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votion of Charles, however, would take no excuse; he continued shaking him, till the novice found it impossible to feign any longer; then bouncing out of his bed, he exclaimed-" What the devil! have you not troubled the repose of the world long enough already, without coming here to disturb that of peaceable men who have forsaken it?"

on the following day, bearing the approach of the equipage, he took his station as before. The same equerry began again to remonstrate, but perceiving that words were not likely to succeed, paid the toll for both days, threatening at the same time to crush him. Robert pocketed the money, and was never called upon to account for his conduct.

ROYAL WIT.-Mr. Coke of Norfolk, whose predilection for bearing Radical Addresses to the Throne is proverbial, had laid so many at the feet of the most exalted Personage in the Realm, that at length his Majesty, with a good humoured smile, said to him, "If you bring me up any more of these addresses, Coke, I'll surely KINGHT YOU,"

A STURDY TOLL-TAKER.-During
the residence of the late King at
Cheltenham, it was remarked by the
keepers of several turnpike-gates, that
his Majesty in the course of his ex-
cursions paid no toll. The right of
the King to pass toll-free happening
to become the subject of conversation
in a large company at Worcester,
Robert Sleath, an honest blunt fel-
low, and keeper of Barban-gate,
argued that his Majesty, in his pri-
vate capacity, was liable to the toll,
declaring, that though he respected
his sovereign, yet if ever he came to
Barban-gate, he should not pass till
the toll was paid. A short time af-
ter, master Robert's resolution was
put to the test. On the arrival of
the first horseman that preceded the
royal carriage, having previously
locked the gate, friend Robert stood
with the keys in his hand and demand-
ed the toll. The equerry impatiently
'desired him to open the gate that in-
stant, as his Majesty was at hand.
* I know that," replied he," but as
his Majesty is not at the head of an
army, he must pay the toll like other
folks." Threats and indignation had
no effect on Robert, who heard them
with a placid indifference till his Ma-
jesty's carriage came in sight. The
attendant had now recourse to polite
entreaty, assuring him that the per-
son who followed the train would
pay the demand. On this assurance
the whole cavalcade was allowed to
pass, but Robert Sleath receive not a
penny. He was aware however that
the King would on his return be
obliged to pass the gate. Accordingly, Drury Lane; and Archer, Berwick Street, Soho.

A CELEBRATED DRAMATIST, who
had lately taken the benefit of the Insol-
vent Act, was met by a friend who ex-
pressed great surprise in seeing him
look so well, saying, "Why you've
grown quite fat." "Fat!" replied the
wit, "Why did'nt you know that I was
enlarged?"

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

IF W. P. S. will employ his pen upon some subject of more novelty and more general interest than Translations from Horace, we shall be glad to rank him among our contributors, for he evidently possesses talents that may enable him to become a very valuable correspondent.

-We shall be particularly happy to hear again from G. Drago, whose communications possess much originalty as well as interest. The engraved plate he offers we should thankfully accept, but he will see, by turning over the leaves of the present volume, that he has been anticipated by another friend.

Received, Pangloss.

LONDON---Printed and Published by T. Wallis Camden Town; and also Published by C. Harris, Rêv Street, Covent Garden, by whom Communications for the Editor are received; Dunbar, Wych Street

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ing and description of this wonderful work of nature, we are indebted to Mr. William Todd, of Moor-house, in the aforesaid county.

This surprisingly large tree, as represented in our plate, has stood in this forest nearly two hundred and seventy years, by computation of the inhabitants of that county; and is supposed as before mentioned to have derived its name from two other trees which formerly stood near the place, which being all of a wonderful size, and nearly resembling one another, were called the Three Brethren Trees. The circumference of this (the most remarkable of the three) is fourteen yards, or 42 feet, being nearly of this thickness to the height of 15 feet from the root; from thence to the branches it diminishes proportionably. As to the true height, it is a little uncertain, especially as the top part, (together with most of the principal branches) has been broken off many years; but by the nearest estimation possible, it appears to be at least 50 feet, or nearly, exclusive of the several tall branches, formerly thereto belonging-Thus it appe ars, that the true height may be said to have been 60 feet in solid timber, which combined with so wonderful a thickness is very remarkable. -The spreading or side branches are mostly decayed and broken off, yet, what is very surprising, of those. which remain (although but stamps) there is one which is observed at the Spring Seasons to shoot forth and bear leaves. If it were possible an acorn of this most wonderful tree could be produced, it certainly would deserve a place in the British Museum, as a curiosity not inferior to any one contained therein.-Having thus particularly described the outside situation of this famous tree, we shall without doubt more surprise the reader by giving the following description of the inside:-On the north-east side, is a large entrance cut, in form of a door-way, where people either walk in on foot, or ride in on horseback, which, however impossible it may appear, is well known to

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many persons who have had the curiosity to behold it, several of whom are now in London, and other parts of England. As to the inward, prospect, it is rather dismal than otherwise, representing, as it were, part of some ruinous castle or ancient tower, being so much decayed as to be reduced almost to a shell; near the top, in the cavities within, are numerous bats, and martins also resort thither in great numbers; the lower part is wonderfully spacious, and will easily admit, as before observed, of a horse and man to turn about at pleasure; it is also a very convenient receptacle for the deer in stormy weather, which in this forest are many in number, and esteemed not inferior to any in England. "Thus have I given, says our correspondent, a true description of this most wonderful Three Bretheren Tree, which has for many years been the admiration of the neighbourhood even for several generations. Adjoining to the west side of this forest is Clifton-Moor, on which place his royal highness the Duke of Cumberland defeated the rebel army, in the year 1746, restored a universal peace throughout the country; and seated the Brunswick family in security on the throne, which I trust they will hold to the end of time."

ANCIENT MODES

OF CONVEYING ESTATES. Gunton, in his History of Peterborough, records that Adilredus, or Ethelred, King of Mercia, at the time of a donation by him to the Abbey of Peterborough, in the seventh century, placed a glebe or clod of earth upon a copy of the Gospels:-Treduriccus, one of his Nobles, is stated to have done the same at the time of another gift to the cell of Bredon.

Ingulphus says "At first many estates were conveyed by bare word, without any writing or charter, but merely by the sword, helmet, horn, or cup of the possessor. Many tenehents were transferred by a spur,

Tow.

a horse-comb, a bow, or even an arThis was at the begining of the Norman reign. In later years the custom has been changed.

William the Conqueror bestowed the Forest of Ele on the Cathedral of Bayeux, on the day of the dedication of that church, and is stated, as a token of seisin, to have placed and left upon the altar the HELMET that he then wore,surmounted by A CROWN OF GOLD: and the same Monarch on giving the lordship of Broke to St. Edmundsbury Prior, in Suffolk, first supplicated the protection and favour of its patron saint, by falling prostrate before, and placing upon his altar, a SMALL KNIFE wrapped up, in the presence of many of his chief Nobility.

William Rufus, in like manner, in the year 1096, gave the Abbey of Tavistock seisin of the land or manor of Wlurinton, by delivery of his knife; which knife was laid up in a shrine at that Abbey, and had inscribed on its haft words signifying that donation.

Many donors, desirous of making their conveyances as firm as possible, when written characters came into more general use, united the ancient and simple form with them. Hence we find occasionally that such articles as Ingulphus mentions, were sometimes attached to deeds like seals. In the archives of Trinity College, Cambridge, a deed is still preserved, to which a knife is appen

dant.

This form of confirming a grant, by the donor laying his knife upon the altar, was common near the time of the Norman Conquest. In the reign of Stephen, one Guido Malfed and his wife are mentioned to have come into the chapter-house of Burg, and to have there restored to Gop and St. Peter, and the monks of that Church, certain tithes, which they had kept wrongfully from it. And, after the said Guido had done this in the chapter-house, he went to the altar of St.Peter and there finally granted and confirmed what he had done in the chapter-house, by placing his knife

upon the altar. And when William de Merley, in 1129, gave the vill of Morewic to the Monks of Durham, we are told he confirmed his donation before a large body of witnesses, by placing his knife on the tomb of St. Cuthbert.

Other instances of this ceremony with the knife may be found scattered up and down in Dugdale's Monasticon, in Madox's Formulare Anglicanum, and in our ancient Chartularies. And a certain traveller, who visited Notre Dame in 1765, mentions his being shown there a small pointed knife, with an ivory handle, above 700 years old, on the handle of which was an inscription, signifying that the Chapter held, by virtue of this knife, the parvis, or square, which is before the great front of the Cathedral, in the same manner as the Church of York was endowed with a considerable portion of land by Wlphus, who gave his drinking horn or ivory with it, and by virtue of which the Chapter held the same, the cup being to this day in their possession.

Dugdale, in his History of St. Paul's Cathedral, instances a grant made to the Canons of that Church, in the twelfth century, of certain premises in the adjoining parish of St. Bene't, the possession of which was given by the donor to them with his GOLD RING, wherein a ruby was set; appointing that the same gold ring, together with his seal, should be for ever affixed to the charter, whereby he so disposed them. And in a charter to Belvoir Priory, in Leicestershire, of the church of Plungard, possession of it is said to be given by the delivery of a WALKING STAFF. William de Albini, in a similar manner, on his foundation of the priory of Wymondham, in Norfolk, gave the whole town of Hapesburgh to that establishment, by delivering a CROSS of SILVER.

A singular instance of the same sort of gift occurs in the annals of Dunstable, where we have a copy of an inscription on the ivory HANDLE OF A WHIP found in the ruins of

St. Alban's Abbey, which appears to have been the testimony of a gift of four mares to the monks by one Gilbert de Novo Castello.

The_practice of offering land by a copy of the GOSPELS, is one of which several instances occur in history, and is twice mentioned in Doomsday Book. One instance of this mode of investiture is to be found in the Register of Spalding Priory, as late as the year 1284; the donor, it is said, "placed upon the altar of the Blessed Mary a copy of the EVANGELISTS, in cofirmation of his said gift."

Gunton, in his History of Peterborough, just mentioned, notices another mode of investiture by the BRANCH OF A TREE: a practice by no means uncommon in former times on the Continent. Robert de Torpell, he says "in the next week after his return from Rome, being very weak, came to the Hospital of the infirm at Burch, to the Chapel of St. Leonard, and there, before many witnesses,gave himself, body and soul, to Gon and St. Peter, and the Church of Burch, with all his lands in Codestock and Glapetop, and in confirmation of his gift, placed upon the altar the GREEN BRANCH OF A TREE."

The most extraordinary mode of investigation, perhaps, after all, was that by which William, Earl of Warren, gave and confirmed to the church of St. Pancras at Lewes, in the twenty-fourth year of Henry III, certain land, rent, and tithe, of all which he gave seisin" by the HAIR OF THE HEAD of himself and his brother Ralph." The hair of the parties was cut off by the Bishop of Winchester before the high altar.

Such appears to have been the modes of giving livery of seisin, or possession, in the seventh, and from about the middle of the eleventh to the close of the thirteenth century.

The era of a new acquisition, to use the words of Blackstone, was thus perpetuated, at a time when the art of writing was very little known: "and therefore the evidence of property was reposed in the memory of

the neighbourhood; who, in case of a disputad title, were afterwards called upon to decide the difference, not only according to external proofs, adduced by the parties litigant, but also by the internal testimony of their own private knowledge."

HOUSEHOLD SERVANTS

IN THE

REIGN OF QUEEN ELIZABETH*.

Servants in the sixteenth century, were held in a greater degree of subjection then they are in the present, as will appear by the following very curious list of penalties kept by the aucestors of an English Baronet, 1565-6, for the purpose of regulatiug the respective duties of the Household Servants.

I. That no seruant bee absent from preier, at morning or euening, without a lawful excuse, to be alledged within one day after, vpon paine to forfiet for euery tyme 2d.

II. That none swear anie othe Vpon paine for euery tyme Id..

I That no man leaue anie doore open that he findeth shut, without there bee cause, vpon painc for eury tyme Id

IV. That none of the men be in bed from Our Lady-day to Michaemas, after 6 of the clock in the moring; nor out of his bed, after 10 of the clock at night; nor from MichaeImas till Our Lady-day, in bed after 7 in the morning, nor out of bed after 9 at night, wihout reasonable cause, on paine of 2d.

V. That no man's bed be vnmade, por fire or candle box vncleane, after 8 of the o'clock in the morning,on paine of Id.

VI. That no man commit any nuisance within eiher of the Courts, vpon paine of every tyme it shall be proued Id.

VII. That no man teach anie of the children any ynhonest speeche, on paine of 4d.

* Compare NIC-NAC, vol. i. p. 65

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