Some nook in the valley of life shall be mine, Then haply my wild harp will make such sweet notes, OLD MIDSUMMER DAY. This day is still marked in our almanacs, on account of its being adhered to, in a few places, as a "good old day," of the "good old times." LAYING OUT OF LANDS In the Parish of Puxton, Somerset. The subjoined letter was duly received according to its date, and is now in due time inserted. The editor has very few omissions of this kind to apologize for: if he has prematurely, and therefore unduly, introduced some communications which arrived too late for their proper days, he may be excused, perhaps, in consideration of the desire expressed by some correspondents, that their papers should appear in a "reasonable" time or not at all. Unhappily he has experienced the mishap of a “reasonable" difference, with one or two of his contributors. From the plan of this work, certain matters-of-fact could only range, with propriety, under certain days; while it has been conceived of, by some, as a magazine wherein any thing could come, at any time. In this dilemma he has done the best in his power, and introduced, in a few instances, papers of that nature out of place. On two or three occasions, indeed, it seemed a courtesy almost demanded by the value of such articles, that they should not await the rotation of the year. The following curiously descriptive account of a remarkable local custom is from a Somersetshire gentleman, who could be relied on for a patient endurance of nine months, till this, its due season arrived. To the Editor of the Every-Day Book. Bristol, October 19, 1825. Sir,-Having observed in your Every Day Book, p. 837, vol i. mention of an ancient custom of dividing lands, which formerly took place on the Saturday before old midsummer-day, in the parish of Puxton, in Somersetshire, (taken from Mr. Collinson's history of that county,) I now send you a more explicit and enlarged account, with the marks as they were cut in each person's allotment. The two large pieces of common land called Dolemoors, which lie in the parishes of Congresbury, Week St. Lawrence and Puxton, were allotted in the following manner. On the Saturday preceding midsummer-day O. S. the several proprietors (of the estates having any right in those moors) or their tenants, were summoned at a certain hour in the morning, by the ringing of one of the bells at Puxton, to repair to the church, in order to see the chain (kept for the purpose of The laying out Dolemoors) measured. tained by placing one end thereof at the proper length of such chain was ascerfoot of the arch, dividing the chancel from the body of the church, and extending it through the middle aisle, to the foot of the arch of the west door under the tower, in the stones for that purpose. at each of which places marks were cut chain used for this purpose was only eighteen yards in length, consequently four yards shorter than the regular landmeasuring chain. The After the chain had been properly measured, the parties reTwenty-four paired to the commons. apples were previously prepared, bearing the following marks, viz. Five marks called "Pole-axes," four ditto "Crosses," two ditto "Dung-forks, or Dung-pikes," one mark called "Four Oxen and a Mare," one ditto "Two Pits," one ditto "Three Pits," one ditto "Four Pits," one ditto "Five Pits," one ditto "Seven Pits," "Horn," one "Hare's-tail," one "Duck's-nest," one" Oven," one "Shell," one "Evil," and one "Hand-reel." one It is necessary to observe that each of these moors was divided into several portions called furlongs, which were marked out by strong oak posts, placed at regular distances from each other; which posts were constantly kept up. After the apples were properly prepared; they were put into a hat or bag, and certain persons fixed on for the purpose, began to measure with the chain beforementioned, and proceeded till they had measured off one acre of ground; at the end of which, the boy who carried the hat or bag containing the marks took out one of the apples, and the mark which such apple bore, was immediately cut in the turf with a large knife kept for that purpose: this knife was somewhat in the shape of a scimetar with its edge reversed. In this manner they proceeded till the whole of the commons were laid out, and each proprietor knowing the mark and furlong which belonged to his estate, he took possession of his allotment or allotments accordingly, for the ensuing year. An adjournment then took place to the house of one of the overseers, where a certain number of acres reserved for the purpose of paying expenses, and called the "out-let or out-drift," were let by inch of candle. During the time of letting, the whole party were to keep silence, (except the person who bid,) under the penalty of one shilling. When any one wished to bid, he named the price he would give, and immediately deposited a shilling on the table where the candle stood; the next who bid, also named his price and depo-, sited his shilling in like manner, and the person who first bid was then to take up his shilling. The business of letting thus proceeded till the candle was burnt out, and the last bidder, prior to that event, was declared the tenant of the out-let, or outdrift, for the ensuing year. but that some of the junior part of the company were desirous of making a trial of their skill in the sublime art of pugilism, when hard knocks, thumps, bangs, and kicks, and consequently black eyes, bloody noses, and sore bones, were distributed with the greatest liberality amongst the combatants. "And now the field of Death, the lists Are enter'd by antagonists." In this stage of the business, some venerable yeoman usually stepped forward and harangued the contending parties, in some such speech as the following, which I am sorry to say was most commonly thrown away upon these pot-valiant champions : "What rage, O friends! what fury seldom bore each other any grudge or ill- "Tho' sorely bruis'd, their limbs all o'er With ruthless bangs still stiff and sore," they shook hands, became good friends "Fit med'cines to each glorious bruise In the year 1779, an attempt was made Two overseers were annually elected to procure an act of parliament for allotfrom the proprietors or their tenants. A ting these moors in perpetuity; but an quantity of strong ale or brown-stout was opposition having been made by a majoallowed for the feast, or "revel," as it rity of the proprietors, the plan was rewas called; also bread, butter and cheese, linquished. I have now by me a printed together with pipes and tobacco, of which copy of the bill drawn up on that ocany reputable person, whose curiosity or casion. The land, however, was actually casual business led him to Puxton on that enclosed and allotted in the year 1811, and day, was at liberty to partake, but he was the ancient mode of dividing it, and conexpected to deposit at his departure one sequently the drunken festival, or revel, shilling with the overseer, by way of from that time discontinued. forfeit for his intrusion. The day was generally spent in sociality and mirth, frequently of a boisterous nature, from the larating effects of the brown-stout alluded to; for it rarely happened The following marks are correct delineations of those used, being taken from the originals in the book appropriated for the purpose of keeping the accounts of this very singular and ancient usage. After this description of the method of "laying out of lands," at a period of the year when steam boats are conveying visiters to the "watering places on the Thames," it seems prudent and seasonable to notice another custom LAYING OUT OF WIVES In the Fens of Essex and Kent. And, first, as to this "grave" custom on the London side of the Thames, we have the epistolary testimony of a writer in the year 1773, viz. Sir,-Nothing but that unaccountable variety of life, which my stars have imposed upon me, could have apologised for my taking a journey to the fens of Essex. Few strangers go into those scenes of desolation, and fewer still (I find) return from thence-as you shall hear. When I was walking one morning between two of the banks which restrain the waters in their proper bounds, I met one of the inhabitants, a tall and emaciated figure, with whom I entered into conversation. We talked concerning the manners and peculiarities of the place, and I condoled with him very pathetically on his forlorn and meagre appearance. He gave me to understand, however, that his case was far from being so desperate as I seemed to apprehend it, for that he had never looked better since he buried the first of his last nine wives. "Nine wives!" rejoined I, eager and astonished, "have you buried nine wives?" "Yes," replied the fen-man, "and I hope to bury nine more." "Bravissimo !"-This was so far from allaying my astonishment, that it increased it. I then begged him to explain the miraculous matter, which he did in the following words :- "Lord! master," said he, "we people in the fens here be such strange creatures, that there be no creatures like us; we be like fish, or water-fowl, or others, for we be able to live where other folks would die sure enough." He then informed me, that to reside in the fens was a certain and quick death to people who had not been bred among them; that therefore when any of the fen-men wanted a wife, they went into the upland country for one, and that, after they carried her down among the fens, she never survived long: that after her death they went to the uplands for another, who also died; then "another, and 66 another, and another," for they all followed each other as regular as the change of the moon; that by these means some poor fellows" had picked up a good living, and collected together from the whole a little snug fortune; that he himself had made more money this way than he ever could do by his labour, for that he was now at his tenth wife, and she could not possibly stand it out above three weeks longer; that these proceedings were very equitable, for such girls as were born among themselves they sent into the uplands to get husbands, and that, in exchange, they took their young women as wives; that he never knew a better custom in his life, and that the only comfort he ever found against the ill-nature and caprice of women was the fens. woman-killer then concluded with desiring me, if I had a wife with whom I was not over head and ears in love, to bring her to his house, and it would kill her as effectually as any doctor in Christendom could do. This offer I waved; for you know, sir, that (thank God) I am not married. This This strange conversation of my friend, the fen-man, I could not pass over without many reflections; and I thought it my duty to give notice to my countrymen concerning a place which may be converted in so peculiar a manner to their advantage.* So far is from the narrative of a travel ler into Esser, who, be it observed, is given "without note or comment;" it "speaks for himself," and whose account reader will form a correct opinion of such being certain that every rightly affected a narrator, and of the "fearful estate" of "upland women" who marry "lowland men." As regards the "custom of Kent," in this matter, we have the account of a "Steam-boat Companion," who, turning "to the Kentish shore," says thus : YENLET CREEK Divides the isle of Grean from Allhallows, on the main land, and from the cliff marshes. Who would believe while beholding these scenes of pleasure before us, that for six months in the year the shores of this hundred (Hoo) were only to be explored by the amphibious; that the sun is sel • Universal Magazine. dom seen for the fog, and that every creature in love with life, flies the swamps of Hoo, preferring any station to its ague dealing vapours, its fenny filth, and muddy flats; a station, that during the winter season is destitute of every comfort, but fine eels, luscious flounders, smuggled brandy, Holland's gin, and sea-coal fire. We will here relate a whimsical circumstance that once took place in this neighbourhood while we were of the party. · It was at that time of the year when nature seems to sicken at her own infirmities, we think it was in the month of November, we were bound to Sheerness, but the fog coming on so gloomily that no man could discover his hand a yard before him, our waterman, whether by design or accident we cannot pretend to say, mistook the Thames, and rowed up the Yenlet creek. After a long, cold, and stubborn pull, protesting at the time he had never (man or boy) seen any thing so dismal, he landed us near Saint Mary's, that church yonder, with the very lofty and white spire, and then led us to an alehouse, the sign of which he called the Red Cock and Cucumber, and the aleman he hailed by the merry name of John Piper, And a very pleasant fellow John turned out to be; if he was a little hyperbolical, his manner sufficiently atoned for the transgression. The gloom of the day was soon forgotten, and the stench arising from filthy swamps less regarded. At our entrance we complained heavily of the insupportable cloud with which we had been enveloped. "Ha! ha! ha!" sang out the landlord, "to be sure it is too thick to be eaten with a spoon, and too thin to be cut with a knife, but it is not so intolerable as a scolding wife, or a hungry lawyer." "Curse the fog," cried our waterman, "Bless the fog," answered our landlord, "for it has made a man of me for life." "How do you make that appear?" we requested to know. "Set you down, sir, by a good sea-coal fire, for we pay no pool duties here, take your grog merrily, and I'll tell you all about it presently," rejoined the tapster, when drawing a wooden stool towards us, while his wife was preparing the bowl, John Piper thus began: "You must know, sir, I was born in this fog, and so was my mother and her relatives for many past generations; there fore you will see, sir, a fog is as natural to me as a duck-pool to a dab-chick. When poor dame Piper died, I found myself exceedingly melancholy to live alone on these marshes, so determined to change my condition by taking a wife. It was very fortunate for me, sir, I knew a rich old farmer in the uplands, and he had three blooming daughters, and that which made the thing more desirable, he had determined to give each a portion of his honourably acquired property. The farmer had for many years been acquainted with my good father, gone to rest, and this gave me courage to lay my case before him. The elder girl was the bird for me, the farmer gave his consent, and we were married. Directly after, I quitted the uplands for the fog, with a pretty wife and five hundred golden guineas in my pocket, as good as ever bribed a lawyer to sell his client, or a parliament-man to betray his country. This was a good beginning, sir, but alas! there is no comfort without a cross; my wife had been used from her infancy to a fine keen open air, and our lowland vapours so deranged her constitution, that within nine months, Margaret left me and went to heaven. "Being so suddenly deprived of the society of one good woman, where could I apply for another, better than to the sack from whence I drew the first sample? The death of my dear wife reflected no disgrace on me, and the old man's second daughter having no objection to a good husband, we presently entered into the bonds of holy matrimony, and after a few days of merriment, I came home with Susan, from the sweet hills to the fogs of the lowlands, and with four hundred as good guineas in my purse as ever gave new springs to the life of poverty. Similar causes, sir, they say produce similar effects; and this is certainly true, for in somewhere about nine months more, Susan slept with her sister. "I ran to the uplands again, to condole with my poor old Nestor, and some how or other so managed the matter, that his youngest daughter, Rosetta, conceived a tender affection for Piper. I shall never forget it, sir, while I have existence; I had been there but a few days, when the good farmer, with tears in his eyes, thus addressed me: Piper, you have received about nine hundred pounds of my money, and I have about the same sum left; now, son, as you know how to make a good use of it, I think it is a pity it should go |