Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 3 1885.djvu/94

86 believed) a booby—a poor fellow who rose in quest of the early worm, and liked a mid-day nap—are the attributes ascribed to Hertfordshire (13). It has been justly remarked, "Some will wonder how this shire, lying so near to London, should be guilty of so much rusticity; but the finest cloth must have a list, and the poor peasants are as coarse a thread in this as in any other place." Middlesex's (14) blazon is that of a costermonger. The thieves pervading Bucks (12) were perhaps attracted there by the riches already noticed; they would have fared worse in Norfolk (17), where the Many wiles were such as are suggested by love of litigation. Fuller comments that "some would persuade us that they"— Norfolcians—"will enter an action for their neighbour's horse but looking over their hedge." Great hospitality is, I think, what Drayton endeavours to indicate as being characteristic of Staffordshire (24) and Salop (32); Wiltshire's (11) address sounds somewhat less warm-hearted. The Maids, who are celebrated with the Milk of Suffolk (16), and the Fair Women (alias Witches) of Lancashire (34), are pleasant products, worthy of more than Northampton Love (20), which has naught to do with the heart, but is merely a sensual—what we should call, "cupboard love." Our outspoken fore-fathers termed him a "belly-friend" who was insincere, and who pretended friendship for his own purposes. Lincolnshire (26) is declared musical with Bells and bagpipes. Some people will have it that Lincolnshire bagpipes are only frogs under another name; that I do not assent unto, though I can assure all whom it may concern that no bias in favour of the music of one over the other influences me in my opposition. "This shire carryes away the bell for round-ringing from all England"—thus Fuller —"other places may surpass it for changes more pleasant for the variety thereof Tom of Lincoln may be called the Stentor (fifty lesser bells may be made out of him) of all in this county." Taking the number of churches into consideration the bells are not pre-eminent as to abundance. Mr. North says: "In Lin-