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⚫fection than any others of the age in which they • lived.

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Good-nature is a third neceffary ingredient in the marriage-ftate, without which it would inevitably four upon a thousand occafions. When 'greatness of mind is joined with this amiable quality, it attracts the admiration and esteem of all 'who behold it. Thus Cæfar, not more remarkable for his fortune and valour than for his hu'manity, stole into the hearts of the Roman people, when, breaking through the cuftom, he pronounced an oration at the funeral of his first and beft beloved wife.

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Good-nature is infufficient, unless it be fteady and uniform, and accompanied with an even• nefs of temper, which is, above all things, to be preferved in this friendship contracted for life. A 'man must be easy within himself, before he can be fo to his other felf. Socrates and Marcus Aurelius, are inftances of men, who, by the ftrength of philosophy, having entirely compofed their minds, and fubdued their paffions, are celebrated for good husbands, notwithstanding the firft was yoked with Xantippe, and the other with Fauftina. If the wedded pair would but habituate themselves for the first year to bear with one another's faults, the difficulty would be pretty well conquered. This mutual fweetness of temper and complacency was finely recommended. in the nuptial ceremonies among the heathens, who, when they facrificed to Juno at that folemnity, always tore out the gall from the entrails of the victim, and caft it behind the altar.

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I fhall conclude this letter with a paffage out of Dr. Plot's Natural History of Staffordshire, not only as it will ferve to fill up your prefent paper, but, if I find myfelf in the humour, may give rife to another; I having by me an old a *register,

regifter, belonging to the place here undermen'tioned.'

Sir Philip de Somervile held the manors of Whichenovre, Scirefcot, Ridware, Netherton, and Cowley, all in Com. Stafford, of the Earls of Lancaf ter, by this mémorable fervice. The faid Sir Philip fhall find, maintain, and fuftain, one BaconFlitch, hanging in his hall at Whichenovre, ready arrayed all times of the year, but in Lent, to be given to every man or woman married after the day and the year of their marriage be paft, in form following.

Whenfoever that any one fuch before named will come to enquire for the bacon, in their own perfon, they fhall come to the bailiff, or to the porter of the lordship of Whichenevre, and fhall fay to them in the manner as enfueth :

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Bayliff, or porter, I do you to know, that

I am come for myfelf, to demand one Bacon Flyke hanging in the hall of the Lord of Whichenovre, after the form thereunto belonging."'

After which relation, the bailiff or porter fhall affign a day to him, upon promife by his faith to return, and with him to bring twain of his neighbours. And in the mean time the faid bailiff fhall take with him twain of the freeholders of the lordfhip of Whichenovre, and they three fhall go to the manor of Rudlow, belonging to Robert Knightleyė, and there fhall fummon the aforefaid Knightleye, or his bailiff, commanding him to be ready at Whichenovre the day appointed, at prime of day with his carriage, that is to fay, a horfe and a faddle, a fack and a prike, for to convey the faid bacon and corn a journey out of the county of Staf ford, at his coftages. And then the faid bailiff fhall, with the faid freeholders, fummon all the tenants of the faid manor, to be ready at the day appointed at Whichenovre, for to do and perform

the

the fervices which they owe to the bacon. And at the day affigned, all fuch as owe fervices to the bacon, fhall be ready at the gate of the manor of Whichenovre, from the fun-rifing to noon, attending and awaiting for the coming of him who fetcheth the Bacon. And when he is come, there fhall be delivered to him and his fellows, chapelets; and to all those which fhall be there, to do their fervices due to the bacon. And they fhall lead the faid demandant with trumps and tabours, and other manner of minftrelfey to the hall door, where he thall find the Lord of Whichenovre, or his fteward, ready to deliver the bacon in this manner.

He fhall enquire of him which demandeth the bacon, if he have brought twain of his neighbours with him: Which muft anfwer, They be here ready. And then the steward fhall cause these two neighbours to fwear, if the faid demandant be a wedded man, or have been a man wedded; and if fince his marriage one year and a day be paft; and if he be a freeman, or a villain. And if his faid neighbours make oath, that he hath for him all thefe three points rehearfed; then fhall the bacon be taken down and brought to the hall-door, and fhall there be laid upon one half quarter of wheat, and upon one other of rye. And he that demandeth the bacon fhall kneel upon his knee, and fhall hold his right hand upon a book, which book thall be laid upon the bacon and the corn, and fhall make oath in this manner.

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Here ye, Sir Philip de Somervile, Lord of Whichenovre, myntener and gyver of this baconne: That I A, fithe I wedded B my wife, and fithe I had hyr in my kepying, and at my wylle, by a year and a day after our marriage, I would not have chaunged for none other; farer, ne fowler; richer, ne pourer; ne for none other defcended of greater lynage; flepying ne waking, at noo time. And if the feyd B were, fole,

and

and. I fole, I would take her to be my wife before all the wymen of the worlde, of what conditiones foever they be, good or evylle: As help me God and his Seyntes, and this flesh and • all flefhes.

And his neighbours fhall make oath, that they truft verily he hath faid truly. And if it be found by his neighbours before named, that he be a freeman, there fhall be delivered to him half a quarter of wheat and a cheese; and if he be a villain, he fhall have half a quarter of rye without cheefe. And then hall Knightleye, the Lord of Rudlow, be called for, to carry all these things tofore rehearfed; and the faid corn fhall be laid on one horfe and the bacon above it: And Fe to whom the bacon appeartaineth fhall afcend upon his horfe, and fhall take the cheese before him, if he have a horse. And if he have none, the Lord of Whichenovre fhall cause him to have one horse and faddle, to fuch time he be paffed his lordship: And fo fhall they depart the manor of Whichenovre with the corn and the bacon, tofore him that hath won it, with trumpets, tabourets, and other manner of minf trelfy. And all the free tenants of Whichenovre fhall conduct him to be paffed the lordship of Whichenovre. And then shall they all return except him, to whom appertaineth to make the carriage and journey without the county of Stafford, at the cofts of his Lord of Whichenovre.

VOL. VIM.

T

MONDAY,

No 608. MONDAY, OCTOBER 18.

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-Perjuria ridet amantum.

OVID. Ars. Am. 1. i. ver. 633.

-Forgiving with a smile

"The purjuries that eafy maids beguile.

Mr. SPECTATOR,.

DRYDEN.

ACCORDING to my promife I herewith transmit to you a lift of feveral perfons, who from time to time demanded the Flitch of Bacon of Sir Philip de Somervile, and his defcendants; as it is preferved in an ancient manufcript under the title of The register of Whichenovre-hall, and of the bacon fitch there maintained.

In the beginning of this record is recited the law or inftitution in form, as it is already printed in your laft paper: To which are added two bylaws, as a comment upon the general law, the fubftance whereof is, that the wife fhall take the fame oath as the husband, mutatis mutandis ; and that the judges fhall, as they think meet, interrogate or cross-examine the witneffes. After this proceeds the register in manner following.

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Aubry de Falstaff, fon of Sir John Falstaff, Kt. with dame Maude his wife, were the first that demanded the bacon, he having bribed twain of his fathers companions to fwear falfely in his behoof, whereby he gained the flitch: But he and his faid wife falling immediately into a difpute how the faid • bacon fhould be dreffed, it was by order of the • judges taken from him, and hung up again in the

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• hall.

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