, and manor. He built two aisles to the church, and an organ; he erected the moot (or town) hall, with a prison under it, and a market place; also fifty-one stone houses, two stone bridges (one at Curdworth, and one at Water-Horton); paved the whole town, gave a meadow to poor widows, and for the improvement of youth founded and endowed a free grammar school. He built Moor Hall, where he spent the latter part of his life in hospitality and splendor, saw for many years the good effect of his munificence, and died in the 103rd year of his age, in the year of our Lord 1555." Bishop Herman directed that upon his death a certain sum of money should be so invested and the interest be equally di vided and given annually to four poor maidens, natives or long residents of Sutton, of unexceptionable good character, who snould have been married in the past year. This latter condition was obviously to encourage wedlock in order to increase the population.

The interest at first was £20, and consequently it was £5 each; but subsequently, owing to its having lain dormant and money having risen, the interest is increased to £100 or £25 each.

The bequest is announced in the parish church annually by the clerk, and is given

away on the first of May. There are usually eight or ten applicants, whose respective merits are tried by the warden and corporation, by whose decision the sums are awarded.

Natives of the place are of course preferred; but if four cannot be found of good character and with other qualifications then the longest residents are taken. Yours respectfully,

WILLIAM PARE.
Birmingham, December 1826.

It is mentioned by a correspondent that a girl of Raine's charity school, at St. Georges in the East near London, is selected annually on May-day, and married with £100 for her portion, from the funds of the school, according to ancient custom.

'WARE HAWK.

On the first of May 1826, in a field called the Hollies, belonging to Sir Edward Smythe, Bart., of Acton Burnell in Shropshire, a flock of pigeons, and eight or ten crows, were all busily seeking food. A hawk, sailing in the air over them, pounced on one of the pigeons, and dispersed both crows and pigeons. In the course of a few seconds one of the crows seemed to recollect himself, and flew swiftly at the hawk with the courage and daring of a game cock. The hawk was compelled to defend himself, and forced to release his prey, which, with the loss of a few feathers, flew after its company, while a furious engagement for about two minutes ensued, in which the crow succeeded in driving off the adversary. At the close of the conflict the hero joined his brother crows, who, from their seats on the surrounding trees, had witnessed the combat: with a few croaks he seemed to say "I have rescued the captive," and the sable company all set up a loud cawing, as if singing "Io Pœan" to the victor!

All this passed under the eye of a steady young man, who happened to be in the next meadow, and was struck mute with astonishment.

HAWTHORN.

A few years ago Mr. Taylor, of Morton, received the silver medal of the Society of

Shrewsbury Chronicle.

hedges may be formed, in a more expediArts, for having discovered that hawthorn tious manner than usual, by cutting the roots of this shrub into small pieces, and planting them with the top one-fourth of an inch above the ground; the upper end of each piece may be marked when cutting, by giving it two cuts, and the lower end but one. The spring is the best time to plant the sets; of those planted by Mr. Taylor, not five in one hundred were lost.

ST. PHILIP AND ST. JAMES. The first of May stands in the church calendar as the festival day of these apostles, respecting whom, and for large accounts of the celebration of May-day, reference may be had to the Every-Day Book.

MAY.

Up, up, let us greet
The season so sweet,
For winter is gone :
And the flowers are springing,
And little birds singing,
Their soft notes ringing,

And bright is the sun!
Where all was drest
In a snowy vest,
There grass is growing
With dew-drops glowing
And flowers are seen
On beds so green.
All down in the grove,
Around, above,

Sweet music floats;
As now loudly vying,
Now softly sighing,
The nightingale's plying
Her tuneful notes,
And joyous at spring
Her companions sing.
Up, maidens, repair

To the meadows so fair
And dance we away
This mery May!

Godfrey of Nifen, 13th Century.*

William Camden, the illustrious explorer of our antiquities, who was born in the Old Bailey, on the 2d of May, 1551, relates concerning the objects of worship with our forefathers, as follows,— SAXON DEITIES.

Mercury whom they called Woodan, his sacrifices were men, and the day consecrated to him the fourth of the week, which we therefore at this day call Wednesday. The sixth they consecrated to Venus, whom they called Frea and Frico, whence we call that day Friday, as Tuesday is derived from Tuisco, the founder of the German nation. They also worshipped the goddess Herthus, i. e. their mother earth, imagining that she interested herself in the affairs of men and nations. In a temple (called in their vulgar tongue Ubsolu, the furniture whereof is all of gold) the people worshipped the statues of three gods. Thor, the most powerful of them, has a room by himself in the middle; on each side of him are Woodan and Frico; the emblems of them are these:Thor they take to be the ruler of the air, and to send as he sees convenient thunder and lightning, winds and showers, fair weather and fruit. Woodan, the second, is more valiant; it is he that manages wars, and inspires people with courage against their enemies. Frico, the third, presents men with peace and pleasure, and his statue is cut with a terminus, as sometimes seen in representations of the god of gardens. They engrave Woodan armed, as Mars is with us. Thor seems to be represented with the sceptre of Jupiter.

THE SPRING SHOWER. Away to that sunny nook; for the thick shower Rushes on stridingly: Ay, now it comes, Glancing about the leaves with its first dips, Like snatches of faint music. Joyous thrush, It mingles with thy song, and beats soft time To thy bubbling shrillness. Now it louder falls,

Pattering, like the far voice of leaping rills; And now it breaks upon the shrinking clumps With a crash of many sounds,-the thrush is still.

There are sweet scents about us; the violet hides

On that green bank; the primrose sparkles there:

The earth is grateful to the teeming clouds, And yields a sudden freshness to their kisses. But now the shower slopes to the warm west, Leaving a dewy track; and see, the big drops, Like falling pearls, glisten in the sunny mist. The air is clear again; and the far woods

Shine out in their early green. Let's onward,

then.

For the first blossoms pecp about the path,
The lambs are nibbling the short dripping

"For so have I seen a lark rising from his bed of grass, and soaring upwards, singing as he rises, and hopes to get to heaven, and climb above the clouds; but the poor bird was beaten back by the loud. sighings of an eastern wind, and his motion made irregular and inconstant, descending more at every breath of the tempest than it could recover by the vibrations and frequent weighings of his wings; till the little creature was forced to sit down, and pant and stay till the storm was over, and then it made a prosperous flight, and did rise and sing as if it had learned music and motion from an angel, as he passed sometimes through the air, about his ministries here below." -Jeremy Taylor.

May 3.

The driving boy, beside his team Of May month's boauty now will dream, And cock his hat, and turn his eye On flower, and tree, and deepening sky, And oft burst loud in fits of song, And whistle as he reels along; Cracking his whip, in starts of joyA happy, dirty, driving boy.

TALLIS'S LITANY.

May 3, 1751, the anniversary festival of the sons of the clergy was held at St. Paul's cathedral, upon which occasion, by order of the dean, was revived the ancient manner of chanting the Litany, as composed by Dr. Tallis, music-master to Henry VIII. The collection at the church and dinner, and at a previous rehearsal, with a benefaction of £50 from the Apollo Academy, amounted to £1140. 16s., which was the largest sum ever before contributed.

HORSEMANSHIP.

May 3, 1758, a wager was laid at Newmarket, by a young lady, that she would ride 1000 miles in 1000 hours, which she accomplished in little more than a third of the time.

WHIPPING TOMS, LEICESTER.

[To Mr. Hone.]

Sir-If you consider the following account of a Shrovetide custom at Leicester worth preserving in your amusing miscellany it is much at your service.

Ŏn the south-western side of Leicester, and adjoining to the remains of its ancient castle, once the residence of the powerful and warlike earts of Leicester, and also of several of our early monarchs, and in the spacious hall of which the assizes and other courts for the county are still held, is a large open space in the shape of a cross, forming in the centre a handsome square surrounded by large and principally old fashioned mansions, occupied by the wealthy manufacturers and bankers of that thriving town. This space is called "the Newark," i. e. Newworks, being additions and outworks made principally by John of Gaunt, with whom the castle was a favorite residence. It is open at three of the extreme ends of the cross, two of which are entered by ancient embattled gateways and the fourth is a Cul-de-sac.

* Boyle's Chronology.

So much for the locality, which during the afternoon of Shrove-Tuesday is the scene of considerable mirth. In this space several (I think three) men, called "Whipping Toms," each being armed with a large waggon whip and attended by another man carrying a bell, claim the right of flogging every person whom they can catch, while their attendant bell-man can keep ringing his bell. If you have occasion to go to any of the houses in the place a small gratuity secures you from a whipping. The amusement consists in surrounding the bell-man, and silencing his bell; for during the cessation of ringing the whipper is powerless: this however is a service of some hazard and requires the combined address and activity of the young men who take part in the frolic. As soon however as a whipping Tom finds his companion silenced, and subject to the laugh of the spectators, he hurries with his attendant bell to the rescue, and the scene becomes one of considerable mirth and animation, and many daring attempts are often made to capture the succoring bell, and increase their amusement on the one hand, and to liberate the captured bell and get both whips into action on the other. By the three outlets escape is easy, and the fourth contains a space dignified by the name of little London, within which if attained you are entitled to sanctuary. The bustle, activity, and address occasioned by the attempts to "silence the dreadful bell," or to cross the space in defiance of the whipping Toms, together with the mishaps of the luckless wights who are unsuccessful in the attempt, and the boisterous mirth of the spectators when successful, render it a scene of gaiety and humor to which the young look forward with considerable animation.

I have vainly endeavoured to ascertain the origin and antiquity of this custom : none of the inhabitants are able to afford any information respecting it. The town and neighbourhood contain several objects interesting to the antiquarian and general enquirer, of which I will cheerfully furnish you some brief notices if you consider

4th May, 1733, died Mr. John Underwood, of Whittlesea, in Cambridgeshire. At his burial, when the service was over,

an arch was turned over the coffin, in which

was placed a small piece of white marble with this incription, "Non omnis Moriar, 1733." Then the six gentlemen who followed him to the grave sang the last stanza of the 20th Ode of the second book of Horace. No bell was tolled, no one was invited but the six gentlemen, and no relation followed his corpse. His coffin was painted green. He was laid in it with all his clothes on; under his head was placed Sanadon's Horace, at his feet Bentley's Milton, in his right hand a small Greek Testament, with this inscription in gold letters, EIMI EN ΤΩΙ ΣΤΑΥΡΩ, J. U., in his left hand a small edition of Horace, with this inscription, "MVSIS AMICVS, J. U.," and Bentley's Horace, sub podice. After the ceremony the six gentlemen returned to his house, where his sister had provided a cold supper; and, on the cloth being removed, they sang the 31st Ode of the first book of Horace, drank a cheerful. glass, and went home about eight. Mr. Underwood left nearly 6000l. to his sister, on condition of her observing this his will; he ordered her to give each of the gentlemen ten guineas, and desired they would not come in black clothes. The will ends thus :-"Which done, I would have them take a cheerful glass, and think no more of John Underwood."

May 3. Day breaks

Sun rises

sets

Twilight ends

J. C. B.

Sun rises

Twilight ends

sets

Early piony flowers.

Pasque flower appears daily.

Slender narcissus flowers.

Gent's. Mag.