"YE BATH AND WEST MESSE" 



in company with enough of the squirearchy and 

 tenant-farmer element to prevent post-prandial 

 discussions on land problems being too one-sided. 

 The expenses of the Mess are defrayed by the 

 subscriptions of those who are members of it, 

 so that it is no charge upon the Society's funds, 

 and there is always a sufficient balance in hand 

 to allow of an occasional " Mess Wine " night, 

 when no one pays for his liquor. The office of 

 president of the Mess is distinct from that of the 

 Society, and is held for no definite period. There 

 is no formal election to it, but a president is always 

 forthcoming when wanted. One final peculiarity 

 is that the Mess is governed by no written laws, 

 and, there being no record, either official or non- 

 official, of its existence, an endeavour was made 

 a few years since to rectify this omission. This 

 resulted in the issue of the following manifesto, 

 signed by the Mess president : 



" YE OLDE BATH AND WEST MESSE. 



" WE whose name and ranke appeareth atte ye 

 foot hereof sende greetynge to alle who owe 

 allegiance toe us bye virtue of our office. 



" Whereas, since our accession toe ye style and 

 dignitie of President of ye Bath and West Messe, 

 we have failed to discover any official recordes, 

 sufficientlie settyng forthe ye manneres and, 

 customes of ye honourable fraternitie over whych 

 we have been called upon to presyde, we have 

 felt yt incumbent upon us, for ye guidance of 

 future generations, toe make some provision for 

 ye handing down, intact and in due forme and 

 order, of our ancient traditions. 



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