perty they were contending for, had originally come into their possession by unjust means; and, that the real owner had been ruined by their joint concurrence. It was then Sir Matthew made use of the saying, "when rogues fall out, honest men come by their own." The trial was quashed, and the right owner was put in possession of his property.

THE BITER'S BIT!

This saying originated from bishop Tonstall, in the reign of Henry 8th, who was far fonder of burning books than men, having employed an agent on the continent, where the bishop was travelling to buy up the works of Tindal, the sectarist.

This agent was secretly a Tindalist, and communicated the circumstance to Tindal himself, who was at that period residing at Geneva. Tindal was highly pleased at the circumstance, for he had long been desirous of printing a corrected edition, but his poverty prevented him: he had also, a quantity of the first edition by him, which he had now an opportunity of turning into cash. The agent was very industrious, and furnished the bishop with an immense quantity; the latter was highly pleased, paid the money, and had the books burnt in Cheapside. Tindal brought out his second edition, sent his agents to London, where he had many secret followers, and consequently, sold many of his books.

One of these agents was detected, and taken before the chancellor, who promised him a pardon, on condition of his giving up the principal in the transaction. The man agreed, and named bishop Tonstall! that in consequence of the latter having bought up all that he could lay his hands on of the first edition, they had been able to distribute a second; and which, they could not possibly have effected without the assistance of the bishop. "I'faith." exclaimed the chancellor, turning round to some of the council, "I must confess the biter's bit." The man was pardoned, and the saying has continued to this day.

A BIRD IN HAND'S WORTH TWO IN THE BUSH!

This originated from the following circumstance: Will Somers, the celebrated jester to Henry 8th, happening to call at my Lord Surry's, whom he had often, by a well-timed jest, saved from the displeasure of his royal master; and who consequently was always glad to see him, was on this occasion ushered into the aviary, where he found my Lord, amusing himself with his birds.

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Will, happening to admire the plumage of a king-fisher-"By my Lady," said Surry, my prince of wits, I will give it you." Will skipped about with delight, and swore by the great Harry, he was a most noble gentleman. Away went Will with his king-fisher, telling all his acquaintance whom he met, that his friend Surry had just presented him with it. Now it so happened that my Lord Northampton, who bad seen this bird the day previous, just arrived at my Lord Surry's as Will Somers had left, with the intention of asking it of Surry, for a present to his (Northampton's) mistress. Great was his chagrin, on finding the bird gone. Surry, however, consoled him with saying, that "he knew Somers would restore it him, on he (Surry) promising him two another day." Away went a messenger to the prince of wits, whom he found in raptures with his bird, and to whom he delivered his Lord's message. Great was Will's surprise, but he was not to be bamboozled by even the Monarch himself. "Sirrah," says he "tell your master that I am obliged for

his liberal offer of two for one; but that I prefer one bird in the hand to two in the bush!" Hence originated this much repeated saying.

THE PROOF OF THE PUDDING IS IN THE EATING!

That James the First was a pedant is well known to all literary men; but that he also professeed a knowledge of the culinary art, may have been thought unworthy of a page in history. Buckingham, his favourite, was not only a regular bon vivant, but availed himself of his royal master's penchant, as one of the means of securing that favour which he ultimately enjoyed. It happened one day when dining with Buckingham, that a discussion on the merits of various viands took place, some of the most costly and delicious then being before them; one of which, was particularly recommended by Buck

ingham to his Majesty, as being superior to any other. "It may be so, Stenie,+" replied the king," but the prufe of a gude thing is in the eating on't, so here's at it!"

THROWING A TUB TO THE WHALE.

The Greenland vessels, and indeed the South Sea vessels, are sometimes (especially after stormy weather) so surrounded with whales, that the situation of the crew becomes dangerous. When this is the case, it is usual to throw out a tub, in order to divert their attention; when the marine monsters amuse themselves in tossing this singular sort of a play-thing into the air, to and fro, as children do a shuttle-cock. Their attention being drawn, every sail is hoisted, and the vessel pursues its course to its destination. Hence came the saying, "Throwing a Tub to the Whale !"

THE DEVIL TERMED "THE LAWYERS' PATRON!"

Saint Evona, a lawyer of Britain, went to Rome to entreat the Pope to give the lawyers a patron; the Pope replied, that he knew of no Saint not disposed of to some other profession. His Holiness proposed, however, to Saint Evona, that he should go round the church of St. Giovanni de Laterano, blindfold, and after saying a certain number of ave-marias, the first Saint he laid his hand on should be his patron. This the good old lawyer undertook, and at the end of his ave-marias, stopped at the altar of St. Michael, where he laid hold, not of the Saint, but unfortunately of the Devil, under the Saint's feet, crying out, "This is our Saint, let him be our patron!"

AS MERRY AS A GREEK!

This proverb obtained existence since the subjugation of the country by Mahomet the Second, in 1455. Patrick Gordon, in a work published 77 years ago, thus writes-" The Greeks (most famous of old both for arms and arts, and every thing else that's truly valuable) are so wonderfully degenerated from their forefathers, that instead of those excellent qualities, there is nothing to be seen among them but the very reverse There is, nevertheless, no people more jovial and merrily disposed, being so much given to singing and dancing, that it is now become a proverbial saying, 'As merry as a Greek.""

See Correspondence of Sir James Melvil.

+ A familiar name by which James used to address Buckingham.

DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND!

The Diamond is the hardest substance in natur?, and hence there is no way of grinding or polishing diamonds but by acting upon them with their own powder, which is obtained by laborious rubbing of them one against another. Hence the phrase of "Diamond cut Diamond," so generally applied when cunning and dexterity come in contact.

PUT A BEGGAR ON HORSEBACK, AND HE'LL RIDE TO

THE DEVIL!

A century ago, there existed in Scotland a class of privileged persons, or Beggars, called Blue-gowns. These itinerants were a very hardy race, and from the knowledge they attained of the country from their ramblings, were often employed as messengers. Every village and every mansion had its Blue-gown; the secrets of the laird, and of his fair daughter, were alike known to him. In every case of importance, whether to the magistracy, to the mid-wife, or to the post-office, the Blue-gown was the Mercury employed. Every cross-cut, by-path, and winding of the country, was better known to him than it was to any of the Scottish lieges; indeed, he was the oracle of the locality in which he vegetated,―the lover's messenger, the laird's confidant, and the gossip's chronicler. His privileges were also greater than any; for what would get the Blue-gown reprimanded, would get another transported. In his ramblings he did not always use his own extremities, but would sometimes make free with a neighbour's horse, or, when he could not do that, would avail himself of one of the half wild stragglers with which Scotland abounded at that period. In fact, when the Blue-gown was supposed to be in the north, he would be in the west; and when he was considered to be on some distant errand, he would suddenly make his appearance before the astonished parties. Of course, his knowledge of the cross country, and his four-legged assistant, gave him this celerity. Hence, when the laird wanted a special messenger, Bluegown was employed, and "Put the beggar on horseback!" was the charge given, and from whence originated the common saying,"Put a beggar on horseback and he will ride to the devil!"

HE IS GONE TO POT!

A tailor of Sarmacand, living near the gate that led to the burying place, had, by his shop-board, an earthen Pot, hanging on a nail, into which he threw a little stone when any corpse was carried by; and at the end of every moon, he counted the contents of his pot, in order to ascertain the number of the deceased. At length, the tailor died himself; and some time after, one that was unacquainted with his death, observing his shop to be deserted, enquired what was become of him. One of the neighbours answered, the tailor is gone to the Pot as well as the rest."

AS DRUNK AS DAVID'S SOW!

A common saying, which took its rise from the following circumstance:-David Lloyd, a Welshman, who kept an alehouse at Hereford, had a living Sow with six legs, which was greatly resorted to by the curious: he had also a wife much addicted to drunkenness ; for which he used sometimes to give her due correction. One day, David's wife having taken a cup too much, and being fearful of the

consequences, turned out the sow, and laid down to sleep herself sober. Company coming to see the sow, David ushered them into the stye, saying, "There is a sow for you! Did any of you ever see such another?"-all the while supposing the sow to have been there. To which some of the company, seeing the state the woman was in, replied, "that it was the drunkennest sow that had ever been beheld;"-whence the woman was ever after called "David's Sow."

GIVE US A TQAST!

It happened on a public day at Bath, a celebrated beauty of those times was in the cross-bath, and one of the crowd of her admirers took a glass of the water in which the fair one stood, and drank health to the company. There was in the place a gay fellow, halffuddled, who offered to jump in, and swore" Tho' he liked not the liquor, he would have the Toast!" He was opposed in his resolution; yet this whim gave foundation to the present honour, which is done to the lady or gentleman we mention in our liquors, and has ever since been called a Toast.

LADY IN THE STRAW.

The situation of a "Lady in the Straw" has something in it pleasing and dignified; she commands at once our admiration and respect. It has puzzled many to know from whence this expression took its rise, others have attributed it to, and which is most probably correct, the state of the blessed Mary, when she brought forward the child Jesus in the stable. The Roman church have always made a point of introducing these sayings, that every thing more or less might keep pace with the New Testament.

So late as Henry the Eighth's time, there were directions for certain persons to examine every night the Straw of the king's bed, "that no daggers might be concealed therein."

Again-Formerly when the kings of France quitted Paris to reside elsewhere, the Straw of their beds and their chamber belonged to the poor of the Hospital, Hotel Dieu. This anecdote proves that former kings of France were no better bedded than felons in the dungeons of our days.

SHE IS IN HER WILLOWS.

"The Willow," old Fuller says, "is a sad tree, whereof such who have lost their love make their mourning garlands; and we know that exiles hung up their harps upon such doleful supporters. The twigs hereof are physick to drive out the folly of children. This tree delighteth in most places, and is triumphant in the Isle of Ely, where the roots strengthen their banks, and the top affords fuel for their fire. It groweth incredibly fast, it being a bye-word in this county (Cambridge) that the profit by willows will buy the owner a horse before that by other trees will pay for his saddle.' Let me add, that if greene ashe may burn before a queen, withered willows may be allowed to burne before a lady." The old saying, "She is in her Willows," is here illustrated; it implies the mourning of a female for her love.

NEVER LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH!

This very familiar, and often repeated saying, takes its origin from a circumstance which occurred many years ago in the vicinity of Carlisle. "Two farmers, who had been neighbours for many years,

and who had lived upon very friendly terms, mutually agreed, that which ever died first, should leave to the other a valuable consideration, not specifying, however, what it was to be. The one was called Martin Timson, and the other David Dean. David was called away first, and bequeathed to Martin a favourite Horse. When it was communicated to the latter he manifested a great deal of disappointment, and observed, that "he did expect something better than an old horse." "Not so old neither," said the party who had brought him the information. A dispute now arose about the age, and it was agreed to go to the stable and examine it. Martin went up to the horse's head, and in the act of opening its mouth to look at its teeth, the horse made a snatch and bit his nose off! A mortification in a few hours ensued, and strange to say, Martin followed David to the grave. Hence came the saying "Never look a Gift Horse in the Mouth!"

GIVE HIM A BONE TO PICK!

This saying probably took its rise from a custom at marriage feasts, among the poor in Sicily, when, after dinner, the bride's father gives the bridegroom a bone, saying, "Pick this bone, for you have undertaken to pick one more difficult."

I'LL SET YOU DOWN IN MY BLACK BOOK!

The Black Book was a book kept by the English monasteries, in which a detail of the scandalous enormities practised were entered, for the inspection of visitors under Henry 8th, in order to blacken them, and hasten their dissolution. Hence the vulgar phrase," I'll set you down in my Black-book."

SECTION XVI.

WITCHCRAFT, SUPERSTITION, SURGERY, CRANIOLOGY, CLASSICAL TERMS, &c.

WITCHES AND WITCHCRAFT.

"To whom all people far and near,
On deep importance do repair;
When brass and pewter hap to stray,
And linen slinks out of the way:

When geese and pullet are seduc'd,

And sows of sucking pigs are chous'd;

When cattle feel indisposition,

And need th' opinion of physician;
When butter does refuse to come,

And love proves cross and humoursome;
To her with questions and with urine,
They for discov'ry flock, or curing."

Hudibras.

Magic was formerly studied by most persons. It was used to render persons unfit for amorous pleasure; was employed in liga