commanded Whitelocke to teach her ladies the English salutation; which, after some pretty defences, their lips obeyed, and Whitelocke most readily.

She highly commended Whitelocke's music of the trumpets, which sounded all supper-time, and her discourse was all of mirth and drollery, wherein Whitelocke endeavoured to answer her, and the rest of the company did their parts.

It was late before she returned to the castle, whither Whitelocke waited on her; and she discoursed a little with him about his business, and the time of his audience, and gave him many thanks for his noble treatment of her and her company.

Two days after this entertainment, Mons. Woolfeldt, being invited by Whitelocke, told him that the queen was extremely pleased with his treatment of her. Whitelocke excused the meanness of it for her majesty. Woolfeldt replied, that both the queen and all the company esteemed it as the handsomest and noblest that they ever saw; and the queen, after that, would drink no other wine but Whitelocke's, and kindly accepted the neats' tongues, potted yenison, and other cakes, which, upon her commendation of them, Whitelocke sent unto her majesty.*

MAY-DAY CHEESES.

To the Editor.

DEAR SIR,-On the first of May, at the village of Randwick, near Stroud, there has been, from time immemorial, the following custom :-Three large cheeses,(Gloucester of course,) decked with the gayest flowers of this lovely season, are placed on litters, equally adorned with flowers, and boughs of trees waving at the corners. They are thus borne through the village, accompanied by a joyous throng, shouting and huzzaaing with all their might and main, and usually accompanied by a little band of music. They proceed in this manner to the church-yard, where the cheeses being taken from the litters, and divested of their floral ornaments, are rolled three times round the church. They are then carried back in the same state, and in the midst of the village are cut up and distributed piecemeal to the inhabitants. I am, dear, sir, &c. April, 1827. C. TOMLINSON.

* Gentleman's Magazine, 1922.

Easter. EASTER-BOX.

A custom was instituted in the city of Thoulouse by Charlemagne, that at Easter any Christian might give a box on the ear to a Jew, wherever he chanced to meet him, as a mark of contempt for the nation, which had, at that season, crucified the Saviour of mankind. This usage, scandalous in itself, was sometimes, through zeal, practised with great violence. It is stated that the eye of a poor Jew was forced out, on that side of the head whereon the blow was given. In the course of centuries this cruel custom was commuted for a tax, and the money appropriated to the use of the church of St. Saturnin.* Accounts of the prevalence of this custom in our own country are related in the Every-Day Book, vol. i.

DOCTOR GIBBS, ALIAS "HUCK'N !"

For the Table Book.

Dr. Gibbs, commonly called "Huck'n !" was an extraordinary individual, who followed the profession of an itinerary veterinary surgeon in the west of England. His ways were different from his neighbours, and his appearance was so singular, that a stranger might have taken him for a tramping tinker. Like Morland, he had an unfortunate predilection for "signs," under whose influence he was generally to be found. He would "keep it up to the last," with his last shilling; and, like the wit in doctor Kitchiner's converzaziones, he would "come at seven and go it at eleven." To love for his profession, he added a love for old pastimes, customs, and revelries. He was a man, in the fullest extent of the word, a lover of his country-zealous in his friendships, he exercised the virtues of humanity, by aiding and even feeding those who were in severe distress. He spent much, for his means were considerable-they were derived from his great practice. His knowledge of his art was profound; a horse's life was as safe in his hands, as the writer's would be in sir Astley Cooper's.

In his person, "Huck'n!" was muscular, and he stood above the middle size; his habits gave him an unwieldy motion; his complexion was sandy; his aspect muddled; large eyebrows pent-housed his small glassy blue eyes; a wig of many curls, perking over his bald forehead, was closed by a bush of his own hair, of another colour behind; his whiskers were carroty, and

Miss Plumptre.

he usually had an unshorn beard. It was when he entered a stable, or cow-pen, in his leather apron half-crossed, with his drug-pouch at his side, that he appeared in a skilful light. His thick holly walking-stick with a thong run through the top, was tried in the service, as its worn appearance testified, and many an animal's mouth could witness. He rarely pulled the drenching horn, or fleam from his pocket to operate, but he rolled his tongue over his beloved "pigtail," juicily deposited in the nook of a precarious tooth, and said,"HUCK'N !" Hence his nomme de guerre -and hence the proverb that outlives him

-" he that can chew like Huck'n! may cure like Huck'n !" The meaning of this emphatic monosyllable remains a secret. Some of the superstitious conjectured, that he used it in stables and outhouses as a charm to scare the witches from riding the cattle. This liberty is verily believed by many to exist to this day; hence a horseshoe is nailed to the sill of the stable-door, that the midnight hags of "air and broom may not cross the iron bar-rier.* It is thirty years since "Huck'n" flourished. If he had a home, it was at Hullavington, near Malmsbury, where as a pharmacist, farrier, and phlebotomist of high character and respectability, to his patients who are known to evince more patience than most of the human specieshe was very attentive. He would cheerfully forego his cheerful glass, his boon companions, his amusing anecdotes, necessary food, and nocturnal rest, to administer to the comfort of a poor "dumb creature," and remain day and night till life departed, or ease returned. Were he alive he would tell us, that in our intercourse with the brute creation, we should exercise humane feelings, and bestir ourselves to assuage the acute pain, betokened by agonizing looks and groans, in suffering arimals.

"HUCK'N!" was an improvident man: under more classical auspices, he might have stood first in his profession; but he preferred being "unadorned-adorned the inost." He lived to assist the helpless, and died in peace. Let persons of higher pretensions do more-" Huck'n "+

March, 1827.

J. R. P.

Vermin and destructive birds are nailed, or rather crucified, on the park barns of noblemen by their gamekeepers, to hold intruders in terrorem, and give ocular proofs of skill and vigilance.

+ The Saxon word "Halidom" signifies "Holy Judgment:" whence in old times, "By my Halidom!" was a solemn oath among country people." By Gonnies !"-" By Gosh!" and a hundred other exclamations, may have originated in the avoiding an oath, or the performing a pledge-but what is "Huck'n ?"

AN ACCOUNT OF THE MANOR OF STOKE LYNE IN OXFORDSHIRE, LATE THE PROPERTY OF THE EARL AND COUNTESS OF SHIPBROOK.

The lord of the manor has a right, by ancient custom, to bear a hawk about his arms agreeable to the print: it arose from the following circumstance. When Charles the First held his parliament at Oxford, the then lord of Stoke Lyne was particularly useful to the king in his unfortunate situation, and rendered him service. To reward him he offered him knighthood, which he declined, and merely requested the king's permission to bear behind his coat of arms a hawk, which his majesty instantly granted. The present lord of the manor is Mr. Cole of Twickenham, inheriting the estate by descent from the late earl and countess, and whose family are registered in the parish church as early as March 22, 1584. There is also a monument of them in the church of Petersham, 1624; and another branch of the same family were created baronets, March 4, 1641, supposed to be the oldest family in the county of Middlesex.

This engraving of the milkmaids' garland, and the costume of themselves and their fiddler, at the close of the century before last, is from a print in "Mémoires, &c. par un Voyageur en Angleterre," an octavo volume, printed "à la Haye 1698," wherein it is introduced by the author, Henry Misson, to illustrate a passage descriptive

of the amusements of London at that time.

His account of the usage is to the following effect:

On the first of May, and the five or six days following, all the young and pretty peasant girls, who are accustomed to bear about milk for sale in the city, dress themselves very orderly, and carry about them a number of vases and silver vessels, of which they make a pyramid, adorned with ribbons and flowers. This pyramid they bear on their heads instead of the ordinary milk-pail, and accompanied by certain of their comrades and the music of a fiddle, they go dancing from door to door surrounded by young men and children, who

follow them in crowds; and every where they are made some little present.

ISABELLA COLOUR.

The archduke Albert married the infanta

Isabella, daughter of Philip II. king of Spain, with whom he had the Low Countries in dowry. In the year 1602, he laid siege to Ostend, then in the possession of the heretics, and his pious princess, who attended him in that expedition, made a vow that till the city was taken she would never change her clothes. Contrary to expectation, it was three years before the place was reduced; in which time her highness's linen had acquired a hue, which from the superstition of the princess and by the court fashionables under the name the times was much admired, and adopted of the " Isabella-colour:" it is a whitish yellow, or soiled buff-better imagined

than described.*

Sir J. Hawkins.

Are you

Send him to his grave then,

Like a white almond tree, full of glad days
With joy that he begot so good a Son.
Ó Sir, methinks I see sweet Majesty

Sit with a mourning sad face full of sorrows,
To see you in this place. This is a cave
Of scorpions and of dragons. Oh turn back;
Toads here engender; 'tis the steam of death;
The very air poisons a good man's breath.

Prince. Let me borrow goodness from thy lips. Farewell!

Here's a new wonder; I've met heav'n in hell.

Undue praise declined.

you are far too prodigal in praise, And crown me with the garlands of your merit; As we meet barks on rivers,-the strong gale Being best friends to us,-our own swift motion Makes us believe that t'other nimbler rows; Swift virtue thinks small goodness fastest goes.

[From the "Conspiracy," a Tragedy by Henry Killigrew, 1638. Author's age 17.]

The Rightful Heir to the Crown kept from his inheritance: an Angel sings to him sleeping.

Song.

While Morpheus thus does gently lay
His powerful charge upon each part,
Making thy spirits ev'n obey

The silver charms of his dull art;
I, thy Good Angel, from thy side,--
As smoke doth from the altar rise,
Making no noise as it doth glide,—

Will leave thee in this soft surprise;

And from the clouds will fetch thee down A holy vision, to express

Thy right unto an earthly crown;

No power can make this kingdom less.

But gently, gently, lest I bring

A start in sleep by sudden flight, Playing aloof, and hovering,

Till I am lost unto the sight.

This is a motion still and soft;

So free from noise and cry,

That Jove himself, who hears a thought, Knows not when we pass by.

C. L.

THE GOOD CLERK.

He writeth a fair and swift hand, and is completely versed in the four first rules of Arithmetic, in the Rule of Three, (which is sometimes called the Golden Rule,) and in Practice. We mention these things, that we may leave no room for cavillers to say, that any thing essential hath been omitted in our definition; else, to speak the truth, these are but ordinary accomplishments, and such as every understrapper at a desk is commonly furnished with. The character we treat of soareth higher.

He is clean and neat in his person; not from a vain-glorious desire of setting himself forth to advantage in the eyes of the other sex, (with which vanity too many of our young sparks now-a-days are infected,) but to do credit (as we say) to the office. For this reason he evermore taketh care that his desk or his books receive no soil; the which things he is commonly as solicitous to have fair and unblemished, as the owner of a fine borse is to have him appear in good keep.

He riseth early in the morning; not because early rising conduceth to health, (though he doth not altogether despise that consideration,) but chiefly to the intent that he may be first at the desk. There is his post-there he delighteth to be; unless when his meals, or necessity, calleth him away; which time he always esteemeth as lost, and maketh as short as possible.

He is temperate in eating and drinking, that he may preserve a clear head and steady hand for his master's service. He is also partly induced to this observation of the rules of temperance by his respect for religion, and the laws of his country; which things (it may once for all be noted) do add special assistances to his actions, but do not and cannot furnish the main spring or motive thereto. His first ambition (as appeareth all along) is to be a good clerk, his next a good Christian, a good patriot, &c.

Correspondent to this, he keepeth himself honest, not for fear of the laws, but because he hath observed how unseemly an article it maketh in the day-book or ledger, when a sum is set down lost or missing; it being his pride to make these books to agree and to tally, the one side with the other, with a sort of architectural symmetry and correspondence.

He marrieth, or marrieth not, as best suiteth with his employer's views. Some merchants do the rather desire to have married men in their counting-houses,