erected and built throughout the length and the breadth of the land."
According to the "Chronicles of Keighley," "the governors of the city did
not think it meet to comply with the law of the Senate, and refused so to
do. Whereupon other elders of the city gathered themselves together, and
determined in their hearts that baths and wash-houses should be built,
and that the cost thereof should be defrayed out of the tax imposed on
the relief of the poor in the land." This use, or misuse, of the public
money caused strife among the people, who for the most part opposed the
scheme. A vestry meeting, however, was called, and though very thinly
attended, the opportunity was taken to elect the Commissioners of the
Baths and Wash-houses, and it was decided to proceed with the erection of
the building, the cost of which was estimated at 6,000 pounds. But when
this money had been expended the baths and wash-houses were far from
completed, and, at the request of the Commissioners, another 2,000 pounds
was granted for the work. Still this proved sadly insufficient, and "the
inhabitants of the land began to be mightily displeased at the conduct of
the Commissioners, by reason that they demanded more gold." The people
were for the third time called to a vestry meeting, and on this occasion
there was a large and animated attendance. The Commissioners asked for
2,500 pounds, and this, amid great tumult and shouting, the people
emphatically declared they would not lend: "One named Leach sware that no
more gold should be granted." After much lively demonstration, the
meeting ended with the decision "that the matter should not be
entertained until the end of that day twelve months." When that time came
round the people were once more called together. The money was still
refused, and it was ordered that a poll of the town should be taken. The
poll showed a great majority against granting the money, and the result
of this decision was that the baths and wash-houses had to remain in
their unfinished state for seven years. At the end of the seven years the
building was, some way or other, completed; and thus an end was put to
one of the greatest farces and pieces of blundering and mismanagement
that has occurred in the town--before or after.

ASTROLOGY AND BUMPOLOGY

It was a co-worker of mine, Joseph Hopkinson ("Joe Hobble"), a
warpdresser, of Haworth, who introduced me to Jack Kay and Harry Mac, two
fortune tellers who were in Haworth