2»d s. No 63., Jan. 3. '67.] 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



house without licence, that then he should forfeit twenty 

 shillings, besides three daj's' imprisonment." 



" Since making this Statute," he adds, " the number of 

 Ale-houses are so many throughout the whole realm, and 

 many of them placed in such unfit and inconvenient 

 places, that they are hurtful to the state and body of the 

 Commonwealth: and they, or the most part of tliem, are 

 the chief places in which all unlawful games are ; and 

 are the root and ground from whence the multitude of 

 rogues, vagabonds, and the wandering sort of men and 

 women wlio live by picking, stealing, and deceiving, do 

 come and grow : and are the common places where the law- 

 less and most lewde people of the laud are relieved, suc- 

 coured, and maintained." 



Mr. Gorges further complains, that the justices 

 neglect to inforce the recognizances when for- 

 feited, and make no presentment of those who 

 forfeit them. 



In another volume of the same collection (No. 

 76., art. 67.) are — 



" Certain Orders conceived and set down hy the Lords 

 and others of Her Majesty's Privy Council, for reformation 

 of great disorders committed by the excessive Number of 

 ..Ale-houses and Tipling-hottses, and brewing strong eb 

 ALE and BEER than is wholesome for Man's body, which 

 are by the Justices of Peace in the several Counties to be put 

 in execution and strictly looked into, a.d. 1594:." 



The justices were " to take view of tlie Number 

 of Ale-houses, Victualling and Tippling Houses 

 in every town, parish, village, and. hamlet within 

 their jurisdictions." 



" To consider upon view in every place what number 

 of them were necessary and fit : and thereupon to dis- 

 charge the superfluous number, and to permit and allow 

 a convenient number and no more. 



_ " That those that were allowed should be of the ap- 

 tienter sort, of honest conversation, and that had no 

 other means to live by, and to give new Bonds to perform 

 the Orders following; 



" 1. To take strict order with the Brewers that they 

 serve no beer or ale to auy Ale-house keeper; but at 

 such rate and price as by the Justices of the Peace should 

 be set down and appointed by the Statute of 23 Hen. 

 VIII. cap. 4. 



" 2. The Justices to set down and appoint such a rea- 

 sonable price for every barrel 1 and kilderkin, or other 

 Vessell of Beer, as they may afford the same for a half- 

 penny a quart. And yet the same to be well sodden, and 

 well brewed of wholesome grayne as it ought to be, upon 

 pain, &c. 



" 3. The Ale-house keeper to give bond in a competent 

 sum not to utter an3' beer or ale but such as is wliolsome. 



" 4. The keeper of the Ale-house to certify to the con- 

 stable of the Farish or Village whereof they be, the 

 names and surnames of all and every person or persons 

 that they shall lodge in their houses or dwelling place, 

 mystery and condition of every of them, and whether 

 every one of them entendeth to travel, as the guest shall 

 inform them, and this to be part of the condition of their 

 bond. 



" 5. Not to have Cards, Dice, or Tables, nor to suffer 

 any to play in their houses, yards, &c. This to be part 

 of the condition of their bond. 



" 6. No Ale-house keeper; &c., to permit any person or 

 persons to lodge in his house above a day and a night, 

 but such as he will answer for, as the Statutes yet in 

 force do require. Also condition of bond. 



« 7. Not to dress, or suffer to be dressed or eaten wthin 



his house, any fleshe upon any forbidden day, saving for 

 himself or his servants in cases of necessity, according to 

 the Statute in that behalf provided. Also a condition of 

 bond. 



" 8. That no Victualler, Tipler, or Ale-house Keeper 

 shall permit or suffer any persons dwelling within a mile 

 of their house to come into their houses, to eat or drink, 

 except substantial householders and their wives, children, 

 and servants in their company travelling to the Church, 

 being a mile distant from their houses, or for some other 

 lawful occasion ; and that only for their reasonable time 

 of their eating and drinking for their necessary repast 

 and relief. 



" The Constable to search and enquire after disorders 

 every fifteen days. 



" The Justices dividing themselves into certain limits 

 once in twenty days, to see to the execution of these Ar- 

 ticles within their Pivisious. 



(Signed) " John Baene. 



Ryc. Young. 

 Thomas Waud." 



It may be worth rpentioning,- in respect of the 

 clause which relates to the quality of the beer to 

 be sold, that in a complaint of one Newdigate to 

 Lord Burghley, in 1586, of the abusive waste of 

 strong beer and ale, he says : 



" First it is to be remembered, that Noblemen have 

 and use for the provision of their houses, Drowne or Court- 

 beer, and Court-ale, and a provision of March-beer to 

 save Wine." — See MS. Lansd., No. 49., art 22. 



Henry Ellis, 



DIVINATIONS ON NEW YEAR S DAY. 



A once extremely popular little folk-book in 

 my collection, entitled The Shepherd's New Ka^ 

 lendar (p. 120.) (without date, but before 1700), 

 contains several pages of prognostications from 

 the day of the week on which the year commences. 

 You ought to have a specimen, in order to render 

 your curious series complete : — 



" Observations on the Year beginning on a Thursday. 



"This produces a long winter, mostly dry with cold 

 winds, yet wholesom and healthy. The summer (a good 

 part of it) temperate, though (in harvest) much rain will 

 fall, with thunder and lightning, doing much mischief to 

 the corn ; yet there will be no Avant of plenty. Mur- 

 murings and discontents will be among people, and mis- 

 chief ensue thereon : people much given up to vice, 

 particularly adultery. The bloody flux and small-pox 

 very rife." 



And in another part we are told — 

 " If New Year's Day, in the morning, open Avith dusky 

 red clouds, it denotes strifes and debates among great 

 ones, and many robberys to happen that year." 



It may be new to many of your readers to hear, 

 that in many cottage homes of the Midland Coun- 

 ties, it is customary on New Year's morning to 

 try the Sortes Sanctorum. I hardly know a pret- 

 tier subject for a bit of. English life than this 

 little ceremony : — The good man sitting in his 

 arm chair, under the canopy of holly, with the old 

 Bible across his knees, and a group of chubby 



