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, announc ing 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 since rity, 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 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 par liament 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. Thursday 31st, went to Bathe, Mr. Ashe preached. Dined at the George 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. Laid Note. I gave the city messengers ijs for 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 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, 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.* or 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," "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." 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 by the road side, where Mayes was sure purpose, they got into a house, building 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 late for dinner. good scolding from his wife for being too 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 that 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 prose and Pastimes of the People of England," of "Ninepenny Marl," engraved with the pawns or men, made on purpose, termed The game is played in France with merelles: hence the pastime derived that is briefly thus: two persons, each having denomination. The manner of playing nine men, different in colour and form, for distinction sake, place them alternately one by one upon the spots; and the antagonist from placing three of his pieces business of either party is to prevent his intervention of an opponent piece. If he so as to form a row of three, without the forms a row he takes one of his antagonist's pieces from any part, except from a row, which must not be touched if he have another piece on the board. When all the pieces are laid down, they are played backwards and forwards in any direction that the lines run, but they can only move from one spot to another at one time. He that takes all his opponent's pieces is the conqueror. The rustic players of "Nine Men's Morris," in England, who draw their lines on the ground, make a small hole for every dot, and play in them with stones of different forms or colours. The pastime is supposed to have derived the appellation of "Nine Men's Morris," from the different coloured men being inoved backwards or forwards as though they were dancing a morris.* NATURALISTS' CALENDAR. Mean Temperature ... 38. 70. December 31. TO DECEMBER. The passing year, all grey with hours, All his leaves have faded, And his weary pilgrimage Ends at last unaided By his own sun that dims its ray, Hark! through the air the wild storm bears While scarce a star its pale course steers • Strutt. On her own brow, where age is stealing Quench'd volcanoes, rifted mountains, Isles submerged, and dried up fountains, THE New Monthly Magazine. NATURALISTS' CALENDAR. Mean Temperature ... 37. 50. INDEXES TO THE VOLUME WILL On taking leave, as Editor of this work, I desire to express my thanks for its favourable acceptation. It seems to have been regarded as I wished-a miscellany to be taken up by any body at any time. I have the pleasure to know that it is possessed by thousands of families of all ranks: is presented by fathers to their sons at school; finds favour with mothers, as suited to the perusal of their daughters; and is so deemed of, as to be placed in public and private libraries enriched with standard literature. Ascribing these general marks of distinction to its general tendency, that tendency will be maintained in my next publication, THE TABLE BOOK. This publication will appear, with cuts, every Saturday, and in monthly parts, at the same price as the Every-Day Book, and will contain several original articles from valued correspondents, for which room could not be here made. The first number and the present year will be "out" together. I gratefully remember the attachment of my friends to the present sheets, and I indulge a hope that they will as kindly remember me, and my new work THE TABLE BOOK. Cuttings with Cuts, facts, fancies, recollections, My friends' communications, table-talk, W. HONE. INDEXES. I. GENERAL SUBJECTS. II. ROMISH SAINTS. III. POETRY, ORIGINAL AND SELECTED. IV. CORRESPONDENTS' SIGNATURES. V. ENGRAVINGS IN THE VOLUME. TO THE BINDER. If the work be required in FOUR Volumes, commence "VOL. I.-PART 11." at col. 857, Vol. II.-105. |