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a tail that they had never been broke to the rein; but had an hundred vicious tricks; and that we had but one faddle and pillion in the whole house. All these objections however were over-ruled; fo that I was obliged to comply. The next morning I perceived them not a little bufy in collecting fuch materials as might be neceffary for the expedition; but as I found it would be a business of time, I walked on to the church before, and they promised speedily to follow. I waited near an hour in the reading defk for their arrival; but not finding them come as expected, I was obliged to begin, and went through the fervice, not without fome uncafiness at finding them abfent. This was encreased when all was finifhed, and no appearance of the family. I therefore walked back by the horfe way, which was five miles round, though the foot-way was but two, and when got about half way home, perceived the proceffion marching flowly forward towards the church; my fon, my wife, and the two little ones

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exalted upon one horse, and my two daughters upon the other. I demanded the caufe of their delay; but I foon found by their looks they had met with a thousand miffortunes on the road. The horfes had at first refused to move from the door, till Mr. Burchell was kind enough to beat them forward for about two hundred yards with his cudgel. Next the ftraps of my wife's pillion broke down, and they were obliged to stop to repair them before they could proceed. After that one of the

horfes took it into his head to stand still, and neither blows, nor entreaties could prevail with him to proceed. It was just recovering from this dismal fituation that I found them; but perceiving every thing fafe, I own their prefent mortification did not much displease me, as it would give me many opportunities of future triumph, and teach my daughters more humility.

E 5

CHAP. XI.

The family ftill refolve to hold up their

heads.

MICHAELMAS eve happening on

the next day, we were invited to burn nuts and play tricks at neighbour Flamborough's. Our late mortifications had humbled us a little, or it is probable we might have rejected fuch an invitation with contempt: However, we suffered. ourle ves to be happy. Our honest neighbour's goofe and dumplings were fine,, and the lamb's-wool, even in the opinion of my wife, who was a connoiffeur, was excellent. It is true, his manner of telling stories was not quite fo well. They were very long, and very duil, and all about himself, and we had laughed at them ten times before: however, we were kind enough to laugh at them once more. E 6 Mr.

Mr. Burchell, who was of the party, was always fond of feeing fome innocent amusement going forward, and fet the boys and girls to blind-man's buff. My wife too was perfuaded to join in the diversion, and it gave me pleasure to think he was not yet too old. In the mean time, my neighbour and I looked on, laughed at every feat, and praised our own dexterity when we were young. Hot cockles fucceeded next, questions and commands followed that, and laft of all, they fate down to hunt the flipper. As every person may not be acquainted with this primæval paftime, it may be neceffary to observe, that the company at this play plant themfelves in a ring upon the ground, all, except one who ftands in the middle, whofe business it is to catch a fhoe, which the company fhove about under their hams from one to another, fomething like a weaver's fhuttle. As it is impoffible, in this cafe, for the lady who is up to face all the company at once, the great beauty of the play lies in hitting her a thump

with

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