shaft has hit the mark.

R. C. WARDE.

Kidderminster.

_Weather Rhymes, &c._--The following are very common in Northamptonshire:

"Rain before seven,
Fine before eleven."

"Fine on Friday, fine on Sunday.
Wet on Friday, wet on Sunday."

"The wind blows cold
On Burton Hold (Wold).
Can you spell _that_ with four letters?
I can spell _it_ with two."

Burton Hold, or Wold, is near Burton Latimer.

B. H. C.

_Folk Lore in Cambridgeshire_ (Vol. viii., p. 382.).--The custom referred
to by MR. MIDDLETON, of ringing the church bell early in the morning for
the gleaners to repair to the fields, and again in the evening for their
return home, is still kept up not only at Hildersham, but also in most of
the villages in this neighbourhood. I have heard this "gleaners' bell"
several times during this present autumn; the object of course being to
give all parties a fair and equal chance. Upon one occasion, where the
villages lie rather close together, I heard four of these bells sounding
their recall from different church towers; and as I was upon an eminence
from whence I could see the different groups wending their way to their
respective villages, it formed one of the most striking pastoral pictures I
have ever witnessed, such, perhaps, as England alone can furnish.

NORRIS DECK.

Cambridge.

* * * * *

RAPPING NO NOVELTY.

It may be interesting to the believers in modern miracles to learn that at
all events "rapping" is no new thing. I now send you the account of an
incident in the sixteenth century, which bears a strong resemblance to some
of those veracious narrations which have enlightened mankind in the
nineteenth century.

Rushton Hall, near Kettering in Northamptonshire, was long the residence of
the ancient and distinguished family of Treshams. In the reign of Queen
Elizabeth, the mansion was occupied by Sir Thomas Tresham, who was a pedant
and a fanatic; but who was an important character in his time by reason of
his great wealth and powerful connexions. There is a lodge at Rushton,
situate about half a mile from the old hall, now in ruins; but covered all
over, within and without, with emblems of the Trinity. This lodge is known
to have been built by Sir Thomas Tresham; but his precise motive for
selecting this mode of illustrating his favourite doctrine was unknown
until it appeared from a letter written by himself about the year 1584, and
discovered