Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 10.pdf/472

 Scolds; and how they Cured them. over the head, made forked at one end to let through the nose, and e the plate of iron that is put into the mouth and keeps down the tongue. Which being put upon the offender by order of the magistrate, and fastened with a padlock be hind, she is lead through the towne by an officer, to her shame, nor is it taken off, till after the party begins to shew all external signes imagin able of humiliation and amendment. This example afterwards became the property of my friend Mr. Mayer, the emi nent antiquary of Liverpool, from whose magnificent collection, I regret to learn it has been stolen. While speaking of Dr. Plott, it may not

437

be out of place to remark, that on the copy of his Staffordshire, in the British Museum, is the following marginal note supposed to be in his autograph. "This bridle for the tongue seems to be very ancient, being mentioned by an ancient English poet, I think Chaucer, quern vide : — "But for my daughter Julian, I would she were well bolted with a Bridle, That leaves her work to play the clack And lets her wheel stand idle, For it serves not for she-ministers, Farriers nor Furriers, Cobblers nor Button-makers, To descant on the Bible."