Your transient colours, fleet as theirs,
Your Aimsiness, in spite of airs;

In substance, scarce more rare or new,
Some parboil'd-some par-rotten too:
Of little worth, in wisdom's eye,
And thrown, at last, like egg-shells by.

They heard they frown'd-but fled the
green,

As if a thunderbolt had been.

Lostwithiel Custom.

A very singular custom formerly prevailed at Lostwithiel, in Cornwall, on Easter Sunday. The freeholders of the town and manor having assembled together, either in person or by their deputies, one among them, each in his turn, gaily attired and gallantly mounted, with a sceptre in his hand, a crown on his head,

THE BIDDENDEN MAIDS.

To the Editor of the Every-Day Book.
Tenterden, February, 1826.

Sir, I beg to enclose you a specimen of a Biddenden cake, and a printed account, which you may perhaps think worth insertion in the Every-Day Book.

The small town of Biddenden is about four miles from Tenterden, on the right of the road. It is at present populous, though the clothing manufacture, which first occasioned the increase of the population of this part of the county, in the reign of Edward III. when the Flemings first introduced it, has for many years failed here: several good houses, still remaining, discover the prosperity of the former inhabitants. The church is a handsome regular building, and its tower a structure of a considerable height and

strength; a portion of the old part is still remaining. In this there is a free grammar school, endowed with a good house and garden, and a salary of 201. per annum. Two maiden sisters left some land adjoining the glebe to the parish, of the rent of 201. a year, which is held by the churchwardens, and distributed in bread to the poor on Easter-day. A representation of the donors is impressed on the leaves, and on the cakes, which were formerly thrown from the roof of the church.

In the high chancel against the north wall is a monument, with a bust in white marble, executed by Scheemaker, of sir John Norris, who died in 1749; admiral of the British fleets, and vice-admiral of I am, &c. England.

and a sword borne before him, and respectfully attended by all the rest on horseback, rode through the principal street in solemn state to the church. At the churchyard stile, the curate, or other minister, approached to meet him in reverential pomp, and then conducted him to church to hear divine service. On leaving the church, he repaired, with the same pomp and retinue, to a house previously prepared for his reception. Here a feast, suited to the dignity he had assumed, awaited him and his suite; and, being placed at the head of the table, he was served, kneeling, with all the rites and ceremonies that a real prince might expect. This ceremony ended with the dinner; the prince being voluntarily disrobed, and descending from his momentary exaltation, to mix with common mortals. On the origin of this custom, but one opinion can be reasonably enter through this obliging correspondent, aptained, though it may be difficult to trace pears to have been made some years ago, and carefully preserved; the " printed the precise period of its commencement. account" accompanying it, is "adorned" It seems to have originated in the actual appearance of the prince, who resided at by a wood cut figure of the founders of the endowment, improved by the enRestormel castle in former ages; but on graver from the impressions on the the removal of royalty, this mimic gran- cakes. But, altogether setting aside that deur stepped forth as its shadowy repre- wood cut, the annexed engraving is an sentative, and continued for many geneexact representation of the baker's imrations as a memorial to posterity of the princely magnificence with which Lost-press on the cake sent to the editor, and is withiel had formerly been honoured.*

Hitchins's Cornwall

J. J. A. F.

The "Biddenden cake," transmitted

of the exact size of the cake. A verbatim copy of the "printed account" on a half sheet of demy, circulated at this time, is subjoined to the present engraving.

A NEW AND ENLARGED ACCOUNT OF THE

BIDDENDEN MAIDS IN KENT,

BORN JOINED AT THE HIPS AND SHOULDERS:

With a well authenticated Account of a similar Phenomenon of Two Brothers.

N EASTER SUNDAY in every year after Divine Service in the afternoon at the

ON SUNDAY DEAN, in the County of Kent, there are by the Churchwardens,

given to Strangers about 1000 Rolls, with an impression on them similar to the Plate. The origin of this Custom is thus related.

In the year 1100 at Biddenden, in Kent, were born ELIZABETH and MARY CHULKHURST, Joined together by the Hips and Shoulders, and who lived in that state, Thirty Four Years!! at the expiration of which time, one of them was taken ill and after a short period died; the surviving one was advised to be separated from the corpse which she absolutely refused by saying these words, " as we came together, we will also go together," and about six hours after her sister's decease, she was taken ill and

died also. A Stone near the Rector's Pew marked with a diagonal line is shewn as the place of their interment.

The moon on the east oriel shone, Through slender shafts of shapely stone, The silver light, so pale and faint, Shewed the twin sisters and many a saint, Whose images on the glass were dyed; Mysterious maidens side by side. The moon beam kissed the holy pane, And threw on the pavement a mystic staín.

It is further stated, that by their will, they bequeathed to the Churchwardens of the Parish of Biddenden, and their successors, Churchwardens for ever, certain pieces or parcels of Land in the Parish, containing about 20 Acres, which is hired at 40 Guineas per annum, and that in commemoration of this wonderful Phenomenon of Nature, the Rolls and about 300 Quartern Loaves and Cheese in proportion, should be given to the Poor Inhabitants of the Parish.

This account is entirely traditionary, the Learned Antiquarian HASTED, in his account of the Charities of the Parish, states the Land "was the gift of two Maidens, of the name of Preston: and that the print of the women on the cakes has only been used within these 80 years, and was made to represent two poor widows, as the general objects of a charitable benefaction." It is probable that the investigation of the learned Antiquary, brought to light some record of the name of the Ladies, for in the year 1656, the Rev. W. Horner, then Rector of the Parish, claimed the Land, as having been given to augment his glebe, but was non-suited in the court of Exchequer. In the pleadings preserved in the Church, the names of the Ladies are not stated, not being known. There are also two other Places where such Phenomena are said to have occurred.

If these statements weaken the credibility of the tradition, the following account of a Lusus Naturæ, compiled from the London Medical Repository, for 1821, page 138, will unquestionably confirm the opinion of many as to the probability of the Phenomenon of the Biddenden Maids,—Mr. Livingstone, the Surgeon of the British Factory at Canton, relates that there was shewn at Macao, A-ke, a boy about sixteen years of age, to whom was attached another Male Child, united at the pit of the stomach by the neck, as if his head was plunged into Ake's breast. At the time of their birth they were nearly of an equal size, but the parasite has not much increased since that period. The skin of A-ke joins regularly and smoothly, the neck of the parasite, so that he can turn his brother on either of his sides upon himself, but the natural position is breast to breast; on the whole the parasite is well formed being about two feet in length.—A-ke thinks that at one period their feelings were reciprocal, but for some time he has not perceived it except in one particular act, when his brother never fails to do the same, he however feels the slightest touch applied to his brother.

A-ke has generally a sickly appearance, but excepting the parasite, is well formed; about 4 feet 10 inches high; is easily fatigued in walking or ascending a flight of steps being obliged to support his brother with his hands. When fatigued he breathes with difficulty, and is only relieved by laying down.

CHAMBERS AND EXALL, Printers, (King's Arms Printing Office) TENTERDEN.

The preceding "account" is an enlargement of a preceding one of the same size, on a larger type, with this imprint, "BIDDENDEN: Printed and Sold by R. WESTON-1808. [Price Two-pence.]" R. Weston's paper does not contain the story of "A-ke," which is well calculated to make the legend of the "Biddenden Maids," pass current with the vulgar.

Our Tenterden correspondent adds, in a subsequent letter, that, on Easter Sunday,

Biddenden is completely thronged. The public houses are crowded with people attracted from the adjacent towns and villages by the usage, and the wonderful account of its origin, and the day is spent in rude festivity.

To elucidate this annual custom as fully as possible, all that Mr. Hasted says of the matter is here extracted :

"Twenty acres of land, called the

Bread and Cheese Land, lying in five pieces, were given by persons unknown, the yearly rents to be distributed among the poor of this parish. This is yearly done on Easter Sunday in the afternoon, in six hundred cakes, each of which have the figures of two woman impressed on them, and are given to all such as attend the church; and two hundred and seventy loaves, weighing three pounds and a half a piece, to which latter is added one pound and an half of cheese, are given, to the parishoners only, at the same time. "There is a vulgar tradition in these parts, that the figures on the cakes represent the donors of this gift, being two women, twins, who were joined together in their bodies, and lived together so, till they were between twenty and thirty years of age. But this seems without foundation. The truth seems to be, that it was the gift of two maidens of the name of Preston, and that the print of the women on the cakes has taken place only within these fifty years, and was made to represent two poor widows as the general objects of a charitable benefaction. William Horner, rector of this parish in 1656 brought a suit in the exchequer for the recovery of these lands, as having been given for an augmentation of his glebe land, but he was nonsuited. The lands are bounded

on the east by the glebe, on the south by the highway, and one piece on the north of the highway; they are altogether of the yearly value of about 314, 10s."*

To the Editor of the Every-Day Book.

Durham, March 3, 1826. tion you desire to convey concerning popuSir,-To contribute towards the informalar customs, &c. I will describe one, much practised in Durham, which I think you have not noticed in the former volume of your interesting work.

custom here, for a number of boys to On Easter Sunday it is a common assemble in the afternoon, and as soon as the clock strikes four, scour the streets in parties, and accost every female they may if you please," at the same time, stooping happen to meet, with "pay for your shoes do not immediately get a penny or twoto take them off; which, if they do, and pence, they will actually carry off by main force. I have known the boys have, at least, a dozen odd shoes; but generally, something is given, which in the evening they either spend in public houses, or divide. On Easter Monday, the women claim the same privilege towards the male sex. They begin much earlier in the day, and attack every man and boy they can lay hold of to make them pay for their shoes; if the men happen to wear boots, and will not pay any thing, the girls generally endeavour to seize their hats and run off. usually thrown or handed about to the a man catches the girl with the hat, it is great amusement of the spectators, till the person is baffled out of a sixpence to redeem the right of wearing it again: but this, like all other old customs, has greatly fallen off lately, and is now chiefly practised by a few children.

I am, &c.
J. B.

If

A contributor to the "Gentleman's Magazine" in August, 1790, says that, at Rippon, in Yorkshire, " on Easter Sunday, as soon as the service of the church is over, the boys run about the streets, and lay hold of every woman or girl they

can, and take their buckles from their
shoes. This farce is continued till the
next day at noon, when the females begin,
and return the compliment upon the men,
which does not end till Tuesday evening;
nay, I was told that, some years ago, no
traveller could pass through the town
without being stopped and having his
spurs taken away, unless redeemed by a
little money, which is the only way to
have your
buckles returned."