YORKSHIRE. 355 



SPIRES ; timber ftands (not common). 



SPITTLE j a fpaddle, or little fpade. 



To SPREAD ; to break hay out of fwath ; to ted. 



To SPRENT ; to fplafh or faiear with fmall fpots. 



SPRIG j a brad. 



SPRING ; a young wood, raifed from the ftools of 



fallen timber-trees. 

 SPRUNT; afteeproad. 



SQUAB ; a couch, common in mofl farm " houfes." 

 STACKBARS ; large hurdles with which hay 



ftaclcs in the field are generally fenced. 

 STAG j a young horfc. 

 STALL ; a doorlefs pew of a church. 

 STALLED ; fatiated with eating. 

 To STANG ; to (hoot with pain. 

 STANG ; a long pole *. 



STARK ; 



* To RIDE THE STAN<3. A cuftom, which ff-iv men, 

 I hope, will cenfure, has prevailed in this country time 

 immemorial, and is (till, I find, prevalent. This cuftom 

 is called " riding the Hang :" and is ufed as a reproof 

 to the man who beats his wife ; or (when it happens) 

 to the wife who beats her hufband. 



The ceremony is that of placing a man or a boy up- 

 on a long pole, borne on men's fhoulders, and parad- 

 ing before the houfe of the delinquent ; the rider re- 

 peating fomc ruftic verfes applicable to the occafion. 

 It this be found ineffectual, the ceremony is repeated 

 with ilrongcr marks of difapprobation. In flagrant 

 and obftinate cafes, the door has been aflailed, the of- 

 fender feized, and the pumlhmcnt of the ducking-ftool 

 added to the difgrace of the ftang. Some inveterate 

 cafes, it feems, have recently yielded to this admirable 

 cmcdy. 



