MARRIAGE CUSTOM.
The neighbourhood of Abberton, Flyford Flavel, Wick, Naunton Beauchamp, and other rural parishes in that district, celebrate weddings by serenading the house of the newly-married pair at night, and firing off guns, pistols, or any other instrument which will explode. Some parties at Wick were not long ago summoned before the magistrates for having participated in one of these popping-bouts, but the indignation of the district was greatly aroused by their being mulcted in certain expenses and ordered to discontinue the practice, for it is believed to be nearly "as old as Adam," and as indispensable a ceremony as the marriage vow itself.
FUNEREAL.
At Broadwas, at all funerals, the bearers invariably set down the coffin in the middle of the lane leading to the church, and forming a circle around it, they all bow most reverentially—a remnant, no doubt, of those ceremonies observed in Catholic days, to mark respect for the departed and to bid him farewell.
ASCENSION DAY.
Brand, in his "Popular Antiquities," states that a servant, named Betty Jelkes, who lived several years at Evesham, informed him of an ancient custom at that place for the master-gardeners to give their workpeople a treat of baked peas, both white and grey, and pork, annually on Holy Thursday.
On Ascension Day the inhabitants of Nantwich formerly assembled and sang a hymn of thanksgiving for the blessings of brine, and a very ancient pit there was held in great veneration and bedecked with boughs, flowers, and garlands; a jovial band of young people encircled the place, celebrating the occasion with song and dance. The custom also was yearly observed at Droitwich, on St. Richard's Day. This "Saint Richard" was Richard de Burford, Bishop of Chichester, who was born at Droitwich about the year 1200. Leland says that the principal salt springs "did fayle in the tyme of Richard de la Wich, or Burford, Bishop of Chichester; and that after, by his intercession, it was restored to the profit of the ould course; such (he adds) is the superstition of the people. In token whereof, or for the honour that the Wichemen and saulters bear unto this Richard, their countrieman, they used of late tymes on his daye to hange about the sault springe or well, once a yeere, with tapestrie, and to have drinking games or revels at it." One year "in the Presbyterian time (as Aubrey hath it) it was discontinued, and after that the spring shrank up or dried up for some time; so afterwards they revived their annual custom, notwithstanding the power of Parliament and the soldiers, and the salt water returned again and still continues."
GUY FAULX.
The 5th of November—so long celebrated as