282 Notes and Illustrations. 
fit to be cut up for gate latches, a use to which it is often applied.” 
Other writers represent it as most suitable for making wheels for 
wheelbarrows. 
49 c. “‘ Argusses eies.” The mythical Argus, surnamed Panoptes 
(the All-seer), had a hundred eyes ; he was placed by Juno to guard 
Io, and at his death his eyes were transplanted to the peacock’s 
tail. 
49. 1. To fleet or skim the cream is a verb still in use in East 
Anglia, and the utensil used for the purpose is termed a /leefing- 
dish. ‘I flete mylke, take away the creame that lyeth above it 
whan it hath rested.”’—Palsgr. ‘‘ Hsburrer, to fleet the creame 
potte ; /azct esburré, fleeted milk ; mazgne, fleeted milke or whaye.” 
—Hollyband’s Treasurie. ‘‘ Ye flofed too nie” =you skimmed off 
too much of the cream. 
49. 3. If cheeses are full of eyes, it isa proof that the curd was 
not properly worked. 
9. 4. Hoven cheese is occasioned by negligence in breaking 
the curd; and therefore Cisley deserves to be driven to creeks, or 
holes and corners, for her idleness and inattention.—M. 
49. 5. Tough or leathery cheese may arise from its being set 
too hot, or not worked up, and the curd broken in proper time.—M. 
49. 6. Various causes may bring on corruption in cheese, such 
as the use of beastings, or milk immediately after calving, moisture, 
bruises and such like. 
49. 7. Hairs in cheese can only arise from inexcusable careless- 
ness, or from Cisley’s combing and decking her hair in the dairy. 
49. 9. Magget the py=the magpie, a pun on the word magget, 
in its two meanings of 1.a maggot, 2.a magpie, commonly called in 
Prov. Eng. magot-pie, maggoty-pie, from mag, maggot—Meg, Maggte 
=Margery, Margaret, and pie; Fr. margot, old dimin. of Marguerite, 
and common name of the magpie. The line, therefore, reads, 
“‘If maggots be crawling in the cheese, fetch magget the py.” 
“« Pie, meggatapie.’—Cotgrave. Cf. Shakspere, Macbeth, Act 
Uli SCi Ay 12 5. 
49. 10. “ Cisley, in running after the Bishop in passing, as was 
the practice in former times, in order to obtain his blessing, might 
accidentally leave her milk on the fire; and on her return, finding 
it burnt to the pan, might probably curse the prelate for her mishap, 
which conduct deserved correction, or a left-handed blessing from 
her mistress.” So Dr. Mavor. Mr. Skeat remarks in reference to 
it: ‘‘ That stupid story makes me cross; it is such an evident in- 
vention, and no soul has ever adduced the faintest proof of any 
such practice. The allusion is far less circuitous, viz. to the bishops 
who burnt people for heresy. That they did so is too notorious.” 
The following extract appears strongly to bear out Mr. Skeat’s 
view: ‘‘When a thynge speadeth not well we borowe speach and 
say ‘the byshope hath blessed it, because that nothynge speadeth 
5 ae 
