In the parish of Chingford is an estate called Scots Mayhew, or Brindwoods, which is held of the rector by the following singular tenure:--"Upon every alienation, the owner of the estate, with his wife, and a man and maid servant, (each upon a horse) come to the parsonage, where the owner does his homage, and pays his relief in manner following:--He blows three blasts with his horn, carries a hawk on his fist, and his servant has a greyhound in a slip--both for the use of the rector that day. He receives a chicken for his hawk, a peck of oats for his horse, and a loaf of bread for his greyhound. They all dine, after which the master blows three blasts on his horn, and they all depart."[5]
For the original of the engraving, and the substance of this description, our thanks are due to S.I.B.
The old minstrels saw far and deep, and clear into all heart-mysteries--and, low-born, humble men as they were, their tragic or comic strains strike like electricity.--_Blackwood._
'Tis not an half hour's work-- A Cupid and a fiddle, and the thing's done.
"Hold back your head, if you please, sir, that I may get this napkin properly fastened--there now," said Toby Tims, as, securing the pin, he dipped his razor into hot water, and began working up with restless brush the lather of his soapbox.
"I dare say you have got a newspaper there," said I; "are you a politician, Mr. Tims?"
"Oh, just a little bit of one. I get Bell's Messenger at second hand from a neighbour, who has it from his cousin in the Borough, who, I believe, is the last reader of a club of fourteen, who take it among them; and, being last, as I observed, sir, he has the paper to himself into the bargain.--Please exalt your chin, sir, and keep your head a little to one side--there, sir," added Toby, cammencing his operations with the brush, and hoarifying my barbal extremity, as the facetious Thomas Hood would probably express it. "Now, sir--a _leetle_ more round, if you please--there, sir, there. It is a most entertaining paper, and beats all for news. In fact, it is full of every thing, sir--every, every thing--accidents--charity sermons--markets--boxing--Bible societies--horse racing--child murders--the theatres--foreign wars--Bow-street reports--electioneering--and Day and Martin's blacking."