SIGNBOARDS. 



personage than the village policeman, and one far 

 better calculated to strike terror into the hearts of 

 village miscreants than the blue-coated, silver-buttoned, 

 helmet-headed bobby of the present day. 



It is more than possible that every time a coach 

 passed through a village the beadle was quickly on the 

 spot, particularly if it pulled up to deliver a passenger 

 or a letter-bag, as it was then necessary for him to 

 keep back the village children, upon whom the sight 

 of his staff and big cocked hat had an awe-inspiring 

 effect. 



To the villages in those days there was generally 

 a green, round which were clustered the cottages, and 

 near to which stood the village inn, whilst the sign- 

 post and swinging signboard frequently stood on the 

 green itself; and these signboards were, in rare 

 instances, works of art. Sir Peter Lely is said to have 

 painted one, and other famous artists frequently con- 

 descended to do so, more for the fun of the thing 

 than for anything else. 



A Royal Academician, in his lately published 

 Autobiography, admits having done so for an inn 

 in Harrogate ; but this sign was never hung in its 

 legitimate position, but only on the walls of the 

 sitting-room occupied by the proprietor of the inn 

 for which it was intended. 



On these village greens, as a matter of course, 

 were the village stocks ; and such things have been 

 known, in some villages, as a ducking-stool. "^ladam," 

 said Dr. Johnson, in a conversation with Mrs. 

 Knowles, " we have different modes of restraining evil ; 

 stocks for the men, a ducking-stool for women, and a 

 pound for beasts." 



The only thing which remains in common use 



