highway a few nights ago. He told me he could not tell, but if I went a little further I should meet with two young men on horseback, riding under a mare, in a blue red jerkin, and a pair of white free-stone breeches, and they would give intelligence. So when I came up with the women, they thought I was a Hector that was come to rob them, and therefore ran to me, but I most furiously pursued before them, so that one of them for meer madness, seeing him dead, drew out his sword and directly killed him. The horse for vexation, seeing himself dead, ran away as fast as he could, leaving them to go on foot upon another horse's back forty miles. 'Friend,' said I, ‘I mean you no good, but pray inform me if the old woman be dead yet that was drowned at Ratcliffhighway a fortnight ago?" They told me they could not tell, but if I went a little farther I should meet with two women driving an empty cart full of apples, and a mill-stone in the midst, and they would give me particular intelligence. But when I came up with them, they would not satisfy me neither, but told me if I went down to the water-side, there lived one Sir John Vang, and he would give me true intelligence. So going to the water-side, I whooped and hallowed, but I could make nobody see. At last I heard six country lads and lasses, who were all fast asleep, playing at nine-pins under a hay-cock, piled up of peasestraw in the midst of the Thames, and eating of a roasted bag-pudding, freezing hot. But I at last met with two she watermen, that carried me clean over

the water, and landed me up to my knees in mud. And when we were got into the middle of the Thames in Ratcliff-highway, at last I arrived at Sir John Vang's house. It is a little house entirely alone, encompassed with about forty or fifty houses, having a brick wall, made of flint-stone, round about it. So knocking at the door, 'Gammer Vangs,' said I, ‘is Sir John Vangs within?' 'Walk in,' said she, 'and you shall find him in the little, great, round, threesquare parlour.' This Gammer Vangs had a little old woman her son. Her mother was a justice of the peace; but when I come into the said great, little middle-sized, square, round, three-cornered parlour, I could not see Sir John Vangs, for he was a giant. But I espied abundance of nice wicker bottles. And just as I was going out he called to me, and asked me what I would have. So, looking back, I espied him just creeping out of a wicker-bottle. It seems, by his profession, he made them, and crept out at the stopperholes. 'Sir John Vangs,' said I, 'pray is the old woman dead that was drowned at Ratcliff-highway a fortnight ago, or not.' 'No, sure,' said he, she would have sent me word if she had been dead, for she is a near kinsman of mine. But I confess,' said he, ‘if I had lived there to this day, I had been dead seven years ago."

Another edition, in my possession, concludes with account of "the comical wedding of Humphrey and and Susan, at which were present Sir John Vangs, Knight, and no gentleman, and his wife, Gammer

Vangs, who weaves deal-boards in Lincoln's-inn-fields, by Charing-cross; old mother Trot, who cries muttoncustards about the street; Obediah Borndrunk, who keeps the ale-house the sign of the Barking Dogs in St. George's-fields, which disturb the whole parish every night by its continual howling; and several other people of good fashion, not forgetting the father and mother of Susan, who live at the sign of the Wooden-dishclout in Hammersmith: he deals in brassbuttons and Bath-mettle buckles, which he forges out of Cheshire cheese, and she makes wax balls of puffpaste."

189. THE HIGH GERMAN FORTUNE-TELLER, laying down true rules and directions by which both men and women may know their good and bad fortune; to which is added the whool art of Palmestry, written by the high German artist. 12mo. n. d.

This tract has been reprinted up to a recent period. It is alluded to in Browne's Letters from the Dead to the Living, ed. 1707, p. 18.

"To know whether the party you love is real. Steep rose-leaves in vinegar. Then dry 'em to powder. Add a little of the powder of nightshade to 'em, and give about a dram of it to the party in wine or other liquor; and if he, or she, smiles, or the amorous gestures don't make it all apparent, or some words fall more than usual, then be confident there's nothing in it." (p. 16.)

"To make love-powder to cause love. Take mother

of-pearl a dram; crab's-eyes as much. Mix these up with the juice of parsley. Then dry 'em again, and beat them to powder, and give half of it at a time in a glass of wine, ale, or any other liquor, and it will work strange effects, which you will soon see by the motion of the eyes, words, and other love toyings." (p.17.)

"To make love-powder another way. Take bayberries, and gum of ivy, fern-root, and the claws of a crab; dry 'em to powder; and sift them thro' a fine sieve, and if you want to know any one's affection, put a dram of it into a glass of wine, or other liquor, and it will work strange effects, without injuring the health of the party."

"To make a ring that will draw love affections. Take a hollow gold-ring, and put into it a snake'sskin which has been slipped off going through a hedge. After you have dipped it in the juice of nightshade and fern-roots, you may draw it thro' as you do a hair, and when you have done, say, Omnia vincit Amor. And then secretly slide it on your mistress's finger, and you'll find a strange alteration in her. It works also in friendship."

"The happy days in each month relating to love and business.

"On January 6, 9, 25,

The work you take in hand will surely thrive.

February 10, 19, 23,

With love of what you undertake agree.

The first of March is lucky held by all,

And April's 12th and 18th so we call:
May's 4th, 14th, and 21st, are sure
To bring prosperity that will endure:

June's 19th, and 21st, and 4,

Do prosper business, and secure your store.
If that your loves you'd quickly obtain
Begin in July, in the dog-star's reign:
August the 5th and 6th are likewise good,
If then you court, you'll not be withstood.
September 4th, 18th, and 28,

October's 3rd and 6th and 10th create.

Such good beginnings as do give us bliss,
November's 10th and 12th bring happiness.
December 4th, 8th, 13th, and the day
Our Lord was born, we reckon may.
The rest of them are most indifferent,
And some we find to be malevolent."

190. A GROATSWORTH OF WIT FOR A PENNY, or THE INTERPRETATION OF DREAMS. 12mo. n.d. "How a man, or maid, shall know their dream, whether they shall have them they love, or not. If a maid loves a man, and dreams she is going to church with another man, and that she runs from him, she will assuredly have the man she desireth; but if she dream she goeth into church with the other man, she will not have the man she loveth. If the man dreams anything which he is assured is like the aforesaid, it denotes the like fortune as to a woman."

"A night-spell to catch thieves. The following will drive away any evil spirit that haunts houses, or other places; and having it about you, no thief can harm you, but if he comes to rob a garden, orchard, or a house, he cannot go till the sun riseth: having in every four corners of the house this sentence written