“Be bold, be bold! but not too bold
  Lest that your heart’s blood should run cold.”

is altogether of a more dignified character than the similar warning given by the parrot, at p. 68.  Each of these worthies, Baker and Fox, is seen bringing into his house the corpse of a murdered lady, whose hand falls into the lap of the concealed visitor; but in Fox’s story the ornament on the hand is a rich bracelet, in Baker’s a ring.  The assassins are, in both stories, invited to the visitor’s house, and upon Fox summary justice is inflicted.

It may be asked, if Baker was burned, how came he to have a tomb with gloves, helmet, &c., suspended over it in Cranbrook Church?  Such honour was not paid to a man of higher rank in Salisbury Cathedral, a murderer also, who was hung, viz., Lord Stourton.  Dodsworth tells us that till about 1775, no chivalrous emblems were suspended over the latter, but only a twisted wire, with a noose, emblematic of the halter.  Allow me to ask, What instances have we of tombs or gravestones, as memorials of individuals who have suffered at the stake, exclusive of those monuments which in after times may have been raised in honour of distinguished martyrs at the Reformation?

J.H.M.

Bath.

Baptismal Superstition.—­In the north of England, when several children are brought to be baptized at the same time, great anxiety is shown by the people lest the girls should take the precedence of the boys; in which case it is believed the latter, when arrived at man’s estate, would be beardless.

E.H.A.

Rushbearing (Vol. i., p 259.).—­Wednesday, July 21, 1847, Grasmere Church was decorated with ribbons, which had some reference to the rushbearing which had taken place on the preceding Sunday.

It takes place at Ambleside one Sunday later.

Extract from Black’s “Guide to the Lakes,” p. 43.

“An interesting ceremony takes place at Ambleside once every year, which the stranger may think himself fortunate in seeing, not so much for the mere sight itself, though that is pretty enough, as for its being the vestige of a very ancient observance.  The ceremony alluded to is called Rushbearing.  On the eve of the last Sunday in July, the village girls walk in procession to the chapel bearing garlands of flowers (formerly rushes), which are there tastefully disposed.  After service, the day following, these are removed, and it is usual that a sermon, in allusion to the event, be preached.  This observance is probably as remote as the age of Gregory IV., who is known to have recommended to the early disseminators of Christianity in this country, that on the anniversary of the dedication of churches wrested from the Pagans, the converts should build themselves huts of the boughs of trees about their churches, and celebrate the solemnities with religious feasting.  In former times, the rushes were spread upon the floor of