ard is bound by the custom to readmit her to her Free-bench. Here I am, Riding upon a black Ram, And for my crincum crancum, Have done this wordly flame, Therefore I pray you, Mr. Steward, let me have my land again. After having informed you that my Lord Coke obferves, that this is the most frail and flippery tenure of any in England, I fhall tell you, fince the writing of that letter, I have, according to my promife, been at great pains in fearching out the records of the Black Ram; and at last met with the proceedings of the court-baron, held in that behalf, for the space of a whole day. The record faith, that a ftrict inquifition having been. made into the right of the tenants to their feveral eftates, by a crafty old steward, he found that many of the lands of the manor were, by default of the feveral widows, forfeited to the Lord, and accordingly would have entered on the premises: Upon which the good women demanded the benefit of the Ram. The steward, after having perufed their feveral pleas, adjourned the court to Barnaby Bright, that they might have day enough before them. The court being fet, and filled with a great concourfe of people, who came from all parts to fee the folemnity, the firft who entered was the widow Frontly, who had made her appearance in the last year's cavalcade. The register obferves, that finding it an eafy pad-ram, and foreseeing fhe might have further occafion for it, fhe purchafed it of the fteward. " Mrss Mrs. Sarah Dainty, relict of Mr. John Dainty, (who was the greatest prude in the parish) came next in the proceffion. She at firft made fome difficulty of taking the tail in her hand; and was obferved in pronouncing the form of. penance, to foften the two moft emphatical words into Clincum Clancum: But the fteward took care to make her speak plain English, before he would • let her have her land again. The third widow that was brought to this worldly fhame, being mounted upon a vicious Ram, had the misfortune to be thrown by him; upon which the hoped to be excufed from going thro' the rest of the ceremony: But the fteward being well verfed in the law, obferved very wifely upon this occafion, that the breaking of the 6 rope does not hinder the execution of the criminal. The fourth Lady upon record was the widow Ogle, a famous coquette, who had kept half a fcore young fellows off and on for the fpace of two years, but having been more kind to her carter John, fhe was introduced with the huzzas of all her lovers about her. Mrs. Sable appearing in her weeds, which were very new and fresh; and of the fame colour with her whimfical Palfrey, made a very decent figure in the folemnity. Another who had been fummoned to make her appearance, was excufed by the fteward, as well knowing in his heart, that the good fquire himself had qualified her for the Ram. Mrs. Quick having nothing to object against the indictment, pleaded her belly. But it was remembered that the made the fame excufe the year before. Upon which the steward obferved, that the might fo contrive it, as never to do the fervice of the manor. The widow Fidget being cited into court, infift N° 6123* ed that he had done no more fince the death of her husband, than what the used to do in his lifetime, and withal defired Mr. Steward to confider his own wife's cafe, if he should chance to die be•fore her. The next in order was a dowager of a very corpulent make, who would have been excufed as not finding any ram that was able to carry her; upon which the fteward commuted her punifhand ordered her to make her entry upon a • black ox. ment, The widow Maskwell, a woman who had long lived with a moft unblemished character, having turned off her old chambermaid in a pet, was by that revengeful creature brought in upon the black Ram nine times the fame day. Several widows of the neighbourhood, being brought upon their trial, fhewed that they did not hold of the manor, and were discharged ac'cordingly. A pretty young creature who clofed the proceffion, came ambling in with fo bewitching an *air, that the fteward was observed to caft a fheep's eye upon her, and married her within a month after the death of his wife.. • N. B. Mrs. Touchwood appeared, according to fummons, but had nothing laid to her charge; having lived irreproachably fince the decease of her husband, who left her a widow in the fixty-ninth year of her age. I am, SIR, &c.' WEDNESDAY, No 624. WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24. Audire, atque togam jubeo componere, quifquis Quifquis luxuriâ HOR. Sat. iii. lib. ii. ver. 77. Sit ftill, and hear, those whom proud thoughts do fwell, Those that look pale by loving coin too well; MA CREECH. ANKIND is divided into two parts, the bufy and the idle. The bufy world may be divided into the virtuous and the vicious. The vicious again into the covetous, the ambitious, and the fenfual. The idle part of mankind are in a state inferior to any one of these. All the other are engaged in the purfuit of happiness, though often misplaced, and are therefore more likely to be attentive to fuch means, as shall be propofed to them for that end. The idle, who are neither wife for this world nor the next, are emphatically called by Dr. Tillotson, fools at large. They propofe to themfelves no end, but run adrift with every wind. Advice therefore would be but thrown away upon them, fince they would scarce take the pains to read it. I fhall not fatigue any of this worthlefs tribe with a long harangue; but will leave them with this fhort faying of Plato, that Labour is preferable to idleness, as brightness to ruft. The purfuits of the active part of mankind are either in the paths of religion and virtue; or, on the other hand, in the roads to wealth, honours, or pleasure. I fhall therefore compare the purfuits of avarice, ambition, and sensual delight with their oppofite virtues; and fhall confider which of these VOL. VIII. principles A a principles engages men in a course of the greatest labour, fuffering, and affiduity. Moft men, in their cool reafonings, are willing to allow that a course of virtue will in the end be rewarded the moft amply; but reprefent way to it as rugged and narrow. If therefore it can be made appear, that men ftruggle through as many troubles to be miferable as they do to be happy, my readers may perhaps be perfuaded to be good, when they find they fhall lofe nothing by it. First, for Avarice. The mifer is more induftrious than the faint: The pains of getting, the fears of lofing, and the inability of enjoying his wealth, have been the mark of fatire in all ages. Were his repentance upon his neglect of a good bargain, his forrow for being over-reached, his hope of improving a fum, and his fear of falling into want, directed to their proper objects; they would make fo many different Chriftian graces and virtues. He may apply to himself a great part of St. Paul's catalogue of fufferings. In journeying often; in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils among falfe brethren. In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hnnger and thirst, in faftings often.At how much lefs expence might he lay up to himself treafures in heaven? Or, if I may in this place be allowed to add the faying of a great philofopher, he may provide fuch poffeffions, as fear neither arms, nor men, nor fove himself. In the fecond place, if we look upon the toils of ambition, in the fame light as we have confidered those of avarice, we shall readily own, that far less trouble is requifite to gain lafting glory, than the power and reputation of a few years; or, in other words, we may with more eafe deferve honour, than obtain it. The ambitious man fhould remember Cardinal Wolfey's complaint. Had I ferved • God with the fame application wherewith I ferved my King, he would not have forfaken me in my 'old 6 |