By the Rev. Canon J. E. Jackson. 277 



Majesty our said Sovereigne Ladie by her Highness Proclamation given at 

 Grenewiche the xii. daye of February in the viij th . year of her Highness reign 

 for the reformation of the use of ovtragious great hoses hath prohibited and 

 forbidden all Taylors and hosyers within her Highness domynyons to make any 

 hosen of the said outragyous greatnes And that no Taylor or hosier put into 

 the outside of the upper stock of any hoses but one yarde and one quarter of 

 Clothe, Carsey, or other stuffe of that quality, and in compasse but one yard 

 and half a quarter for the tallest persones of stature, and for persones of less 

 stature to make less and not to put into the same hoses no more lyninge but one 

 lyning of lynnen or such like nexte the legge, and one other streyght lyning 

 made of stufe made and wrought within her Highness domynyons, with sundry 

 other provisyons and ordinances specifyed in and uppon the saide proclamacion, 

 Whereupon, if the within bounden William Norwey do not by himself or any his 

 servante journeyman or artist at any time hereafter make or cause to be made 

 any maner of hoses contrary to the forme abovesayde nor contrary to the true 

 meanyng of the said proclamation or assise prescribed in and upon the same 

 That then this obligacion to be voyde and of non effect or ells yt to be and 

 remayn in full force and vertu." 



Such in Queen Elizabeth's reign were the restrictions upon the 

 tailor. Possibly there are present some who may have reason for 

 wishing that the next Royal Proclamation upon domestic matters of 

 this interesting kind, may be addressed not to the tailor, but — the 

 milliner. 



Cock Squalling. 



Among the recreations and delights of Chippenham in former 

 times, was the custom of cock-throwing, or as it was called cock- 

 equalling, on Shrove-Tuesday. Shrove-Tuesday is the day before the 

 beginning of the season of Lent, and as the severities of Lent were 

 anciently much more rigorously enforced than they are now, the 

 last day before the season began was made the most of for amuse- 

 ments, as nothing of that sort was permitted for six weeks to come. 

 People used to eat and drink and give themselves up to all sorts of 

 foolery, as if it were the last chance in their lives. This still goes 

 on at Rome, and other cities, to this day, during the Carnival, which 

 is a word signifying " Farewell to meat." 



This cock-squailing was a very ancient custom, and as barbarous 

 as ancient. The unfortunate bird was tied by a cord to its leg : 

 and short sticks, pieces of mop-sticks, were thrown at him. He 

 was trained beforehand to this sort of work, and if well trained 

 contrived to see the stick coming, and so to skip out of the way. 



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