ch she did say aloud, 'wherefore I ... putting
aside my maiden duty to Almighty God have yielded unto the vile sin of
fornication with ... who is the true father of my child, may Almighty God
forgive me my sin.' But be it a wedded woman then she shall stand
bareheaded and barelegged, and instead of fornication she shall say the
word adultery, she being nobbut covered with a sheet from the shoulders.
At this day (1824) I cannot but say I am glad to say that there be a good
feeling abroad for its abolishment, indeed, there be in many places so
strong a feeling again this way of judging our daughters for a fault of
this kind that they have bidden the clergy to set their faces against any
lass ever being so judged, and though our clergy be in the main but a
despert reckless lot, I hear that mostly they are of the same mind as
those they do hold as their flock. Indeed, at one village not far from
here a father set his back against his lass standing at the church, though
she had been so judged to do, and the whole of thereabouts siding with the
lass it was held by the parson and his fox-chasing, wine-bibbing crew for
to pull in their tongues a piece which they most wisely did, or, for a
truth, they would have found themselves astride of the wrong horse. It is
now time this shameful practice was for ever laid on one side for it be
not for the good of our own daughters that they witness such sights even
in a place called God's house, but it oft be ought but that to our shame
and the greater shame of all who hold its government of it. I could here
give you a good list of curious cases of the which for the most part I did
witness myself of both the hearing and of the standing of both many wed
and single so browten to public shame, but as it would be to no good
purpose I will hold from the putting pen to paper in this matter, letting
what hath been wrote end this matter, for of a truth it is to a better
purpose that both pen, ink, paunce box and paper, can be putten."
Concerning the innumerable customs and superstitions associated with the
dead and dying, Calvert collected a number of interesting facts. "It be
held by many," he writes, "that a dying body cannot quit this life if they
do be lying upon a bed which happen to have pigeon feathers gotten in by
chance.

"A body cannot get their time over with ease to themselves if there be one
in the room who will not give them up. It be better for all such who
cannot bring themselves to