^{page 157 note [a]} Some particulars of the character of this worthy baronet may be learned from the following inscription on his monument in Wilsden church.

“Here lyeth this bbdy of sir John Francklyn, late of Wilsden in the countie of Middlesex, knt. who had to wife Elizabeth, the elded daughter of George Puresoy, of Wadley in the county of Berks, Esq. It was her happiness to make him the joyful father of ten sons and seven daughters, and it is her pietie to dedicate this monument to the preservation of his memory. He died in the 48th yeare of his age, March the 24th, 1647. In fower several parliaments he fate as member of the House of Commons; three whereof as knight of the shire for this countie. He was never heard to swear an oath, never to speak ill of any man. He was wiser in the opinion of others, than his own. To publicke services no man brought more of integrity, of zeal, lesse of himselfe. To the publicke sins and calamities of the state, no man lesse of sewell, more of sorrow. To his wife a mail could not be more loving, move faithful: to his children and servants more fatherly: to his friends more free, more firm. He was truly eminently pious, humble, sober, just, hospitable, and charitable. These things, reader, it concerneth chee to know of him, for that by these he still lives, and being dead, yet speaketh—Farewell,” See Lysons' Environs of London, Vol. 111, p. 618. J. B.

^{page 159 note [d]} “An orange stuck with cloves” appears to have been a common new year's gift: so Ben Jonson in his Christmas Masque, “He has an orange and rosemary, but not a clove to stick in it.”—A gilt nutmeg (the quarto 1598 reads “a gift nutmeg”) is mentioned in the same piece, and on the same occasion.—See Steevens' Shakspeare, Vol. V. p. 358.

This apple stuck with nutts has been offered to Sir John, as an humble new-year's present.

^{page 159 note [e]} The following passage in Abraham Cowley's (poetical) lecture to the people, London 1678, Quarto, throws light upon this Item, and shews that anciently the usual new-year's gift of tenantry in the country to their landlords was a capon.

“Ye used in the former days to fall

Prostrate unto your landlord in his hall,

When with low legs and in an humble guise,

Ye offered up a capon-sacrifice

Unto his worship at a new-years tide.”

So also Bishop Hall's Satires, Book V. Sat. 1.

“Yet must he haunt his greedy landlord's hall

With often presents at ech festivall;

With crammed capons ev'ry new yeares morne,

Or with greene cheeses when his sheepe are shorne,

Or many maunds-full of his mellow fruit, & c.”

^{page 159 note [f]} This Item receives illustration from the following passage in Selden's Table Talk, article “Pope:”

“The Pope in sending relicks to princes, does as wenches do by their wassels at new year's tide, they present you with a cup, and you must drink of a slabby stuff: but the meaning is, you must give them moneys ten times more than it is worth.” J. B.

^{page 160 note [g]} The butlers' christmas box is alluded to in the following passage in Cotgrave's English Treasury of Wit and Language, London 1655, octavo, page 163:

——“They're sure fair gamesters use

To pay the box well, especially at In and In.

(Innes of Court butlers would have but a Bad christmas of it else)”

As also in the following, from John Taylor the water poet's works, p. 180.

“One asked a fellow what Westminster-Hall was like: marry, quoth the other, it is like a butler's box at christmas amongst gamesters; for whosoever loseth, the box will be sure to be a winner.” J.B.

^{page 162 note [h]} Low-belling is defined by Dr. Johnson, in his dictionary, to mean “a kind of fowling in the night, in which the birds are wakened by a bell and lured by a flame into a net. Lowe, denotes a flame in Scotland, and to lowe, to flame.” This obsolete mode of diversion is thus described in a curious and rare little book intitled, “The Experienced Fowler, &c. by I. S. Gent.” London 1697. 24mo. p. 97.

“Low-belling.—This must be chiefly practised in open countries; from the end of October till March is the properest season, and the manner is thus: In a still evening, about eight of the clock, when the moon shines not, take your low-bell of a moderate size, that it may be well managed by one man in one hand, having a deep and hollow found: have also a net with small meshes, twenty yards long, and so broad, that five or six ordinary lands may be covered with it, and go into fields where the stubble has not been much trod, but is something high and fresh, especially wheat-stubble; let the bell-man go soremost and toll it distinctly and dolefully, letting in strike but now and then on each side, and follow with the four corners of the net born up; and on each side, then another must carry a pan of live coals without any blaze, and pitching your net where you suppose the game is, make little bundles of stubble and set them on a blaze; or you may carry links for that purpose, then with poles, and some noise, rouse the fowl is any be under the net; so that being entangled, you may take them, then put out the lights, and go to another haunt; in this cafe, the noise of the low-bell astonishes them, and makes them lie still, but the light causes them to rise by dazzling and affrighting them; but you must make no other noise till you suppose your nets are over them.”