THE STATUTES. 395 



some Lucifer matches which flashed blue consternation on the won- 

 dering rustics, lights and the dance was once more restored. 



While we were in the highest glee, old Lance Pindar entered the 

 room, striking his huge black-thorn walking-stick upon the floor at 

 every stride, and muttering something to himself. 



" What's the matter, Lance ?" enquired half a score, in eager 

 haste, who were conscious, from the natural evenness of Lance's 

 good temper, that something uncommon had occurred. 



" Matter ! matter enough, marry, is there," said Lance ; " the 

 truth is, I'm devlish mad, an not wehout a cause." 



" Well, but what's the matter ?" again inquired the interested 

 group. 



" Why," said Lance, " I'll just tell you you all know John Goy's 

 mare ?" 



" Yes." 



" W T ell, she's allos been reckoned a good-en at carrying double, 

 so to-day, been a bit of a holiday, I says to my old woman, ' Deborah,' 

 says I, ' I'll just step down to John Goy's an hire his mare to-day, 

 as my old Ball wont carry double, an we'll ride as far as Martin/ 

 ' Do, my lad/ says she, an accordingly I went, and got the pillion 

 seat, an every thing comfortable. Well, do you no, we hadent ridden 

 far afore that old b of a mare (God forgive me for saying so), 

 but we hadent got aboon hofe-a-mile afore she laid down her ears, 



kicked up her heels, an throwed me an my old woman in a d 



dike, then started off back an left us to it. Well, you no, I got up, 

 got my old dame out oth' dike, rubbed her clean we some grass, then 

 went to give John Goy a devlish good bloing up. Well, an wot do 

 yo think ? why ! he swore, that as I hired th' mare I shoud pay for 



her for all th' journey. I swore I'd see him , and so we got to 



high wods I swore I wodent pay, and he swore I should. Well, 

 you no, what does I do, but I goes to our Lawyer Seizeall's, an 

 knocks at th' door, so a woman comes. ' If you please,' says I, f is 

 Measter Lawyer Seizeall in ?' ' No,' says she. ' Is Misses Lawyer 

 Seizeall in ?' says I. * Yes/ says she, ' I am her/ * Well, then/ 

 says I, ' supposing yo was John Goy's mare, an I hired you to teck 

 me an my old woman a long journey ? well, an yo tuck it into your 

 hed to throw us both in a dike, afore weed got hofe-a-mile, do you 

 think, now, I'd be sich a fool as to pay for you ? no, I'd see you 



d first/ Well, do yo no, she burst out a laughing at me and 



made me madder." 



We all did the same, and out he bounced, stamping his feet, and 

 striking his stick fiercer upon the ground, calling us " unfeeling 

 robbers of righteousness," and damning John Goy and his mare all 

 the way he went. It was past midnight, when one of the rustic 

 wags stole out to the next room, and returned with a pillow in his 

 hands ; this was the signal for a cushion dance, well understood in 

 Lincolnshire, and old Markam instantly struck up the tune of 



" Old John Walker had a wife, 



She died and then he killed her ; 

 And after that she rose again, 

 And bore him twenty childer." 

 3E2 



