ross-examine the Witnesses. After this proceeds the Register in
Manner following.

'Aubry de Falstaff, _Son of Sir_ John Falstaff, _Kt. with Dame_ Maude
_his Wife, were the first that demanded the Bacon, he having bribed
twain of his Father's Companions to swear falsly in his Behoof whereby
he gained the Flitch: But he and his said Wife falling immediately
into a Dispute how the said Bacon should be dressed, it was by Order
of the Judges taken from him, and hung up again in the Hall._

'Alison _the Wife of_ Stephen Freckle, _brought her said Husband along
with her, and set forth the good Conditions and Behaviour of her
Consort, adding withal that she doubted not but he was ready to attest
the like of her, his Wife; whereupon he, the said_ Stephen, _shaking
his Head, she turned short upon him, and gave him a Box on the Ear_.

'Philip de Waverland, _having laid his Hand upon the Book, when the
Clause_, Were I sole and she sole, _was rehearsed, found a secret
Compunction rising in his Mind, and stole it off again_.

'Richard de Loveless, _who was a Courtier, and a very wellbred Man,
being observed to hesitate at the Words_ after our Marriage, _was
thereupon required to explain himself. He reply'd, by talking very
largely of his exact Complaisance while he was a Lover; and alledg'd,
that he had not in the least disobliged his Wife for a Year and a Day_
before _Marriage, which he hoped was the same Thing_.

'Rejected.

'Joceline Jolly, _Esq., making it appear by unquestionable Testimony,
That he and his Wife had presented full and entire Affection for the
Space of the first Month, commonly called the_ Honey-Moon; _he had in
Consideration thereof one Rasher bestowed upon him_.

'After this, says the Record, many Years passed over before any
Demandant appeared at _Whichenovre-Hall_; insomuch that one would have
thought that the whole Country were turned _Jews_, so little was their
Affection to the Flitch of Bacon.

'The next Couple enrolled had like to have carried it, if one of the
Witnesses had not deposed, That dining on a _Sunday_ with the
Demandant, whose Wife had sate below the Squire's Lady at Church, she
the said Wife dropped some Expressions, as if she thought her Husband
deserved to be knighted; to which he returned a passionate _Pish_! The
Judges taking the Premises into Consideration, declared the aforesaid
Behaviour to imply an unwar