Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 11.pdf/72

 Quaint Old Customs which will not Die. Sir Henry was once presiding over a long, tedious, and uninteresting trial, and was listening, apparently with great attention, to a very long-winded speech from a learned counsel. After a while he made a pencil memorandum, folded it, and sent it by the usher to the Q. C. in question, who, unfold ing the paper, found these words : " Patience competition : Gold medal, Sir Henry Hawk ins; honorable mention, Job." To the representatives of the press dis

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charging their duties in his court he was invariably courteous, but even they did not always escape his quiet sarcasm. During the hearing of a case at Norwich assizes women and children were ordered out of court. Counsel subsequently called his lordship's attention to the fact that the messenger boys of the papers remained, and was met with the quiet rejoinder: "They are members of the press, and probably the evidence cannot corrupt their minds."

QUAINT OLD CUSTOMS WHICH WILL NOT DIE. John De Morgan. THOUGH we live in a very progressive age, there is such a conservative love for old customs in Great Britain that a so ciety has been formed for the advocacy of the revival of those customs which have fallen into desuetude. Many quaint customs, some on which certain rights depend, are maintained with strict regard to the original institution. When John of Gaunt, in 1362, gave a charter to the borough of Hungerford, in Berkshire, he stipulated that certain customs should be established and observed through all time. Though over five hundred years have passed, the good people of Hungerford observe the customs and retain their anti quated form of government. Hungerford is the only unreformed bor ough in England, and it is proud of the distinction. The original charter vests the government of the borough in the High Constable, feofees, portreeve, bailiff, tithingmen and Hocktide jury. No one is eligible for the office of High Constable unless he shall have served as tithing-man, bailiff and portreeve. Hocktide customs and Hocktide juries date back to the thirteenth century. The Monday and Tuesday after the second Sifn-

day following Easter Day used to be Hock tide. On the Monday, the women of a parish held the roads and streets and stopped all men who came that way, and having bound them with cords, only set them at liberty when a small sum of money was paid. On the Tuesday, the men had the same privilege, stopping the women and re leasing them only when they consented to pay a penny or be kissed. These customs became obsolete in all places, except Hun gerford, in the eighteenth century. In Hungerford, the custom has been modified, the men forming themselves into the Hocktide jury. This jury elects the High Constable, who is Lord of the Manor during his term of office, coroner of the borough and of so great importance that no municipal business can be transacted with out his consent. The jury then elects the other officers for the year including a port reeve, bailiff, a number of " tuttimen," or tithing-men, three water bailiffs, three over seers of port-downs, three keepers of the common coffer, two ale-tasters, a hayward, hall-keeper and bellman. The cere'monies commence on the Friday before Hockney, when the Audit supper is held at the John of Gaunt's inn. In accord