CHAPTER IV.

Of the base court of the Temple said our SAVIOUR, Have these things hence! Much less is it to be unhallowed with dances, morrises, meetings at Easter, drinkings, Whitsun ales, Midsummer merrymakes, or the like: nor by stoolball, foot-ball, wrestlings, wasters, or boys' sports. If such abuse hath been committed, say by whom, [at] whose procurement, countenance, or abetting.

BISHOP MONTAGUE.-Visit. Art. p. 46.

THAT evening Sir John Morley, on his return from Studham, detailed the result of his expedition. It was unsuccessful. Mr. Fortescue was sorry, very sorry, that any one, and especially any one whose opinion and advice he valued so much as that of his excellent friend Sir John Morley, should object to the scheme, and perhaps, had he known earlier that such objections were entertained, it would have induced him to reconsider the subject. But at present it was too late-quite too late: the committee had been selected, the bills were printed, (Sir John had noticed them on every blank wall within a mile of the town,) the tickets were struck off, and some were

sold, and the principal singers were engaged. It would be quite impossible to alter the arrangements: Mr. Fortescue could only regret, that entered into as they were for a charitable object, any part of them should be considered reprehensible. So Sir John Morley returned, with the belief that the desecration must take place.

After giving the history of his morning occupations, he proceeded to tell his family, having previously made Lady Morley acquainted with it, his plan of giving up the impropriation which he held, and of refunding the money already received by him from it, in the building and endowing a church at Ayton. George Morley could hardly find words to express his joy and thankfulness; and his sister, though she had never before considered the subject, was not likely to differ from the opinion of her father and brothers on a point of Church discipline. Sir John, having already written to his solicitor, now employed himself in preparing letters to Mr. Wallis, and to the Bishop of the diocese. The rest of the family pursued their usual occupations, though somewhat interrupted by the riotous noise of the teetotal meeting, the Cave Adullam happening to be situated just outside one of the park gates.

of

A circumstance, however, occurred at Studham, which seemed to throw some difficulty in the way the musical meeting. There lived in the town a retired tradesman, Mr. Wingfield by name, but usually called old Tom Wingfield. He was a bachelor, and

a man of somewhat eccentric habits, but withal wellmeaning, and, after his manner, a good Churchman. As he had been mayor more than once, and was known to have more money than his style of living might seem to indicate, he had a good deal of influence in the place. Mr. Wingfield, having seen from the bills with which the town was placarded the plan and nature of the festival, felt himself much aggrieved thereat; inasmuch as he thought that, being a parishioner, he had full and perfect right to enter the church whenever it was opened to the publick; and by no means approved of a system which would compel him to pay for what was freely his own. Being in the habit of acting on his determinations without loss of time, he presented himself at the shop of Mr. Parker, the churchwarden, much about the time that Sir John was in conversation on the same subject with Mr. Fortescue. Mr. Parker's shop was the most fashionable in all Studham: he was the principal bookseller and stationer, and also had a musick warehouse. Here you might see a large advertisement of "New musick at half price;" there were one or two cabinet pianos, and an old Erard's harp, on sale or hire; there were some flutes and accordions exposed to view; and all the musical instruments in the town, and for ten miles around, were under the especial care and superintendence of Mr. Parker. It was he, who to gratify his own taste for performing on the violin, and that of his daughters for exhibiting their skill on the harp and piano re

spectively, had suggested the scheme of the musical festival, and was now very actively employed in carrying out the necessary arrangements.

"Mr. Parker at home?" asked Mr. Wingfield, presenting himself in the thick coat, and with the knotty oaken stick, which were his inseparable companions at all seasons of the year.

"Mr. Parker is at home, sir," replied the shopman, "but he is particularly engaged. Can you leave any message with me, sir, for him?"

"If he's at home," returned the other, “I'll thank you to tell him that I want to speak to him on particular business. Do you hear?"

—he's so very much

"I'll tell him so, sir: but I'm really afraid he can't be spoken with just now— taken up about our musical festival. donni is with him at this instant, sir."

Signor Bella

"I'll wait till he's at leisure, then; but see him I must and will. Tell him that, sir, if you please."

The man presently returned, requesting the visitor to follow him. Mr. Wingfield was accordingly ushered into a back parlour, where sat Mr. Parker. Signor Belladonni, and the Misses Parker, who, beringleted and tricked out in the height of Studham fashion, were occupied in an eager discussion on some piece which it was proposed to perform on the grand occasion.

"My dear sir," said Mr. Parker, "you come in a very busy time; but for the sake of an old friend one would do anything. They tell me that you have

some particular business with me. Is it anything of a private nature? else, perhaps, we may as well discuss it here?"

"The more that hear what I have to say the merrier, so far as I'm concerned, Mr. Churchwarden. I hear that you are going to have a musical performance, a festival, or what you may please to call it, in your church; is that the case?"

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Certainly, sir, it is;" replied the other.

"So far, so good. And I hear that you mean to exclude all who don't take one of your tickets?" "Undoubtedly, sir; such is our intention." "Humph! And you call that charity?"

"Why, sir, you know the trouble of getting up the thing is great-very great indeed: and we contribute our time and labour to the institution-an excellent one it is."

"Ay, and put your hand in your neighbours' pockets for the money. Well, when I profess to give, I will give."

"Sir!" said Mr. Parker.

"Well, I came here to-day, to say that I intend to be there myself, sir."

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"I am sure," replied the bookseller, we shall be most glad to have your countenance in the undertaking. Allow me to remind you, however, that the sooner you provide yourself with a ticket, the better: the reserved seats are almost all gone."

"I mean to come without a ticket," responded