JUNE. 171 



of the primitive nations, gives a most lively picture 

 of their practice in this particular. Nabal, " a 

 man in Maon, whose possessions were in Carmel, 

 and who had three thousand sheep and a thousand 

 goats, was shearing his sheep in Carmel," when 

 David, knowing it to be a time of abundance, sent 

 some of his men out of the wilderness to solicit pro- 

 visions. The men, when delivering their leader's 

 message, used it as an argument, "for we are come 

 in a good day." Some idea may also be formed of 

 the preparations on such occasions, from the supply 

 of good things which Nabal's wife " made haste" 

 and gave to David. Two hundred loaves, and two 

 bottles of wine, and five sheep ready dressed, and 

 five measures of parched corn, and a hundred clus- 

 ters of raisins, and two hundred cakes of figs : and 

 it is added, "Behold Nabal held a feast in his house, 

 like the feast of a king." SAMUEL, ch. xxv. 



Such was the custom in this country in the old- 

 fashioned days. It was a time of merry-making : 

 the maidens, in their best attire, waited on the 

 shearers to receive and roll up the fleeces. A feast 

 was made, and the king and queen elected ; or, ac- 

 cording to Drayton's Polyolbion, the king was pre- 

 elected by a fortunate circumstance. 



The shepherd-king, 



Whose flock hath chanced that year the earliest lamb to bring, 

 In his gay baldric sits at his low, grassy board, 

 With flawns, curds, clouted cream, and country dainties stored ; 

 And, while the bagpipes play, each lusty, jocund swain 

 Quaffs syllabubs in cans to all upon the plain ; 

 And to their country girls, whose nosegays they do wear ; 

 Some roundelays do sing, the rest the burden bear. 



