and related what they had discovered. He assembled the council; measures were immediately taken, the sluices were opened, and a number of the enemy lost their lives in the water. The magistrates, in a body, honoured the farmer with a visit, where they thanked his daughters for the act of patriotism which saved the town; they afterwards indemnified him fully for the loss he sustained from the inundation, and the most distinguished young citizens, vied with each other, who should be honoured with the hands of those virtuous Milkmaids.

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ARMS OF THE COBBLERS OF FLANDERS.

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The emperor Charles V., being curious to know the sentiments of his meanest subjects concerning himself and his administration, often went incog., and mixed himself in such companies and conversations as he thonght proper. One night, at Brussels, his boot requiring immediate mending, he was directed to a cobbler. Unluckily, it happened to be St. Crispin's Day, or holiday, and, instead of finding the cobbler inclined for work, he was in the height of his jollity among his acquaintances. The emperor acquainted him with what he wanted, and offered him a handsome gratuity. What, friend?" says the fellow, "do you know no better than to ask one of our craft to work on St. Crispin? Was it Charles himself, I'd not do a stitch for him now; but if you'll come in and drink St. Crispin, do, and welcome: we are as merry as the emperor can be." The emperor accepted the offer: but while he was contemplating their rude pleasure, instead of joining in it, the jovial host thus accosts him. What, I suppose you are some courtier politician or other, by that contemplative phiz; but be you who, or what you will, you are heartily welcome: drink about, here's Charles the Fifth's health." "Then you love Charles the Fifth?" replied the emperor. "Love him!" says the son of Crispin; “ay, ay, I love his long-noseship well enough; but I should love him much better, would he but tax us a little less; but what have we to do with politics? round with the glasses, and merry be our hearts." After a short stay, the emperor took his leave, and thanked the cobbler for his hospitable reception. "That," cried he, "you are welcome to; but I would not have dishonoured St. Crispin to-day, to have worked for the emperor." Charles, pleased with the good-nature and humour of the man, sent for him next morning to court. You must imagine his surprise to see and hear his late guest was his sovereign: he feared his joke upon his long nose must be punished with death. The emperor, however, thanked him for his hospitality, and, as a reward for it, bade him ask for what he most desired, and take the whole night to settle his surprise and his ambition. Next day he appeared, and requested that, for the future, the cobblers of Flanders might bear for their arms, a boot

with the emperor's crown upon it. That request was granted, and, as his ambition was so moderate, the emperor bade him make another. "If," says he, "I am to have my utmost wishes, command that, for the future, the Company of Cobblers shall take place of the Company of Shoemakers." It was, accordingly, so ordained; and, to this day, there is to be seen a chapel in Flanders adorned with a boot and imperial crown on it: and in all processions, the Company of Cobblers take precedence of the Company of Shoemakers.

SELKIRK ARMS.

A singular custom is observed at Selkirk, on the conferring of the freedom of that borough. Four or five bristles, such as are used by shoemakers, are attached to the seal of the burgesses' tickets. These the new-made burgess must dip in his wine, in token of respect for the "Soulters of Selkirk." This ceremony is on no account dispensed with. The ancient and received tradition affirms, that the Soulters of Selkirk distinguished themselves in the battle of Flodden, eighty in number, and, headed by the town-clerk, they joined their monarch on his entry into England. James, pleased with the appearance of this gallant troop, knighted the leader, William Brydom, upon the field of battle, from which few of the men of Selkirk were destined to return. They distinguished themselves in the conflict, and were almost all slain. The few survivors, on their return home, found by the side of Lady-Wood-Edge the corpse of a female, wife to one of their fellow comrades, with a child sucking at her breast. In memory of this last event, continues the tradition, the present arms of the burgh bear a female with a child in her arms, and seated on a sarcophagus, decorated with the Scottish lion.

LONDON ARMS.

The dagger which is quartered in the London arms, was granted by Richard II., in commemoration of Sir William Walworth, who, having felled Wat Tyler to the ground with his mace, dispatched him afterwards with his dagger. The original weapon may be seen in the hand of the statue of Sir William Walworth, in Fishmongers' Hall.

ABLUTIONS OF THE ROMANS ON THE FIRST OF APRIL.

The Romans on the first of April abstained from pleading causes, and the ladies, in particular, performed ablutions under myrtle trees, crowned themselves with its leaves, and offered sacrifices to Venus. This custom originated in a mythological story, that, as Venus was drying her wetted hair by a river side, she was perceived by Satyrs, whose gaze confused her:

"But soon with myrtles she her beauties veil'd,

From whence this annual custom was entail'd."—Ovid.

ORIGIN OF FAIRS.

A fair is a solemn or greater sort of market, granted to any town or city by privilege, for the more speedy and commodious providing of such things as the subject needeth. Both the English and the French word for fairs seem to come from feria, because it is incident to a fair, that persons shall be privileged from being arrested or molested in it from any other debt than that contracted in the fair, or at least was promised to be paid there.

Fairs were first occasioned by the resort of people to the Feast of Dedication; and therefore, in most places, the fairs by old custom were held on the same day with the wake or festival of the saint to whom the church was dedicated, and for the same reason kept it in the churchyard.

When bishops and abbots observed that crowds of people assembled to celebrate the festivities of their patron saints, they applied to the crown for charters to hold fairs at those times, for the accommodation of strangers, and with a view to increase their own revenues by the tolls which their charters authorized them to levy at these fairs. Hence the multitude of attendants increased, some of whom were actuated by religious, and others by commercial views.

Our ancestors were particularly anxious to make fairs useful to the public, and not, as many suppose, a public nuisance. Fairs are not to be kept longer than the time allowed, on pain of being seized into the king's hands. No merchant is to sell goods and merchandise in a fair after it is ended, under the penalty of forfeiting double the value of the goods so sold. One-fourth goes to the prosecutor, and the rest to the king: 5 Edw. III., cap. 13. The citizens of London could not carry their goods to any fair or market out of London before 3 Henry VII., cap. 9, but by that statute they can take their merchandise to any market or fair in England.

BARTHOLOMEW FAIR.

Stow says, that "to the priory of St. Bartholomew, king Henry II. granted the privilege of a faire, to bee kept yeerly at Bartholomewtide for three daies, to wit, the eve, the day, and the next morrow, to which the clothiers of England and drapers of London repaired, and had their boothes and standings within the churchyard of this priory, closed in with walls and gates, locked every night, and watched for safety of men's goods and wares; a court of piepoudres was daily during the faire holden, for debts and contracts. But," continues Stow, "notwithstanding all proclamations of the prince, and also the act of parliament, in place of boothes within this churchyard (only letten out in the faire time, and closed up all the yeere after), bee many large

houses builded, and the north wall towards Long Lane taken downe, a number of tenements are there erected, for such as will give great rents." "The forrainers,” he adds, "were licenced for three daies, the freemen so long as they would, which was sixe or seven daies."*

This was the origin of Bartholomew Fair, over which the charter of Henry II. gave the mayor and aldermen criminal jurisdiction during its continuance. This Fair can now hardly be said to exist, as it consists of only a few toy stalls and fruit barrows.

LADY HOLLANDS' MOB.

This multitude, composed of the most degraded characters of the metropolis, was accustomed to knock at the doors, and ring the bells, with loud shouting and vociferation; and they often committed gross outrages on persons and property. The year 1822 was the last year in which they appeared in any alarming force, and then the inmates of the houses they assailed, or before which they paraded, were aroused and kept in terror by their violence. In Skinner Street, especially, they rioted undisturbed until between three and four in the morning: at one period that morning, their number was not less than 5,000, but it varied as parties went off, or came in, to and from the assault of other places.

It has been supposed that this mob first arose, and has been continued, in celebration of a verdict obtained by a Mr. Holland, which freed the fair from toll; but this is erroneous. It may be traced as far back as the Commonwealth, when the ruling powers, in an attempt to suppress the fair, were defeated by the Holland Interest. They first assemble in Cloth Fair, at the Hand and Shears.

HORN FAIR.

At the pleasant village of Charlton, on the north side of Blackheath, about eight miles from London, a fair is held annually on St. Luke's day. It is called Horn Fair, from the custom of carrying Horns at it formerly, and the frequenters still wearing them! Upon taking the air down the river (from London), on the left hand lies Ratcliffe, a considerable suburb. On the opposite shore is fixed a long pole, with Ram's Horns upon it, the intention of which was vulgarly said to be a reflection upon wilful and contented cuckolds. † An old newspaper states, that it was formerly a custom for a procession to go from some of the inns in Bishopsgate Street, in which were a king, a queen, a miller, a counsellor, &c., and a great number of others, with horns in their hats, to *Bartholomew Fair was limited in 1750 to three days, besides the proclamation day. + Hentzner.

Charlton, where they went round the church three times. This was accompanied by so many indecencies on Blackheath, such as the whipping of females with furze, &c., that it gave rise to the proverb, "All is fair at Horn fair."* Others say, the horn-bearing at this fair, may be conjectured to have originated from the symbol accompanying the figure of St. Luke; as he is represented in the act of writing, with an ox or cow by his side, whose horns are conspicuous.

PECKHAM FAIR.

Peckham is said to be only a continuation of Camberwell, and not a district fair; yet there is a tradition, that king John, hunting there, killed a stag, and was so well pleased with his sport, that he granted the inhabitants a charter for a fair. It may be inferred from the "right merrie" humour of this monarch at the close of his sport, that it was somewhat in different style to that of Henry V.; for he, " in his beginning, thought it meere scofferie to pursue anie fallow deere with houndes or greihounds, but supposed himselfe always to have done a sufficient act when he had tired them by his own travell on foot."-Hollinshed.

MAY FAIR.

The locality adjacent to the west end of Piccadilly, derives its name from a celebrated fair as early as the reign of Charles II. held here, which commenced on the first of May, and from whence it was called May Fair.

Mr. Carter, the antiquary, says, in a communication to his valued friend, the venerable Sylvanus Urban, and which is dated March 6th, 1816:-"Fifty years have passed away since this place of amusement was at its highest attraction: the spot where the fair was held still retains the name of May Fair, and exists in much the same state as at the above period: for instance, Shepherd's Market, and houses surrounding it, on the north and east sides, with White Horse Street, Shepherd's Court, Sun Court, Market Court. Westwards, an open space extending to Tyburn (now Park Lane), since 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 (the noted Kitty Fisher lived in this street)," &c. He then proceeds to enumerate the amusements of the fair, such as dramatic performances, duckhunting, fire-eating, sausage-eating, prize-fighting and cudgeling, ass-races, bull-baiting, grinning for a hat, running for a shift, and various other amusements, which the Londoners in those days amused themselves with. This Fair was finally abolished in the reign of George III., when George, sixth Earl of Coventry, then a

* Brand.